Chris Paul Criticizes Female Official Postgame And He Is Going To Get Unjustly Crucified For It

"The tech I got was ridiculous," Paul said. "That's terrible. There's no way that can be a technical. We try to get the ball out fast every time down the court. When we did that, she said, 'Uh-uh.' I said, 'Why uh-uh?' and she gave me a technical. That's ridiculous. If that's the case, this might not be for her." -Chris Paul



​Very little doubt this is going to turn into a Chris Paul versus a female controversy instead of a good old fashioned player versus official controversy. Let me start by saying I don't have a clue what Chris Paul said, it may very well have been derogatory. It may very well have been something he says to officials, whether female or male, on a game by game basis. There's no real way to know without the official, herself, coming out publicly and explaining the incident. I do, however, know that players get into arguments with officials all the time. Whether they be black, white, male, or female, players tend to disagree with officials on upwards of 75% of their calls. That goes for basketball, football, hockey, and every other major sport. The nature of being an official is that somewhat is going to think you are nearly every time you make a decision. 

So what exactly is wrong about what Chris Paul said? That this might not be for her? Is there a possibility that he's right? That looked like a pretty bogus technical to me. I don't think that women are incapable of being professional referees, I just think it's unnecessary. Is the NBA shocked that they ran into an issue? Did they think they were going to insert women to be authority figures over men twice their size and everything was going to go smoothly. It's tough enough for officials to get the respect of the players as is, even more so when the official we are talking about is one of the only females in her field. Are we supposed to stop judging male cheerleaders too? Stop judging white basketball players? Straight men in the fashion industry? Stereotypes exist for a reason, and women generally suck at making decisions. They can't even decide what they want to eat, never mind whether or not there was a legitimate rule broken. Maybe not this particular official, although the video speaks to the contrary. They also don't handle controversy well. That technical screams irrational overreaction. Surprised she didn't bring up a foul Chris Paul committed three months ago and demanded he sleep on the couch. 

Isn't feminism about equal rights for women in society? That women can do anything and everything? Stop me if I am off base, but male officials get criticized in the media all the time. What this female official fell victim to is an occupational hazard. Sometimes a player is going to go out of his way to let you and the world know that he doesn't think you are doing your job correctly. The NBA is never up in arms when it's a male official getting lambasted. The fact that this story is a big deal is in direct opposition to the entire concept of feminism, as I understand it anyway.

The problem I have with female officials is that it is a huge publicity stunt. It's all about public relations. It's all about catering to the female audience and potentially gathering new viewers. Does anyone really think adding females to the payroll is going to enhance the product? I am not saying they aren't physically able to do it, I am just saying that it is going to cause more problems than it is worth. Chris Paul was pissed because a referee, whether male or female, interrupted the flow of the game. A game he is mentally and physically invested in. Would he have been better off not adding in the "this might not be for her"? Obviously. But given the situation, from Chris Paul's prospective anyway, she hesitated. A clear sign that she might not be ready for the stage she is being given.