Deseret News | NBA's worry is Donaghy's believability

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Doug Robinson: NBA's worry is Donaghy's believability

Anonymous | 7:49 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

What is funny is that the NBA doesn't think that all this stuff going is obvious! You can't tell me that the NBA is a fairly officiated game, I've been officiating for decades and know it's hard but not that hard to call a consistent legitimate game.

desert rat | 8:08 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

I hope he mentioned the last game of the last championship series in which the Jazz were involved. Specifically; Jordan getting a steal by double teaming Malone when he didn't have the ball, and then shoving Bryon Russell out of the way to get the winning jump shot. Baveta blew both those calls.

The NBA has had a very | 8:09 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

serious credibility problem for years. They really should have some type of instant replay for the more serious miscalls.

The press could help a lot, since ref tendencies and names are well known.

Comments continue below

Owl | 8:25 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

The NBA is a business and officiating must be viewed through the prism of profits for the league and the referees. If you don't believe that, have fun waiting up for Santa.

NBA is a joke | 11:27 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

The NBA has the credibility of the WWF, and you you haven't known that for 20 years either you live in a cave or are a Lakers fan.

Thanks for ruining the competition Mr. Stern.

Football | 12:15 a.m. Nov. 11, 2009

Is anyone going to write a book on college football officiating. I'm sure there is enough material to write volumes just off of the SEC officials.

Raja Bell | 4:04 a.m. Nov. 11, 2009

Is a great defender. Jazz game vs. the Sonics a few years back, he worked Ray Allen on the defensive end, holding him to 8 points in the 22 minutes they were on the court together, as well as drawing 3 offensive fouls out of Ray-Ray. However, in the 20 minutes that Allen was matched up against Gordan Giricek, he went off for 22 points. The officials didn't give Raja any phantom calls that night, but then again, Ray was playing for the Sonics, not the Celtics, where he does get beneficial calls more often now.

Anonymous | 7:39 a.m. Nov. 11, 2009

reffing a basketball game may be one of the hardest things there is to do. You can't get it right too much margin for error.

NBA = WWE | 9:06 a.m. Nov. 11, 2009

I have known the NBA was fixed for 25 years. It is completely obvious. The 80's were a golden age for the NBA. Money got out of control and league officials became as greedy as the players. They destroyed the great game and now it is hardly watchable. Of course these games are fixed sometimes I even think they players are in on it, but maybe not. This news comes as no surprise to me.

Drewmis | 9:52 a.m. Nov. 11, 2009

I understand that reffing a game would be difficult, but look at the NBA. Where you have lesser known players getting 5 fouls in 5 mins. as to a superstars can go a whole game with only getting 1 or 2 fouls called against them (sometimes 0 calls). HHHMMM!! You are telling me that they are not touching anyone the whole time? Also look at the ratings between the Cavs and Spurs finals. They were at an all time low. The next year, Celtics and Lakers was putting up record ratings. HHHMMM!! How does that happen? Stern has the biggest ego of them all. And what else does Donaghy have to lose? Nothing. I believe him over Stern any day.

Bob2 | 9:58 a.m. Nov. 11, 2009

If anyone ever wanted to put a montage together, of Dick Bavetta coddling superstars, you could probably find the material to make it in about 10 minutes. He almost gives Carmelo little massages during time outs.

Sokol | 10:08 a.m. Nov. 11, 2009

You are considering the credibility of this ref, when the NBA's credibility is equally suspect..
The main point is that the Jazz were robbed of TWO championships because of the unethical, dishonest,
cheating by this smuck pro wrestling backetball league.

Chadders | 12:57 p.m. Nov. 11, 2009

I don't know about anyone else but I want this book as soon as it comes out. Stern has ruined the NBA. He has even worse credibility than Donaghy. From what I've heard from Donaghy's excerpts he calls everything like it is. Stern tries to stare at the sun and say it is dark outside. Who thinks the Heat really beat the Mavericks without any reffing help? Which team was Stern more likely to have a bias for/against? One team had a millionaire owner who asked the questions all the fans think but don't have a way of asking. One team had a coach that from a marketability standpoint can draw up images of the 80s when a lot of people considered basketball to be at its hayday. Oh and that same team had a player that had already won 3 rings in the highest profile team in the league. Hmmm...
I agree that the Jazz of Stockton to Malone era should have won at least one of those series against the Bulls if not both but there seemed to be questionable reffing decisions.

Russ | 2:55 p.m. Nov. 11, 2009

It would be a clear thing to show that you can pick the winner of a game fairly easily by the refs assigned.
In past years the Deseret News has posted the record of the Jazz with different refs, and it's been amazing to see very bad losing records with some refs, and undefeated records with others. Betting based on ref-ing is the clear thing that shows the amount of bias in the NBA and the impact it has on the sport's legitimacy.

After being a fan through the years, I've found I can only enjoy games if I view them as entertainment instead of competition. With that as my preamble, I've found myself enjoying the NFL this year more than ever before, and turning off the NBA quickly and often.

been there | 3:09 p.m. Nov. 11, 2009

Have you ever watch the shuttle take off? It is nothing but a controlled explosion of energy. Well and NBA game is nothing more than TRYING to control a high energy explosion. There are things that happen in that game that the human eye does not believe what it sees. The quickness of the player, the body control, the ability to fly through the air with the greatest of ease. Most people watch the ball, the game is really played away from the ball. That is where referees make their money, trying to determine what is a foul or what is just contact between players because they are so big. I have yet to see an NBA official pass the test of calling fouls away from the ball. If you think that they are fair in what they call then you need to watch another sport. NBA officials have NO IDEA what to call or when to call it. They only try to control the explosion so no one gets hurt. Large market teams make money for the league, Utah is not a large market. Now do the math.

Go Bulls | 4:44 p.m. Nov. 11, 2009

Desert Rat, MJ is just plain good

Don't knock the credibility | 5:03 p.m. Nov. 11, 2009

Just because he was in prison doesn't mean he has no credibility. If anything, he has more. All of his cards are out for everyone to see now; he has nothing to lose. I'd give him more credibility writing it in prison than, say, a few months before he was convicted. Its a clean slate for him.

Not surprised one bit about the Kobe favoring, but then again, I doubt anyone else is either. He's the king of jersey grabbing and arm hooking. The KING.

Bavetta | 5:16 p.m. Nov. 11, 2009

The biggest call in the game 6 of the Bulls/Jazz series came in the second period when Bavetta took a 3 pointer away from Eisley that was clearly before the 24 second clock expired. It stopped a huge Jazz run (up by 9 at the time) and is the way the NBA was able "fix" the game and let Jordan work his magic in the end.

Howard S. | 7:32 p.m. Nov. 11, 2009

Robinson's claims would be totally unbelievable if they didn't confirm everything that we see.

The NBA has long since abandoned the pretense of competition to become an exhibition forum of it's stars.

I haven't watched an NBA exhibit since Jordan was allowed to push off on Russell.

re: Bavetta | 11:07 p.m. Nov. 11, 2009

Don't forget about the blown clock violation later in the game either. I believe it was Ron Harper making a 2 clearly after the buzzer and was still awarded the points. I cringe everytime they show that game on espn classic.

Joey | 2:14 p.m. Nov. 13, 2009

Say a prayer that the book comes out, it will be a best seller, I mean one of the best sports books of all time.....We the fans will get the inside truth and be able to move on....STERN MUST GO....STERN MUST GO.......................

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Doug Robinson: NBA's worry is Donaghy's believability

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Doug Robinson: NBA's worry is Donaghy's believability