Sports Summer 2007

[Archive]

Posted By: Cat

I can't remember a time when there was so much controversy in sports and, in my view, the issues in baseball are tame compared to football and basketball.

We've beat Barry up regarding his tainted assault on Hammerin Hank's record. We have had the infamous cockfighting/dogfighting thread (ala Michael Vick). But dang!!!! Do you think David Stern would trade his problems for Bud Selig's Barry/Steroid Issue or NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's Michael Vick issue? My feeling is: Gladly, every day of the week!!!

The NBA is REALLY REALLY screwed!!! Now, Donaghy claims that he is going to blow the whistle on others! Yikes!!!

edited to add: ' after Hank

[Archive]

Posted By: Tony Andrea

There's no doubt this will end up costing the NBA when it's all said and done.
I had a feeling before this really got going, more referee's might be in question.
My opinion is, it would be difficult for a referee to act alone on these charges
when there's 3 ref's who actually call a game.
Seems to me it would stand out like a soar thumb if only one of the three were in
on it. And yes, I'd much rather have Selig's problem than this one.
NBA commissioner David Stern has his hands full.

Tony

[Archive]

Posted By: Joseph

It's amazing there aren't more Donaghys given the shabby treatment afforded to refs/umpires/officials by the professional leagues during this golden age of sports dollars...

[Archive]

Posted By: Patrick McHugh

Yes this is a crazy sports summer. I think that there is alot more FIXING in all sports than most may think. All of this stuff is just another example of what happens when alot of money is involved. We see it everyday from large corporations and now it is rearing itself right into the sports world. I guess that is why I enjoy minor leage baseball so much!

[Archive]

Posted By: peter chao

Bud Selig has just made a committment to be at Barry Bond's home run record breaking game. After all this delay, it's more or less so what he's going to be there.

Peter C.

[Archive]

Posted By: David Smith

The REAL problem for the NBA is that they have been investigating the Ref for over a year and did NOTHING about it. I wonder why?? Could it be they wanted to sweep it under the rug so OTHER things did come up to be investigated??

Things like the Golden State Warriors making it into the Play-Offs after 13 years and then beating the Dallas Mavericks in the First Round. Only the third time a n eighth seed has beaten a first seed. Also, I think GOlden State is trying for a new arena.

Or could it be things like the three teams with the WORST records getting Draft picks 4, 5 and 6 while Portland, Seattle and Atlanta get the first three? The SuperSonics have been trying to get the citizens of Seattle to pay for a new arena but they wont because they have already built new stadiums for the SeaHawks and Mariners. Getting the #2 pick helped the SuperSonics cause and they are again trying to get a new arena. If they don't, I am sure the number two pick will help them atrract interest from other cities (Oklahoma City?) where they might want to relocate to.

The NBA had a problem with their refs a few years ago when the refs were trading their first class airline tickets in for cheaper seats and then pocketing the money without claiming this on their tax forms. A couple of months ago, a study came out saying that NBA refs were more likely to call fouls on players of the opposite race then they were for players of their own race. Stern and the NBA said these studies were inaccurate.

If I were an NBA owner, I would be calling for Stern's and everybody else's head in the Home Office. When this thing blows up and networks and advertisers start cancelling their contracts, fans start rebelling and the lawsuits begin, the value of these franchises are going to plummet. Along with that, cities are going to be on the hook for construction bonds and some might not have enough revenue to covber the cost of interest. That is going to make it awfully hot for the elected officals of those towns.

I have been saying for over 10 years now that the NBA is rigged and few believed me. Now maybe some more people will. Hopefully Stern will be ousted, sued and jailed.

David

[Archive]

Posted By: Dan Bretta

I've never been a big NBA fan - mostly because it is unwatchable, but also because it always seemed to me that if you were a superstar you never got called for a foul or traveling. I still remember watching a game between the Knicks and the Bulls where Patrick Ewing was shuffling his feet in the lane every single time down the court and he never got called for traveling while Stacy King who I think was a rookie at the time got called for traveling 3 or 4 straight possessions. Also wasn't there a playoff series a few years back with the Miami Heat where there were some highly suspicious calls?

[Archive]

Posted By: David Smith

Mr. Bretta,

The NBA isn't a sport anymore, it is scripted entertainment, just like Professional Wrestling.

When was the last time the best TEAM won an NBA Championship?? Probably the Bulls with Jordan and Pippen but there you go, a couple of STAR players. It wasn't a coincidence that Michael's book was titled, "Jordan Rules" because that was how it was on the court also. Jordan had one set of rules and most other players had a second set. It is not about the TEAM anymore, it is about what player or players are the most marketable.

LeBron James made the Finals this year. Dwayne Wade made it last year. Of course Wade was the highest seller as far as jerseys is concerned before last season started and Shaq joined the team before the season, so you had Shaq and the young star Wade.

When was the last time a team of NOBODIES that played well together won?? Not in the Stern era. The Dallas Mavericks have had the best record the last two years but haven't won a Championship. Why? Because Mark Cuban has given Stern and the League grief, especially about the officiating. Cuban felt it ws so bad that he got a group together and started making charts on the Officials and grading them. Stern didn't like this and fined Cuban every chance he got. Cuban has calmed down some but Stern still hasn't let his team win the Championship, even though I think they have been the best.

Stern controls it all and the NBA wont be a true "sport" again until he and his cronies are out of power. Until then, I am sticking to College Basketball, where even the BEST team can get beat on their home floor by a NOBODY.

David

[Archive]

Posted By: davidcycleback

The problem for the NBA is that many, many fans have long voiced opinions that playoff games were fixed by refereeing-- and this was before there was any inkling a referee might be betting on games.

[Archive]

Posted By: Bill K@sel

All these stories makes for great sportstalk radio but the NBA is by far in the worst possible position. From what I understand the FBI asked the NBA not to disclose or bring to light any information on the betting scandal when it was discoverd some time ago as to further the investigation. Hearing David Stern say that there was no way he could definitively state that Donaghy the only culprit and that tears at the fabric of his game. I think the NBA is a joke in general but how will this now impact other sports? Obviously this is not the first and only case of this going on. Look what the Blacksox scandal did to baseball. It's still relevant today almost 90 years later.

I think Donaghy has bigger issues to deal with than jail time if he decides to rat out other individuals. Can you say witness protection program? Last time I checked the mob doesn't like to have its laundry aired.

It's a shame too because these stories are for good reason upstaging a great baseball season and will likely take away from the coverage of the NFL and college football seasons.

Bill