NBA Fines CP3 $25K for Criticizing Referee

[Giantmetfan07]

Chris Paul has been fined $25,000 for his public criticism of Lauren Holtkamp, the first-year referee who called a technical foul against the Los Angeles Clippers star point guard earlier this week.
 
The NBA announced the fine Saturday, two days after Paul sounded off on Holtkamp following the Clippers' loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.


"Some of [the technical fouls] were ridiculous," Paul said. "The tech that I get right there was ridiculous. I don't care what nobody says, I don't care what she says; that's terrible. There's no way that can be a tech. We try to get the ball out fast every time down the court, and when we did that, she said, 'Uh-uh.' I said, 'Why, uh-uh?' And she gave me a tech."That's ridiculous. If that's the case, this might not be for her."

 
The comments sparked debate over whether Paul was being disrespectful of Holtkamp based on her gender, prompting a rebuke Friday from the NBA referees union.
 
But a source close to the process told ESPN's Marc Stein that the NBA, after its review, does not regard Paul's comments ‎to be gender-based and issued the fine based on his public criticism.
 
Paul attempted to clarify his intentions Friday, repeatedly saying that it "was about a bad call."
 
NBA Players Association executive director Michele Roberts also publicly defended Paul in a statement Friday.
 
"Any suggestion that Chris Paul would ever conduct himself in a disrespectful manner towards women is utterly ridiculous, outrageous and patently false," Roberts said. "His personal management team, which includes several accomplished women who play a major role in virtually all of his business affairs is, alone, evidence of that fact. ... Without hesitation, the Players Association stands firmly behind Chris, whose competitiveness may only be exceeded by the strength of his values and his convictions."

 

[RipCity32]

Idk why people are making this a gender issue lol.

I'm sure if it was a male rookie ref he would have said "might not be for him."

 

[Giantmetfan07]

It's a gender issue because the PC police has gotten out of control. 
 
It's gotten to the point where you can't use a pronoun anymore. 

 

[elcheato]

Idk why people are making this a gender issue lol.

I'm sure if it was a male rookie ref he would have said "might not be for him."

Chris Paul has complained about refs before and never used that type of phrasing. No one has to be quite honest. Seemed sexist to me. 

 

[Giantmetfan07]

His point is she's a rookie ref, he doesn't agree with the calls she made, so he doesn't think this is the right job for her because he doesn't think she's capable of making the right calls. Bad choice of wording? Of course. But it's an easy mistake you can make when you're frustrated. 
 
Hell, he could have said "Maybe that ref doesn't belong here" and it would still come off as sexist. 
 
Every week I question whether Joey Crawford is capable of being a referee. I say "Crawford's an idiot. He shouldn't be refereeing this game". Is that sexist? 
 
CP probably doesn't give a rats ass whether a referee has a cock or a vagina, he just wants the game to be called fair. 

 

[Giantmetfan07]

If anything we should be arguing over Chris Paul bitching after a blowout loss.