ESPN commentator and anti-flopping crusader Jeff Van Gundy thought Boston's Mickael Pietrus should have been fined a million dollars for what he thought was an obvious bit of acting during Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. If NBA Commissioner David Stern's comments following a six-hour meeting of the league's new competition committee are any indicator, then Van Gundy might just get his wish.
Stern, who referred to flopping as "trickery" and "deceit" during a press conference before the opening game of the 2012 NBA Finals, raised the issue during Monday's meeting and suggested to reporters afterward that egregious cases could be be punished retroactively after review of game film.
"Greetings from the league office. You have been assigned flopper status," Stern said. "No, I'm joking, but something like that. That sort of lets people know that it's not enough to say 'it's all part of the game.'"
It's no secret flopping has been a growing issue in the NBA over recent years and it garnered an enormous amount of attention throughout the shortened season. Perhaps that's what happens when an All-Star like Chris Paul gets caught flopping after contact with a referee.
The possibility of more stringent punishment for simulation -- as the act of flopping is called in soccer -- comes after a season when the issue was a regular talking, and tweeting, point. Not only are fans tired of it but some analysts besides Van Gundy have even called out certain players. Many of the players themselves have become annoyed with their colleagues' acting. ESPN's True Hoop tracked the "Flop Of The Night" throughout the season and promoted the hashtag #StopTheFlop (click here for their 2012 All-Flop Teams)
So the NBA finally taking action against flopping might please way more than just Van Gundy. Everyone might benefit from getting rid of these egregious flops (except for maybe the Clippers).
