If possible would love to hear thoughts on some of the ref calls this game, and also your thoughts on Quinn not challenging. It was hard to process everything in the arena but it felt like there were some bad calls against Seattle by the refs. The fact we had so many less free throw attempts seems like a problem.
The Storm easily have the worst experience with refs and never gets the benefit of the doubt on foul calls on both ends. Seattle has multiple slashers in Gabby Williams, Brittney Sykes, and Skylar Diggins, and they still rarely get any calls.
A'ja Wilson has the league's friendliest whistle, and that's been the case since at least 2020. I remember speaking to Coach Gary Kloppenburg during the 2020 Finals about whether he would address her friendly whistle with the refs before the WNBA Finals started. If I recall correctly, A'ja did not get as many calls in the Finals as she normally does (like what we saw tonight), and that played a factor in the Aces being swept by Seattle because they couldn't rely on being bailed out at the foul line.
Wilson is the best player in the league overall, but she specifically looks for contact and will start flailing more or forcing contact to get to the free throw line.
The free throw disparity in this series through just two games is absurd. Hopefully, Quinn and her staff are sending things to the league for review. I think Quinn didn't challenge because it's A'ja, and she's always going to receive the benefit of the doubt.
Also, this isn't to say that Seattle didn't foul on any of those plays. I think at least a couple of them should have been no-calls. The phrase "ball don't lie" is appropriate, and Wilson missed nearly half her free throws in this game. She probably shouldn't have gotten all 11 of those foul shots in the first place, so I suppose it worked out.
Agreed Jeff. I also think this is one of Quinn’s problems. I think she doesn’t develop relationships with the refs and that makes us somewhat “invisible”. Not that it works for every team, and I do believe that some games are so bad it goes beyond that….BUT I see every winning coach in the refs ears….and many of their players too. Aja is also constantly (quietly) at the refs. She doesn’t harp like Bonner or Sky, but she reminds them when she’s bumped and they don’t blow the whistle. Ezi? She’s definitely invisible offensively. Somewhat to our team even, and definitely to the refs. I have never seen her talk to the refs.
Specifically, I have heard away coaches remind refs of something specific they missed…then the next play or two the whistle blows (3sec, travel, etc).
There’s a finesse to it, because I almost feel like with Sky it’s become just noise to the refs.
If possible would love to hear thoughts on some of the ref calls this game, and also your thoughts on Quinn not challenging. It was hard to process everything in the arena but it felt like there were some bad calls against Seattle by the refs. The fact we had so many less free throw attempts seems like a problem.
The Storm easily have the worst experience with refs and never gets the benefit of the doubt on foul calls on both ends. Seattle has multiple slashers in Gabby Williams, Brittney Sykes, and Skylar Diggins, and they still rarely get any calls.
A'ja Wilson has the league's friendliest whistle, and that's been the case since at least 2020. I remember speaking to Coach Gary Kloppenburg during the 2020 Finals about whether he would address her friendly whistle with the refs before the WNBA Finals started. If I recall correctly, A'ja did not get as many calls in the Finals as she normally does (like what we saw tonight), and that played a factor in the Aces being swept by Seattle because they couldn't rely on being bailed out at the foul line.
Wilson is the best player in the league overall, but she specifically looks for contact and will start flailing more or forcing contact to get to the free throw line.
The free throw disparity in this series through just two games is absurd. Hopefully, Quinn and her staff are sending things to the league for review. I think Quinn didn't challenge because it's A'ja, and she's always going to receive the benefit of the doubt.
Also, this isn't to say that Seattle didn't foul on any of those plays. I think at least a couple of them should have been no-calls. The phrase "ball don't lie" is appropriate, and Wilson missed nearly half her free throws in this game. She probably shouldn't have gotten all 11 of those foul shots in the first place, so I suppose it worked out.
Agreed Jeff. I also think this is one of Quinn’s problems. I think she doesn’t develop relationships with the refs and that makes us somewhat “invisible”. Not that it works for every team, and I do believe that some games are so bad it goes beyond that….BUT I see every winning coach in the refs ears….and many of their players too. Aja is also constantly (quietly) at the refs. She doesn’t harp like Bonner or Sky, but she reminds them when she’s bumped and they don’t blow the whistle. Ezi? She’s definitely invisible offensively. Somewhat to our team even, and definitely to the refs. I have never seen her talk to the refs.
Specifically, I have heard away coaches remind refs of something specific they missed…then the next play or two the whistle blows (3sec, travel, etc).
There’s a finesse to it, because I almost feel like with Sky it’s become just noise to the refs.