SERIOUSLY, DO WE NEED FOUR HOUR GAMES?

In an interview before Game 6 between the Lakers and Rockets in Houston yesterday, NBA commissioner David Stern suggested that he would like to see coaches have the opportunity to challenge officials' late-game calls with an instant replay format similar to the NFL's. Obviously, there have been a few questionable calls/non-calls at the end of some of these games, but I have to say, I am totally against this possibility.

First of all, NBA playoff games are almost always painfully slow in the final minutes. With teams backloading their timeouts, there seems to be a timeout after every possession with under two minutes left. And if there isn't a timeout, there is almost always some sort of whistle. Even the epic Bulls/Celtics first round series had moments toward end of games that were unbearably slow. Adding this replay system would make the ending of games even slower.

This kind of replay system in the NBA doesn't seem as feasible as it is in the NFL. The NFL allows each coach two challenges that can be used throughout the entire game! I don't think challenges in the NBA would be spread out nearly as much as they are in the NFL. If you couple these challenges with the timeouts, fouls, etc., you could have a game that takes forever to end. People tune in just for the final minutes more so with basketball than any other sport. If the NBA makes it even slower, they might lose these viewers.

I also have to point out that challenges in the NFL are not used to contest an official's whistle. A coach cannot challenge an official's flag. If I read the ESPN article right, Stern would want coaches to have a chance to challenge fouls called or fouls missed by a referee. In my opinion, that would ruin any integrity the official has. Does MLB allow managers to challenge balls and strikes? Does the NHL allow coaches a chance to challenge penalties? If the NBA allows coaches to challenge the official's whistle, Pandora's box will be opened to all sports. That is not good at all!

I would also like to say that the NBA already has a replay system similar to what NFL coaches can challenge except for the fact NBA coaches don't have a say in the matter. NBA officials can consult the monitor to see if last-second shots beat the horn, two vs. threes, and whether a foul was a fragrant one or two. If the NBA wants to add out of bounds situations, shot clock issues, or simply who touched a ball last before it went out of bounds then that is fine with me. If you want to give coaches two challenges for these, then that's fine, but please, don't allow coaches the opportunity to challenge the official's whistle. The NBA doesn't need to under mind their officials, and they certainly don't need to make the ending of these games unbearably long!

Pat Morgan