Bird still pis#ed after Pacers were cheated last year

drexler85 · Oct 7, 1999

Coach larry Bird is still pissed after last year calls in the eastern conference finals.
http://www.indianasgame.com/pacers/99/oct/1003ig_pacers.html

"I'm going to carry that game to my grave. "Bird said of game 3. "That's the worst thing I've ever seen. "Imstill pissed off about it. I'll be pissed off all year. And when i am out of here, I'll still be pissed off about it. it was a bad call by an experienced referee. And he knows it's a bad call. he knew it a second after he called it.

The players were reminded of those game throughout the summer, as sympathetic friends and colleagues sounded a familar refrain: You got cheated. Davis, for example,heard it from two of the league's most prominent coaches at a committe meeting in July. Other players heard it from family and friends in their respective hometowns.

Kersey's call and the game 6 officiating re-ignited the big market vs. small market issue. The NBA is often accused of favoring teams from the larger cities to enhance television ratings, and many have wondered if the NBA wasen't trying to smooth the Knicks' path into the NBA Finals against san Antonio. It's a delicate issue for Walsh, who chooses his words carefully when discussing it. he has had dialogue with the NBA office about this matter, and hopes to have more."Whatever I do I go directly with the league."he said "I've done it, and I feel like I made my point. I dont think it's a public issue.

The article was right on point about the series and it is shame what the NBA did to the Pacers. The Pacers fought hard to the end but in the end it was the referree's and the NBA who prevailed.

JuanValdez · Oct 7, 1999

The refs may have made a couple of bad calls, but I watched those games and Indiana didn't deserve to win it anyway. New York played cohesively and creatively; they wanted to win and they hustled and worked for it. Indiana was slow going after loose balls and rebounds; they just didn't try very hard. I was rooting for Indiana to win that series (not to mention the East) so it was disappointing for me to watch them play and not want to win as badly as New York.

drexler85 · Oct 7, 1999

Almu and Juan Valdez, Did you at least read the article, I was hopeing someone commentated on the article not on how I felt. So go back and read the article it is a good article and then comment on it.

[This message has been edited by drexler85 (edited October 07, 1999).]

JuanValdez · Oct 7, 1999

Drexler85, I did read the article and only had to say what I said. I can see how you'd be annoyed at Almu's hostility, but I wasn't being hostile. I just have no opinion on the big-market refereeing subject; only that Indiana should have spanked New York and didn't simply because they didn't try.

BearHunter · Oct 7, 1999

How about next time trying to take care of business, Drexboy. Root for a team with guts and maybe you wouldn't be posting this crap.

Ok, how about this. I think we got screwed in 1994 when the ref called that foul in favor of Hubert Davis allowing him to hit 3 consecutive free throws to win the game for NY. I think the NBA SET THAT UP so that NY, the bigger market, would go to the finals and not us. DAMN THE NBA!!! DAMN DAMN DAMN!!!

Get a grip, Drexy.

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Lazzeron Blackbird 6.71, CNC precision cut with Laser Pointer and loaded with silver coated Lazzeron bullets aimed with precision laser pointer straight for DignityBears head. BINGO!! The DignityBear is DEAD.

Almu · Oct 7, 1999

Sorry if I seemed hostile. Its that for over a year, EJ has come in here with conspiracy theories that should be allowed on the XFiles.

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Gun To His Head...Pip Will b**** Again.

drexler85 · Oct 7, 1999

Juan Valdez, I didnt think you were be hostile I just wanted to make sure you read the article. I dont understand how you can say the Pacers didnt try that does not make sense please explain that one to me. The Pacers had game 3 in the bag before Jess kersey decided to make his own rules and give NY the game. That was no accident what he did he knew that was not a foul but he called it anyway. It is one thing for you to disagree with me about the unfair calls which were so obvious but when you question the Pacers hearts that is another thing and that is wrong. Juan what do you expect the Pacers to do go out and beat the refs and the Knicks?
Almu, Conspiracy theories what in the world are you talking about. Read the article and you will understand what I am talking about. Is it a theory when 2 of the prominent coaches in the NBA go up to Dale Davis and tell him they got robbed. Why is team president Donnie Walsh going to the NBA is that a conspiracy theory ,No it's not it's facts. How about game's 6 officiating 33 foul shots to 8 for the Knicks when it was clear a lot of the fouls were false calls is that a theory. Almu I deal with issues not theories maybe you want to say some nonsense that I am the only person who thinks like this but that won't work because Larry Bird is speaking up Donnie Walsh is complaining and coaches around the league are saying something.

drexler85 · Oct 7, 1999

BearHunter, What do you consider taking care of business a team like the Knicks who were carried by the refs en route to the Finals. So what in your opinion is a team with guts, Is it a team that fouls you and does not get called for it and wins. If that's guts then you need a lesson in Basketball knowledge. If what the Knicks did was fair then why are they enforcing the rules this year that were already in the rulebook last year.

DREAMer · Oct 7, 1999

drex85,

I am an original Knick hater from way back. And I like the Pacers.

I watched that series, and the Pacers didn't play well enough to win. Sure, there were a couple of bad calls here and there, but the Knicks simply out played the Pacers. I think Bird is just using this to fire his team up for this year. It's always easier to fight for a cause.

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I have a dream.........his name's Hakeem.

Almu · Oct 8, 1999

First of all, EJ, who cares?

Second, I think DignityBear and EJ are the same person. They believe they got cheated by the refs instead of just saying that their teams just plain did not get the job done.

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Gun To His Head...Pip Will b**** Again.

JuanValdez · Oct 8, 1999

Drex, I am not arguing that the refs didn't make some bad calls in that series. They did make bad calls, just like they do in every damn series. And Indiana got the short end of it. I am questioning the Pacers' heart. And I'm sorry because I can't really give you a good argument for it. It was something I saw in their intensity and hustle vis a vis the Knicks. I can't do better than that for evidence. But I really wanted the Pacers to win and I remember mostly being disappointed with how little they tried.

All this is pulling us further and further from the subject at hand, which is calls for big market teams. There may be something to it, but I think it is also possible the refs were subtly swayed by the same qualities I noticed: the Knicks wanted it more than the Pacers. That is an attractive quality and I think it possible that that alone swayed judgment without an economic motivation.

sir scarvajal · Oct 11, 1999

Boy the refs sure helped the Knicks beat two small market teams in the finals in the 90's (SA and us). Oh, wait, they lost those series.

I am not trying to say the Indian-NY series didn't have bad calls. But bad calls happen, and Houston and Spree took it too them on offense, and whole Knicks defense smothered them most every game. Further most games were close, so even if Indiana wins games 6 it's about a 50/50 outcome they win game 7 (note: NY went in and shut down the Heat in the deciding game 5 in Miami, it went down to Houston's shot rolling in or out, that time it rolled in). What others are saying is that NY did rise to the occasion, the Pacers didn't. Otherwise the Pacers would not have been up in a position where a few bad calls in a NY home game could decide the series, at most it should have just evened it out for a game 7. Indina can't blame the refs for being in that position. Myabe Bird is too used to getting Boston Garden calls to be objective on this.

[This message has been edited by sir scarvajal (edited October 11, 1999).]

Lynus302 · Oct 11, 1999

I watched that series and I must agree that the Knicks showed alot more heart than did the Pacers. On the other side, however, I do believe that Larry Bird and Drex85 have valid points. I myself am one of the many who are tired of smaller markets not getting the attention they deserve. I don't necessarily think there is some massive conspiracy against the smaller markets, but the NBA sure as all hell plays up to the bigger markets. I'm tired of all the sporting leagues and the media kissing the asses of NY and LA. Just to reiterate, I don't necessarily think there is some massive conspiracy against the smaller markets, but the NBA is a business, and larger markets mean higher ratings and more money, so I wouldn't put it above them.

Look at what the NFL did to Houston. The NFL bent over backwards to get a team in LA, all the while LA sat around with their thumbs up their butts. In the meantime, there was lil 'ol Houston, doing our damndest to bring the NFL back to town. We had EVERYTHING ready for a team: monies both public and private, a stadium, and a city that actually WANTED the NFL in Houston, and they still screwed us around. It was only when McNair offered a HUGE sum of money for a team, that the NFL decided to listen.

I hope there is no conspiracy, but the league makes it painfully obvious who they consider to be the most important. As the old saying goes, money talks and bullsh*t walks.

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"OH GOD!!! GET HIM AWAY FROM ME!!!!!" --Scottie Pippen being chased by a ravenous Stanley Roberts wielding a bib and a bottle of ketchup.

JuanValdez · Oct 12, 1999

I don't know if "lil 'ol" is the way I'd describe Houston. It is a pretty damn big city.

Lynus302 · Oct 12, 1999

JuanValdez-
I was speaking sarcasticly(sp?), of course. I was trying to point to the fact that Houston, despite its cultural diversity and its status as a world-class city, always seems to get overlooked and/or not taken seriously by the media.

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"OH GOD!!! GET HIM AWAY FROM ME!!!!!" --Scottie Pippen being chased by a ravenous Stanley Roberts wielding a bib and a bottle of ketchup.

JuanValdez · Oct 12, 1999

ooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Now I see.

drexler85 · Oct 13, 1999

DREAMer The Pacers did play well enough to win the series and that was evident in gm. 3 when they were cheated by that 4 point blown call. There were more than a couple of bad calls there were to many bad calls and the Pacers should not have to worry about overcomeing bad calls to win, They should have been given a fair deal. The Knicks did not outplay the Pacers, The Knicks were given 2 games by the refs (games 3 and 6) You cant expect a team to win a series when the refs spots the other team 2 free wins. As of right now I am watching the series over and I wish everyone that posted their comments on this thread had the luxury of watching this series again because when you watch the series over you can see how much the Knicks got away with. If it was a fairly called series the Pacers win in 5 or sweep. Even with all the calls the Knicks bairly won.

[This message has been edited by drexler85 (edited October 13, 1999).]

drexler85 · Oct 13, 1999

Sir Scavajal, You said that there were bad calls in those games but bad calls happen, Well those bad calls cost the Pacers games and gave the Knicks games. The Knicks did not earn any of their wins. Getting bad calls the way the Pacers did is not part of the game the only part of the game that is called is getting cheated. Ny rose to what occasion? Was is the occasion where Larry Johnson got fouled dribbled then shot a 3 and got that call. The only occasion the Knicks rose to was receiving biased officiating from unfair refs otherwise the Pacers were the ones who rose to the ocassion by actually staying in any of the games despite unfair calls. The Knicks defense did not smother the Pacers but what it did was whack and hack them over and over again. Not enough calls were made on the butcher tactics by the Knicks.

[This message has been edited by drexler85 (edited October 13, 1999).]

drexler85 · Oct 13, 1999

Lynus302, I just dont understand what you mean when the say the Knicks showed more heart than the Pacers, Is it because the Knicks were the 8th seed and Ewing was injured? The Knicks didnt show more heart than the Pacers did. Rik Smits played on a broken toe that whole series and the Pacers had to play against the Knicks and the refs so the pacers showed way more heart than the Knicks.

Lynus302 · Oct 13, 1999

I didn't see the hustle I expected from the Pacers, that is what I meant. I fully expected to have a San Antonio/Indiana finals last year, and I think alot of other fans did as well.

There are many who agree with the statement that the aggressive teams get the calls. The Knicks were way more aggressive, and got away with alot. Perhaps I should have used the above statement instead of saying they showed more heart.

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"OH GOD!!! GET HIM AWAY FROM ME!!!!!" --Scottie Pippen being chased by a ravenous Stanley Roberts wielding a bib and a bottle of ketchup.

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