Violet Palmer became the first woman to call a regular-
season NBA game during the Mavericks-Grizzlies opener on
Friday night. In Dallas, David Moore: "The face of the NBA
had changed." Moore added that while players and coaches
who had seen Palmer in preseason "said she seemed reluctant
to blow the whistle. Friday, she clearly became more
comfortable as the game progressed." She was "decisive with
her calls" in the final minutes of a close game. After the
game, the Mavericks' Dennis Scott, who had "voiced
reservations" about women officials, approached Palmer and
said, "Good job, Violet. Good job." Mavericks Coach Jim
Cleamons: "There was a woman out there? I'm sorry. I
missed that" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 11/2). The AP reported
that Palmer's debut on Friday "came and went without a
sexist peep" (AP/N.Y. TIMES, 11/2). Palmer also worked
Saturday's Nuggets-Jazz game and USA TODAY's Greg Boeck
writes that Palmer's "weekend debut was blissfully
uneventful." Nuggets TV analyst Dan Issel told viewers in
the third quarter: "We should say that Violet has done an
exceptional job tonight. The reason I say that is because
we haven't noticed her. And that's the biggest compliment
you can give an official" (USA TODAY, 11/3).
NHL NEXT FOR WOMEN? NHL Dir of Officiating Bryan Lewis
said that the NHL is "on track" to become the next men's pro
sport to add female officials. The NHL will look at female
officials during the next month's international event, the
Three Nations Cup at Lake Placid, NY, and in February at the
Nagano Olympics (Burns & Lister, USA TODAY, 11/3).
NOTES: In Chicago, Sam Smith quoted one NBA agent
leader, who anticipates a work stoppage when the NBA reopens
its CBA next summer: "It's going to be a war." Smith added
that this season the league will "enforce two long-ignored
rules:" players will be fined for uniform shorts longer than
one inch above the knee and fines will be assessed for the
use of any profanity, including that picked up later on game
audio or video (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/2)....NBPA Exec Dir
Billy Hunter, on the N.Y. Times report stating that 60-70%
of NBA players smoke marijuana or drink excessively: "That
story is a gross exaggeration, and it makes the whole league
look bad" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 11/2). On "The Sports
Reporters," ESPN's Mitch Albom: "Last I looked, marijuana
was illegal in most places, yet the NBA, which relies on --
and pays for -- physical performance, bounces along like
Cheech and Chong. No policy? No problem, man. ... Let them
try living in the real world, where one positive test can
get you fired" (ESPN, 11/2). In N.Y., Peter Vecsey added
that both the league and NBPA are "making it abundantly
clear that mandatory marijuana (and amphetamine) testing is
shaping up to be a major issue. Intuition tells me the
players don't plan to compromise" (N.Y. POST, 11/2).
