Joey Crawford is Back

Joey Crawford is back...and I am shocked.

Only the NBA would look to clean up their officiating issues after Tim Donaghy and his gambling by putting Joey Crawford back on the payroll.

It isn't like the NBA has had a real easy time this summer. I mean hasn't the league had enough bad publicity involving their refs. Tim Donaghy isn't a big enough black eye for the league?

I do believe everyone deserves a second chance in life so don't get me wrong here. If he has truly rehabilitated from his anger issues then he definately deserves a second chance but is it wise to put a person with anger issues in a high stress job like NBA officiating when everyone is already gearing up to jump all over the refs this season after the gambling scandal?

Isn't this like putting a recovering alcoholic in a beer drinking contest? Sure he should be able to withstand the temptation but WHY WOULD YOU DO IT?

Not only with Joey have to deal with the stress of travel, the constant beratement from fans and the constant whining from players but now he will have people screaming about the game being fixed by the refs on top of it. Would it have killed the NBA to wait one more season before bringing back the most polarizing official in league history?

I hope everything works out well for Joey. I hope his counseling has produced a more laid back but just as efficient official. Joey when he is on his game is an excellent referee who doesn't coddle stars, favor veterans over rookies or basically play with more than one set of rules. He calls the game as he sees it.

Joey's problem is when he is off his game. When Joey's inner demons took over and he would toss anyone for any reason. His inability to remain on an even keel was his undoing. Fans, players and coaches alike who have witnessed Joey on an off-night will testify to how he not only lost his composure but complete control of the game. I personally remember a night when Joey threw out nearly half of the Grizzlies team within a 5 minutes span. This is the same Grizzlies team that didn't lift a finger to respond to Kobe Bryant decking Mike Miller. We aren't talking about a real aggressive team here.

If course that appears to have changed with the addition of Darko Milicic. He doesn't seem to have any problems showing his inner feelings when angry.

One piece of advice Joey. Don't have an off night in Memphis. And I wouldn't bring your mother, wife or daughter to the game either.

Darko Act I

Memphis, meet Darko Milicic.

You might have missed his initial press conference this summer. You probably wish you would have missed this story too.

Darko Milicic, the Grizzlies top free agent acquisition and 7 foot Serbian center provided his Memphis fanbase with quite the opening act.

Darko Act I featured a profanity laced tirade directed towards the refs after Serbia lost to Greece. It was, of course, in Serbian. It was not only directed at the refs, but also their families. It was nasty, viscous, appalling, inappropriate, and whatever other negative descriptor that comes to your mind. I'm leaving it up to the reader to find the translation for themselves. Google.

Naturally, Chris Wallace didn’t like what he read. I don’t like reading what he said. No sensible person would approve of what he said.

That's why it is embarrassing to admit that when I first saw the youtube clip of Darko's outburst, I was smiling and enjoying myself. Sure, that was mostly because I do not speak Serbian and had not yet read the translation. But still. My first thoughts was that if we didn't catch lightning in a bottle, we might have caught venom in a vile. And isn't that what we have always wanted next to Pau?

This isn’t the same Darko I remember. Admittedly, I did not see Darko play much in Orlando, being restricted only to the few Grizzlies games he made an appearance in. Still, this isn’t the same Darko I remember sitting on the end of the Pistons bench wearing a bandaid on his ear. This Darko is big. This Darko is mean. This Darko is pissed.

Wait. I need to remember what he actually let himself say to a bunch of reporters after a heartbreaking overtime loss. It probably can't be stressed enough that he needs to control his emotions better. He was unprofessional. Right or wrong, we expect players to play hard during the game while pushing their emotional level to the brink without going over, then after the game, be calm, professional and display role model type sportsmanship. When players do go over the edge, whether during or after the game, we then frown upon it to varying degrees. This situation isn't any different.

But screw it. I’m a homer and I don't want what looked like a great offseason tainted right now.

I want this to be a glimpse into a mean Darko who will be the teams enforcer that we’ve always wanted next to Pau (minus the vulgar content about the refs and their families of course). Someone that won't let the Mavs tip out a missed free throw in the closing minutes of a playoff game. Someone that makes opposing guards think twice before driving the lane. Someone that won't stand for Mike Miller to be elbowed in the throat (provided they aren't on the bench and it is a crucial playoff game).

Darko's low rumblings during his initial press conference reminded many Griz fans of Drago from Rocky IV. I'm not sure how this latest incident changes that comparison. Maybe a juvenile Drago.

Darko Act I: Young Drago gets mad

(Aside…Ever since Darko's press conference this summer I have had the idea that Darko would make a perfect pro wrestler. He is already known by a single name (I doubt most casual fans know his last name). He is big. He is mean. And he apparently gives pro wrestling quality backstage interviews after getting screwed by the refs. Maybe him and Pacman could be a tag-team.)

Update: Slam Online has a take on the subject.
Update 2: The always-entertaining Bethlehem Shoals weighs in.
Update 3: FIBA fines Darko $13,770.
Update 4: Chris Sheridan with a hilarious comment:

Speaking of the Serbs, by the way, we invite those not easily offended to seek out a full translation of Darko Milicic's rant against FIBA referees last week. Let's just say the rant is so vicious, we will no longer be accepting nominations for this year's version of the Tim Duncan I Hate FIBA award. In fact, we'll go so far as to say Darko's rant will set the standard for ref-bashing for decades to come. Yes, it was that bad.