Dirty Poll

[kps0001]

go to ESPN and vote on the dirty poll and tell yer friends too.

http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/polling?event_id=2926


results so far

1) What's your take on Bruce Bowen's knee to the midsection of Steve Nash?

55.3% Intentional and deserving of suspension
29.2% Unintentional
15.5% Intentional, but not deserving of suspension

2) What's your take on Bowen's alleged kick against Amare Stoudemire?

52.9% Intentional and deserving of suspension
30.8% Unintentional
16.3% Intentional, but not deserving of suspension

3) Is Bowen a dirty player?

67.6% Yes
32.4% No

4) Mike D'Antoni has complained about the Spurs' flopping and fouling after Games 1 and 3. Are his gripes legit?

62.2% Yes
37.8% No

5) Which of the following statements is more accurate?

52.5% The Spurs are too rough.
47.5% The Suns are too soft.

6) Which of the following statements about whining is most accurate?

39.8% The Spurs especially whine too much (during and/or after games).
26.5% Both teams whine too much.
22.1% The Suns especially whine too much (during and/or after games).
11.5% Each team has legitimate gripes.

7) Which of the following statements about flopping is most accurate?

53.2% The Spurs especially flop too much.
22.1% Both teams flop too much.
19.7% Each team is just playing hard.
5.0% The Suns especially flop too much.

8) Which of the following sums up your thoughts on Nash's gashed nose and Manu Ginobili's black eye?

54.3% Those things happen.
45.7% Those plays indicate how rough this series is.

9) Which style of play do you prefer to watch?

64.6% Faster, flowing, less physical and more offense
35.4% Slower, more methodical, more physical and more defense

10) Generally speaking, do you feel physical teams have an advantage over less-physical teams in the playoffs?

84.7% Yes
15.3% No

Total Votes: 2,627

 

[elindholm]

My votes (or what would be my votes, were I to go to the site):

1) What's your take on Bruce Bowen's knee to the midsection of Steve Nash?

Intentional, but not deserving of suspension. He should be given a flagrant during the game. Over time, the flagrants would accumulate and lead to suspensions.

2) What's your take on Bowen's alleged kick against Amare Stoudemire?

Intentional, but not deserving of suspension. See above.

3) Is Bowen a dirty player?

Yes.

4) Mike D'Antoni has complained about the Spurs' flopping and fouling after Games 1 and 3. Are his gripes legit?

I can't answer this question because the concept of "legit" isn't well defined. This is playoff basketball. All of the league's claims about wanting to clean up the game and promote motion and skill are bogus, as they have always been. D'Antoni is right that the Spurs flop and foul, but that's the way the NBA postseason game is, so in that sense, the gripes aren't legitimate.

On the other hand, it is also true that referees adjust according to which coaches make their case the best while griping. That's part of the playoffs too. So, just as excess fouling is part of playoff basketball, so is pleading your case to the media after the game is over. In that sense, D'Antoni's gripes are a tried and true strategem and would have to be considered legitimate.

5) Which of the following statements is more accurate?

The Suns are too soft (for the playoffs).

6) Which of the following statements about whining is most accurate?

Both teams whine too much. For the Suns, in particular, I don't think whining during the game is a good strategy. The more they whined in Game 3, the worse their situation got.

7) Which of the following statements about flopping is most accurate?

Both teams flop too much.

8) Which of the following sums up your thoughts on Nash's gashed nose and Manu Ginobili's black eye?

Those things happen.

9) Which style of play do you prefer to watch?

Faster, flowing, less physical and more offense, but this is a double-edged sword. The only way to attain this in the playoffs would be to call a bunch of fouls. Then the game would slow way down and you'd hear everyone whining, "Let the players play!" Fans can't have it both ways. Either the fouls will be called or they won't be, but neither guarantees an entertaining game.

10) Generally speaking, do you feel physical teams have an advantage over less-physical teams in the playoffs?

Yes, of course; I don't see how any sane person could argue otherwise.

 

[Dback Jon]

So eric - you think Bowen should have gotten Flagrants for both amare's and Nash's assaults. How many Flagrants before a suspension?

 

[elindholm]

So eric - you think Bowen should have gotten Flagrants for both amare's and Nash's assaults. How many Flagrants before a suspension?

I don't know, I think it's something like four in the playoffs, but it could be six. Anyone know?

 

[DeAnna]

Geesh, everybody on the Spurs board are also voting so the % totals are now in their favor

 

[justAndy]

Suns still have better #'s as of 12:10 pm AZ time.

 

[TheCardFan]

Geesh, everybody on the Spurs board are also voting so the % totals are now in their favor

Since our tv ratings suck...you will win the poll.

However, we will win the series.

 

[kps0001]

Since our tv ratings suck...you will win the poll.

However, we will win the series.

 

[TheCardFan]

So eric - you think Bowen should have gotten Flagrants for both amare's and Nash's assaults. How many Flagrants before a suspension?

This stuff has been going on for years. Remember Karl Malone? He never made a layup without a knee being extended.

Kobe Bryant's follow through that had his arm extending out 90 degrees, directly into a defenders head (like Bowen).

The knee from Bowen was uncalled for and I am glad he got called down for it. There is no place for Karl Malone type antics. He is the best perimeter defender in the league and that's all he needs to do...along with hitting the 3's from the corner.

 

[95pro]

note on question 6:

"(during and/or after games)."

the spurs constantly complain during the game. but dont complain when its over. this plays into their hand, just like they want.

 

[Treefiddy]

I would think that the results would change a bit after last nights game.

 

[dcsunsfan]

I don't know, I think it's something like four in the playoffs, but it could be six. Anyone know?

Marc Stein wrote up something on the point system for flagrant fouls and suspensions. It seems like a pretty reasonable system.

The penalties for accumulated flagrant fouls in the playoffs:
A player will receive one point for Flagrant 1 fouls and two points for Flagrant 2 fouls. If the player's point total exceeds 3 points, he will receive an automatic suspension following the game in which his point total exceeds 3 points and for each additional flagrant foul committed during the playoffs, as follows:
• Player at 2 points commits a Flagrant 2 foul: automatic one-game suspension
• Player at 3 or 4 points commits a Flagrant 1 foul: automatic one-game suspension
• Player at 3 or 4 points commits a Flagrant 2 foul: automatic two-game suspension
• Player at 5 points or more commits a Flagrant foul (1 or 2): automatic two-game suspension
San Antonio's Robert Horry now has two points and Bruce Bowen had one entering Wednesday's game. Golden State's Jason Richardson has two.
-- Marc Stein
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-070515

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