Three Best Lines From Fred VanVleet’s Expletive-Filled Critique of NBA Refs

Also in Traina Thoughts: A new 'SI Media With Jimmy Traina' is out; weirdest media story in a long time; Draymond Green's unique rebuttal; and more.

1. Raptors guard Fred VanVleet knows the fine is coming, but he doesn’t care. So we need to thank him for throwing caution to the wind and giving us a memorable postgame press conference Wednesday after Toronto lost to the Clippers, 108–100.

VanVleet was hit for a technical foul by referee Ben Taylor during the game, and the Clippers had 31 free throw attempts to just 14 for the Raptors, so VanVleet wanted to talk about it. And, boy, did he.

I don’t want to characterize VanVleet’s critique of NBA officials as a “rant,” because he was very calm and measured. But he didn’t hold back, either, especially when it came to the salty language.

I don’t want to give you every line because I want you to enjoy it in full, but I’ll give you my three favorite lines.

3. “Ben Taylor was f---ing terrible tonight.”

2. “On most nights, ya know, out of the three [refs], there are one or two who just f--- the game up.”

1.“Most of the refs are trying hard. I like a lot of the refs. They’re pretty fair. They communicate well. And then you got the other ones who just wanna be dicks.”

Fred VanVleet went OFF on referee Ben Taylor and NBA reffing in general in his post-game after the Raptors loss. Haven't heard anything like this. pic.twitter.com/VcMkGTh0k3

— Faizal Khamisa (@FaizalKhamisa) March 9, 2023

Some people will call out VanVleet for using bad words (OH MY GOODNESS, THINK OF THE CHILDREN!), but this is where athletes can’t win. Sports fans want athletes to be honest and not robotic, but then when they are real, they face blowback.

Refs across the board in sports are not held accountable and get away with being terrible on a daily basis, so it’s good to see them get called out for a change.

The bottom line for me is that sports are entertainment, and VanVleet’s press conference was extremely entertaining, so props to him.

Plus, as a great man once said, sometimes you just have to “let the expletives fly.”

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2. This week's SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast dropped Thursday morning, and it's an all–‘Traina Thoughts’ edition with our weekly contributor, Sal Licata, from WFAN radio and SNY TV in New York.

On this episode, we discuss the rumors that have started already about Tom Brady returning to the NFL and argue about whether Brady would actually unretire for a second time and come back to play. We also talk about the backlash that was heaped upon Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim after the duo dismissed hockey talk on an episode of First Take, Ja Morant going on Instagram Live with a gun while at a strip club and the Chris Rock Netflix special.

Sal also pulls back the curtain and gives the inside scoop on going viral recently for a clip of him losing it on a caller who blamed Sal for the Mets’ losing the NL East last year to the Braves.

You can listen to the podcast below or download it on Apple, Spotify and Google.

3. We still don't know all the facts about the allegations made against Michael Irvin, who was pulled off the air by the NFL Network and ESPN during Super Bowl week after a women described misconduct. Irvin has filed a $100 million defamation case and gave a press conference Wednesday. 

Since details are still limited, I can't really offer my opinion on this yet, but I will say that this is one of the weirdest stories I've seen in a long time.

Ex-Cowboys WR Michael Irvin was visibly emotional when witness Bryn Davis delivered his account of what transpired Feb. 5 between Irvin and a woman at hotel lobby. Irvin said the incident has forced him to question how to address people who approach him in public. pic.twitter.com/bIVY72L9ps

— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) March 8, 2023

Former Cowboys WR Michael Irvin said Marriott’s treatment of him “sickens” him, likening it to a Black man being lynched because of a false accusation from a white woman. pic.twitter.com/qZlLp71dW0

— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) March 8, 2023

4. I'm not saying every line here by Draymond Green landed, but I give him credit for the unique way he responded to criticism from the Thunder’s Dillon Brooks. Green went through all of Brooks’s sentences and fired back after each one.

.@Money23Green responds to Dillon Brooks’ comments pic.twitter.com/cHu7R9A5nf

— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) March 8, 2023

5. Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey has thoughts on Aaron Rodgers.

Aaron Rodger’s seem like he would just wake up one day and decide he going to drop everything and be a astronaut

— marlonhumphrey.eth (@marlon_humphrey) March 9, 2023

6. Yes, the Lamar Jackson situation has definitely flown under the radar. Haven't heard a word about it all week.

This Lamar Jackson situation needs to get more attention. Teams would rather lose or employ worse players than pay a Former MVP in his prime. Can you imagine Burrows getting a NON Exclusive tag and there being NO interest?! Its INSANE!

— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) March 8, 2023

7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: CNBC reported Wednesday that the WWE is looking to get into the legalized gambling game. Yes, that is a real sentence.

Imagine making a wager on a WWE match and then this happens.

Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Google. You can also follow Jimmy on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.