Despite his trademark smile and the perception that he is a very polite, unassuming coach, Steve Kerr has always been very outspoken and unafraid to share his opinion on something, no matter the repercussions.
He was at it again Sunday on a Bay Area radio show. He spoke about how poorly the officials have been when it comes to calling traveling this season. A gripe and let’s be honest a reality that has existed for years in the NBA.
Here are Kerr’s comments on the issue and the accompanying story on the station website:
“How is it that everybody on Earth can see these traveling violations except for the three people that we pay to do the job? I don’t get it. It’s bizarre,” Kerr said on KNBR 680. “It’s (traveling) a point of emphasis on one particular play and that’s when you catch and go … it’s just the one that the officials are taught to see.
“But I can literally put together a blooper reel of plays that are embarrassing travels that are just not called. I believe it’s a case of they have so many things to look at — they are looking at defensive three seconds, the contact in the lane when people are cutting through the lane, they’re looking at the charge and block circle — they’re looking at everything except what they should be looking at which is the basic rule of the game, which is traveling.”
And it’s a shame because guys are getting away with murder out there and the fans see it. My favorite is when you see the visiting team travel and you see like a 1,000 fans in the background all doing the traveling signal with their hands. If those people saw it, how come the refs didn’t?”
Kerr may have gone a little far in his hyperbole when saying players are “getting away with murder out there,” but everyone who watches the game just accepts that traveling is very lightly enforced, just like the playoffs are allowed to be more physical and stars are more likely to get calls from refs. All of which are illogical, but are a part of the fabric of the NBA.
The NBA was none too happy with Kerr’s shots at the officiating and fined Kerr $25,000 for his candor.
Let’s see if Kerr’s comments affect how the Warriors are officiated moving forward this season.
