Jeff Van Gundy Admits He Lied

[timvp]

NBA Statement Regarding Houston Rockets Coach Jeff Van Gundy

NEW YORK, May 9 – NBA Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik today issued the following statement in regard to Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy:

“Over this past weekend, Coach Van Gundy publicly apologized for his comments last week suggesting bias in the league’s refereeing relating to Yao Ming. He has also confirmed directly to an NBA representative that, during the Houston/Dallas playoff series, he did not have any communication with a referee (working or non-working) other than, of course, during an ongoing game. In fact, his only conversations with league employees during the series were with league personnel in the normal course. In light of these circumstances, we now consider the matter to be closed.”

:lmao

I guess this kills a couple more conspiracy theories.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

What a goof! Fire that sad-eyed freak!

[ducks]

it only opens them further
threaten someones job and fine them 100 k
humm seems they want him to back off

[Obstructed_View]

I'm sure the ref who called Van Gundy is very grateful.

[ducks]

What a goof! Fire that sad-eyed freak!


I think he is not telling the truth now
I think he told the truth before

[SpursFanDan]

another fine will be in the works... or hes saying this to keep the league from investigating who it was that leaked the information. Either way.. hes still got bad plugs.

[tsb2000]

What ducks said.

No way JVG gives up that ref's name, at any cost. That kind of info is worth way too much to his team.

[timvp]

No ref called Van Gundy. He lied. He made it up.

JVG went overboard and knows it.

[Horry For 3!]

I doubt he is telling the truth now. He is probably lieing to try to get away with it and then everyone will stop talking about it.

[HB22inSA]

I think they covered their butts pretty well on this one.

[Obstructed_View]

David Aldridge reported that the refs got a complaint from Cuban about Yao's moving picks, so it's not like it's a secret. If JVG were making it up, he would probably have cited DA as the source.

[timvp]

David Aldridge reported that the refs got a complaint from Cuban about Yao's moving picks, so it's not like it's a secret. If JVG were making it up, he would probably have cited DA as the source.

Yeah but the point is no ref called JVG and told him that there was something posted on the league's ref website to call Yao for more offensive fouls. That's what Van Gundy claimed and that's what got him in trouble.

Didn't happen.

[BronxCowboy]

You know, all we know for sure is that NBA Deputy Commisioner Russ Granik said that Van Gundy admitted to lying. There's a big diffence between that and an admission directly from JVG. And I agree that even if he did "admit" to making the story up, it's a lie. He didn't make anything up. He's only trying to protect his sources. Of course the NBA wants everybody to believe that he made it up.

[timvp]

http://www.coasttocoastam.com/timages/page/black_hele3.jpg

[CosmicCowboy]

Yeah but the point is no ref called JVG and told him that there was something posted on the league's ref website to call Yao for more offensive fouls. That's what Van Gundy claimed and that's what got him in trouble.

Didn't happen.

Thats one way to look at it...

personally I tend to believe that Van Gundy took the path of least resistance and crabbed on his original story knowing the league would drop it if he did.

Either way we know he lied once and we will never know for sure which time it was.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Stupid coach forum.

[Solid D]

I don't think you can tell if JVG was lying then, nor now. Jeff's best option to stay in the league and save what face he had left with officials was to take this position (a made-up story). The only way. Stern had him dead-to-rights, in chess terms he had him in a "check" position with only one continuance move.

Whether then, or now, though. He lied.

[foodie2]

I think it's obvious that JVG is protecting his source and trying to quell the controversy by making it go away the fastest way he can. I absolutely believe he was telling the truth the first time.

[BronxCowboy]

http://www.coasttocoastam.com/timages/page/black_hele3.jpg
What the fuck ever. :rolleyes

[T Park]

If you believe he lied, and if you think this debunks the refs dont call different calls for different players, your truely a sap.

[Kori Ellis]

I'm not arguing that refs may call things different for different players, blah blah. But I do not believe a ref called Van Gundy during the Rockets-Mavs series and told him they were targeting Yao because of Cuban's complaints (I'm not saying Cuban didn't complain), that it was on the website, and all that stuff.

[Clandestino]

why would a coach make this up?

[timvp]

why would a coach make this up?

To get calls.

[T Park]

Believe what you want, I dont doubt it a bit.

[Clandestino]

i don't believe that.. there are way better ways to get calls than saying a ref told you this or that....

[timvp]

Like what? Coaches complain after just about every playoff loss. JVG just slipped up and crossed the line when complaining.

[bigbendbruisebrother]

Out goes Van Gundy, in goes PJ Carlisimo. Great. Just what we needed. Another interstate rival with a coach that knows us inside and out.

[Clandestino]

that is the point.. coaches always complain, but they don't make up stuff about a ref conspiracy. it has to be true...

[SouthernFried]

"We consider the matter closed."

WHAT?

If JVG just "lied" about one of the worse and most public allegations yet leveled at the NBA...your just gonna let it go?

If JVG truely just made all this stuff up...I would suspend him immediately! There is no room for that type of crap at this level. A coach completely falsifying and lying about something like this should not, and cannot be tolerated.

However, if anything JVG was true...I'd make a deal with him to try and get him to drop it, make a statement, and "case closed."

Which, would make this even worse, and more a case of collusion (sp?) than JVG's original charges.

Damnit, don't we have any freakin' decent investigative reporters in this country anymore?

They all prolly camped at the top of the Ferris wheel in Never Never land.

[Solid D]

Van Gundy issued a statement today saying it was not a lie, it was an official but not a game official. It was apparently a league official (league office). He was purposely vague.

[Solid D]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2056599

But Van Gundy, in a release from the Rockets on Monday, said he stands by his original statement.

"I stand by my original comments [May 1] and was quoted accurately. As Russ Granik correctly said in his statement today, the contact I spoke of that day was with league personnel. When I referred to an NBA official, people inferred that I was talking about a working NBA referee, instead of an official with the league. I was purposely vague because I had given my word that I would keep his name out of it.


"I did not want the issue to continue so rather than clarifying my original comments, I chose to let the matter die since I was wrong to bring the official into it to start with. I have been honest during this process, loyal to those involved and have apologized for my comments. I look forward to putting this behind me."

[Rick Von Braun]

"We consider the matter closed."

WHAT?

If JVG just "lied" about one of the worse and most public allegations yet leveled at the NBA...your just gonna let it go?

If JVG truely just made all this stuff up...I would suspend him immediately! There is no room for that type of crap at this level. A coach completely falsifying and lying about something like this should not, and cannot be tolerated.

However, if anything JVG was true...I'd make a deal with him to try and get him to drop it, make a statement, and "case closed."

Which, would make this even worse, and more a case of collusion (sp?) than JVG's original charges.

Damnit, don't we have any freakin' decent investigative reporters in this country anymore?

They all prolly camped at the top of the Ferris wheel in Never Never land. I agree with your line of reasoning.

We don't have any proof one way or the other, but my intuition tells that there was a leak, and someone called JVG or the Rockets' FO to alert them of what was going on.

The NBA would never accept a leak like that (nor give any indication that they could be pressured by Mark Cuban) and Stern went overboard. The fact that the NBA is dropping the case after JVG publicly recognized that he lied means that there was some sort of agreement to drop this potentially explosive situation fast. JVG can continue as a coach in this league and by protecting the person responsable for the leak he should expect no retribution on behalf of the referees. The NBA makes sure that they will not tolerate/accept any indication of pressure by the owners and protect the honor and integrity of the game. All parties win, case closed.

Of course there is no proof of the above, it is just my opinion mixed with some intuition. We will possibly never know the truth.

[SouthernFried]

So, Van Gundy is standing by his accusations...yet the NBA considers the case "closed."

hmmm....

ESPN should definetly send someone over there to look into it. Give us a report in about a month stating..."Yes, we have investigated this allegation, and Van Gundy, Stern, as well as most of the NBA league officials...are all Racists."

Yeah, that's what we need.

[T Park]

I agree with that.

I dont think Van Gundy made up what he said.


But the ones that dont believe it, wanna keep their heads in the sand and believe the refs "fair" just are being stupid.

[SequSpur]

Gone Fishing Forum.

[T Park]

Well southern fried.

According to Rasheed Wallace and Jermaine O'Neal, David Stern is a huge racist.

Hes prob considered "The Man" keeping them down.

[tlongII]

TimVP is wrong. JVG did not lie. Just another attempt by the NBA to cover their ass.

[Obstructed_View]

TimVP is wrong. JVG did not lie. Just another attempt by the NBA to cover their ass.
I hate to say I agree with tschlong, but I agree with tschlong.

[whottt]

Get outta town with the Van Gundy wouldn't lie stuff...He's a freaking coach, they are just one step above military recruiters in the lying and twisting department...and they are the most biased people on earth.

How many times have you seen a coach raise hell about a call that went in favor of his team, no matter how bad? You ever see one get a tech or get thrown out of the game because his player got away with a foul?

How many times have you seen a coach try to put pressure on the refs in the media to favor his team? Van Gundy has done it before. You think he cares if the other team is getting screwed? You think he will admit it?

On top of that...Yao does set moving picks....the simple fact that Van Gundy refuses to acknowledge that proves he is capable of lying or ignoring the truth.
At the least it sounds like he wants Yao to be able to continue to set illegal picks...so much for his integrity.

I think Cuban is more honest than Van Gundy.


It just doesn't add up...

#1.Stern hates Mark Cuban more than any other person in the NBA.
#2.Stern is totally on Yao's jock. It's sickening how overhyped Yao is by the NBA.
#3.The Rockets are in a bigger market than the Mavs.
#4.The Rockets are more of an international draw than the Mavs.
#5.The Rockets would benefit more from a financial standpoint and higher profile from advancing than the Mavs will.

The cospiracy theories get old...if you guys really believe in all these conspiracies, why do you even watch the NBA?


Van Gundy has always been controversial and he'd freaking lie through his teeth if it could give him an edge in a series...

The son of a bitch has Juwan Howard playing for his team...that's all you need to know about him. I gurantee you that if you ask him he'll say Juwan has never thrown a cheap shot in his entire NBA career.

Stern nailed Van Gudny's ass to the wall when he said it was a new low in ref manipulation...coaches try to manipulate them all the time...there's absolutely no reason for the league to want to favof the Mavs over the Rockets...


You think he and the Rockets don't ask the league to watch other players?

Coaches do it every game...The Spurs send stuff in all the time to the league for revirew.

My guess is that the Mavs did legitimately complain about it, someone contacted him about it...and Van Gundy twisted it into something else to give him an edge in this series...

He was definitely trying to get an edge...even if it was true Van Gundy was still trying to manipulate the situation to his advantage...so much so that he risked the career of who ever emailed him.

[Solid D]

The way Granik worded his statement and compared with the Van Gundy quote, they both spin this. JVG never said referee...according to his statement. He said "official", yet he used vaguery to what he thought would be his advantage.

[ShoogarBear]

"I stand by my original comments [May 1] and was quoted accurately. As Russ Granik correctly said in his statement today, the contact I spoke of that day was with league personnel. When I referred to an NBA official, people inferred that I was talking about a working NBA referee, instead of an official with the league. I was purposely vague because I had given my word that I would keep his name out of it.

Several reporters had brought this up previously, the fact that Van Gundy used the word "official" instead of "referee" (I think Peter May in the Boston Globe was one). He predicted that this would be Van Gundy's "out" of the mess.

[Useruser666]

I honestly believe something was said to JVG. By who, and exactly what is a mystery.

[sickdsm]

Sometimes I wonder how much Cuban is really hated by Stern. Like Steinbrenner, millions of people know who he is that otherwise wouldn't. We wonder what sort of pea-brained zany comment he will come up with, which player he will buy. He's raised the value of that team CONSIDERABLY, and by doing his trades he's helping out the other teams outlook by getting rid of overpriced players. But most importanly, his team, like it or not, has consistanly been one of the most entertaining teams to watch year in and year out. And isn't that what really matters to Stern? Star names, in the playoffs, running and gunning.

Ask anyone outside SA, Seatle, PHX, Dallas, Miami, DC, Det, Indy what second round series they are going to watch. The Det/Indy on paper might be more intrigueing/close but hands down its Dallas/Phx.


JVG DID hear from the official.

Who hear has lied about something to cover up? I know many times when i was a kid it was easier to say that i made something up then to go over all the details and risk further trouble.

I wasn't born yesterday.

[Jimcs50]

Cuban probably has Stern in his back pocket...a few million here and there and Stern would comply with Cuban's "suggestions"

JVG did not lie, someone in the league office tipped him off and Stern cracked down on it.

This goes on in corporate America all the time....nothing new.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

I'm suprised we got this far without anyone talking about the Refs in game six of the conference finals, Kings v. Lakers, or the refs after game 2 in our show down last year. When I watch the way the game is called for Shaq and Kobe, or any other super hyped team, i do wonder. I mean Shaq in particular has made a career out of illegal contact.

[Kori Ellis]

So now JVG says it was someone in the league's front office, but not a ref and that he purposed wanted people to think it was a ref (or was being vague to not disclose the person)? That's pretty shady in itself. What about the part where he said it was on the refs website or whatever?

Like many have said here, we will never know exactly what happened.

[Mr. Body]

JVG is not a guy to make stuff up. He's the most deliberate, even-keeled coach on the planet, he's like Pop without a sense of humor.

Don't people recognize a cover up when they see one? The League office gets Van Gundy to admit he never talked to anybody and they're satisfied. Or, I should say, 'admit' it. They might have even, sub rosa, retracted or limited the fine. They just want the whole issue buried.

[SouthernFried]

If JVG lied, he should be thrown outta the league.

If JVG didn't lie...there should be some serious investigations and heads should roll.

So why is it I think neither of the above is gonna happen?

The NBA is lookin' like a corrupt organization.

[T Park]

The NBA is lookin' like a corrupt organization

When a Bulls team in 98 that WASNT as good as the Jazz win, and a Lakers team in 02 wins a ring that shouldnt have you should now.

[whottt]

So I guess that means our two titles were corrupt frauds too...

It takes a special breed of fan to put asterisks on their own titles...

:rolleyes

[timvp]

Get outta town with the Van Gundy wouldn't lie stuff...He's a freaking coach, they are just one step above military recruiters in the lying and twisting department...and they are the most biased people on earth.

How many times have you seen a coach raise hell about a call that went in favor of his team, no matter how bad? You ever see one get a tech or get thrown out of the game because his player got away with a foul?

How many times have you seen a coach try to put pressure on the refs in the media to favor his team? Van Gundy has done it before. You think he cares if the other team is getting screwed? You think he will admit it?

On top of that...Yao does set moving picks....the simple fact that Van Gundy refuses to acknowledge that proves he is capable of lying or ignoring the truth.
At the least it sounds like he wants Yao to be able to continue to set illegal picks...so much for his integrity.

I think Cuban is more honest than Van Gundy.


It just doesn't add up...

#1.Stern hates Mark Cuban more than any other person in the NBA.
#2.Stern is totally on Yao's jock. It's sickening how overhyped Yao is by the NBA.
#3.The Rockets are in a bigger market than the Mavs.
#4.The Rockets are more of an international draw than the Mavs.
#5.The Rockets would benefit more from a financial standpoint and higher profile from advancing than the Mavs will.

The cospiracy theories get old...if you guys really believe in all these conspiracies, why do you even watch the NBA?


Van Gundy has always been controversial and he'd freaking lie through his teeth if it could give him an edge in a series...

The son of a bitch has Juwan Howard playing for his team...that's all you need to know about him. I gurantee you that if you ask him he'll say Juwan has never thrown a cheap shot in his entire NBA career.

Stern nailed Van Gudny's ass to the wall when he said it was a new low in ref manipulation...coaches try to manipulate them all the time...there's absolutely no reason for the league to want to favof the Mavs over the Rockets...


You think he and the Rockets don't ask the league to watch other players?

Coaches do it every game...The Spurs send stuff in all the time to the league for revirew.

My guess is that the Mavs did legitimately complain about it, someone contacted him about it...and Van Gundy twisted it into something else to give him an edge in this series...

He was definitely trying to get an edge...even if it was true Van Gundy was still trying to manipulate the situation to his advantage...so much so that he risked the career of who ever emailed him.

Well put. I can't believe people are falling for JVG's lies when he'd rat out his on mom to get a win in a playoff series.

[timvp]

When a Bulls team in 98 that WASNT as good as the Jazz win, and a Lakers team in 02 wins a ring that shouldnt have you should now.

People who still watch the NBA but believe in these type of conspiracies must have a negative IQ. I can't imagine a bigger waste of time and money then supporting a league in which you think the results are corrupt.

[whottt]

Thanks TimVP! If I had known you were going to be nice I would have held off on ripping AJ in that other thread...my bad.

[sickdsm]

Remember all the BS calls late in the season favoring the Cavs this year?


Every beat writer was writing about them.

[tlongII]

People who still watch the NBA but believe in these type of conspiracies must have a negative IQ. I can't imagine a bigger waste of time and money then supporting a league in which you think the results are corrupt.

If you honestly don't believe that referees are influenced by the league office in their officiating of the playoffs then it is you that has the negative IQ. It is obvious.

[nkdlunch]

What a goof! Fire that sad-eyed freak!

:lol The funniest is when a reporter told him on live tv that he might lose his job. He was about to bust out crying. :cry

[Useruser666]

I don't think what JVG was talking about is a conspiracy really. I'm sure the refs are told to watch out for all sorts of things now and then. I don't think JVG said that the refs were told to call more fouls on Yao, just watch those plays more closely.

[Spurminator]

I don't buy this at all, personally. I think this is a compromise between the League and Van Gundy to end the controversy. It was very clear to me that JVG was talking about a Referee when he used the term "official."

[RobinsontoDuncan]

Wait, I don't remember that sickdism, please explain and give details?

[MadDog73]

I don't know...

like whottt said, WHY would the NBA have a conspiracy against Yao Ming and the Rockets over the Mavs?

All I do know is that an Instant replay review would quell a lot of these conspiracy theories and make for fairer games.

Coach challenges would be nice, too. (One a playoff game, lose a timeout if wrong).

[Gerryatrics]

A $100,000 fine and threat of permanent banning because a coach made up an example to try to get the refs to call one of his players fairly? I'm not crying conspiracy, but something still doesn't add up.

[MadDog73]

Stern may have overreacted, but he felt the integrity of the game was being questioned.

Look, nobody is questioning that Refs make bad calls. But do they make bad calls on purpose so teams like the Lakers and Mavs (?) win?

I'm not buying it. Besides the 0.4 second crap, I don't think you can ever blame a whole series on the refs.

[sickdsm]

.04 had nothing to do with the refs, it was the guy manning the clock.