A few weeks ago, Bill Simmons released his first book about basketball. Naturally, Mr. Simmons being so witty, properly named it “The Book of Basketball”, and his main thesis is collaborating all the great players, regardless of playing era, and ranking them in a Top 50 list different than any others.

Bill Simmons attempts a feat many deemed impossible. Imagine comparing Wilt the Stilt matching up against Shaq Daddy. Michael Jordan slugging it out opposite Jerry West, and Bob Cousy versus Jason Kidd. It’s makes me giddy just getting into in this, and Simmons daringly enters the realm with logical and mathematical thinking, and he almost pulls it off. He is forgets one thing…officiating.

The game has changed from era to era; hell, Wilt Chamberlain wasn’t aloud to dunk when he played (for most of his career), Jerry West wasn’t given a 3-point arch, and Bill Russell was allowed to body anyone who dared to match his intensity in the paint. Yes, the game is a little different today, for better or worse.

The big change in the rule today is hand checking. The rule states that no defender is allowed to place any part of their arm against the body of an offensive player beyond the 3-point land. The NBA Commissioner David Stern implemented this rule for the 2003-2004 season to increase scoring by giving the League’s backcourt an easier pathway to the basket, in order to create more highlights improving ratings and broadening the fan base. In doing so, it not only decreases defense’s ability to stop players like Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, and Carmelo Anthony from getting to the basket; it makes it improbable to compare today’s greats against the past. How many points would Jordan have averaged if he could get to the hoop without being touched on the outside? Players mauled him out there and he still was unstoppable. Players were bumping him with their body, elbows, and hands. He muscled through it, making it even more impressive and appreciable when he finished strong at the basket. John Starks did everything and anything he could, including illegal means, to stop Jordan, and he couldn’t stand a chance. Could you imagine if he was sent to the line when he guarded him? Jordan’s new line against the Knicks or anybody for that matter: 43-7-6 while going 85/54 from the floor. That’s silly.

On the other side, how would it affect the defense? Would Scottie Pippen still be a Hall of Fame defender if he couldn’t hand check his opponent, or even body him up? Would he be able to stop Clyde Drexler or Dominique Wilkins?

These new rules alter history and shape the future. It makes it unfair for the defense and supports the offense which takes away from the coin saying: “Defense wins Championships”.

This is not to tarnish or take anything away from today’s players, but as an analyst: How can one fairly compare the best players to ever play the game when the circumstances are so different? Can one say the at Chris Paul is the next Oscar Robertson? Or who is better: Jordan or West or even Kobe…with conviction? No.

The way the game is officiated alters everything. Referees are gatekeepers, they allow what can or cannot happen during the game, and if it’s ordered by the ‘commish’ to ref the game a certain way, that’s the way it is going to be. Today’s game bring new liberties for guards to roam around on the outside until an opening in the defense occurs, making it absurdly easy to get to the hoop. It’s a joke that the guards are not shooting more than 50% from the field with these ‘freedoms’. I would have like to have seen Earl the Pearl Monroe taking advantage of this and impending his will on opponents defenses. But we can’t even discuss it, it is to hypothetical and unjust.

Bill Simmons brings forth his finest effort to establish balance and fortification to the game’s history by watching tape and going inside the numbers. His argument is well constructed and noted, but falls short due to the variable change constantly altering the equation: Rules of the game.

This is The Ref signaling I’m out until next time and remember: We miss calls, you miss lay-ups.