ShackO
06-24-2006, 06:22 PM
AAAaaahh just a stroll down memory lane for those that may be unaware of some NBA history or may have just forgotten...
For some of us the integrity of the game means more than dressing like david stern and having the correct pant length..
you all recall when NBA Commissioner David Stern fined Van Gundy $100,000 for bringing into question the integrity of the NBA and its officials.
What Van Gundy needed then was cold beer and a good attorney.......... What a fuxing joke.......
remember this: Mathis (head of the NBA officials' union) battles for job because A federal grand jury indicted Mathis in February on five counts of tax fraud (http://www.cincypost.com/sports/1997/mathis041897.html)
Mathis battles for job
Mike Bass, Post staff reporter
On June 23, Mike Mathis will enter U.S. District Court in his hometown of Cincinnati knowing that his future as an NBA official, if not his freedom from jail, are on the line.
Mathis is one of four NBA officials who have been indicted for tax fraud. They are accused of failing to report income earned by downgrading NBA-provided first-class airline tickets to coach, pocketing the difference, then using frequent-flier miles to upgrade again - or using frequent-flyer miles to fully cover the replacement tickets.
A federal grand jury indicted Mathis in February on five counts of tax fraud, alleging he failed to report about $69,000 in taxable income from 1989 to 1992. Mathis, a 21-year NBA official, has been suspended with pay since the indictment, as have the other three officials.
Mathis, who is pleading innocent, also is the head of the NBA officials' union. He contends there is nothing wrong with using frequent-flyer miles to cover the difference in airline tickets and keeping the cash refunds.
''We do nothing different than 90 percent of businessmen across the country do,'' Mathis said. ''And in our contract, we're allowed to do it.''
The 1995 collective bargaining agreement does allow NBA officials to exchange airline tickets and keep the money. But the grand-jury indictment contends this is taxable income and should be reported, and failure to do so constitutes a felony.
Worse yet, the collective bargaining agreement says any felony conviction means dismissal from the NBA. So a guilty plea by Mathis, even if it reduced his sentence, would take away his livelihood.
Mathis' attorney, Terry Grady, saidlegal constraints limit his ability to comment now, but the former Justice Department attorney did say the main goal of his client is ''to maintain his employment.''
So Mathis will go to court over what he says amounts to about $4,000 a year for four years of supposedly unpaid income tax and revolves around tax-law changes made in 1989. The indictment says Mathis failed to report the needed documentation to his employer, the NBA, of his actual ticket use.
The NBA office declined comment, but the indictment said the NBA ''took steps to ensure that the referees knew and understood the various travel reimbursement policies and the referees' obligation to accurately report their travel expenses.'' Sports Illustrated recently cited league sources saying NBA attorneys repeatedly advised officials about reporting extra income.
''That,'' said Mathis, ''will probably be an area of dispute.'Mathis contends this is not just a matter of a few officials, that about 20-25 more officials' cases also are being investigated. He said this indicates problems with the league's administration.
Long regarded as one of the league's best officials, Mathis worked the last eight NBA Finals, but that streak will end. He says he gets phone calls nightly from players and coaches.
''Charles Barkley called the other night,'' said Mathis. ''We haven't always gotten along on the court, but he said he respects me and what I do in the union and wanted to see if there was anything he can do.''
All Mathis can do is prepare for the trial and focus on his other ventures - his foundation and agency to find homes and assistance for foster and adopted children, his business that puts up backboards in people's yards.
The outside interests help distract him. Somewhat.
''Your mind's never off of it,'' Mathis said. ''June 23 is just a couple months away.''
Publication date: 04-18-97
For some of us the integrity of the game means more than dressing like david stern and having the correct pant length..
you all recall when NBA Commissioner David Stern fined Van Gundy $100,000 for bringing into question the integrity of the NBA and its officials.
What Van Gundy needed then was cold beer and a good attorney.......... What a fuxing joke.......
remember this: Mathis (head of the NBA officials' union) battles for job because A federal grand jury indicted Mathis in February on five counts of tax fraud (http://www.cincypost.com/sports/1997/mathis041897.html)
Mathis battles for job
Mike Bass, Post staff reporter
On June 23, Mike Mathis will enter U.S. District Court in his hometown of Cincinnati knowing that his future as an NBA official, if not his freedom from jail, are on the line.
Mathis is one of four NBA officials who have been indicted for tax fraud. They are accused of failing to report income earned by downgrading NBA-provided first-class airline tickets to coach, pocketing the difference, then using frequent-flier miles to upgrade again - or using frequent-flyer miles to fully cover the replacement tickets.
A federal grand jury indicted Mathis in February on five counts of tax fraud, alleging he failed to report about $69,000 in taxable income from 1989 to 1992. Mathis, a 21-year NBA official, has been suspended with pay since the indictment, as have the other three officials.
Mathis, who is pleading innocent, also is the head of the NBA officials' union. He contends there is nothing wrong with using frequent-flyer miles to cover the difference in airline tickets and keeping the cash refunds.
''We do nothing different than 90 percent of businessmen across the country do,'' Mathis said. ''And in our contract, we're allowed to do it.''
The 1995 collective bargaining agreement does allow NBA officials to exchange airline tickets and keep the money. But the grand-jury indictment contends this is taxable income and should be reported, and failure to do so constitutes a felony.
Worse yet, the collective bargaining agreement says any felony conviction means dismissal from the NBA. So a guilty plea by Mathis, even if it reduced his sentence, would take away his livelihood.
Mathis' attorney, Terry Grady, saidlegal constraints limit his ability to comment now, but the former Justice Department attorney did say the main goal of his client is ''to maintain his employment.''
So Mathis will go to court over what he says amounts to about $4,000 a year for four years of supposedly unpaid income tax and revolves around tax-law changes made in 1989. The indictment says Mathis failed to report the needed documentation to his employer, the NBA, of his actual ticket use.
The NBA office declined comment, but the indictment said the NBA ''took steps to ensure that the referees knew and understood the various travel reimbursement policies and the referees' obligation to accurately report their travel expenses.'' Sports Illustrated recently cited league sources saying NBA attorneys repeatedly advised officials about reporting extra income.
''That,'' said Mathis, ''will probably be an area of dispute.'Mathis contends this is not just a matter of a few officials, that about 20-25 more officials' cases also are being investigated. He said this indicates problems with the league's administration.
Long regarded as one of the league's best officials, Mathis worked the last eight NBA Finals, but that streak will end. He says he gets phone calls nightly from players and coaches.
''Charles Barkley called the other night,'' said Mathis. ''We haven't always gotten along on the court, but he said he respects me and what I do in the union and wanted to see if there was anything he can do.''
All Mathis can do is prepare for the trial and focus on his other ventures - his foundation and agency to find homes and assistance for foster and adopted children, his business that puts up backboards in people's yards.
The outside interests help distract him. Somewhat.
''Your mind's never off of it,'' Mathis said. ''June 23 is just a couple months away.''
Publication date: 04-18-97