OCTOBER 11, 2007 (12:00PM) -- Just wanted to update everyone to basically say that I think a more positive spin should have come out initially below. Hopefully this update will make up for that.
Although players will be suspended, Trybe and Kurruption are perhaps two of the senior teams in dreamleague who really "get" what we do. Unfortunately, they will have to sacrifice in this instance to make the league better. I thank them for that, although I still believe the suspensions are required.
Two players got tangled and from what I know, no punches were thrown, elbows may have been unintentionally extended, but again they were unintentional (there are specific NBA rules for elbows -- basically don't do it because if it's interpreted as intentional by the ref, you will be ejected and even if it's not intentional but it connects, that's a loss of possession).
Anyways, cooler heads prevailed and that's a testament to the long-time dreamleaguers on Trybe and Kurruption.
One player felt he was more responsible for starting it all and wanted to take the suspension in the bench player's place (we cannot do that). There were also questions about the ejected bench player getting hit with a double whammy of ejection+suspension (we don't interpret it like that), if he can at least watch the game next week (yes, unlike the NBA), and if this affects his status playing in another division (no).
My responses are below. The jist of it goes back to the rule itself: Coming off the bench during an altercation is like kerosene to a fire. It may be a natural instinct, but it's kerosene to a fire, therefore we must train you to not do it.
I'm rambling a little here, but I think I've covered all bases...
I got your voicemails and thought about it, but just in case, I'm not trying to be like David Stern here. I have no desire to purposely emulate him. Not saying that you thought it was like that, I'm just making sure you know that I'd rather not do this stuff that he does whenever possible. And as Drew alluded, it's real time-drainer for me. On the other hand, we look to the NBA rulebook for guidance and role modelship and what happened here, we should take their guidance.
I honestly think the best thing for dreamleague is for the players mentioned to be suspended, no matter what other positives occurred to actually prevent a fight from breaking out. I think the NBA has probably spent a million bucks studying the psychology of altercations and how players leaving the bench affects the ongoing altercation. I'm sure after Indiana-Detroit, they spent some money to get some scientific data.
The bottom line must have been: if there is an altercation, the worst thing you can do is approach it.
The ruling is both an example and the right punishment because you guys just gotta learn and if I let you off the hook, the ramifications are too great, whether or not they are published on the website -- because word gets around in the league.
I'm sure just like in the NBA and probably backed by experts, these suspensions also keep moving the league slowly towards ZERO likelihood that this will happen in the future. A very gradual downward slope that actually never hits zero, but at least gets pretty close.
I'd rather have word get around in the league that we were strict on rules than we let something slide with all these other side ramifications to justify letting you slide. I know you meant no harm. I know that no one person shares all the blame. But no, we cannot find justifications to avoid levying the suspension for a pretty simple, easy-to-understand rule.
So anyways, I think that answers most of your questions except the following...
- The double whammy. In reality, you lost 1 quarter (less than 1 quarter), so if anything you are getting a 1.25x whammy, not a 2x whammy. However, the interpretation of the rule is as follows: the ref can eject you for whatever unsportsmanlike conduct he feels was instigated at the time, within the game. If you look up the NBA rulebook, you will see that leaving the bench constitutes an *automatic* suspension. So the ref did what he did at the game. The commissioner is doing what he does afterwards, apply the rule. If Amare or you did not get ejected at the game, then you got lucky. The automatic suspension is tacked on no matter what. Again, I think this gets back to not letting you slide, period.
- Unlike the NBA, in our experience with suspensions, we have not (yet) found an issue with you going to the game that you are suspended from playing, to watch the game. However, you cannot contribute in a meaningful way, i.e., you cannot be on the bench. You cannot coach the team. You must play the role of spectator. This is one instance where I think community ball differs than the NBA.
- This is for Trybe only. I treat you as a different/clone when you play more than 1 division. What you do in that division is in that division.
Basically, your sacrifice with the suspension is making the league better, but at the same time you have to be trained to nip it in the butt so that there is ZERO chance of anything escalating. Nipping it in the butt means never leaving the bench.
Just because you all are diehard dreamleaguers and I can trust you that a fight would never occur out of an on-court altercation that happens in front of you (yes, I was actually shocked to hear about this involving you guys), is not sufficient enough to make it a zero chance. The suspensions do a better job of reducing the percentage to zero.
So anyways, again, anytime things go out of whack like this -- and whether or not the game went back to normalcy, which in this case I heard it did (i.e., cooler heads prevailed, thank goodness) -- it becomes a real time-drainer and unfortunately we have to reinforce what we got, to make things better and more resilient in the future. Therefore the rule is cut and dry, to save time and be more efficient about things.
To conclude, if you have any further comments, do not take it personal if I do not reply. I may consider the issue closed, but hopefully I have made an honest effort to address all possible outstanding points. OCTOBER 10, 2007 (8:00PM) -- The following was sent to the captains involved in an altercation on 10/7...
It pains me to do this because I know you guys so well, I know you mean well, and things happen, but due to the altercation from Sunday, the following players will be suspended from their next game...
- Ray Castillo, Trybe for their next game on 10/28 vs AnyWho
- Adam Aquino, Kurruption for next game on 10/14 vs Blitzkrieg
- Amado Rivera, Kurruption for next game on 10/14 vs Blitzkrieg
Please note that those players cannot be replaced. Therefore, Trybe can have no more than 7 different players play on 10/28 vs AnyWho and Kurruption can have no more than 6 players for their game on 10/14 vs Blitzkrieg.
The captains of Blitzkrieg and AnyWho have been copied in on this email.
Also, you may reply with complaints or comments, but this ruling is pretty much non-negotiable. You all know what the NBA's rules are on players coming off the bench during an altercation. We all know why this rule is in place. Let's be grown men about this and accept our punishments without any qualms.
It's like speeding on the freeway. Sometimes you get caught. When you do, pay your ticket and go to traffic school. It doesn't mean you're a reckless driver out to cause accidents.
I must warn you that failure to abide by this ruling (such as the named players playing in the game or illegal replacements) will result in at least a forfeit, if not more. Please, let's not go there.
Thanks and I trust that this will restore dreamleague back to its "safe haven for basketball" goals. |
