Playing a Game within a Game

We’re barely into the year but I’m confident this one would hold its distinction as the worst sports ruling of 2006, at least in my book. Ever heard of that familiar Pinoy saying ” laro na nilalaro pa” (you’re already in a game yet playing another game… well, sort of.. unless you have a better translation). This case was a classic example of that saying we joke about all the time, the only difference is the outcome was either good or bad, depending on which side you were on. It happened in the NBA, the professional basketball arena and captured on public television, witnessed by basketball fans all over North America, if not the world. The scene was the game between the Toronto Raptors and New Jersey Nets last Jan 8 in Toronto.

Near the end of the 2nd quarter of play, at a ball turn over, Vince Carter of the Nets playfully slapped Raptor Morris Peterson in the face. Carter was a former Raptor traded to the Nets in 2004 and Peterson’s team mate for a few years. Carter and Peterson are real life buddies both being Toronto’s draft picks who grew and matured into the game as Raptors. Anyway, Peterson returned the slap but this time the referee noticed and called a technical foul on Peterson! Angered by the call, Peterson argued his case vehemently and passionately only to be thrown out of the game ! Carter intervened and explained the situation but to no avail. What the heck were the other referees doing !? Weren’t they supposed to see what was happening in the court? Besides, if the argument was supported by the opposing team, didn’t it merit the TV instant replay to come up with a proper ruling?

Peterson a young, great defensive player who possess decent offensive skills is playing the best basketball of his life this season. In the recent Raptor win over Phoenix, Peterson shackled Tracy McGrady to an embarrasing 7 points. With Peterson ejected in the game, fans were expecting the Raports to fold. Not quite. The Raptors were on a high, running a 5 game win streak. With 7 secs to go in the game, the Raps were up by 2 points with Rap guard Jose Calderon trying to bag his second free throw shot but somehow missed! The Nets got the rebound and with 5.4 seconds to go managed to pass the ball to Carter who pulled a hail mary of a longshot from some 35 feet to bag a 3 pointer to beat the Raps by 1 point ! Holy *^%&@! Lucky Toronto fans are a much tamer bunch for if this was Detroit or New York, we could have seen a replay of that infamous night of Friday, November 19, 2004 when Indiana players slugged it out with Detroit players and fans in a wild free for all resulting not ony in player suspensions but assault convictions for both fans and players.

My point here? The culprit Carter who started it all , who caused the ejection of a hot player from the opposing team with his antics poured acid to the wound by pulling a hail mary shot to win the game for his team. Swell eh? This was a case of playing a game within a game with disastrous consequences.. again as I said earlier, depending on which side you were on. &*^%#@*!