And in sports, just as I am loathe to default to the ever-satisfying knee-jerk "fire the coach!" refrain every time my team falls short of my expectations, I am also loathe whine about officiating. Sports fans, like those engaged in the political debate, are partisans who will see everything through their own lens - which is invariably skewed.
So do you know how I am going to deal with last night's Bulls loss to Atlanta?
I'm going to whine about officiating.
This was a typical road playoff grinder. The Bulls were slow to adjust to some Hawks' adjustments. Rose misfired with impunity. Korver looked like he was shooting a basketball at a baseball-sized rim. The Highlight Factory actually started churning out some highlights.
And you know what? The Bulls were still right there, in position to take one of the 50/50 games they have ridden to the league's best record.
Then Bennett Salvatore happened. An admittedly blown call that was a game-changing, floodgate-opening moment. The "play over it" mantra is nice, but plenty of champions in all sports have been unable to do so. It's a lot easier said than done, even for elite competitors.
And remember, that wasn't the only call that went against the Bulls in the closing minutes. Rose attacked the basket a minute earlier and got absolutely clobbered without a call. The result was an easy basket going the other way. And not long after that, Korver drew a clear charge that was not called, giving the Hawks yet another basket.
As many as 11 points were gifted to the Hawks between the calls not made and the easy baskets that ensued. The exact margin of defeat.
One of the biggest rhetorical issues in any argument is the compulsive need most people have to attribute any result to a single factor. Did the Bulls lose this game because of defensive breakdowns, because of poor shooting, or because of the officiating?
Yes.
The Bulls lost the game for numerous reasons. But the officials were actually one of them.
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