The NBA officially added Violet Palmer and Dee Kantner
to its '97-98 officiating staff, marking the first time ever
that women will officiate an NBA regular-season game (NBA).
In Boston, Peter May writes the NBA is "enhancing its
reputation as a league on the cutting edge of social issues"
with the move (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/29). In N.Y., Mike Wise
writes the move "helped remove yet another barrier for women
in American sport" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/29). In Miami, Steve
Wyche writes that the league, which has "revolutionized
itself time and time again ... has gone a step further"
(MIAMI HERALD, 10/29). Women's Sports Foundation Exec Dir
Donna Lopiano credited NBA Commissioner David Stern: "As go
the values of the leader, so goes the organization. The NBA
has done the right thing. ... I can't say enough for David
Stern. The buck stops there" (NEWSDAY, 10/29)
PROS OR CONS: A sampling of comments made by NBA
players on the move: The Pistons' Brian Williams: "No man
belongs refing games in the WNBA and no woman belongs refing
games in the NBA. And you can mail that to David Stern."
Also in Detroit, a "half-serious" Grant Hill: "A striped
shirt is a striped shirt. They're all bad. They are all the
enemy" (DETROIT NEWS, 10/29). The Suns' Tom Chambers:
"They'll be just like any other rookie official, and that's
not an easy job -- male, female or indifferent" (ARIZONA
REPUBLIC, 10/29). The Rockets' Charles Barkley: "I think
all referees suck, number one. I think they all suck. ...
I just prefer to have men officials doing NBA games. ... I
just don't like it. I got to deal with it, of course, and
I'll respect them and treat them well, but I'm not going to
sit here and tell you I like it." The Bulls' Dennis Rodman:
"I'm going to treat them just like a man. They want to be a
ref, they're going to be treated like a man, right? If I go
by and hit them on the butt, it means I'm only trying to get
friendly with them" ("Fox Sports News," 10/28). Bulls Coach
Phil Jackson: "Dennis is always patting referees on the
butt, and that's something that bothers me more than
anything else. I've already told Dennis he's going to have
to watch it with this." The Bulls' Michael Jordan: "You
have to have the utmost respect for them in the sense that
certain things you do with other referees, you can't really
say" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 10/29). The Wizards' Juwan Howard:
"It's going to be tough for a woman, especially if some guys
use profanity after a bad call" (WASHINGTON POST, 10/29).
The Rockets' Kevin Willis: "I think we'll have to clean up
the language a little" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 10/29).
OFFICIAL RESPONSE: Veteran NBA ref Joe Crawford: "I
don't think there's a problem if the women can take the
(expletive). ... I know some of these women can do the job.
... I don't think the players are going to like it. They
don't like change. But who am I to say who I referee with?"
A retired NBA official, who asked to remain anonymous: "I
can't imagine them taking in women where there are so many
good [CBA] officials" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 10/29).
