ESPN.com - NBA - Report: White refs call more fouls on black players

I must say, this is something I have never noticed in all the NBA games I have watched. However, I've never thought to look before.

I saw that but wasn't sure if I should post it. lol

Study: NBA Referees Racially Biased

It's funny that the NBA does their own inquiry that makes them look good.

Reminds me of the weekend Game 4 between Miami and Chicago. Jim Gray interviews Stern on the sideline and goes after him like a pitbull. Asks Stern about the Seattle owner saying they are going to move to Vegas, Stern says "He did not say that."

Gray replies that it was confirmed by the owner's public relations officer, and Stern says, "He will issue a retraction."

At one point, Stern finally tells Jim, "Can't we just focus on this series and bla blabla?" He can't handle the tough questions, but he is a slippery as an eel.

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I'm only surprised that it didn't occour at a higher percentage rate. The ills of society affect all job descriptions.

I am listining to Colin Cowherd on ESPN.com: ESPNRadio.com right now....

He is talking about this subject.

I like The Herd

I think that while this study is probably very sound in terms of statistical analysis, it's not clear that it makes so much of a difference that anything major would need to be done about it. As linwood says, it's not the sort of thing most of us would ever notice, and the story quotes a couple of players (Mike James and Alan Henderson) as not having noticed anything along those lines either. On one political blog that I read, someone pointed this out:

The authors of the study agree with that, at least somewhat:

In a related topic, I was discussing the immigration rallies with a friend yesterday.

The topic came up that if you have laws, then you should probably enforce them.

Which then made me think of the speed limit laws on highways. The speed limits are so low, that virtually all drivers break the law when they drive. This sets the table for "selective enforcement" from the police. When you have a system like that, it really opens the doors for discrimination... i.e., a cop can discriminate without showing it, because the black motorist he pulls over was technically speeding.

It's a little like that in the NBA I think. Players grab and hold and there is a high amount of selective enforcement of the NBA rules. Holding in football is similar. So, this means that the refs have to choose when to follow the letter of the law and when to turn a blind eye. This split second decision point is probably affected by biases that are so ingrained and subtle that the refs don't even know they are doing it.

And I think that is what the article was getting at.

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I think what the officials have to keep in mind is that even though you can't call everything....the bottom line is there has to be a level playing field for all players of both teams. Calling the game as evenly as possible includes not letting players like LeBron take 12 steps without dribbling. That stuff just ruins the integrity of the game.

So when is Dirk going to capitalize on his white prize and get past golden state already?

Why couldn't Joe have used this to his advantage and signed a guy for the playoffs to hack the crap out of the likes of Shaq?

Thats 5% more hurt on the Diesel for the same cost as Dale davis fouling out.

This is ridiculous.

Maybe we can make a move and get Doleac next year.

Too bad we traded Darko before this report came out. This information will surely boost his negotiating power by about 5% with Orlando.

Better question is why isn't Utah cleaning up right now?