NBA GAMBLING SCANDAL................
Blame the league, but don't forget to blame yourself as well
“Stop wasting so much time watching these guys. The games’ are probably all fixed anyways”, was what my Dad told me years ago during a regular season Toronto Raptors game. It is unbelievable how much time I’ve spent watching athletes perform to the best of their abilities. I’ve always done so however, with the assumption that they are doing it without any illegal outside interference. Oh boy how wrong was I? There was a Pete Rose, whom to his credit at least always bet on his team to win; and now, there is one gambling referee Tim Donaghy whose whistle blew whenever there was a foul, as well as when there was none. As Bill Simmons said, we will never watch another NBA game again the same way. Every time a questionable call is made, fans will wonder about the referee’s motives for making the call (a notion very familiar to European soccer fans, especially those of Italian and Portuguese soccer)
So who other than Timmy D. (as in Donaghy, not Duncan) is to blame for all this? For one, it is easy to blame NBA and league commissionaire David Stern for allowing this to happen. Indeed, David Stern has dropped the ball on a few occasions these past two decades. Who could forget suspensions handed out to two Phoenix Suns players in the 07 playoffs season because of a bench rule that left absolutely no room for common sense? How about the ongoing mysteries surrounding the draft lottery that only taint the whole process? (amongst others 1986, 2001 and 2007 lotteries come to mind). Having said that, Stern’s biggest flaw has been the way he has marketed the league which I believe has directly lead to the recent developments. Gone are the days you cheered for the LA Lakers instead of Kobe Bryant, for the Miami Heat instead of Dwayne Wade, or for the Cleveland Cavaliers instead of Lebron James. At one point in the late 80’s and early 90’s, in other words with the arrival of skilled and good looking Michael Jordan, the NBA decided to focus on its athletes rather than on its teams. Every league advertisement featured spectacular plays by the all stars, especially by the greatest of all time Michael Jordan. The effects could be seen on the court, as team basketball slowly gave way to a one man-two man show that is typical of the NBA game today. One only needs to contrast that with the free flowing team basketball that is played on the other side of the ocean (or in Toronto and Phoenix) to realize how beautiful one game is, and how dull the other.
It didn’t stop there however; such a superstar driven league also has had an affect on the officials. The ‘superstar’ call is common knowledge nowadays. If you are a Jorge Garbajosa, known as a blue collar player, and you make a good move and successfully penetrate the paint getting hacked on your way towards the basket, you cannot expect a call by any means. If you are a Dwayne Wade on the other hand, even if no contact comes as a result of the play, the chances are you will end up going to the foul line regardless (to those very casual fans, just go back and watch the Dallas/Heat series from two seasons ago and you’ll know what I mean). Clearly the me-first attitude preached by the NBA has had a major affect on the officials, to a point that their calls now are as much dictated by the name on the back of the players’ jerseys, as it is by the actual foul committed on the court.
So how is this connected to gambling on the game? As mentioned, in a star driven league that is today’s NBA, officials call the game in favour of the star players. The problem is that such an environment leaves the door wide open for a referee like Tim Donaghy to call the games with an a-priori commitment to either himself or an outside organization. Who can accuse an official in today’s game if despite a lack of contact he calls a foul on the player guarding Dwayne Wade? Or on the defensive side of the floor, who can accuse an official in today’s game if he fails to call a foul on a guard known for his defensive abilities (Bowen) deliberately stepping under a jump shooters’ feet? (this happens often).
Actual correct calls are as prevalent in the NBA game today as clean riders are in the Tour De France; and a guy like Tim Donaghy can easily take advantage of it. What makes it all worse is NBA’s refusal to recognize the horrible officiating that has plagued their league. They protect their officials from public criticism every chance they get, to a point that referees aren't even allowed to comment on the games they themselves call. Criticizing the officials often results in hefty finds which act as an effective deterrent for all involved (except for Mark Cuban). Despite what the NBA tells you about their high level referee training, such overprotection obviously allows referees to not only continue being some of the worst officials on the planet, but also opens the door for a gambling referee to take advantage of the system.
To sum up, over the past twenty years or so, NBA has gone from promoting a coherent Boston Celtics team that won championship after championship, to a league that promotes ball hogging, stats sheet filing, me-first stars. (not that Ricky Davis is one, but his intentional missed shot on his own basket to get a triple double comes to mind). This affects the referees’ performances, and of course allows the mob or certain individuals to enter the scene and illegally change the course of a basketball game.
But should we stop the finger pointing right there? Absolutely not I’d say. I have yet to see anyone blame the fans for the latest debacles. Yes you, me, or whoever else who fell for NBA’s ultra-star-specific marketing. They successfully manufactured public consent and we are to blame for it as well. Take a good look around your bedroom. Do you see a jersey hanging on the wall with the team’s name on display? Or have you chosen to display the name on the back of the jersey instead? How about that poster you have on display? Is it of Team Canada celebrating after winning the Olympic hockey gold? Or is it a picture of Joe Sakic celebrating after he scored that game's game winner? Yes my friend, if I may call you that, you have subconsciously contributed to a system that is both inefficient and as it turns out, fraudulent. As mentioned, the NBA, like any other big corporation, has dictated what you as a fan should enjoy watching; and sadly, most of us have fallen for it.
Ok now, where to go from here? For one, NBA needs to cooperate with the FBI and set an example of Tim Donaghy. They then need to revamp their system, and have referees be as much part of the leagues’ nucleus as players and league officials are. Every game should be reviewed, and incompetent referees should be punished just like players (benching) and league officials (finds) are. Moreover, NBA needs to change the way they view the great game of basketball. Go ahead Mr. Stern, it wouldn’t take away from the league’s status as the best basketball league on the planet, if you decided to make it even better by learning a little something from the Europeans. They have star players too you know, yet they stress team basketball.
Last but not least, the fans need to give their heads a real shake and realize that this is a team sport, and we watch the games to watch the team play rather than just one basketball player on each side. It’s not Kobe vs. Shaq, it’s Lakers vs. Heat. Go ahead now, take down all the jerseys you’ve hung on the wall and display your team’s name with pride. And remember, next time you watch a basketball game, or any other team sports for that matter, raise your glass whenever you see a nice passing play that exhibits individual talents and team chemistry; but don’t forget to boo the heck out of the ball hog who puts his stats and name ahead of the team.
So who other than Timmy D. (as in Donaghy, not Duncan) is to blame for all this? For one, it is easy to blame NBA and league commissionaire David Stern for allowing this to happen. Indeed, David Stern has dropped the ball on a few occasions these past two decades. Who could forget suspensions handed out to two Phoenix Suns players in the 07 playoffs season because of a bench rule that left absolutely no room for common sense? How about the ongoing mysteries surrounding the draft lottery that only taint the whole process? (amongst others 1986, 2001 and 2007 lotteries come to mind). Having said that, Stern’s biggest flaw has been the way he has marketed the league which I believe has directly lead to the recent developments. Gone are the days you cheered for the LA Lakers instead of Kobe Bryant, for the Miami Heat instead of Dwayne Wade, or for the Cleveland Cavaliers instead of Lebron James. At one point in the late 80’s and early 90’s, in other words with the arrival of skilled and good looking Michael Jordan, the NBA decided to focus on its athletes rather than on its teams. Every league advertisement featured spectacular plays by the all stars, especially by the greatest of all time Michael Jordan. The effects could be seen on the court, as team basketball slowly gave way to a one man-two man show that is typical of the NBA game today. One only needs to contrast that with the free flowing team basketball that is played on the other side of the ocean (or in Toronto and Phoenix) to realize how beautiful one game is, and how dull the other.
It didn’t stop there however; such a superstar driven league also has had an affect on the officials. The ‘superstar’ call is common knowledge nowadays. If you are a Jorge Garbajosa, known as a blue collar player, and you make a good move and successfully penetrate the paint getting hacked on your way towards the basket, you cannot expect a call by any means. If you are a Dwayne Wade on the other hand, even if no contact comes as a result of the play, the chances are you will end up going to the foul line regardless (to those very casual fans, just go back and watch the Dallas/Heat series from two seasons ago and you’ll know what I mean). Clearly the me-first attitude preached by the NBA has had a major affect on the officials, to a point that their calls now are as much dictated by the name on the back of the players’ jerseys, as it is by the actual foul committed on the court.
So how is this connected to gambling on the game? As mentioned, in a star driven league that is today’s NBA, officials call the game in favour of the star players. The problem is that such an environment leaves the door wide open for a referee like Tim Donaghy to call the games with an a-priori commitment to either himself or an outside organization. Who can accuse an official in today’s game if despite a lack of contact he calls a foul on the player guarding Dwayne Wade? Or on the defensive side of the floor, who can accuse an official in today’s game if he fails to call a foul on a guard known for his defensive abilities (Bowen) deliberately stepping under a jump shooters’ feet? (this happens often).
Actual correct calls are as prevalent in the NBA game today as clean riders are in the Tour De France; and a guy like Tim Donaghy can easily take advantage of it.
Actual correct calls are as prevalent in the NBA game today as clean riders are in the Tour De France; and a guy like Tim Donaghy can easily take advantage of it. What makes it all worse is NBA’s refusal to recognize the horrible officiating that has plagued their league. They protect their officials from public criticism every chance they get, to a point that referees aren't even allowed to comment on the games they themselves call. Criticizing the officials often results in hefty finds which act as an effective deterrent for all involved (except for Mark Cuban). Despite what the NBA tells you about their high level referee training, such overprotection obviously allows referees to not only continue being some of the worst officials on the planet, but also opens the door for a gambling referee to take advantage of the system.
To sum up, over the past twenty years or so, NBA has gone from promoting a coherent Boston Celtics team that won championship after championship, to a league that promotes ball hogging, stats sheet filing, me-first stars. (not that Ricky Davis is one, but his intentional missed shot on his own basket to get a triple double comes to mind). This affects the referees’ performances, and of course allows the mob or certain individuals to enter the scene and illegally change the course of a basketball game.
But should we stop the finger pointing right there? Absolutely not I’d say. I have yet to see anyone blame the fans for the latest debacles. Yes you, me, or whoever else who fell for NBA’s ultra-star-specific marketing. They successfully manufactured public consent and we are to blame for it as well. Take a good look around your bedroom. Do you see a jersey hanging on the wall with the team’s name on display? Or have you chosen to display the name on the back of the jersey instead? How about that poster you have on display? Is it of Team Canada celebrating after winning the Olympic hockey gold? Or is it a picture of Joe Sakic celebrating after he scored that game's game winner? Yes my friend, if I may call you that, you have subconsciously contributed to a system that is both inefficient and as it turns out, fraudulent. As mentioned, the NBA, like any other big corporation, has dictated what you as a fan should enjoy watching; and sadly, most of us have fallen for it.
Ok now, where to go from here? For one, NBA needs to cooperate with the FBI and set an example of Tim Donaghy. They then need to revamp their system, and have referees be as much part of the leagues’ nucleus as players and league officials are. Every game should be reviewed, and incompetent referees should be punished just like players (benching) and league officials (finds) are. Moreover, NBA needs to change the way they view the great game of basketball. Go ahead Mr. Stern, it wouldn’t take away from the league’s status as the best basketball league on the planet, if you decided to make it even better by learning a little something from the Europeans. They have star players too you know, yet they stress team basketball.
Last but not least, the fans need to give their heads a real shake and realize that this is a team sport, and we watch the games to watch the team play rather than just one basketball player on each side. It’s not Kobe vs. Shaq, it’s Lakers vs. Heat. Go ahead now, take down all the jerseys you’ve hung on the wall and display your team’s name with pride. And remember, next time you watch a basketball game, or any other team sports for that matter, raise your glass whenever you see a nice passing play that exhibits individual talents and team chemistry; but don’t forget to boo the heck out of the ball hog who puts his stats and name ahead of the team.
DISCUSS!
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