Flopping

Mention the word "flopping" to the tough 90's NBA players and guys like Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, and Shaquille O'Neal might not know what you're talking about.  In today's NBA, you can't go a game without a ton of "flops".  To quickly explain, a flop is an over reaction to minor contact to fool a referee and draw a foul.  This is becoming a huge issue in today's game.  The biggest problem is that it is led by today's best players.

        LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Paul Pierce, Manu Ginobli, Carmelo Anthony, I could go on and on. These are the guys who are playing the game the wrong way.  They take advantage of their status in the NBA knowing they will get a foul call if they go crashing to the floor.  There is no longer a good pace to the game.  You can no longer go two possessions in a row without a whistle being blown.

        Comissioner David Stern finally said in an interview during the Heat Pacers game yesterday that they might have to look into not only fining but also suspending for flops next season.  This is a suggestion that I have talked about all season long.  I for one can't stand the way some of the NBA's best players play the game. They need to watch some film on the NBA in the 1990's.  Learn what the word toughness means, learn about manning up, and playing the right way.

It is truly embarrassing to the game of basketball when guys like the three time MVP LeBron James quickly grabs at his neck acting like he got a hard elbow from Pacer forward David West, and then you watch the replay and he wasn't even touched.  This happened in yesterdays game, and it happens all the time.  Not only that but the complaining and whining of players has to stop as well.  Players will commit an obvious foul and then go crazy as if he did nothing wrong.  Knock it off we have cameras guys! I for one am almost at the point where I can't watch it anymore.  I really hope David Stern takes a long look at the way the game is being officiated.