Looks like more techs for Jax this season

[ziggy]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5609817

NBA referees will have more reasons to issue technical fouls next season.

At the referees' annual meeting in Jersey City, N.J., on Thursday, the league announced the guidelines for technical fouls will expand to include "overt" player reactions to referee calls.

Referees have been instructed to call a technical for:

• Players making aggressive gestures, such as air punches, anywhere on the court.

• Demonstrative disagreement, such as when a player incredulously raises his hands, or smacks his own arm to demonstrate how he was fouled.

• Running directly at an official to complain about a call.

• Excessive inquiries about a call, even in a civilized tone.

In addition, referees have been instructed to consider calling technicals on players who use body language to question or demonstrate displeasure, or say things like, "Come on!" They can also consider technicals for players who "take the long path to the official", walking across the court to make their case.

Ron Johnson, the NBA's senior vice president of referee operations, said audience research was a major factor behind the change.

"Our players are more personally connected to fans than any other sports," Johnson said. "We don't have masks. ... There's nothing you can hide on the expression of an NBA players. ... People expect hockey players to be fighting. They expect baseball managers to be kicking dirt on umpires. But that's not our game. That's not what our fans want. They tell us in many many ways and I think we have to adjust to meet the needs of our league and our fans. It's a business."

What is the over/under on the number of T's Jax racks up this season?

[Plowright]

OH NO!!! lol Jax is screwed

[ohara831]

Jax is good for about 20 techs this season, and likely 3 ejections for getting 2 in the same game. This is if he tries real hard to control himself.

[SCBobcat]

Dude, this will have a far-reaching impact on the game. Someone like Kobe or D12 violates these new rules at least 10 times per game. I imagine refs will be more likely to actually make those calls on the bad boys like Jax though. If some of the media darlings get thrown out right at the beginning of the season, I would bet these new rules get relaxed in a hurry.
Remember, there is a suspension after 16 and then I think every 2nd tech thereafter is another suspension. 20 sounds about right for Jax though I am sorry to say.

[ziggy]

Dude, this will have a far-reaching impact on the game. Someone like Kobe or D12 violates these new rules at least 10 times per game. I imagine refs will be more likely to actually make those calls on the bad boys like Jax though. If some of the media darlings get thrown out right at the beginning of the season, I would bet these new rules get relaxed in a hurry.
Remember, there is a suspension after 16 and then I think every 2nd tech thereafter is another suspension. 20 sounds about right for Jax though I am sorry to say.

If they follow those rules to the letter of the law then I'll say 20 or more sounds about right.

Hopefully these new guidelines die quickly after just a few games into the season.

[SWedd523]

These new rules are pathetic. You can't yell out "come on!" anymore? You can't raise your arms? You can't complain, in a civilized tone? Kobe will bitch about a call for an entire quarter and won't get called but I guarantee you just about every time Jack says "that was a dumb call", will get T'd up. Bullshit on so many different levels.

Not to mention that the NBA is killing every bit of emotion in the game. Way back, people were allowed to cuss, yell, push, and whatever they wanted, and fans LOVED IT. they've maid everything so PC it's almost boring.

[bing!]

NBA, rated E for Everyone.

[BRNC]

Ziggy...if they go by this I'll take over/20...

[ajbry]

The last three rules seem directly aimed at Jack, lol.

I don't see how they're possibly going to enforce those as stated, otherwise there won't be anyone to finish the games.

[Chef]

they really are trying to suck every last bit of emotion out of the nba. all thanks to the ron artest melee. think about this...
one of the nba's most iconic images is jordon's shot over craig ehlo at the foul line where he jumps after making it almost kicks ehlo, then does about 5 "air punches"

t him up. cleveland shoots free throws and wins the game!

why not get rid of these stupid rules and instead of charging a tech charge a personal foul for excessive complaining or showing up a ref after a call. tech's don't mean anything, personal fouls do.