'Hard Fouls' Have No Place in NBA -- It's Time to Get Mature or Get Some Talent

COMMENTARY | How do you feel about "hard fouls" in the NBA? A "hard foul" is a foul where a player doesn't worry so much about stopping a play as "sending a physical message" to an opposing player. It certainly isn't a new facet of the pro game, but is becoming a bigger part of the game. And I'm really tired of it.

K.C. Johnson has posted an article at the Chicagobreakingsports.com website titled "Bulls brush off Pacers' physical play." That the Bulls, including their coach, accept these fouls as part of the game irritates me even more.

Let's look at a foul from last night's game. Indiana's Jeff Foster assaulted Chicago's Derrick Rose. You can watch it here. There was no movement to block the ball; it was a "body block." Of course, part of the reason Foster and other Pacers must employ these tactics is they simply do not have the talent to stop Rose any other way--perhaps they should forfeit.

There was another foul on Luoi Deng, only this one was to the head. It came from Foster's elbow.

According to the reference article, fouls like those committed are reviewed and, after a number of formalities, if the guilty party continues to behave incorrectly -- foul in an erroneous manner -- then the player is suspended.

My question is where will the NBA be when Deng is battling Alzheimer's? For that matter, where will his coach, Tom Thibodeau, be-he who thinks it is "part of the game?"

Basketball is a game. It isn't war between cities or states but a game. The fact that we've made it so important might have something to do with why we are struggling as a country in so many areas.

Nothing was more disgusting than listening to announcers Stacey King and Scottie Pippen calling for retribution. Over time, King was screaming for it.

Need I remind you young kids, very young kids, are watching and listening to their heroes talk and act like felons. And then we so seriously question where our kids learn this behavior?

If Jeff Foster were to put an elbow to Luoi Deng's head on the street in front of a couple of witnesses, Deng might be able to sue him and/or Foster might be arrested for assault.

However, since his act occurred within the confines of an NBA game, it is not only tolerated but lauded.

Now that is a crime.

References:

Chicagobreakingsports.com Website, K.C. Johnson, "Bulls brush off Pacers' physical play"

You Tube Website, "Bulls vs. Pacers Game 3 4/21/11 Jeff Foster hard Foul on Derrick Rose Fight"