Having followed this idea here, for 3 years, and laughted at the posters that bought into it. It's time to see if there is any validity to it.
-----Media likes big markets for sales of TV time and advertisments in radio and print.
----Stern likes to be liked and likes to be smoozed the paying customer- THE media.
----The League - referees - are tools with small minds that when indocternated with hints of who should win, subconsciencly see fouls that aren't there.
-
Witnessed and substaniated by this years playoffs. Magic wasn't ready for prime time. The Jazz should've held home court. How blatant was that?
-And I'm sure you all have seen officiating that didn't make since.
-Forcing 7 games for the Atl hawks???

One question. If there was a conspiracy when why have no refs come forward? Refs are fired every year and yet no one has ever come forward to break the news rhat they were ordered to favor this or that team.

Seems like someone by now would have come forward. One would think that at least that Donoghe guy would have told us.

If there is a consipiracy then the CIA needs to hire Stern as a consultant because Stern would have accomplished something that no one ever has.

There was a lot of complaining about Stern's decision in the Phoenix-SA series last year to suspend Amare, but if it was all part of his master conspiracy, why did he make a decision that benefited the boring/low-ratings/no-media-star Spurs, while simultaneously damaging the hot/sexy/fun-to-watch Suns?

There's been some pretty bad refereeing of late, but for Boston fans in particular to complain about conspiracies (which some of them are, after Cleveland got a few calls their way late in Game 6) is absurd. The league, its sponsors, the media, EVERYONE (except fans of other teams) are foaming at the mouth for a Lakers-Celtics finals. But that doesn't "prove" that everything is being fixed to ensure that outcome.

Oh He!! yeah.

But it's done with rule changes.

What is funny though is for the most part the best players keep being the best players, and the best teams keep being the best teams.

No....

No........

The league, its sponsors, the media, EVERYONE (except fans of other teams) are foaming at the mouth for a Lakers-Celtics finals. But that doesn't "prove" that everything is being fixed to ensure that outcome.

I am now wondering if a Kobe Vs LeBron matchup isn`t looking more favorable to the media, sponsors and NBA.

Not after LeBron vs. Spurs was the lowest rated Finals EVER. Any series with Kobe and the Lakers would bound to be higher rated than that, no matter who the opponent is, but they definitely all still want to be able to hype the mystique and cachet of Lakers vs. Celtics.

Not after LeBron vs. Spurs was the lowest rated Finals EVER. Any series with Kobe and the Lakers would bound to be higher rated than that, no matter who the opponent is, but they definitely all still want to be able to hype the mystique and cachet of Lakers vs. Celtics.

Lakers and Celtics would be nice, however, the so-called marketing genius of Stern and his cronies would have folks saying - the Boston who?

Kobe vs LeBron would be bigger. Remember, this is the NBA where the individual stars are bigger than the teams. Arguably the top two players in the league, would draw a huge audience, perhaps more than Boston/Lakers.

No........

Why ask a Yes-No question in a poll and have 3 choices, all of which are "yes"?

Kobe vs LeBron would be bigger. Remember, this is the NBA where the individual stars are bigger than the teams. Arguably the top two players in the league, would draw a huge audience, perhaps more than Boston/Lakers.

But I think the finals last year demonstrated the limits of individual star power. The series was totally uncompetitive, and the Cavs just didn't interest people, regardless of LeBron. And you can't even blame the Spurs, for it, either, at least not totally; Spurs-Pistons from two years before did better in the ratings, even though neither team had any "stars." But it was competitive and went the full seven games. Lakers-Celtics would have star power, two famous/storied franchises, and would almost certainly be more competitive than Lakers-Cavs.

Seems like there is a lot of hype about star power and most of that benifits the advertisers for the players in question. They tend to sell more of their product the longer their guy is in the playoffs.

How much of the superstar sells theory is people trying to sell us on that versus the reality? Superstars have tended to be in the Finals because they tend to pick good teams to play on. What about the Spurs and Tim Duncan? Is Duncan boring because he is not fun to watch or because he don't see his face in all kinds of commercials.

Last year was the lowest rated Finals of all-time. All the hype was about how excited everyone would be to see Lebran in there and the whole thing blew up in their faces. I am convinced that what sells are 2 competitive teams. Or least when the other team has a chance to win.

Is Duncan boring because he is not fun to watch or because he don't see his face in all kinds of commercials?

I can answer this. Duncan is boring because he is not fun to watch. Because he plays a clinical textbook fundamental basketball that is mind-numbing as a spectator. Because he gets the same "surprised look" on his face EVERY TIME he gets a foul called on him. The guy is just consistent beyond belief and the only time he is interesting to watch is when he is playing poorly, because it's his same old same old game and you can somewhat enjoy trying to figure out why the usual robotic approach to a creative game isn't working that night.

When the only consistently played "open with music highlight shot" of someone's basketball PERSONALITY is him holding the basketball with his arms crossed over his lower face and his eyes peeping over with all the self-revelation of an awkward eleven year old ...you know that guy's basketball persona is BORING.

Also, I like some of LeBron's commercials, but I still can't stand the guy. In an imploding capitalistic culture such as ours, sooner or later people do get tired of having products, celebrities, events and even concepts shoved down their throats. It becomes all too obvious that our only value in this culture is as consumers, and we find a place to rebel somewhere. Apparently some people drew the line with LeBron Fatigue and the Cavs last year and then of course there was Timmy again, with his signature crossarmed caress of the basketball.

I'm real tired of the same old teams. I'd like to see a few emerging teams break through to be contenders next year. God, no more Spurs in the Finals. PLEASE.

How about when he was ejected because of two technical fould called on him when he was smiling on the bench. That was not boring :pound:

I can answer this. Duncan is boring because he is not fun to watch. Because he plays a clinical textbook fundamental basketball that is mind-numbing as a spectator. Because he gets the same "surprised look" on his face EVERY TIME he gets a foul called on him. The guy is just consistent beyond belief and the only time he is interesting to watch is when he is playing poorly, because it's his same old same old game and you can somewhat enjoy trying to figure out why the usual robotic approach to a creative game isn't working that night.

When the only consistently played "open with music highlight shot" of someone's basketball PERSONALITY is him holding the basketball with his arms crossed over his lower face and his eyes peeping over with all the self-revelation of an awkward eleven year old ...you know that guy's basketball persona is BORING.

Also, I like some of LeBron's commercials, but I still can't stand the guy. In an imploding capitalistic culture such as ours, sooner or later people do get tired of having products, celebrities, events and even concepts shoved down their throats. It becomes all too obvious that our only value in this culture is as consumers, and we find a place to rebel somewhere. Apparently some people drew the line with LeBron Fatigue and the Cavs last year and then of course there was Timmy again, with his signature crossarmed caress of the basketball.

I'm real tired of the same old teams. I'd like to see a few emerging teams break through to be contenders next year. God, no more Spurs in the Finals. PLEASE.

But I think the finals last year demonstrated the limits of individual star power. The series was totally uncompetitive, and the Cavs just didn't interest people, regardless of LeBron.

I agree, somewhat.

The only star power was LeBron. It would be LeBron + Kobe this year = big difference. Another factor would be the Cavs would make it to the Finals in back to back seasons (how disgusting would that be!) that might show some that last years appearance was no fluke and tune in this time.

Bottom line,the top two superstars in the NBA (of course the NBA proclaimed, media, and sponsor superstars) would draw a bigger audience than the the two story franchises, either way, I hope we don`t find out!

I never buy into the "someone would have exposed a conspiracy", reason for not believing a conspiracy.

This is an entertainment business, first and foremost. There is an expectation of fair play and such, but if the league decided to fix all of the outcomes, that's entirely their right.

The NBA exists to make money, not provide entertainment. If it was a charity, then it would be a different story.

The NBA exists to make money, not provide entertainment. If it was a charity, then it would be a different story.

Doesn`t it exist for both reasons?

I know making money is first and foremost, however, it couldn`t without providing entertainment.

I never buy into the "someone would have exposed a conspiracy", reason for not believing a conspiracy.

This is an entertainment business, first and foremost. There is an expectation of fair play and such, but if the league decided to fix all of the outcomes, that's entirely their right.

The NBA exists to make money, not provide entertainment. If it was a charity, then it would be a different story.


I think that Arlin Spector would disagree with you here. I've never thought of that. You can only hope that basketball is on the up & up.:)

I think that Arlin Spector would disagree with you here. I've never thought of that. You can only hope that basketball is on the up & up.:)

I could be totally wrong on this... but Basketball can do whatever it wants.... where football can't because of some of the rights it has been given by the government? or is it baseball that is the one with the anti trust perks? I'm sure somebody here is versed on it and can enlighten us.

Arlen Spector is an idiot. With everything going on in the world, there are better uses of your government's time than investigating NFL Spygate.

Not to mention, that again, it's private business. The NFL should handle reprimanding it's own franchises, however it sees fit. This is the same sort of nanny stuff where parents get ticketed or threatened with losing their children for child neglect because they left them in the car so they could put mail in the mailbox.

As a society, I think we have become totally retarded. Reactionary, paranoid, overbearing, arrogant, intrusive, manipulative etc.

Bill Walton would probably say,

"Arlen Spector, you're wrong about Spygate. Just live and let live brother. Pass the bong."

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/800/billwalton586161aoz9.jpg

ESPN.com: MLB - Baseball's antitrust exemption: Q & A (http://espn.go.com/mlb/s/2001/1205/1290707.html)

This was pretty informative.


Q: What is the antitrust exemption and how did baseball get it?
A: Any business that operates across state borders -- and therefore participates in interstate commerce -- is subject to antitrust legislation. Attempts to control trade and monopolize may be deemed illegal by federal circuit courts under the Sherman and Clayton acts.
Baseball has been exempt from these antitrust laws since 1922, when the Supreme Court ruled in its favor in Federal Baseball Club of Baltimore, Inc. v. National Baseball Clubs. The Supreme Court determined even though there was scheduling of games across state lines, those games were intrastate events since the travel from one state to another was "not the essential thing," Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote in the decision.

Baltimore, a member of the Federal League that operated as a major league in 1914-15, had sued the National and American Leagues, charging the Federal League's inability to sign players was due to antitrust violations.

At the time of the 1922 ruling, the National and American Leagues were merely umbrella organizations. They arranged the schedules and set the rules, but the business was entirely local in the sense that there was no revenue sharing, no radio or television and no national sponsors or licensing deals.

By virtue of the exemption, coupled with decades of reluctance of various courts to overrule, baseball is the only sport, or business for that matter, that has an exemption to the extent that it does.

Q: What does the exemption do?
A: There are several aspects to the exemption, but the primary issue right now is this means a team can't move unless MLB allows it to move.

Q: Why don't other sports have the antitrust exemption?
A: For 18 years after Toolson, in case after case, judges admitted that the baseball exemption was flawed, but it was never overruled. Exemptions for boxing, football and basketball were denied in the higher courts, while hockey and golf antitrust exemptions were also denied in the lower courts.

In 1972, Curt Flood's case -- which also challenged baseball's reserve system -- reached the Supreme Court and although it was again acknowledged that baseball's antitrust exemption was "an anomaly," the Court ruled that it is up to Congress to change baseball's antitrust exemption. Bills were introduced before and after Flood v. Kuhn (1972), but none ever became a law. In 1998, Congress passed the Curt Flood Act of 1998, which said challenges to league rules that restrict player movement or compensation would be subject to antitrust laws. (Although the Supreme Court ruled two years earlier that unionized employees may not file antitrust suits.)

Arlen Spector is an idiot. With everything going on in the world, there are better uses of your government's time than investigating NFL Spygate.


:cheerlie-GOAL: :p_welldone: :cheerlie-GOAL: :p_welldone:


As a society, I think we have become totally retarded. Reactionary, paranoid, overbearing, arrogant, intrusive, manipulative etc.



Roscoe...Don't hold back. Tell us how you feel...:gun1::gun1::)

Sorry. I just get so upset when the government decides to regulate against industry, but they never regulate themselves.

I can pretty much guarantee that if the government ran the major sporting leagues, everyone would be into bowling or tiddly-winks.

I can answer this. Duncan is boring because he is not fun to watch. Because he plays a clinical textbook fundamental basketball that is mind-numbing as a spectator. Because he gets the same "surprised look" on his face EVERY TIME he gets a foul called on him. The guy is just consistent beyond belief and the only time he is interesting to watch is when he is playing poorly, because it's his same old same old game and you can somewhat enjoy trying to figure out why the usual robotic approach to a creative game isn't working that night.

When the only consistently played "open with music highlight shot" of someone's basketball PERSONALITY is him holding the basketball with his arms crossed over his lower face and his eyes peeping over with all the self-revelation of an awkward eleven year old ...you know that guy's basketball persona is BORING.

Also, I like some of LeBron's commercials, but I still can't stand the guy. In an imploding capitalistic culture such as ours, sooner or later people do get tired of having products, celebrities, events and even concepts shoved down their throats. It becomes all too obvious that our only value in this culture is as consumers, and we find a place to rebel somewhere. Apparently some people drew the line with LeBron Fatigue and the Cavs last year and then of course there was Timmy again, with his signature crossarmed caress of the basketball.

I'm real tired of the same old teams. I'd like to see a few emerging teams break through to be contenders next year. God, no more Spurs in the Finals. PLEASE.

I really do not want to see the Spurs again either. What people do want to see is someone score 50+ points in a Finals game. Neither Duncan or Lebran can do this. At least not against a proper defensive team. I wonder if they hyped LBJ way too early and have already made him too unlikable for most fans.


I never buy into the "someone would have exposed a conspiracy", reason for not believing a conspiracy.

This is an entertainment business, first and foremost. There is an expectation of fair play and such, but if the league decided to fix all of the outcomes, that's entirely their right.

The NBA exists to make money, not provide entertainment. If it was a charity, then it would be a different story.

Thing is if you are selling a product as one thing but its really another then that is Fraud and Fraud is and should be punishable by law. Its a case of basic consumer protection and the fact that they are in the Entertainment industry does not make them exempt. I also have selfish reasons. If Max was ever convinced that it was not a competivive sport then Max would have to stop watching the NBA. Seriously, I could not watch it if I thought it was corrupt.

Sorry. I just get so upset when the government decides to regulate against industry, but they never regulate themselves.

I can pretty much guarantee that if the government ran the major sporting leagues, everyone would be into bowling or tiddly-winks.

No complaints there about who regulates the law makers. I guess thats supposed to be us but few have the time for it. I really cannot get into all my complaints of the ruling body here in this capacity but I will say that I do happen to agree with Consumer protection laws and Business does need some regulation. Seems like whever they trust a certain industry to govern themselfs they fail and there is always a high cost to pay in the end.

No........

Why ask a Yes-No question in a poll and have 3 choices, all of which are "yes"?


:hoops: :stooges: :confused: :redface: :frusty: :mmph: ...agreed

Max, I told you the refs are weak minded, they may even be hypnotized. All Stern has to say is Boston has a nice halftime show. Then what do you know no one can breathe on Rondo.
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Beer, this is an election year, we will try and govern our system. Don't try an say a vote for Obama isn't a "no" vote for big unbridled business and WAR economy. That's why they call you Liambrains. What about that phathom call on Beer back in '90. You don't even remember. A "no" vote is a yes. Same as not voting.
-
Aura, that's the only reason I like the Spurs they're the anti-Stern team. Kind of like the Pistons. That's why if the Spurs don't make it the Pistons have an obligation to represent. Besides watching Timmy stare down a car salesmen is good stuff. See they can even find a way to sell staring. But if it's a call between Lakers and Spurs, the league usually gets it right.

How about when he was ejected because of two technical fould called on him when he was smiling on the bench. That was not boring :pound:

Okay it was mildly entertaining. But still it was entertaining because even the ref that ejected him recognized that the break in Timmy's usual deadpan stare could only mean he was "showing up" the ref. I mean it was so unprecedented that it elicited the overreaction from the ref. Anyone else, it would have gone unnoticed.

Max, I told you the refs are weak minded, they may even be hypnotized. All Stern has to say is Boston has a nice halftime show. Then what do you know no one can breathe on Rondo.
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Beer, this is an election year, we will try and govern our system. Don't try an say a vote for Obama isn't a "no" vote for big unbridled business and WAR economy. That's why they call you Liambrains. What about that phathom call on Beer back in '90. You don't even remember. A "no" vote is a yes. Same as not voting.
-
Aura, that's the only reason I like the Spurs they're the anti-Stern team. Kind of like the Pistons. That's why if the Spurs don't make it the Pistons have an obligation to represent. Besides watching Timmy stare down a car salesmen is good stuff. See they can even find a way to sell staring. But if it's a call between Lakers and Spurs, the league usually gets it right.


LOL, TheeTFD. You are funny....in a disturbed sort of way... :pound:

It's an even year (08')

The Spurs are of no impact on the title.

The NBA wants a Laker Celtics finals and it couldn't be any clearer.

The NBA wants a Laker Celtics finals and it couldn't be any clearer.

Yea, and if the Cavs would have won, then it would have been....The NBA wanted LeBron in the finals and it couldn't be any clearer.

Yea, and if the Cavs would have won, then it would have been....The NBA wanted LeBron in the finals and it couldn't be any clearer.

Not quite. Lebron had no chance in this series. He was playing by himself.

I have been calling a Celtic Lakers final since Garnett was traded.

The NBA can only do so much to fix games. Sometimes a player steps up and hit a crazy shot that the refs can't fix.

Not quite. Lebron had no chance in this series. He was playing by himself.

I have been calling a Celtic Lakers final since Garnett was traded.

The NBA can only do so much to fix games. Sometimes a player steps up and hit a crazy shot that the refs can't fix.

If you watched this game, the Cavs were getting more help from the officials than the Celtics.

This was a 1-point game with 1 1/2 minutes left. Only someone who either doesn't understand the game or has an extremely active imagination would say this game was fixed.

If you watched this game, the Cavs were getting more help from the officials than the Celtics.

This was a 1-point game with 1 1/2 minutes left. Only someone who either doesn't understand the game or has an extremely active imagination would say this game was fixed.

I suppose you missed all the tripping the Celtics were doing and how KG stood around in the paint. Or how KG pushed everyone and was never called for the foul.

You are going to get those same calls ignored against the Pistons. Just wait. KG is going to be able to do what he wants and so is Pierce and in the end it will decide the series.

If you watched this game, the Cavs were getting more help from the officials than the Celtics.

This was a 1-point game with 1 1/2 minutes left. Only someone who either doesn't understand the game or has an extremely active imagination would say this game was fixed.

Stern ordered the Cavs to miss a few rebounds near the end so the Celts could get some 2nd chance points.

Stern ordered the Cavs to miss a few rebounds near the end so the Celts could get some 2nd chance points.

You might have something here, Max. I'm pretty sure Stern ordered Big Z to shave his head, as well.

It's a bad poll. I only got 14 people to acknowledge my dementia.

This thread was supposed to be whimsicle.
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Originally Posted by ESPN - Prosecutors say Donaghy should get break for fessing up to gambling - NBA (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3424673)
In the letter, dated May 8, prosecutors asked a judge to consider giving Donaghy a break on his sentence to reward his "substantial assistance" in an investigation that resulted in the indictment and guilty pleas of a professional gambler and a middleman, both former high school classmates of the referee.
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Donaghy, who pleaded guilty in Brooklyn Federal Court (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Brooklyn+Supreme+Court) to charges of betting on games he officiated, told FBI agents (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Federal+Bureau+of+Investigation) “league officials would tell referees that they should withhold calling technical fouls on certain star players because doing so hurt ticket sales and television ratings," the document said.

Donaghy claims he was told that two refs who were “company men” acting in the interest of the NBA conspired to extend a playoff series in 2002 to a seventh game.

The referees allegedly ignored flagrant fouls committed by the team that needed to win. They also reportedly called "made-up fouls" against the other team which led to the ejection of two of their players. The team favored by the refs won that night and the next game to win the series Lakers/Kings 2002 WCF Game 6 ? Qoute G26
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Even when I'm joshing I'm die on.

I didn't expect this stuff to start coming out until around Donaghy's sentencing next month. I hope Stern's now pooping his pants in the middle of his Celts-Lakers Finals.

NEW YORK - NBA referees, influenced by cozy relationships with league officials, rigged a 2002 playoff series to force it to a revenue-boosting seven games, a former referee at the center of a gambling scandal alleged Tuesday.

Without identifying anyone or naming teams, Tim Donaghy also claimed the NBA routinely encouraged refs to ring up bogus fouls to manipulate results but discouraged them from calling technical fouls on star players to keep them in games and protect ticket sales and television ratings.

The following sounds like complete BS to me. Just how powerful does Stern think he is?
“He’s a singing, cooperating witness who is trying to get as light a sentence as he can,” Stern said. “He turned on basically all of his colleagues in an attempt to demonstrate that he is not the only one who engaged in criminal activity. The U.S. attorney’s office, the FBI, have fully investigated it, and Mr. Donaghy is the only one who is guilty of a crime. And he will be sentenced for that crime regardless of the desperate attempts to implicate as many people as he can.”
Donaghy says 2002 playoff series rigged - NBA - MSNBC.com (http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/25084143/site/21683474/)

This article names another playoff series in 2005. Houston vs. Dallas.


Ex-NBA referee: playoff series manipulated - NBA - Yahoo! Sports (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-bettingprobe&prov=ap&type=lgns)

I can't really say if the Lakers/Celtics series was pre-destined. But I CAN say that I'm sick of CONSTANTLY hearing things like "The NBA's dream match-up", "the series that everyone hoped for" and "the series of the century".
:puke:

The pre-game to the game 4 is going to be one hell of a "Must see tv" because it will be nationally broadcasted. If they don't talk about it then the whole is a joke.

Donaughy [sp] gave names but they won't be released until they are investigated.
It's getting juicy now !!
Yeah, Dett, Stern is singing now. Gotta draw him out.
The fans of the small market cities will not sit for this.
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dead on

RealGM: Basketball Wiretap Archives: Report: Federal Agents Ask About Bavetta (http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/52958/20080612/report_federal_agents_ask_about_bavetta/)

Poor Dick Bavetta :pound:

If this game wants to protect itself, it must install a self check. Let the coaches have 2 challenges [reviewable] this will a least make any rouge ref work harder.

I don't buy the grand conspiracy threory but there are some abnormalities that are hard to explain.

Stern co had a whole year to clean things up and they did nothing. Last year it was the same old beefs and grudges between refs/players and nothing was done.

This thing is bigger that Stern and it always has been, he just does not get it. Maybe now he will have to address it better than just calling Donaghy names.

I just want things to be better. Call every game the same and every player as if they were equal, thats not a lot to ask. You should not have to guess how this or that crew are going to call the game. Every game should be called the same.

The pre-game to the game 4 is going to be one hell of a "Must see tv" because it will be nationally broadcasted. If they don't talk about it then the whole is a joke.
Stern is on NBA TV now spinning the cover -up

Maybe Stern gets fired !

Maybe Stern gets fired !
You would need two/thirds of the owners to approve the impeachment and right now only the Maloofs and mark cuban are definitely in favor of it.

FYI > Stern excuses are Screening on ESPN/News too, if you don't have NBA TV:sssh:

Not sure if this has been posted, but here's the excerpt from the Simmons article from 2002:

Question: What was the most disturbing subplot of the playoffs?
Answer: The officiating, also the most disturbing subplot of the past four playoffs. If you examine the last four NBA playoff campaigns, during every situation where the league definitively "needed" one of the two teams involved to win -- either to A) change the momentum of a series so it didn't end prematurely, B) keep an attractive, big-market team alive in a series, or C) advance an attractive, big-market team to another round -- the officiating appeared to be slanted towards the team that needed that game. I use the phrase "appeared to be," because reviewing an official's performance is purely subjective. Maybe I'm dead-wrong.
These were just the games that jump out in my mind (again, I could be wrong):

1999, Knicks-Pacers, Game 3 ... LJ sinks a game-winning four-pointer (called a continuation foul by referee Jess Kersey even though LJ was fouled a full second before he released the ball).

1999, Knicks-Pacers, Game 6 ... Knicks last chance to close out Indy before the series shifts back to Indiana for Game 7 ... they get every call.

1999, Spurs-Knicks, Game 3 ... down 2-0, the Knicks get every call in their first home game and win their only game of the series.

2000, Knicks-Heat, Game 7 ... Knicks advance to the conference finals ... falling out of bounds, Latrell Sprewell awarded a timeout by referee Bennett Salvatore with 2.1 seconds left even though none of the Knicks called for one ... Sprewell admits after the game that he hadn't called a timeout ... the Miami players chase the referees off the court after the game, yelling that they had been robbed ... after the game, Jamal Mashburn tells reporters, "They had three officials in their pocket" and Tim Hardaway refers to referee Dick Bavetta as "Knick Bavetta."

2000, Lakers-Blazers, Game 7 ... LA shoots 21 more free throws and rallies back from a 17-point deficit in the final seven minutes ... Shaq plays an illegal defense down the stretch, undaunted ... Rasheed Wallace absolutely gets manhandled down the stretch, yet doesn't get a single call ... up by four with 25 seconds left, Shaq body-blocks Steve Smith out of bounds and the refs don't make the call (the most egregious non-call in recent memory).

2002, Celtics-Nets, Game 4 ... Celts up 2-1 ... the Nets are inexplicably allowed to push and shove Kenny Anderson and Pierce while they dribble the ball ... a number of head-scratchers go against Boston, including three offensive charges down the stretch ... four different "bull-(bleep)" chants during the game.
2002, Lakers-Kings, Game 6 ... LA needs a win to stay alive ... from an officiating standpoint, the most one-sided game of the past decade ... at least six dubious calls against the Kings in the fourth quarter alone ... LA averaged 22 free throws a game during the first five games of the series, then attempted 27 freebies in the fourth quarter alone of Game 6 ... rumors that David Stern wanted to pull a Vince McMahon and declare himself "The special guest referee" for this game prove unfounded.
(By the way, I would feel remiss if I didn't share this information: Dick Bavetta was assigned to every one of the above games. That's an absolute fact. You can look it up. Doesn't mean anything ... I just felt the need to pass that along. It sure looks bad, doesn't it? Maybe the league could do a favor for Bavetta and not assign him to Game 3 of the Finals, especially if the Lakers jump to a 2-0 lead over New Jersey. You wouldn't want to rile up those conspiracy theorists or anything. Ummmm ...)


ESPN.com: Page 2 : Only stupid question is one not asked (http://proxy.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/020606)

I don't know if that art. made me happy or sad. All I can think about is the Ps being up 10 in the 4th Q game 7 against the Spurs, then let the Spurs rip off 15 straight points.

ESPN - NBA's pursuit of restitution from Donaghy a blunder - NBA (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?id=3439659)

Is the FBI investigating Donaghy's allegations? Will others be charged with crimes?

The FBI already has investigated the allegations. Donaghy first met with FBI agents in July 2007. A team of agents has been probing his stories ever since. As the result of their investigations, federal prosecutors have filed what is known as a 5(k) letter. The 5(k) letter means the agents have checked on the stories and have concluded Donaghy was truthful. The 5(k) letter does not apply to the 2002 Western Conference finals Game 6 because the statute of limitations had expired. More than five years went by before Donaghy described that game to any agents. There was no reason to look into that game because no one could be charged with a crime. The 5(k) letter does apply to statements Donaghy made to agents regarding the three games in 2005. The information could result in a reduction of Donaghy's prison sentence when Amon sentences him July 14. He faces a maximum of 33 months in prison under federal guidelines.


Although the FBI has concluded Donaghy was truthful, it does not mean others will be charged with crimes. Agents and prosecutors easily could have concluded that the rigging of the four games was reprehensible but did not qualify as a federal crime. There was no indication of gambling or money laundering or racketeering on the part of the NBA in Donaghy's allegations. If the NBA wants to extend a series to a seventh game, it might be fraud upon the fans, but it is not a federal crime.

Stern is losing this battle. His stance is Don is a criminal and ignore him. He played Bavetta last nite like nothing mattered.
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Personally I think the league is clean but it's unstable. Until Stern acknowledges this I hope his reign crumbles.
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The poll strengthens...

Personally I think the league is clean but it's unstable. Until Stern acknowledges this I hope his reign crumbles.
I'm not going to mince words. I think it is corrupt.

Sheed can handle his own battles.
Surely you don't mean that.

Seems like someone by now would have come forward. One would think that at least that Donoghe guy would have told us. [Quote Max]
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I hope you liked your call.

Six years ago, consumer advocate Ralph Nader sent a letter to NBA commissioner David Stern (http://www.leagueoffans.org/sternletter.html) asking him to review the officiating in the now-infamous Game 6 of the Western Conference finals between the Lakers and the Kings.

He was lampooned by some for his foray into the sports arena and skewered by Lakers fans, who questioned whether he's a Kings fan, which he's not.

The Lakers subsequently won Game 7 and their third consecutive championship, and the controversy gradually quieted.


Then came Tuesday's allegations, in a court filing by disgraced former referee Tim Donaghy, that two of the three referees who worked that Kings-Lakers game altered its outcome (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3436401).

Now, Nader says he feels vindicated (http://www.votenader.org/blog/2008/06/11/nader-and-the-nba/).

"There were some suspicions that the referees that were chosen were company men," Nader said.

..
He readily admits there are far more important issues in America than NBA officiating, but he sees it as a relevant consumer issue in that many fans see sports as a sanctuary and deserve to believe in its legitimacy. Nader still would like to see the NBA's officiating practices put under a microscope -- by an independent, objective entity.

ESPN Page 2 - Neumann: Nader remains irked by NBA officiating (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=neumann/080611)

Max I heard that interview on Sirius.
Nader can be so anti-establishment that I love his initiatives. He will not kiss any Big Business azz.
ML Sports can't be compromised, cause then we can't bet on them. ;>i]

Max I heard that interview on Sirius.
Nader can be so anti-establishment that I love his initiatives. He will not kiss any Big Business azz.
ML Sports can't be compromised, cause then we can't bet on them. ;>i]

Stern would be well advised not to blow him off though. Nader is both smarter and a better lawyer than him.

NBA to disgraced referee: Pay us back for cost of shoes (http://msn.foxsports.com/other/wcStory?contentId=8118850#story=8268508&MSNHPHMA)
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NBA wants their money back from Don. $1.4 mil. including travel expenses and free tickets.
Stern just doesn't get it. He's getting more petty as it goes.
It's no longer a conspiracy theory it's just dork management.