Posted: Thursday, April 30, 2009, 11:06 AM | 35 comments |
 

Why Wasn't Howard Ejected?
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If you look at that elbow punch Dwight Howard threw at Sam Dalembert on Tuesday, it's clear the NBA had no choice but to suspend the Orlando center. That's as clear a violation as you can have and while the official who was right there called a technical right away, the rules called for immediate ejection.

Howard has a history of using his elbow in tight quarters or to shake himself loose when an opponent is hanging on him. Understandable, but not allowable.

Why wasn't Howard thrown out of the game against the Sixers? Probably a combination of things. Conspiracy theorists will tell you that the league would prefer Orlando advance, but that's not what's at play here.

The home player is going to naturally get a benefit of the doubt, that's just human nature. That's part of what a homecourt advantage is all about. Also, even though it shouldn't, justification will play a part in the punishment. Howard has been mugged all series and Sammy was hanging on him on that play. Howard got a break because his retaliation was provoked over a long period of time. If the refs make a big deal out of the retaliation by chucking Howard, then the Magic would have made a bigger deal out of what led up to it. And nobody in officiating likes that kind of spotlight.

The league cleaned up the mess with the suspension for Game 6, but here's a prediction you can bet on. If the series goes back to Orlando for Game 7, the Sixers will be called for a foul every time they breathe on Howard. Remember where you heard it first.
Posted by BOB FORD @ 11:06 AM  Permalink | 35 comments
35
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  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:46 AM, 04/30/2009
    Bob, you're about 2 days behind the news. The NBA said that the refs saw the elbow being thrown, which lead to the technical, but they didn't see whether he actually made contact, which is why they didn't eject him. The rule says automatic ejection for throwing an elbow above the shoulders AND connecting. I have no doubt that the refs would do anything they reasonably could to keep a star like Howard in the game...but I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt that they didn't see it actually connect with Dalembert. On the overhead replay it's easy to see, but they weren't standing overhead and their vantage points were behind each of the players. As for throwing elbows, players can absolutely use their elbows to shield and protect the ball. They just can't use them above someone's shoulders.
    — JimG
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:47 AM, 04/30/2009
    the sixers have been called for a lot of touchy fouls on howard and other magic players. this whole magic team has been a bunch of whiny babys complaining about every call going against them. and howard is the biggest baby literally and metaphorically with his elbow hitting dalembart being a symbol of how the sixers aggressive style of defense has gotten on the nerves of magic players. but you have to be impressed with how the sixers have handled themselves, overall they have not lost their composure even with a number of iffy fouls called on them. but the fact is the NBA will give howard what i call "superstar calls" in which they will either let him get away with calls or make touchy calls on the sixers to keep him happy and in the game.
    — rtjoyce76
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:20 PM, 04/30/2009
    JimG, refs are allowed to go to the monitor to review such fouls. Apparently you're years behind that news.
    — JimEisenreich
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:26 PM, 04/30/2009
    Harry is the only one who has it right.
    — cusoraider
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:32 PM, 04/30/2009
    The reason he wasn't ejected is because the refs are too gutless to make a call like that on his home floor. How could they not have seen that, and then called it as a technical? It's BULLSH#T.
    — ricky
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:42 PM, 04/30/2009
    'The home player is going to naturally get a benefit of the doubt, that's just human nature.' The Sixer's have been the poster child of NBA Abuse. They get little respect with the refs in the league.
    — rfw0618
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:48 PM, 04/30/2009
    Again, not the point Bob. The Sixers "mugging" may happen, but it happens during play, which was not the case here (and why Rondo was able to b-slap Brad Miller and get away with it unscathed). If the elbow had occurred in-game, even with as obvious as it was, I don't think he would have gotten a suspension. The fact that it was after play stopped is what made the bad intent that much worse. Howard constantly bowls through people in the lane using hooks, shoulders, and elbows which are almost never called (has he been called for any offensive fouls at all this series?) which just goes to prove my point.
    — evolutionary
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:19 PM, 04/30/2009
    It's nothing but preferential treatment for a star player. Its the same thing that killed the Flyers against the Penguins, and the Eagles against the Cardinals. The Philly teams just don't have the stars to get the calls. They're always getting trumped by the star or storyline of the other team. Look at the dirty goals Crosby got away with, or all the missed pass interference calls in the NFC Championship. The league has a vested interest in promoting certain players or storylines, and their employees, the referees, act in a way beneficial to their company.
    — Pelti
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:41 PM, 04/30/2009
    Dwight Howard has constantly been called out for not being mean enough. I think this was his way of saying: "I am mean". But it was stupid. He shouldn't let people change the person who he is. He got to be this successful on his own, just eh way it is. Dwight, don't listen to all the Convergence Marketing, be yourself!
    — fourcolorprinter
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:54 PM, 04/30/2009
    Whenever something like this happens the refs turn to the instant replay. That's how the decide who to eject because they can't make the call in real time. The refs did not want to review the Howard elbow because they knew if they did they'd have to toss him so they turned the other way and make David Stern, who was in attendance, very happy. No one wants to get fired in this economy.
    — paperchaser
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:55 PM, 04/30/2009
    Whoever thinks the refs did not see the contact I think that's a bit ridiculous. Also, if there was a question about it they could have taken the time out to check the monitors. The fact of the matter is Dwight Howard is a money maker for the NBA, bottom line. That's exactly what happened w/ the flyers series too, facing Crosby, same deal with treatment from refs.
    — rjg2424
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:08 PM, 04/30/2009
    NBA rules guru was on ESPN this morning and explained that the refs can only review a technical like this in certain situations and this was not one of them. Thats why they couldnt go and look at replay to determine the elbow made contact, thats why he wasnt ejected.
    — peteike
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:09 PM, 04/30/2009
    i think Pat Donaghey should be reffing the game.
    — Jack Hammer


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About Bob Ford
Bob Ford has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 1981, and is still trying to figure it all out. A former beat writer covering the Phillies and the 76ers, Ford became a general sports columnist for the Inquirer in 2003, following in and occasionally falling in the deep footsteps of Bill Lyon, Frank Dolson and many distinguished others. He comes to the Philly.com blogosphere after award-winning success as designer/editor of the fabulous Pen & Pencil Club softball blog. Likes: Palestra, inside-the-park home runs, sunny days. Dislikes: phony people, cloudy days, rewrites.
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