I’ll put here what I put in there quote wise because I feel it pertains to this post as well … It’s from Mr. Hollinger on ESPN’s Daily Dime….

“As a result of West’s inspired effort and the Spurs’ uninspired third quarter, this was the fifth straight one-sided win by the home team in this series. So instead of late-game drama, we had to settle for the early-game fireworks between Popovich and Joey Crawford.

Popovich was furious over a first-quarter delay of game violation - yes, really - that he felt was called in error, and he let Crawford know about it in no uncertain terms. Crawford, as is his reputation, didn’t back down, and replays seemed to show him poking a finger in Popovich’s chest.

The scene ended with Pop getting a technical and several players being needed to restrain him from picking up a second. Crawford also drew a lengthy, Sheed-like glare from Duncan after a late loose-ball call right before the Spurs sent in the scrubs; it’s probably fortunate for everyone that Crawford had his back turned.

Nonetheless, the Spurs’ issues with this particular referee once again seem very much alive, and it seemed to spread to the other players—San Antonio invested a lot of time lobbying for calls.

“I think we got worried about the refs way too much,” said Ginobili. “We’ve just got to let Pop do that. That’s his job.”

When the media widely accepts that one team has a problem with a ref and vice versa and the storyline of the game isn’t just that the Hornets won but the fact that the Spurs and Crawford were at odds with each other all night, well that never bodes well…. Here’s to the Spurs crushing them in Game 6-it’s happened 2x already-and hopefully getting Steve Javie for Game 7 :)

the only media opinion that i would ever listen to on NBA matters is Charley Rosen. He’s an Ace.

True that we didnt get some calls last night, but I’m more upset about the 28-11 3rd quarter, in part, fueled by something 7 offensive rebounds for the NOOCH in the quarter.

I agree that Rosen is usally pretty good. I also like Dr. Jack Ramsey.

Hopefully the Spurs can pretend it’s the 1st quarter or the 4th quarter in the 3rd.

I still don’t understand the thinking of the league in scheduling Crawford for ANY San Antonio playoff game; especially a big one. I mean, seriously? If anything, avoid it to avoid a potential controversy (see: now) or potential conspiracy theories! Are we that starved for middle-aged men who can run for 48 minutes straight while effectively carrying forth an agenda??

There was only two games scheduled last night, and only 4 series going on at this point. You need three officials per game. At most, factoring travel, that’s a pool of approx. 15 officials. “Let’s see, we need a third guy. Let’s send Joey, the biggest head case of all of our refs and the one who has had several highly publicized conflicts with one of the teams playing in the game, to officiate one of the biggest games of the year. That’ll work. Especially since we can no longer use that Donaghy guy.”

Joey was the best you could come up with, really?! Further proof to me of inept leadership in the NBA.

I knew Joey would fuck up the game from the beginning.

I remember the 90s Bulls had the same situation with ref Hue Hollins, who always had a bullshit agenda against the team. Joey Crawford obviously hates Duncan, which is odd considering I don’t think anyone could hate him

Funny thing…I watched the beginning of the games tonight (sadly Javie reffed the Lakers game) and both sets of refs were all smiles and waving when they introduced them. Last night Crawford’s 2 helpers were smiling but he looked like something crawled up him and died, all pissed off and such. Ugh. Can’t the man ever smile ? :D See? Not that hard :p I think though that they should have just expelled him when they had a chance. No sport needs a ref that is openly biased or opinionated about 1 or more teams. It limits how the business is run, and it sets a bad example for people watching said sport.

We’ll take Game 6, that’s a given….if anything the NBA is LOVING this series, as aside from the Boston/Cleveland series (which will go 7 as well) this is the most hyped/talked about/etc series, passing even the Lakers/Jazz series. Parker and Duncan were downright livid last night, and Ginobili will continue his tear through the Hornets now that he’s feeling 100%. I guarantee you those no calls on Duncan will BE calls in SA. :)

GO SPURS GO!!

Crawford ranks #1 as the ref I’d be least surprised at if his head exploded. His head is like a pressurized pink pustule, just waiting to pop.