Joedholl

Everyone wants to discuss the shot and the last 15 seconds of the game. The overall truth about the last 15 seconds is that it should not have been an issue. My point starts with a question: why did the refs not call a consistent game? They called the game in one way during the first quarter and a totally different game the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarters. I have no fair explanation of why a team of refs would ever want to change their style of officiating during the middle of a game. One thing I have always understood about sports is the players, fans, and caoches always ask for conistency of officaiting during any game. In my opinion, this change of style during a game seems to be one of the quickest ways an official could loose his credibility in the sports community. Point: We saw the result of allowing the teams to play in the first quarter. I'm not saying DC would have dominated all four quarters like they did in the first but it is easy to determine that the last 15 seconds would not have mattered if the refs had called the game like they did in the first qtr. CPA could not effectively get the ball down the court in the first, they didn't just suddenly learn to handle the ball that much better after the first qtr. The only thing that could have made that big of a difference in the momentum of the game is the refs; not players, not coaching, not skill, not first round jitters, not anything from either team, just refs. And they did make the difference. The last shot was late and didn't matter? The truth is the last 15 seconds shouldn't have mattered also.