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The 2006 NBA Finals. enough said..
First let me say that this is related to the Spurs, but not limited to the Spurs. I think that things are shaping up in such a way that this could be the season remembered as the one that crippled the NBA for a generation.
I was told a story last week that "several" NBA refs had spoken up about receiving instructions to call games differently during the playoffs. I guess they get told to watch more for lane violations, etc. But these instructions were clearly intended to target certain teams, and even certain individuals.
Apparently the grumbling has gotten a little louder, as a number of the refs are incensed that Kevin Garnet would be allowed, in the heat of an on-court altercation, to shove a referee and not be handed down a suspension. Whatever the reason, there are three officials who apparently are pissed about the instructions on how to call certain games, and starting to talk about it.
There were a couple of comments that really got my attention. One was that there are some officials who will go along with what they are told, without questioning, "because they have to". The other was that the inconsistencies caused by that kind of intervention makes it harder for them to do their jobs, and even make it harder to hold their heads up in public.
This second thing I wouldn't even repeat, except that I know a little about the source, and how the comments were overheard. There are also a couple of other factors that
The second thing I just heard this evening. I wouldn't even repeat it, except that I know the source, and how the comments were overheard. And there are a couple of things that make it somewhat believable.
1. Some people tend to think of certain workers as part of the furniture, and forget that they are even there.
2. People love to talk, and (most) coaches tend to be loud
Prior to Game 1 in New Orleans, one of the Hornets' staff was smugly bragging that they would be able to handle Duncan in the series. He said that they were "gonna wear his ass out off the ball", and that they have "a green light" as long as they don't tie anyone up with their arms... and that "the word is out on them flopping".
My immediate reaction was, "Bull . How would someone like that know how games were going to be called?" But almost immediately, I remembered the story about the refs getting instructions. And it also reminded me of an incident involving Jeff VanGundy, during the playoffs a couple of seasons ago
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baske...larifies_x.htm Van Gundy started the saga by telling three reporters at the team hotel in Dallas that a referee not working the playoffs called him after the Rockets went up 2-0 and warned that Yao was mentioned in an online evaluation from supervisor of officials Ronnie Nunn. Van Gundy also told the reporters that referees "were looking at Yao harder because of Mark's complaints" to the league office, referring to Cuban.
Then I started thinking... what would make someone think they could body Duncan off the ball all night, without fouling out all their bigs? And then I remembered Kobe going to the line 23 times a couple of nights ago, while Boozer and Williams together went 8 times. And then I started thinking, "How the could Garnett get by with pushing an official during an altercation, without being suspended for a game?" And the comment about the inconsistencies really began to hit home.
If any of you remember, I told you after Game 2 against the Suns that Stu Jackson took a call complaining about San Antonio's flopping. And in Game 3, the Spurs needed body armor... but not earmuffs, because the refs weren't blowing their whistles. The timing wasn't just a coincidence.
I'll be clear. I'm not suggesting a big NBA conspiracy. And I'm not suggesting that David Stern wants a Lakers-Celtics finals, or anything like that. But I'll stand by what I have said before about Stu Jackson having an agenda. And I think he sent word down about how the playoffs would be called, with a clear inference about which teams it would affect.
The difference this year is that I think there are some refs that are tired of being the whipping boys. It will be interesting to see just how public this gets. In the Van Gundy incident, the first issue wasn't whether he was telling the truth, but rather "Who told?" If Van Gundy had given up his source, I'm sure they would have been fired. (Personally, I think it was someone who works for Stu.) The refs might not want to go to the mat over this. But if they do, It's going to get bloody.
Last edited by GSH; 05-07-2008 at 01:44 AM.
The 2006 NBA Finals. enough said..
BTW... the first story came from a friend of the family of one of the parties involved. Family talks to family. Not only do I trust the source, but it rings true.
The other thing I heard this evening, but haven't been able to confirm yet is that the "hoop of fire" wasn't scheduled to happen between the 1st and 2nd quarters. But the game was getting out of hand, and they wanted to let things coold down a little bit. It was supposed to be a stall.
They would have been out there for another couple of minutes, "trying" to put out the fire with those CO2 extinguishers, before using them correctly. Unfortunately, one of the members of the Fire Department didn't know it was a stall, and broke out the chemical extinguisher. And the whole thing just got out of hand.
But if the story is correct, the schedule was changed and it was for the purpose of stalling...just not 20 minutes worth.
So the reason that Duncan sucked in game 1 is because the refs were instructed not to call N.O. fouls?
He didn't get fouled any more than normal. He just got doubled hard.
Plus, the lane violations that were being instructed to be called more helped the Spurs with Shaquille O'Neal.
So what you're suggesting is an NBA conspiracy??
Fail.
You are now crying when it was clear the league allowed you to do without any repercussion, this year and last year...
How does it feel?
I only say the refereeing is questionable
Yeah seriously, Duncan missed shots that he would usually hit even when playing badly. I mean crap he took was usually right at the rim.
I don't chalk it up to conspiracy but I do think the refs stopped calling in TD's favor this entire year, not just the playoffs. I'm always seeing him get mangled in the post, and they just let it go half the time nowadays cause he usually manages to fight through it.
Shooting fouls drawn - 2008
Code:ORL Howard 379 PHO Stoudemire 365 CLE James 337 DEN Iverson 323 LAL Bryant 308 NJN Jefferson 284 LAC Maggette 260 TOR Bosh 257 SAS Duncan 226
Cry me a river hoes!
The Spurs are being snuffed out. Its obvious.
Excuses already coming out in full force. Haha
Some of you guys are serious about these "conspiracy theories"? If indeed there WAS a conspiracy theory, the Suns, Mavs and Rockets would still be in the Playoffs while the Spurs, Jazz would have been off'ed by now.
- Utah is the #1 fouling team in the NBA, Kobe is one of the highest in drawing fouls. The Jazz have some guy named Brewer guarding Kobe. What did you think was going to happen when Kobe meets the Jazz?
- The Suns got killed on the Shaq Lane violation, that was a silly violation but it was called nonetheless against Shaq, one of the most markettable names in the NBA. Even Stern said recently that Shaq was one of the biggest impacts in the NBA. Shaq and the Suns would have made more money and impact for the NBA than Tim Duncan and the Spurs.
- Dwight Howard and the Magic had a screwed up call against them yesterday that probably cost them the game. The refs easily had the chance to call it a different way but they called it in favor of the Pistons. This makes no marketting sense or monetary sense for the NBA to help Superman get into a 2-0 hole.
- During the Celtics/Hawks series, Al Horford should have gotten a technical foul for taunting Paul Pierce, nothing happened. Zaza could have gotten a suspension for headbutting KG, and then there was the flagrant 2 on Rondo with no suspension.
Refs get told to watch certain things all the time during a certain series. Even coaches send in tapes to demonstrate certain calls. Refs adapt from game to game. Sometimes they're good, sometimes they suck. All you can ask is that they're consistently bad or good for BOTH teams.
The way some games pan out sometimes. Anything is possible!
This excuse has been verified by Art Bell.
Please... there was no head butt.
How does the taint taste?
This is bull . where is the link to this? How do you know what the refs and assistant coaches etc. etc. say behind close doors?
We're losing because we suck. Unless there's a conspiracy in which all the rims have colluded to prevent the Spurs shots from going in the basket...
Spurs need to play through anything presented in front of them. As far as flopping CP3 has flopped more than the entire Spurs team in the first 2 games..
Dang what are the schools like where you are from? Unless you were intending to insult us by calling us a garden implement, learn how to spell the slang you are slinging idiot.
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