Officiating & Taurasi's Two Game Suspension

The Mercury's Diana Taurasi was suspended for two games for what the league called "inappropriate conduct toward game officials", in response to a late call in their game Friday night against Detroit.

Taurasi was whistled for an offensive foul while trying to get open for an inbounds pass. She immediately began screaming and headed toward referee Michael Price after the buzzer.

"He’s terrible,” Taurasi said of Price after the game. “We played so hard for 40 minutes and not even to get a chance at the end to make a play. They just took it away from us. That’s complete (bull).”

While grateful that she's serving her suspension in two games against my Houston Comets, and though I didn't witness the "foul" or her behavior, I will say this:

This season's officiating has been horrendous. Between bad calls, late calls and petty calls, the game has grown to be almost excrutiating to watch. Our home games have been played so slow due to all the stops and starts, that it's nearly impossible, as a fan, to get emotionally connected.

So, having witnessed what I have, I'm inclined to side with Taurasi. As a stretch, I could understand a 'T' called on her, as they called on Tina Thompson last week when she protested a call... but a two game suspension from mere words and no contact??? That's over the line.