by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni
The players aren’t happy with the new, draconian rules when it comes to technical fouls. Apparently, it’s no fun to play basketball with the emotion of a robot.
Players are so unhappy with the regulations — and the season has yet to even begin! — that the body in charge of representing them is prepared to file a “legal challenge” to have them repealed.
From NBA.com:
“The new unilateral rule changes are an unnecessary and unwarranted overreaction on the league’s behalf,” Hunter said in a statement released Thursday on behalf of the Players Association. “We have not seen any increase in the level of ‘complaining’ to the officials and we believe that players as a whole have demonstrated appropriate behavior toward the officials.
“Worse yet, to the extent the harsher treatment from the referees leads to a stifling of the players’ passion and exuberance for their work, we fear these changes may actually harm our product. The changes were made without proper consultation with the Players Association, and we intend to file an appropriate legal challenge.” An NBPA official said such legal action would likely take place during the next 20-30 days.
David Stern routinely finds a way to create “buzz” prior to the start of each new NBA season; I’m guessing this is not the type of hoopla he had in mind this time around.
As for the “legal challenge”, there’s no word yet if Tommy Heinsohn will lead the Players’ Association charge to get these technical rules changed.
