Dein erstes Forum » -- Clippers coach

In a divided nation, NFL officials are a unifying factor, because everyone seems to disagree with them.Quarterbacks say they take too many dirty hits. Receivers complain they are targeted. Defensive backs say they cant touch anyone without getting a flag. And coaches say their teams never catch a break.Fans want games to move along without endless reviews and flags.The leagues head of officiating even found himself tweeting during Monday nights Bills-Seahawks game when the crew bungled a series of calls at the end of the first half on a field goal try that would prove crucial to the outcome.Time to bring back the replacement Refs! Jeremi Melendrez, owner of Js Barber Lounge in Las Cruces, New Mexico, wrote on Facebook while watching the leagues latest officiating fiasco.And this was from a Packers fan still salty over the Fail Mary in Seattle, the botched call in the end zone in 2012 that sped the return of the regular officials.Melendrez describes himself as an avid but angry fan. He has NFL Sunday Ticket but says the proliferation of penalty flags over the last few years are making games harder to watch.Its no fun anymore because its flag football, Melendrez said. Im sure players and coaches are upset, too.That they are.Two weeks ago, the Raiders overcame an NFL-record 23 penalties to beat the Buccaneers, and Oakland coach Jack Del Rio wasnt about to pin the blame solely on his players.Penalties are up throughout the league, Del Rio said. I think at some point it will settle down as they put viewers to sleep.Del Rio is just the latest to argue that one of the forces driving down TV ratings is the flurry of flags slowing the rhythm of games.Monday Night Football analyst Jon Gruden said fewer quarterbacks are throwing downfield because of a lack of protection, but on the few times they do go deep, flags are flying either for holding or pass interference.Some defenders complain the newer rules require them to make super-human, split-second decisions in midair so as not to hit a guy too late or too hard, or too high or too low.Others, like reigning MVP Cam Newton, are calling for more flags.Newton took his case directly to Roger Goodell after no whistle was blown when Cardinals pass rusher Calais Campbell crashed into him below the knees two weeks ago.Through Week 9, penalties are down slightly (16.93 per game) over the same period as last year (17.21), but up from 2014 (16.55). And the average length of games (3:07:49) is down by 92 seconds over the first half of the 2015 season, but up from `14 when it was 3:06:23.All these penalties are down from this time last year:-Illegal contact (41 vs. 44)-Defensive holding (157 vs. 174)-Offensive pass interference (68 vs. 75)-Illegal use of hands (63 vs. 97)-Unnecessary roughness (121 vs. 135)-Roughing the passer (42 vs 66)Taunting is up (24 vs. 17) and the 42 unsportsmanlike conduct fouls are the same as in 2015.During one Monday night game this season, the Cardinals beat the Jets 28-3 in a yawner that featured 23 flags. By the third quarter, play-by-play man Sean McDonough had seen enough.If were looking for reasons TV ratings are down all over the place, this doesnt help, McDonough said on the air that night. No. The way this game has been officiated is not something anybody wants to watch.Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce grew so irate over not getting a pass interference call on Prince Amukamara after the Jaguars cornerback hooked him in the end zone last week that he threw his towel at the official.Ejected and dejected, Kelce later said he felt like an idiot. It was a terrible decision. ... I cant throw my flag at the ref. He can throw his all day long.The next day, Richard Sherman, who criticized NFL officiating last week for incorrect calls, found himself at the center of another officiating flap in Seattle, the third in five seasons.Walt Andersons crew flagged Sherman for being offside but not unnecessary roughness after he crashed into Dan Carpenter attempting to block his 48-yard field goal at the end of the first half -- an incorrect call according Blandino.Buffalo was assessed an injury timeout after trainers ran on the field believing Carpenter was injured, and forcing the Bills to spike the ball with 1 second left as Carpenter had to leave the field. That was followed by officials mistakenly not resetting the play clock and Buffalo being assessed a delay of game, and the half finally ending with Carpenter missing a 54-yard attempt.Whenever it comes to player safety, we want to look at these fouls, Blandino said. Its something that we stress with our referees when it comes to the quarterbacks and the kickers with roughing the kicker and roughing the passer, so we certainly dont want to miss calls like that.Player safety was not in their mind, Buffalo linebacker Jerry Hughes complained. He was offside and dove at our kickers leg while he was in motion. Thats a dirty play.Non-calls. Wrong calls. Too many calls.Its making players and coaches mad and driving fans from football.In one of their games this year, all five of Denvers offensive linemen were whistled for critical penalties, but their quarterback didnt complain: Its not for me to tell guys (to) stop holding, Trevor Siemian said. Truthfully, Id rather them hold than me get hit pretty good right there.Other Broncos were joining the chorus of complaints after Denver drew a dozen flags in a loss at Oakland last week, however.Its frustrating, said safety T.J. Ward, when youve got to go against two teams.---AP Sports Writer Tim Booth contributed.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton Ryan Anderson Suns Jersey . With Parker having a quiet game for once, Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw provided the scoring as France won its first major basketball title by beating Lithuania 80-66 on Sunday. It was a victory that ended a decade of frustration for Parker and a talented French generation, which lost the final against Spain two years ago and took bronze in 2005. Ray Spalding Suns Jersey . -- Ohio States Urban Meyer has never had any issue acclimating to the biggest stages in college football. https://www.thesunslockerroom.com/Isaiah-Canaan-City-Edition-Jersey/ . The head of USA Boxing came out swinging Tuesday with an open letter to Tyson -- a former Olympic hopeful himself -- that accuses the former heavyweight champion of trying to poach fighters who might be candidates for the U. Dan Majerle Jersey . McPhee said that Ovechkins father Mikhail is in stable condition after having the surgery this week and is no longer in intensive care. "Weve told him to stay as long as necessary with your dad," he said. Ovechkin and his Russian national team were eliminated from the mens hockey tournament in Sochi on Wednesday with a 3-1 quarter-final loss to Finland. Jevon Carter Suns Jersey .875,000, avoiding arbitration. Clippards deal Monday means all eight Nationals players who filed for arbitration wound up settling before a hearing. LOS ANGELES -- Clippers coach Doc Rivers is striking a reassuring tone a day after Donald Trump was elected U.S. president in a result that took millions of Americans and the world by surprise.Were all going to be OK everyone, he said Wednesday night before the Clippers hosted Portland. Donald Trump is going to be president and thats something I never thought Id have to say. I believe overall America works.Rivers said one of sports maxims applied to Trumps campaign against Hillary Clinton: never underestimate your opponent.He was underestimated from the beginning, the coach said.Rivers noted that much of Trumps support came from rural areas, while inner-city voters didnt go to the polls as strongly as they did in re-electing Barack Obama four years ago.The one thhing this thing taught me was how powerful the vote is, he said.ddddddddddddThousands of protesters took to the streets to denounce Trumps election.Dont be mad, Rivers said. Go do something about it if you want change. Run for office or vote.On Monday, Rivers had encouraged people to vote during his pre- and postgame comments. He said he had already voted in Florida, where the Chicago native remains a resident despite living much of the year in Los Angeles. He didnt disclose his choice for president.Portland coach Terry Stotts didnt mince words, saying, I was very disappointed. It wasnt my choice. I hope the country is going to be OK. ' ' '