NBA makes wrong decision
That absurd dotted line un
der the basket obviously
wasn’t enough for the NBA,
because the league created yet an
other policy on Sunday aimed at
sacrificing the defensive integrity
of the game
— one good
foul de
serves two
hard slaps.
Saturday’s
Game 4 be
tween Indi
ana and
Philadelphia
exploded in
the third
quarter
when the
Pacers’ Reg
gie Miller,
after being knocked hard to the
floor by the 76ers Matt Geiger, re
taliated with an open-handed
swing at the Philadelphia center.
The NBA’s response?
To hit Geiger with a two-game
suspension, then fine the 76ers
$50,000 — for doing nothing.
The league’s reasoning? Geiger
was trying to hurt Miller.
“Teams and coaches will be
held accountable for the reckless
actions of their players,” NBA ex
ecutive Rod Thorn said on Sun
day.
Never mind the criticism that at
halftime, Geiger told a nationally
televised audience on NBC that
Philadelphia coach Larry Brown
told his players that they needed
to commit more hard fouls on
their opponents.
Sounds bad, doesn’t it? If
Brown really did tell his players to
go out and hurt people, he should
be fined. Actually, he should be
fired.
But what Geiger said at halftime
was anything but that. He said that
his team needed to commit more
Scott
Pesznecker
“playoff fouls.”
And there’s nothing wrong with
that.
A potent offense may go far in
the regular season, but no team
can win a championship without
strong defense. Characteristics of
a solid defense include chasing
down loose balls, getting into the
passing lanes, keeping the oppo
nent away from the basket and
preventing easy shots.
But there’s more intensity in the
playoffs. Way more intensity, be
cause suddenly, every shot an op
ponent takes could potentially be
the bucket that ends a team’s sea
son.
So when playoff time roles
around, the act of fouling becomes
a more accepted part of the game.
{ { Matt Geiger said that
his team needed to com
mit more 'playoff fouls.'
And there's nothing with
that AA
Really, it has to. Sometimes, some
body has to be fouled hard to be
kept from scoring a basket.
That’s what “playoff fouls” are
all about.
Most everyone who watches
basketball has seen it when a play
er streaks down court for an easy
hoop, only to be upended and
thrown to the ground by a desper
ate, charging defender.
That kind of foul has no honor.
When a player is flying toward the
hoop in the open court, it’s hard to
commit a “clean” flagrant foul
without jeopardizing that player’s
health. Many players get hurt in
that kind of situation.
But when Geiger committed his
two flagrant fouls on Miller, nei
ther one was of that fashion. One
happened on a baseline drive in
the halfcourt offense, the other
was on a jumper attempt.
Geiger used good judgment
when he fouled Miller because the
Pacer was not in any danger.
Yet he was suspended for two
games.
And Miller only got suspended
for one?
In making its decision, the NBA
told basketball fans that it would
rather have players pick fights
than play hard, and that’s just
wrong.
But the league has to protect its
superstars, right? It has to keep
those game scores high, and it
can’t have its big-time scorers —
such as Reggie Miller — be afraid
to go to the hoop.
Right?
“I understand where the league
is coming from with the one-game
suspension for retaliating,” Miller
said on Sunday in a released state
ment. “But I can’t let someone in
tentionally try to hurt me for the
sake of winning one basketball
game. And that's all they will win
is one basketball game."
The 76ers won that game by
two points — but remember that
Reggie’s retaliation came when his
team was down by 18.
Seems to me that Miller was
frustrated when he attacked
Geiger. But afterwards, rather than
take responsibility for his actions,
Miller blamed his outburst on
Geiger. Claiming that Geiger was
“trying to hurt me.”
What a pansy.
No wonder why he doesn’t
have a ring.
Scott Pesznecker is a sports reporter for
the Oregon Daily Emerald. His views do
not necessarily reflect those of the Emer
ald. He can be reached via e-mail at
jflak1@aol.com
T TNI VERSITV
COMMONS
APARTMENTS
Property address: 90 Commons Drive
TO YOUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME!
UNIVERSITY
OF OREGON
90 Commons Drive
Furnished 1,2 & 4
Bedroom Apartments
• Washer/dryer in each
apartment
• Close to campus
• On bus route
• Electronic alarm systems
• Fully equipped kitchen
• Private bedrooms/
Individual leases
• Computer lab, copier
and fax availability
• Ample parking
• Heated swimming pool
• Basketball and volleyball
courts
• High speed Internet
access available in each
apartment this spring
;
www.capstone
-dev.com
NOW LEASING!
CALL 338.4000
or stop by our Leasing Office at 90 Commons Drive
Co
Introduction to
Literature: Fiction
Alex Hunt, 2:00 p.m., MUWH
ENG 104/CRN 41610
Wmmer
2000 SUMMER SESSION • JUNE 19-AUGUST 11
Register by telephone now. Pick up a free summer
catalog in Oregon Hall or at the UO bookstore.
It has all the information you need to know about
UO summer session, http://uosummer.uoregon.edu/
n .
di versity of Oreeo^
/ Check
out our
web site
ooregoo.
pgs. 99-102
2000
| Schedule
of classes
Physical
lActivi
ecreation
Services
ucation
N
LOW
STUDENT
AIRFARES
o
O)
CO
CV
CL
o
o
Europe • Africa • Asia • South America f
More Than 100 Departure Cities! *
Eurailpasses • Bus Passes • Study Abroad |
s
ro
Q
O
03
CO
CO
slxidenf
universe
SP
'com
IT'S YOUR WORLD. EXPLORE IT.
www.StudentUniverse.com
800-272-9676
m
ujmdailgeraefaW.eom