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When David Stern throws up, it looks a lot like pea soup...
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The NBA Commissioner is watching the greatest rivalry in the game in the NBA Finals, he is enjoying the rise in income this year and he is smiling over the recent popularity of the NBA Playoffs.
So why is he so sad inside?
Could it be because the city of Seattle is about to prove him a liar and a thief? Or maybe because someone he thought he got rid of is about to blow open every questionable call ever made under Stern’s tenure?
Well, maybe it is all of the above?
David Stern’s life has turned into a manic-depressive’s nightmare. One day he is counting his money; the next he is saying “I haven’t had a chance to read the letters”. One day he is enjoying a game between two storied franchises; the next he is listening to depositions.
Stern may be the worst Commissioner in the history of sports. There have always been sketchy issues, games, calls and trades in every sport, but this season has shown that Stern has had no control over anything in the NBA. Between Tim Donaghy and the Sonics situation, this season has really hurt Stern’s reputation.
“But, he didn’t have anything to do with the Sonics situation!”
Maybe not directly (even though he is friends with Clay Bennet and seems to have a personal vendetta against the Washington legislature) but when you run a sporting league, it is your responsibility to make sure it is running smooth. Or be like the NFL and just snuff out any upstarts that plan to ruin things (this statement has not been proven and is in no way against Roger Goodell in particular…don’t hurt me…)
Let’s take a look at a few of the major issues in his tenure which began like any other in February 1st, 1984.
It started out great. The first year of his job Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley, and John Stockton all joined the league. He has expanded the league from 23 to 30 teams (including teams in Canada), helped create the WNBA and has seen the NBA televised in over 200 countries.
But that pales in comparisons to the controversy that has surrounded him. Donaghy was just the face of it, but over the last few years the NBA has been in an officiating controversy of one type or another.
From Basketbawlful : “Looking back, I couldn't help but wonder when it all began. Was it the Dwyane Wade Freethrow-A-Thon in the 2006 NBA Finals? Was it when the Kings got jobbed in Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals? Was it when the Jazz got hosed in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals? Was it when the Suns got 64 freethrows in Game 7 of the 1993 Western Conference Finals? Or was it the entire second half of Michael Jordan's career? Surprisingly enough, it was none of those. Turns out, the conspiracy theories started in Year 1 of the Stern Regime.” '
He brings up some good points and expands on even more.
“First, the 1984 NBA Finals featured a classic seven-game showdown between Larry Bird's Boston Celtics and Magic Johnson's Los Angeles Lakers. Then, over the next couple seasons, a new crop of soon-to-be superstars entered the league: Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon, John Stockton, Karl Malone, Michael Jordan, and Patrick Ewing to name a few. Further sweetening the pot was the fact that the Celtics and Lakers met in the Finals again in '85 and '87. By the time Jordan's popularity took off in the late '80s, the league was suddenly speeding headlong toward globalization."
It sure seems like Stern was the beneficiary of being in the right place at the right time. Or was he? In retrospect, the good times clearly started with the '84 Finals, which was the ignition point of the Bird/Magic Era. I was recently rewatching Game 7 of that series -- one of the best championship matchups of all time, by the way -- and I was surprised to hear Tommy Heinsohn say, "By challenging the commissioner, I think [Bird] was trying to get the refs on his side." Dick Stockton followed that cryptic statement with the following explanation: "You heard Commissioner Stern...hearsay that someone heard David Stern say that the league wanted a seven-game series, and of course Larry Bird went to town with it."
Eh? I was intrigued. Unfortunately, a simple Google search failed me, so I started poking around The Boston Globe's online archives*. On June 11, 1984, the Globe ran an article written by Dan Shaughnessy called Bird: NBA Wanted 7. After the Celtics lost Game 6, Larry Legend was pissed, but not at the Lakers or his teammates. He was steamed at the Commish.
"Stern told a fan that the NBA needed a seven-game series, that the league needed the money. When the commissioner makes a statement like that to a fan, you know it's going to be tough. When Stern makes a statement like that, things are going to happen. You just don't make statements like that and not expect anything out of it. He's the commissioner and he shouldn't be saying anything like that. The NBA wanted a seventh game because they wanted to make more money and they got their wish. There is no reason for me to lie. He said it. He's a man and he'll live up to it. He may say he said it in jest. But I'm out there trying to make a living and win a championship."
Those were some pretty strong words from Bird**. Was there any validity to the claim? It's hard to say, since Game 6 is the only game of that series I haven't seen. But I can tell you this: The Celtics were in control for most of the game, leading by four after one quarter, by six at halftime, and by 11 with 3:59 left in the third quarter. But then things turned around in a hurry, as the Lakers outscored the Celtics 46-24 the rest of the way, enjoying a 35-17 advantage*** at the line and winning 119-108 despite Bird's 28/14/8. [This information comes from the Boston Celtics 1984 Championship Official Souvenir Book.]
On June 12, 1984, the Globe ran another Shaughnessy article called Riley: Script Is Written For Lakers' Victory. It's mostly a bunch of hippe talk**** from Pat Riley, but it does give a brief follow-up to Bird's anti-Stern comments.
According to Shaughnessy: "NBA commissioner David Stern chose not to issue any statement in response to Larry Bird's charge Sunday that Stern wanted a seventh game because the league needed the money. Stern's office said the commissioner was 'unreachable,' and no one there knew his exact whereabouts. However, NBA spokesman Brian McIntyre spoke with Stern. 'David said Bird's comment is ridiculous. Like every fan in America, he has been looking forward to a seventh game. It's a dream matchup, and everybody has wanted to see a seven-game series since Day 1.'"
Wow. That is quite an indictment from one of the best to ever play the game; and Stern says nothing? He doesn’t fine the player for openly speaking against the Commissioner?
Here are 4 more:
-The 1985 NBA Draft Lottery; Or the "Frozen Envelope": the Knicks won and drafted Patrick Ewing.
-The cover up of the Michael Jordan gambling problem which forced him to "retire".
-2003 NBA Draft Lottery: Cleveland won and drafted hometown kid LeBron James
-2007 Playoffs - suspended Stoudamire in the Robert Horry incident which helped the Spurs to beat the Suns (Addendum: the same type of incident happened this season and mysteriously no one was suspended)
From MVN :
“There has been a preponderance of evidence that the officiating has been less than even-handed in the Celtics-Hawks play-off series, which is to be resolved in the 7th game in Boston today.
After combing through the foul differential in this series and seeing how huge of factor this has been in terms of the scoring and outcome, we expanded the analysis to the other 2008 1st round play-off series, and came up with some pretty amazing results. The teams that need the wins most from a business perspective have been awarded with officiating that gives them an advantage.
After Game 6, where Atlanta knotted the Celtics in the series 3-3, the play-off reinforced a distinct Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde feel to it. It was one way in Boston, and another way in Atlanta. The officiating had a lot to do with that, although please know that the Hawks played great in each of their wins and the Celtics did their part to hand the game over to the Hawks by countering with poor play. But to me, there seems a motive to keep the Hawks fans coming back next year, and indeed, the word was that the advance season ticket sales for next year in Atlanta were going through the roof (overheard on ESPN).
In all six games added up in this series, the Hawks have beat the C’s in free throw attempts 204 to 133. That’s a difference of 71 attempts. 71 attempts at roughly 79% shooting (hawks ft shooting in postseason) = 56 points. 56 points divided by 6 games = 9.33 points per game Statistically speaking, Atlanta has a 9 point advantage every game at the line this postseason. Now, is that a testament to their play style? Or is it our inability to get the same calls at the other end? In three games against Atlanta in the regular season, the Hawks edged us in free throw attempts 77 to 75 . . . a difference of 2 attempts. 2 attempts at roughly 70% shooting (hawks ft shooting vs Boston in 3 regular season games) = 1.4 points 1.4 points divided by 3 games = .466 points per game
So in the regular season, Atlanta had a .466 point per game advantage at the line. But somehow, in the postseason, that same stat jumps to 9.33 points per game?! Did Atlanta become that much better at driving to the basket since April 12th?”
Wow. I am glad that someone else did that math.
SportsHubLA (which wrote one of the best articles I have read in a long time) says about the freethrow discrepancy in game 2 of the Finals:
“There is TV money to be made in a long series, lots and lots of it. Oodles of cash, piles of dead Presidents. And if you think that money is getting left on the table, then you don’t know David Stern too well, either.
David Stern is not Latrell Sprewell. He does not leave millions on the table. He grew up in a New York deli, where it’s a sin to leave even a crust of rye bread on your plate, never mind 50 or 60 million big ones.
Therefore, I would look for the Lakers to be spending a little more quality time at the foul line this week in Staples Center. If I were them, I’d put a comfortable couch there. With a mini-fridge and big-screen TV. Pull up a chair, boys, you’re gonna be there awhile.”************************************************
To me, David Stern is only into this for the money. Shouldn’t leagues be run by guys who love the sport? Shouldn’t it be run by guys who will do whatever it takes to keep the quality of the game at the top?
This is the 3rd largest sport in the country and the guy running it wants the money to flow, not the game to be played. He is the worst Commissioner in the history of sports…and that is saying a lot; right, Mr. Selig?
From Afraidofedhochuli
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