Popovich: If refs weren't honest, I'd quit
Mike Monroe
If Spurs coach Gregg Popovich thought there was any truth to disgraced referee Tim Donaghy's allegations that NBA whistle-tooters routinely let personal bias rule their on-court judgment, he would walk away from the game.
“A lot of people have worked very hard over the years to bring this sport to where it is right now,” Popovich said. “For anybody to think that it is not on the up and up really is offensive. If I thought it wasn't on the up and up and I didn't have any control over outcomes, I wouldn't be doing it.
“It would be kind of a waste of time.”
This is precisely the ongoing problem David Stern and the NBA have with the league's image since Donaghy was revealed as a ref who bet on games. Far too many of the NBA's fans believed the refs were crookedbefore his conviction on federal felony charges.
For Donaghy now to feed those fears with allegations he made on “60 Minutes” and ESPN's “Outside the Lines” makes some fans believe the games are wasted time.
Popovich didn't watch Sunday's “60 Minutes” when the CBS news magazine's Bob Simon interviewed the referee, recently released from prison. If he had, he may have been surprised to see himself in a cameo role. Donaghy cited his ejection of Popovich from a game in which he had bet on the Spurs asprima facie evidence he remained objectively unaffected by his bets.
“Losing their coach cost San Antonio the game and Donaghy his bet,” said Simon after the clip of Popovich, heading for the exit, ran on a TV screen behind interviewer and subject.
This claim may surprise Tim Duncan and his teammates. They probably believe they are capable of winning, with or without Popovich.
Donaghy's purpose for appearing on the Emmy Award-winning show, aside from hyping sales of his book, was to rationalize his conduct and bolster claims he never manipulated games. But by insisting he merely leveraged knowledge of the personal prejudices of former colleagues into an incredible edge with bookmakers, he has set conspiracy theorists to drooling.
Many of Donaghy's assertions are punctured in a thorough deconstruction in Henry Abbott's “True Hoop” blog on ESPN.com. Anyone who doubts the game's integrity should give it a look before knee-jerking.
I like the suggestion made by Nuggets coach George Karl, who told CBS Sportsline's Ken Berger on Monday that the league needs to have a “town hall meeting” to get everything in the open.
“Put 10 guys in the league, or 20 guys — two coaches, two GMs, a couple guys from the league office, a couple of referees,” Karl said. “Sit them down, and have some forum or discussion on all the details and subjects so you have enough information so you can write whatever you want to write, rather than every day he tells another story, or the book comes out and we're responding to this over six weeks or eight weeks.”
Here is what I think: With Donaghy gone, the league's officiating staff is more dedicated than ever to what Popovich calls “the up and up.” And if a referee has a personal bias — refs are human, so it's hard to believe there aren't some who do — the added scrutiny that is sure to attain because of the latest Donaghy revelations now serves as a leavening agent.
What a fluff piece. Good gawd man, watch a replay of the FLamers-Kings playoff game 6 in 2002.
Pop says he would quit if more proof came out on the cheating refs like he says he would quit if he can't win with this team once this seasons roster was set.
Well he will win with this roster when it's set, period!!!!! I still belive in that there! Belive in it.
I still belive Refs are crooked and do little things every game to make the outcome different, but it is not enough to see in the visible eye most of the tiems! Some games in the past it is from the Kings game mentioned to the .4 shyt too, but overall they are not that damn crooked to get noticed. Have they worked for us before too? Against us I would say yes, but for us we are fans so we won't really say it.
I wonder to what degree Pop is just trying to curry favor with the refs while knowing there is some funny business. He certainly couldn't criticize them if they were anything like what Donaghy claims for fear of retaliation during games.
why on earth would the NBA allow San Antonio to have 4 les? what would they gain?
But thats whats respectable about the Spurs organization..they don't blame it on the refs even Brent Barry's infamous no call in the playoffs a couple of years ago. Instead they blame it on themselves; refs are just a part of the game but hopefully not the main focus.
Not blaming the entire loss on the refs is one thing.
But thats whats respectable about the Spurs organization..they don't blame it on the refs even Brent Barry's infamous no call in the playoffs a couple of years ago. Instead they blame it on themselves; refs are just a part of the game but hopefully not the main focus.
But saying the call was good and no foul should have been called, that's disingenuous and really very classless. Pops comments on the play when specifically asked about the play and the favorable no call for Swisher and the Flamers.
He should walk away from the eventual 1st round elimination from giving Matt Bonner 30 minutes a game from here to the end.
But it's ok with ST as long as Bonner is hitting 3's! I don't know about anyone else but I'd rather win games than watch Matt Bonner hit 3's.
Spurs have had great success with diverse teams. When they win, it generates interest and establishes fan bases in Argentina, France, Slovenia, etc. That's actually the greatest part of Stern's legacy. The NBA brand has become popular worldwide.
The Spurs won their les fair and square. The success had nothing to do with Stern "allowing" it to happen.
Last edited by nevitt_&_smrek; 12-09-2009 at 02:12 AM.
I think that's the best evidence that the league isn't rigged. There is absolutely no monetary incentive for the NBA to allow the Spurs to win 4 les, and if you don't think the NBA is all about money you have your head in the sand.
That is true, but the NBA is about money, and there's a lot more money in teams other than the Spurs winning.
CIAPOP has inside information....
If I thought the league was crooked, I'd never watch or go to another game, wear another Spurs shirt or cap, buy another game like NBA2k, etc. Anyone who thinks the league is rigged and still follows it is stupid. Enough of the sour grapes.
Or is it? How much money was made on sports betting, above or below board by betting on the Spurs vs the Lakers in 2003?
Or the Pistons in 2004 vs the Most Overated of All Time Lakers?
image problem?
David Stern and the NBA front office have no one to blame but themselves. He put marketing ahead of the integrity of the game and allowed "superstar rules" which were not some fan invention. "MJ Rules" was more than just popularity.
You either follow the rules as closely as humanly possible or you have something else, whether it is on "the up and up" or not is irrelevant. Baseball went nuclear after 1919 for a reason, Stern believes he can manage it.
And no, perception is not reality but Stern chose to play this game and it happened on his watch. Integrity of the game tops everything or it ceases to be a sport but 'entertainment. There is a huge difference which Stern and Co. obviously cannot understand..
the NBA is kind of like gambling at casinos to me..
I go to AC all the time..I occasionally win, but I lose much more often..I often think that most of the games are rigged to some extent, but I keep playing anyways..I convince myself that the only reason I have those thoughts is because I lost and I'm just being a sore loser..sometimes happens that makes you really question it though..
the NBA is the same to me..I often believe that refs have serious biases, as does the league..I then convince myself that I'm just being a sore loser because my team didn't win, or that a team I didn't want(LA) to win just won..
I can't stop watching, because I don't think I actually believe in this..sometimes it gets hard to ignore it though..
Sacramento-LA game 6..NBA TV has a 1-hour show where they recap every season, I just saw the 2002 show last week..they actually had the balls to completely skip over games 6 and 7, which is just mind-boggling to me..the 2 deciding games in the series, and they conveniently skipped over them, only showing the first 5 games..
I don't know if it's the same now, but for a LONG time period, you couldn't find ANY videos of game 6 on YT or anywhere, but you could find every other game..the announcers in that game reacted negatively at the officiating at pretty much every call that went against Sacramento..these were National TV announcers..
the Gasol trade that has changed the entire look of the NBA..
Part of me hopes that one day it'll be unveiled that there's strings being pulled by the NBA..the other part of me doesn't really wanna know..I've invested too much time and emotion into this league since I was a kid..
btw, even if they did fix stuff, they can't fix EVERYTHING..
it'll usually happen when teams are even strength or the less profitable team is slightly better, in Sacramento's case..
the Gasol trade is a great way of fixing something in a logical way..they don't need to fix anything on the court, just give their favorite team another 7-foot all-star to throw in the mix to make Kobe happy..it'll work itself out on the court..
I share Pop's sentiments. He has better things to do rather than waste his time trying to win in a crooked system. One or two crooked refs don't mean the whole system is rotten. Pop has got it made and can walk away from the game any time.
Which begs the question why those who sincerely believe the system is being manipulated either by the league office and/or by gambling syndicates -- why continue following the NBA and the Spurs in particular? Surely there would be better things to occupy their time with?
If Pop had too many guys on his team that were either under the age of 30 or that could dunk with ease, he'd quit.
Pop will probably quit when Finley retires, they'll ride off in the sunset together..that probably won't be for at least another 7 years though..
Isn't Pop retiring soon?
Nice posts, Harlem.
BTW, if you want to know the exact edge to the house on all casino games, it's easy to calculate... or just Google it!
Sad but true.
The level of officiating in the NBA is about the same as the level of officiating in World Wrestling Entertainment.
Last time I checked,
Joey Crawford was still an NBA referee.
He still officiates Game 2 of the Lakers,
after the Lakers lost Game 1.
Yao Ming still gets 2 quick fouls within the first 4 minutes.
I stopped believing NBA games are NOT appropriately "redirected",
after Mario Elie's quick fouls in Game 3 of the 99 Finals.
That game just opened up my mind.
And when you start thinking money,
most -not all- happenings fall into the appropriate place.
Including Popovich' statements.
I love Shakespeare.
I love Macbeth.
I know how it ends.
I still go see it.
In addition, they still get bets on how Macbeth ends.
Isn't it great?
Interesting.
So what happened to those announcers?
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