John Canzano Blind Optimism

Response to John Canzano April 27th 2009,

I am a regular listener of all local 95.5 radio programs including the MSP, Wheels and Canzano. Usually I agree with most of what they say, because I feel they know what they are talking about, have the experience to voice their opinions, and can look at the Blazers with both a fan lens and a media lens. However on April 27th, during Canzano’s show, The Bald Faced Truth, I never laughed so hard at anyone’s complete blind optimism of truth and fairness.

Canzano was talking about the fans of the Portland Trail Blazers giving the referees a hard time about questionable calls during game 4 of the 2009 NBA Playoffs between the Trail Blazers and the Rockets. Now I will agree with Canzano’s opinion that the referees can not see everything, they are of course only human and they can screw up at their job, just as anyone else can. However Canzano continued to talk about style of play leading to different calls from the referees.

Canzano said that he wished Greg Oden would play with more of a physical presence to avoid foul calls. Canzano backed his statement with a comparison to Ron Artest of the Houston Rockets. Canzano said, “Ron Artest is strong, big, aggressive, he is slapping at the ball, and he gets away with stuff. He gets call because the officials say look, this is how Ron Artest plays, he is aggressive, he has a great reputation as a defensive player and they let him play that way.” If Ron Artest is being more physical than another player, yet he walks away with fewer calls. Is that not inappropriate? Is there not a definition of what a foul is in the NBA? Either it’s a foul or its not, there is not middle ground. I will walk onto the court and punch Ron Artest in the face, but the refs will not call that a foul, because I have proven that I am a physical player and I will punch everyone else in the face. I do not discriminate with my abusive style, therefore it is fair.

Now I use Artest as an example, not because I am clearly a Trail Blazer fan, but to illustrate exactly what is wrong with the NBA. Ron Artest can get away with foul calls because he always plays like that. However wouldn’t that mean he should always foul out, because he is in fact, breaking the rules of the game. This applies to all teams across the board, including the Blazers, but is that not wrong? James, Wade, Kobe and the 5 steps they get as they take off, is that not traveling? Canzano’s logic would say it is not because it is their style of play.

Canzano talked about how Greg Oden was flaying, out of position, and looks awful. I would agree completely with him. However, Yao Ming wrapping his hands around Greg, is not different that Greg wrapping his hands around Yao, other than the fact that Yao (as a superstar) gets the call. Canzano continues to tell the referees that they are doing a great job, and if the team goes out and wins the game, overcomes the calls, they referees do not matter.

Canzano makes the claim that any team’s fans will say the referees are out to get them, and that is true, fans are blinded by their fanhood. However, that does not absolve the referees of making poor calls consciously. Canzano asked a fan if the referees are making poor calls consciously, because that is what he cares about. Are the referees purposely making the calls to spite a team? Of course not! But wouldn’t his comment on Ron Artest getting away with calls be a conscious decision on the part of the referees. They LET him get away with fouls because it is the way he plays, that is a conscious decision. Then Canzano says that Yao Ming has been around long enough to deserve calls, and that Brandon is starting to get those calls. That completely contradicts what his point was in the first place. Either it’s a foul, or its not. Either its traveling or not. Either it’s 24 seconds in a shot clock of 25. There should be not middle ground. The league must decide what each call is, and adhere to those standards regardless of who the players are.