Brian Farenell wrote:
> So the refs shouldn't have assesed Chris Weber a technical foul because
> it was in the last seconds of the championship game? Shoulda just let
> that one go, I guess.
 
An interesting counterexample to this is the famous Celtics-Suns triple OT
game about twenty years or so ago.  At the very end of either regulation or
the first OT, Paul Silas (of the Celts) stood directly in front of the ref
and requested a timeout when they had none remaining.  The ref looked in the
other direction and the NBA wound up with one of their all-time great games.
A lot of people praised the ref for not letting the game be decided on the
basis of the automatic T that could have been assessed Silas.  However, being
from Boston, I suspect that the praise may not have been so effusive in
Phoenix.
 
On the other hand, there's the 4 OT Game 7 between the Capitals and the
Islanders about 7 or 8 years ago that became a mockery because the refs were
determined not to call a penalty and have a power play decide who would win
the series.  So players would get hauled down on a breakaway and no call.
 
I go for the "if it's a definite penalty then you've got to call it, but NEVER
make a marginal call at the end of the game.  You gotta be sure."
 
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