I say throw the kitchen sink at the flopping problem:
  • In-game technical foul + possession (and a fine from the league)
  • Between game tech + fine for flops missed in-game
  • Shaming campaign on social media for flopping
I'd go as far as immediate ejection/suspension. It's making some of these games just awful to watch.
Flops have no place in sports. (Looking at you soccer/football) it's just stupid, no self respecting referee is going to take it seriously, get up, get on with it. If you're truly hurt then fine stay down. But if you're acting up to try and pull a penalty. Get off the field, go away, hand your jersey in and never show your face in the world of sports again.
And another thing! You shall address the referee as SIR and you shall be respectful to them at all times. Running up and screaming in their face to bully them into making a call go your way... This is what you want to be teaching the young audiences?
Pathetic.
reply
Running up and screaming in their face to bully them
I've never understood why that's tolerated. I'm all for a really quick whistle. Plenty of retired players have talked about how to have a good relationship with officials and it's to politely talk to them during stoppages in play.
This is another thing that needs a shaming campaign. There should be a nightly highlight reel of all the baskets scored on a team while one of their players is whining to the refs (or yelling at them).
reply
Take a look at how rugby is played, sure you got emotions in play and usually they're kept in check. But the respect the players show the refs and the refs do what they can to call a fair game. It's not really seen in a lot of other sports.
Nigel Owens as an example of a rugby ref who is incredibly well respected. https://youtu.be/GQBreC7YdTc?si=MWHQr_hpgWS6FtMo the #1 ranked was him telling off Stuart Hogg for diving by saying "dive like that again and come back in two weeks and play" two weeks later from that game, was a soccer game.
I couldn't find the video but there's one of him telling Martin Johnson off and Martin was all, yes sirs and no sirs about it. Don't argue with the ref, it just irritates them.
reply
I do get that there are emotional and pivotal moments in a game where a blatant missed call can change the game so there are times I understand the frustration and outburst but when it is happening on almost every play. I think Nurse is a really good coach but one thing I didn't like about him and I think it created a culture on the team as well, is he would whine to and yell at the refs on almost every play. Pick your battles.
reply
Guys can usually reign it in though. There have been lots of specific forms of frustration venting that have been prohibited and players adapt quickly.
I just think running up and screaming in a ref's face should be a quick T, especially since calls are reviewable in the NBA. If your right to be so upset, then you will win the challenge.
Challenge reviews would be a great place to allow the refs to penalize flops, if they aren't already allowed to.
reply
Shaming campaign is the best one. Endless memes of 6'10 230lb guy dropping to the ground like he was shot after another dude's shoulder brushes him.
reply
It's why I really struggle with soccer/football. The premier league, champions league etc etc... it's a nightmare for it.
Disgustingly I've actively seen coaches teaching it and encouraging it at grass roots level in kids. It's rediculous.
reply
If other players pile on, I think it could work better than the other methods.
There was a neat history of flopping video that I watched recently.
One of the points in it was that there wasn't much flopping in the Magic/Bird/Jordan era because guys cared about looking weak, so there's a basis for thinking a culture shift could fix it.
reply
I had it explained to me by a friend who played semi pro soccer.
Effectively, if there's even a chance you can make it look like a foul and gain a slight advantage, you gotta go for it because there is that much money riding on winning. Game checks, bonuses... Etc etc.
Personally I think it's unsportsmanlike and has no place in real sports. But I do understand why players do it.
reply
Outcomes follow incentives. Players and coaches can't really be blamed for doing what they can to win.
John Madden, speaking as the Raiders coach, once said something like "It's not our job to follow the rules. It's the league's job to stop us from breaking them."
As soon as the penalty outweighs the benefit, the behavior will stop.
reply
Really couldn't have worded it better. John Madden nailed that one.
reply