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08:49 AM ET 05.20 | The league's 30 general managers lost a good deal of power this past week when the NBA announced that a new "competition committee" that includes select owners, GMs and coaches will decide all future rules changes, along with other potential modifications to the game. This was a commissioner-driven production, even though the league made it a point to announce that its owners called for the change. According to ownership sources, they did, but only after David Stern first went to them and told them he wanted a new, smaller committee that would implement the changes he is seeking before he retires. He has told friends he's probably going to step down after two more seasons. "Stern is looking for more control," said a source. "He hasn't been able to get some things done because he's had to deal with 30 general managers and he can't control them. But now he has his people on the committee." Stern's new committee is expected to work on two major rules changes right away: Adopting the international rule for goaltending, meaning that balls could be legally knocked off the rim or backboard that now would result in a basket; and penalizing "floppers." Stern has talked to GMs in the past about changing the goaltending rule, but never got anywhere. But now he'll have a more receptive group to consider what would be a dramatic change in the defensive rules.

David Stern, Icon SMI

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May 20, 2012 09:05 AM ET

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They can get Sacha Baron Cohen to star as Stern when they make a movie about his life.

Onion

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May 20, 2012 09:32 AM ET

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Maybe this committee can do something about officiating...

Otis B. Driftwood

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May 20, 2012 09:51 AM ET

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Unbelievable! This flopping nonsense would not be an issue if the officials would ignore floppers. A few no calls resulting in easy baskets for the opposition would do the trick. Now Stern wants more rules.

Azeron

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May 20, 2012 10:20 AM ET

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It's a fake issue. NBA refs should only call fouls when they ACTUALLY see a foul not react to a guy falling down. That's all.

Azeron

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May 20, 2012 10:38 AM ET

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QUOTE(#8):

Originally posted 09:55 AM ET 05.20 by 33Birdman

It'll be the number 1 agenda, Officiating. Let's do away w/ "make-up" calls. "Flopping" number 2. And "home-court" calls. The Officials have to go through some sort of training to not be intimidated by players or "home-court" calls.... Officials like Joey Crawford who feel they're a personality and most officials have to STOP apologizing to star players if a call was made wrong. Officials shouldn't owe players such considerations.... Officials should be stoned face and have confidence in their calls that they made. Teams who complain to league officials over a bad call and then the next day, there's a retraction of some sort, what does that do once the call has already been made and the outcome has already been decided?? It just shows how inept the system is.... Bottom line, it's got to change. i-Robot Officials would solve everything.

Man... I am SO with you on all count!!!

Otis B. Driftwood

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May 20, 2012 10:50 AM ET

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QUOTE(#12):

Originally posted 10:43 AM ET 05.20 by 33Birdman

Otis, no one bites when I say we need i-Robot Officials.

I would just be happy with consistency... of which there is none right now and hasn't been for 15-20 years.

Otis B. Driftwood

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May 20, 2012 10:50 AM ET

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QUOTE(#12):

Originally posted 10:43 AM ET 05.20 by 33Birdman

Otis, no one bites when I say we need i-Robot Officials.

I would just be happy with consistency... of which there is none right now and hasn't been for 15-20 years.

Otis B. Driftwood

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May 20, 2012 10:50 AM ET

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As I said...

Otis B. Driftwood

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May 20, 2012 11:53 AM ET

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Rules to penalize floppers, yes. But why the goal tending change? A goal tending/basket interference call is not that common. I don't hear a lot of coaches, players or fans complaining that the game was lost due to a gt/bi call.

If this rule change is adopted, then I can see an influx of tall players, who aren't very good at basketball, but great at swatting at a ball once it hits the rim or backboard. And isn't that just what the league needs to make it better: tall, overpaid, non-athletes?

Red Mamba

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May 20, 2012 11:57 AM ET

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Spurs-Pacers Final? And He's still around!!!

Not4Nutten

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May 20, 2012 12:40 PM ET

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Don't Come To LA, Bro.

I Love LA

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May 20, 2012 05:08 PM ET

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I'm all for calling out the floppers, but not at the expense of Stern getting more power. Don't like the idea of the international goaltending rule. I know Stern lead the league from it's darker days, but that had more to do with jordan and a host of other stars, and the "information age", than anything else he has done. Does he think basketball can't survive without him and his rule changes?