Ready for the real refs ...

Being an NBA referee is a tough job. We get that. We also have been known to point out their blown calls, and on more than one occasion, some of us have referred to the lousy officiating in Game 6 of the 2002 Kings-Lakers Western Conference finals. But after sitting through the Kings-Blazers preseason game at Arco Arena, and watching the replacement refs call a total of 63 fouls - 63 fouls! - I really started to miss Bavetta, Delaney, Javie, Davis, Stafford, Wood, among others. I shudder to think that the labor impasse between the league and its referees could extend into the regular season. Can't happen, right? Sixty-three fouls. Ugly. The inordinate number of ticky-tack fouls notwithstanding, Jason Thompson (six fouls, 17 minutes) isn't furthering his cause with his incessant complaining. He should have figured that out during his rookie season.