Lack of reaction to losing from the Raptors

[TheGloveinRapsUniform]

Im just wondering why it seems losing a game that close (losing by 3 to Atlanta), probably under questionable calls, doesnt seem to initiate a wild reaction among the players and the coach.

I mean you play hard for 47 minutes and 50 seconds and you lose the game on 2 questionable calls (or non-calls) within 10 secs and it doesnt seem to bother you. Given they did say it sucked to lose or we tried our best, we played hard, but some type of reaction like "Man, we got dogged out there" or "Its hard to go up against more than 5 players" comments that will make them look like theyre sticking up for themselves and not lying down and get butt fucked by the refs.

Are they afraid of fines? losing the "respect" of refs? (which is really bullshit) or is this team just really a collection of pussies? seriously?

[joey_hesketh]

Not at all. They are professionals, and they realize that making excuses doesn't gain you anything. With the mistakes that they did make, the game was bound to be left in the Refs hands. If they didn't want that, then you gotta make some more layups that they missed and the Refs don't matter at that point.

I think any player in the league realizes that a very small part of the game is bound to be decided by the sway of the referee's, but to make that the reason they lost the game, is horseshit and I would have called them on it. It was their fault the refs even had a say in the outcome.

[TheGloveinRapsUniform]

Not at all. They are professionals, and they realize that making excuses doesn't gain you anything. With the mistakes that they did make, the game was bound to be left in the Refs hands. If they didn't want that, then you gotta make some more layups that they missed and the Refs don't matter at that point.

I think any player in the league realizes that a very small part of the game is bound to be decided by the sway of the referee's, but to make that the reason they lost the game, is horseshit and I would have called them on it. It was their fault the refs even had a say in the outcome.

agree and disagree.

agree that they shouldnt have let it get to the point that the refs will have to influence the game. but thats how the game goes sometimes, there are errors and mistakes and games go down to the wire.

disagree that complaining is making excuses. by voicing out your discontent, fans know you care. management knows you care. other GMs see how passionate you are about the game and not just in it for the paycheck.

you could say it was their fault that it went to the hands of the refs, but they played hard and they played a team that is established, and who got the benefit of the calls.

[pesterm1]

There would be just as many people calling it "complaining" as there would be people saying "theyre just sticking up for themselves and showing they care". The game was over there is no point im complaining about it. If someone wants to voice their opinion let it be Jay triano. You could also make the argument that many of the raps games were decided by the refs this year so is its pointless. next game if its at the wirre i bet we see a different result. this one was was close but they should use it as motivation. When we win its fun and ill be glad id we make the playoffs. if the raps keep loosing by 10 or less against good teams then just remember that next draft we could probably have a top 5 pick lol

[Copywryter]

Im just wondering why it seems losing a game that close (losing by 3 to Atlanta), probably under questionable calls, doesnt seem to initiate a wild reaction among the players and the coach.

I mean you play hard for 47 minutes and 50 seconds and you lose the game on 2 questionable calls (or non-calls) within 10 secs and it doesnt seem to bother you. Given they did say it sucked to lose or we tried our best, we played hard, but some type of reaction like "Man, we got dogged out there" or "Its hard to go up against more than 5 players" comments that will make them look like theyre sticking up for themselves and not lying down and get butt fucked by the refs.

Are they afraid of fines? losing the "respect" of refs? (which is really bullshit) or is this team just really a collection of pussies? seriously?

Probably because the refs made 2 correct calls (Amir's screen, late non-foul on Calderon) and one iffy call (Crawford's three), and the players know it.

[Arsenalist]

I don't buy that the refs cost the Raptors the game. If you want reactions like those, there are some on YouTube, IMO they look like douches. You have to be accountable to yourself and as joey_hesketh mentioned, the Raptors should have secured this game without the refs even coming into play.

[heinz57]

complaining gets you fined.

people like their money.

[Multipaul]

With 1 min left it was the Raptors game to lose, and they did. They need to look in the mirror and not at the refs. The refs are ugly anyways.

[steps]

When you lose like that ... what do you want them to say? We lost because Amir messed up? Nobody is going to say it, but the whole game came down to a possession at the end of the game where Amir picked up a stupid offensive foul. Its the type of game where you shrug it off, cus otherwise they know where the blame would have to go ... and these guys respect their teammates too much to call someone out on a mistake like that in front of the media. Sure Demar missed a dunk posessions earlier .... but really they had their chances but fell short. The effort was good and they put themselves in a position to win, but they didnt. End of story. One team wins, the other team loses. They played hard, it was an entertaining game, and you can't get too upset about it.

[Apollo]

I watched the second half of the game and to me it looked like the Raptors collectively lost the game, not the officials. I don't remember the Raptors looking happy about the loss after the game. Bibby's shot was crushing. It was one game out of 82 and so you can't expect them to be in tears about it. I also don't expect them throw their teammates under the bus OR risk getting fined for criticizing the officials. I am sure that when they got off camera they weren't singing kumbaya around the campfire.

[albertan_10]

I agree, they lost it for themselves by not finishing on 2 or 3 possessions before Bibby hit that shot. there were a few turnovers on fast breaks that shouldn't have happened. I was watching some kids I coached play a zone game to be able to go to provincials and they were winning but they screwed up on their last few possessions, then the other team's coach called timeout and the score table stopped the clock, but the ref's didn't whistle, so they game went on and the other team scored with the extra seconds they were given to win the game. Score table's fault? yeah but how do you prove it at a high school game? They should have won it on the last 2 or 3 possessions. Point is taht the Dino's should have wrapped things up and itshouldnt have come to a one possession game.

[MangoKid]

complaining gets you fined.

people like their money.

Bingo!

And what's the point of them complaining about the refs through the media? All that's gonna do is make the refs have that in the back of their mind when they call games, so when it comes time for a close call, it might not go their way.

Fact of the matter is that the better teams and players have the respect of the officials - that's just the way it is. No sense in getting upset about it.

Copywriter is bang on as well. The close calls could have gone either way, but the more veteran teams always get the benefit of the doubt.

[JoePanini]

I disagree. Why should they complain? Get T'd up and just frustrate them more? And I don't know about the other players, but Bargnani was extremely down after the game, and could barely speak to the Italian media. Tough loss, but it won't be the last one.

[Apollo]

One more thing. A lot of these guys are young and fighting for time. Being critical of teammates, coaching decisions and officiating will more than likely land the player in the dog house.

[heinz57]

It's their jobs, and their pay cheques. regardless of how big their pay cheques are, why would they jeapordize their money by whining about "bad" calls? especially when those "bad" calls don't effect their job security AT ALL.

Like, at my work, our sales people are messy fucks. when they're in the office, they tend to use the spoon from the sugar bowl to stir their coffee and then put it back in the sugar bowl making it all coffee/sugar crusty. its disgusting and i hate it.

now, if you told me that if i complained about it, it would cost me a day's pay..... screw it.. let them be disgusting.

[j bean]

How many more times did the Hawks go to the line than the Raptors? It seemed like they were at the stripe at least twice as often. In your home court that favoritism to the opposition makes it a lot harder to bring in new fans which is something this franchise could use.

[heinz57]

How many more times did the Hawks go to the line than the Raptors? It seemed like they were at the stripe at least twice as often. In your home court that favoritism to the opposition makes it a lot harder to bring in new fans which is something this franchise could use.

you're 100% right.

but if agreeing with you were to cost me money... you're 100% wrong.

[MangoKid]

you're 100% right.

but if agreeing with you were to cost me money... you're 100% wrong.

ANd your money is never funny. Ask Charles Oakley and Tyrone Hill about that.