Living On A Prayer!

[wolf754life]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=bayless/060519


Great article by skip

[nkdlunch]

right on the money. Damn that article has me pissed off all over again
:devil :devil :devil :devil :devil :devil :devil

[SAGambler]

Great article.. At least someone, other than Spurs fans, see exactly what's going on.

Maybe enough of these will embarass the refs enough to let the players decide the game, and not the "bail out Dirk whistles" we have seen so often in this series.

[ShoogarBear]

:wow Holy crap. Bayless unloaded both barrels with this one.

Cuban's in charge of this series
By Skip Bayless
Page 2


LeBron!


Sorry, just wanted to keep your attention for six letters. This isn't about LeBron. Goodbye.


No, forgive me, this is about the defending National Basketball Association champions.


That's all.


Just about the team that has won two of the last three titles and three of the last seven. About the team a majority of analysts picked (in October and again in April) to win it all this season. About the -- for the clueless out there -- San Antonio Spurs.


Yes, about the non-LeBrons, the Team Everyone Wants to Go Away, the one that bores people to fears -- fears of "please don't let the Spurs ruin another NBA Finals."


Forget the Alamo.


So why in the name of Davy Crockett am I writing about the team that as of a couple days had about as much chance of surviving as those valiant souls who once defended that little mission in what is now downtown San Antone against General Santa Anna's vast army?



Because of an outrageous injustice, that's why.

Because in Dallas, the refs have treated the defending champs like they're Memphis Grizzlies. These games have had more shockingly bad calls than "When a Stranger Calls." In Game 3 they fouled out two-time MVP Tim Duncan, and Dallas won 104-103. In Game 4 they fouled out All-Star Manu Ginobili (who had scored 26 points in 24 minutes, including 4-for-4 on 3s), and Dallas won in overtime to go up 3-1 in the series.



No, while Duncan once again has been the best player in the playoffs, the MVP of this series has been Mark Cuban. He owns the Mavericks -- and, apparently, the minds of the refs.



Lakers coach Phil Jackson was right earlier this season: Cuban complains so much about officiating that he intimidates the refs at the American Airlines Center. Or at least he shames them into being absurdly fair to the home team.



That $200,000 fine Cuban had to pay after Game 1 in San Antonio was the best cookie-jar money this billionaire ever spent. He had accosted the refs on the floor during San Antonio's 87-85 win -- and he had criticized the way refs are selected for the playoffs in his blog. This, of course, was just the latest in Cuban's ref-bashing fines. He once said he wouldn't hire the NBA's director of officials "to manage a Dairy Queen."



Now in Dallas, he has turned the refs into soft ice cream. This time, the 200 grand fine and all the attention it detonated had this effect on the Game 3 and Game 4 officiating crews: They gave Cuban's team the benefit of nearly every doubt. Bully for Cuban.



The Spurs were privately furious after both games in Dallas.



Of course, the refs also could be subconsciously influenced by the general attitude of media, fans and the NBA marketing arm. Please, no more Spurs. Maybe the guys with the whistles are starting to feel the same way -- and Cuban knows it.



From his seat near the Mavs' bench, he has worked the refs like a puppet master.



And he was at it again Thursday evening.



Near the end of Wednesday night's Game 5 -- in San Antonio -- a loose-ball scramble ensued near midcourt. The Mavs' Jason Terry wound up on his back trying to control the ball with Ginobili diving over him after it and Michael Finley trying to wrestle it away while hunched over Terry.



Whistles blew. A jump ball was called.



But as Finley let go of the ball and stood up, Terry sucker-punched him. Finley later told teammates and San Antonio officials that it was a closed-fisted shot to the groin. The TNT replays caught only Finley having to be restrained by teammates.

Curiously, none of the three refs saw a punch thrown by the guy with the ball -- or perhaps they chose to look the other way with the game on the line in the final seconds.



But Spurs officials had videotape of the punch to the privates and fired it off to the league office. Terry was correctly suspended for Friday night's Game 6 in Dallas. A rule is a rule: Any closed-fisted punch means automatic suspension.



This was no judgment call. The tape didn't lie. But now it's as if Dallas has gotten away with so much in this series that Terry thinks he can get away with going Andrew Golota on ex-teammate Finley.



Cue Cuban, who began firing off e-mail responses to media outlets saying that Finley did a "pile driver to Jason's head" and that Jason should be allowed to protect himself and that, yes, he should have been fined, but no, Jason doesn't remember throwing a punch and should not have been suspended.



Beautiful: Cuban is turning the Mavs into victims. And he knows most of his fans -- and some in the media -- will buy his baloney. Deep down, the refs probably will, too.



The Spurs have practically no chance in Game 6. Yes, Dallas will be down a quick guard who scored 32 points while playing 51 minutes in the Game 4 overtime win. But you watch: Duncan or Ginobili will be whistled for foul No. 6 before this one is over.



Team Turnoff will be eliminated. The NBA world will be safe.

This steams me because I respect the Spurs as much as I do any team in sports. Yes, I've called Duncan the most boring superstar in sports history -- but that's because of the way he's perceived by the instant-gratification masses. LeBron's dunks dominate "SportsCenter." Duncan's sensational subtleties do not.



But was that a reason to treat him with no more respect than Erick Dampier in Game 3? Just because he struggled much of the season on a sore foot, did he suddenly lose the prestige he has built in winning three Finals MVPs in three tries and in making first team All-NBA in his first eight seasons?



Two of Duncan's six fouls were offensive fouls without the ball. I defy you to study the tape and tell me these should have been called. The sixth came when Dirk Nowitzki went hurtling down the lane and Duncan merely ran across his path, making sure to hold his hands back over his shoulders and away from Nowitzki's arms. But Nowitzki stepped on Duncan's foot and went crashing into the photographers.



Referee Joey Crawford, one of the best, was standing in the corner near Cuban. He blew his whistle. Then he walked all the way to the official scorer before divulging if Duncan was gone. You wonder if Crawford was trying to think of a scenario in which he could pin it on any other Spur.



In Game 3, the Mavs shot 50 free throws -- 22 in the fourth quarter! Yes, Avery Johnson's Mavs are attacking the basket like never before. But does that mean the Spurs have suddenly turned from the NBA's best defensive team to the worst?



Way to go, Mark Cuban.



With Duncan gone, Nowitzki was able to grab an offensive rebound, get fouled and make the free throws that won it 104-103.



In Game 4, Ginobili's fourth foul was called as he had inside rebounding position on the taller Nowitzki and jostled with him. This happens nearly every possession under every basket every night. Yes, Ginobili has earned a reputation for flopping. But does that mean he deserves a phantom foul when he's on fire in a game that could determine the NBA championship?



Ginobili's sixth foul came after he had made a running jump at Terry on the 3-point line. Terry faked the shot and went by him. As Ginobili trailed him, Terry suddenly pulled up and jumped backward, elbowing Ginobili in the chest. Tweet! Ginobili was gone with 2:28 left.



Look at it again and tell me it's a foul on Ginobili.



With 8 seconds left, the NBA's best perimeter defender, Bruce Bowen, was whistled for a cheap foul on Nowitzki and yelled to no one in particular (though commissioner David Stern was within earshot) that this league used to let players decide playoff games.



Regulation ended with Duncan having to shoot a running one-hander from 8 feet for the win. The ball hit the front of the rim but couldn't climb over. The Spurs have never trusted Duncan to create his own last-second shot. That ball would have been in Ginobili's hands.



Maybe they would have won. Maybe not. Now they're down 3-2 going back to Dallas.

Rejoice! The NBA could wind up with Cuban vs. LeBron in the Finals.

[SA210]

OMFG!!!

Someone had the balls to call the NBA out.

Send this to all the radio shows and ESPN commentators. :lol

[Winnipeg_Spur]

Why would people still hate the Spurs? We don't even play defense anymore, so why aren't we embraced like the Suns?

[Budkin]

This article is so dead on it's scary, and even scarier that Skip Bayless wrote it.

[picnroll]

The Spurs have practically no chance in Game 6. Yes, Dallas will be down a quick guard who scored 32 points while playing 51 minutes in the Game 4 overtime win. But you watch: Duncan or Ginobili will be whistled for foul No. 6 before this one is over.



That's what I predicted in the Vescey article thread. Spurs would win 5 but get screwed in 6 with a DQ or Duncan in foul trouble early until the Mavs get control. Remeber you heard it here first.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

WOW. Finally someone on ESPN's payroll with some nuts. Cuban is likely furiously blogging out a contract on Skip's life as we speak.

[ShoogarBear]

Yeah, I call bullshit. No way Bayless wrote that.

[Mavtek]

I call bullshit on the entire article! Can you say Spurs' fan? Jesus the Mavs got quite a few bad calls in this series as well.

[sanman53]

Thank you Skip!

I thought the second quarter of Game 2 was where the refs became whistle happy, but dang, 22 FTA in the 4th of Game 3 (50 Total!) is, to quote Bowen "TERRIBLE"!

Is this the only article regarding the whistle happy refs this series?

[wolf754life]

OH HE WROTE IT, and the best part is people know it, they aren't stupid,

INJUSTICE! the word was used, and its a very strong word, but it is the truth

INJUSTICE! its the fire that burns so deep inside the world champs!

They've been wronged

The series is Spurs 2, Mavs 1, Refs 2

[TwoHandJam]

It is indeed a travesty what the Spurs had to endure in Dallas in those games at the hands of the officials. I have seen more press calling out the refs than ever before this year.

NBA officiating has problems. Big problems. Those of you in here - you know who you are - who think officials can't decide playoff series are seriously misguided.

It's not just the Spurs either, I've seen terrible calls all year - bad calls that determine the outcome of games and this has been happening for years now. I often find myself berating the officials even after big wins and also when watching other games I've no vested interest in.

[Basketball Jones]

Great article. Skip tells it like it is.

[mikejones99]

If you had eyes you too can see that those 2 games were fucked up. Bowen last foul to give german the tying free throws was crazy.

[picnroll]

I call bullshit on the entire article! Can you say Spurs' fan? Jesus the Mavs got quite a few bad calls in this series as well.
It's a bitch when the national press knows and writes about your wins being frauds eh?

[Winnipeg_Spur]

He's right, but Bayless is an idiot, so I'm not going to pretend this suddenly gives more credibility to the viewpoint.

[E20]

Skip your a pimp for writiing that! Thank you for defending the Spurs.

Spurs in 7.

[Sasha]

Well, since everyone has it all figured out - Cuban's gonna win and the Spurs might as well give it up - I guess we don't need to watch the game, right? In fact, why'd they go to Dallas at all?

It's over... isn't it?

Not as far as I'm concerned! As for me and my family - we still BELIEVE!!

:madrun

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

It's a bitch when the national press knows and writes about your wins being frauds eh?

It's an even bigger bitch when the national press DOESN'T KNOW SHIT and writes about your wins being fraunds. "Accidental Champions", anyone?

If had been writing this article the only thing I would have changed would be this line.
These games have had more shockingly bad calls than "When a Stranger Calls."

It would have read, "These games have had more shockinly bad calls than Pat O'Brien with an eight-ball."

[ShoogarBear]

He's right, but Bayless is an idiot, so I'm not going to pretend this suddenly gives more credibility to the viewpoint.
How I feel about it.

[drpill]

Great piece. Here's the reply I sent him:


Thank you, Skip, for having the fortitude to tell it like it is. Make no mistake, the Mavs are playing great basketball right now and these are two evenly-matched teams. But in games decided by such a tiny margin the impact of officiating is that much more significant. Cuban's whining has had its intended effect and he must be a happy man. The guy simply has no class, and if he was any sort of true sportsman he would sit back, enjoy the games, and let the people he pays to play the game do the talking. But Cuban is not a sportsman; he's a business man, and as such he will do whatever it takes to win, no matter how low he has to stoop. Thank goodness the tape doesn't lie and Stu Jackson had no opportunity to look the other way on the Terry punch. At least justice was served in that case.

I have to disagre with you on one point, however -- the Spurs will not allow officiating to decide game six. They will win this one, and the next, and go on to face opponents with more honor and class than Cuban could ever dream of possessing.

[1Parker1]

Wow, that article was dead-on.


In Game 3, the Mavs shot 50 free throws -- 22 in the fourth quarter! Yes, Avery Johnson's Mavs are attacking the basket like never before. But does that mean the Spurs have suddenly turned from the NBA's best defensive team to the worst?

Exactly! And it wasn't like the Spurs weren't attacking the basket in the 4th quarter either! Which is why I still think tonight's game will go down to the wire.

[1Parker1]

What makes the whole incident worse, how the hell did the officials miss that jab to Finley? They saw how angry Finley got, and he claimed "he hit me" during the game. And if the officals HAD seen it, Terry would have been ejected. Imagine if Terry HAD made that final shot? Yet another missed called would have caused the Spurs to lose the series.

[yeahone]

go skip you are my hero

[SA210]

Article of the year!

[SA210]

Get this article out to the TV people, those scumbags don't address it.

[DarrinS]

I thought only Spurs fans were "whining" about the officiating. I guess the only people who don't see it are Mavs fans.

[sanman53]

I wonder if Cuban will respond to this article in his blog and Skip will get fined or suspended by the NBA?

[ctpsb]

I call bullshit on the entire article! Can you say Spurs' fan? Jesus the Mavs got quite a few bad calls in this series as well.

None of the top four Mavs players (Dirk, Terry, Howard or Harris) has even had 5 fouls. Spurs two top players have fouled out once each and been saddled with 5 each one other time. This changes everything (and don't forget Tim had 3 by 1st half leading to Game 2 collapse.)

Also look at Lakers, Rockets, Pistons, etc forums, Barkley, etc. Are all of them wrong or are they also secretly Spurs fans as well?

[SA210]

What is Cuban's email address?

[Condemned 2 HelLA]

I wonder if Cuban will respond to this article in his blog and Skip will get fined or suspended by the NBA?

Let's hope that effort backfires and they come down even HEAVIER on Cuban.
Skip Bayless may be a dope, but that's why I like him. He's a FUNNY dope.
This piece, however, is so spot on, it's scary.
Sure, maybe (and I stress the word "maybe") the Spurs had some shaky calls go in their favor, but NOTHING of the magnitude that the Mavs have benefitted from. If he was smart, Cuban would keep his mouth shut and not try to stir the pot. Again, his constant bitching could (and hopefully WILL) blow up in his face so that the tables turn and the Mavs fans start saying how dreadful the officiating is!
Screw the refs, screw the Mavs, screw Cuban, and screw Stern!

:flag: :flag: :flag: :flag: :flag: :flag: :flag: :flag: :flag: :flag: :flag: :flag:

[1Parker1]

What is Cuban's email address?

[email protected] :)

[CubanMustGo]

What is Cuban's email address?

[email protected]

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

[email protected] :)

I think Cuban's is that @hotmail.com. This is one of the Maloof's, I think.

[leemajors]

bon jovi forum.

[sanman53]

[email protected] :)

:lol

[DarrinS]

What is Cuban's email address?

[email protected]

[RealEstateDude]

Forget the Alamo.


BLASPHEMY!!!!!!!!! :flipoff

[ShoogarBear]

What is Cuban's email address?
And the dam burst open . . .

[Condemned 2 HelLA]

[email protected]

[dieman8686]

It's a bitch when the national press knows and writes about your wins being frauds eh?
He is not the national press, just a fan of the Spurs. It is just his "opinion", LIKE that of the great Bill Simmons who aslo writes in Page 2 and is more known. Oh, and Bill also writes about you spurs, if you know what I :angel mean.

[SA210]

:lol at the different email addies :lol

[TxJudsonRocketTx]

I HATE Skip Bayless...but thats a goddamn good article.

[SA210]

:lmao

Pop's response to Cuban's "muddy water riverwalk" comments:

"after a margarita I don't know what's in the river , maybe he ought to come down there and have a margarita...


and show some maturity"

don't have a transcript, heard it once, I think that's about right.

[Melmart1]

:lmao

Pop's response to Cuban's "muddy water riverwalk" comments:

"I don't know what's in the water after a margarita, maybe he ought to come down there and have one and show some maturity"

Where is this from?

[SA210]

Where is this from?
ticket760.com right now

[ShoogarBear]

Did he actually say that, or is somebody making a joke?

[SA210]

Did he actually say that, or is somebody making a joke?
He said it. They played the audio on ticket760.com .
Don Harris' doing, :lol

Don kept asking him what his thoughts were about it.

[MoSpur]

That article brought a tear to my eye. I don't watch Cold Pizza in the morning because of Skip, but that article was great.

[wolf754life]

Living On A Prayer?

"Set to the Tune of Living on a Prayer"

Once upon a time not so long ago: The spurs won 3 titles!
TIMMY used to work on the Block
Players union's was on strike
He was down on his luck - It's tough
so tough.


Eva works the Camera all day
working for her man
She brings home her pay for love
for love.

She says: Tony We've got to hold on to what we've got,
'Cause it doesn't make a difference if the REFS LIKE US or not!
We're down 3 to 1 but play for the fans for love!
We'll give it a shot.

WIN ONE, We're half way there - Livin' on a prayer

Take back the series! we'll make it
I swear - livin' on a prayer.

TIMMY'S got his BANK SHOT in hock.
Now he's holding in what he used to SCORE it so so much-
So Much!
it's tough.

CUBAN dreams of running away
when HE cries in the night
David Stern whispers: Baby
it's okay
someday. (you will beat the spurs)

. .


You live for the fight when it's all that you've got.

We're half way there - Livin' on a prayer


YOU DIE HARD! Montezuma Monroe