This just in. Kelvin Cato, the suck a** center for the Rockets was seen running from draft headquarters clutching a brown paper bag with NBA security in hot pursuit. Cato(who has never run that fast in his life) managed to elude NBA security & got away with the mysterious brown bag. One security guard speaking on condition of anonimity said, & I quote, "Man, he's gotta have a lotta balls to do that." I don't know if this means anything, but I thought it might explain why they didn't show us any popping balls. ------------------
Didn't you watch the movie "Lucky Numbers" with John Travolta & Lisa Kudrow? They injected Elmer's glue into all the balls that they didn't want to pop up. That might explain why Cato didn't drop the brown paper bag(reference the first of these three posts). By the way, that movie sucked. ------------------
One point to bring up is, why doesn't the NBA just show the ping pong balls popping up? Would it kill the league to show the audience the balls popping up? If there indeed actually are "balls"? The Texas Lottery shows the balls popping up on TV, so why can't the NBA? Pressed for time? Does Peter Vecsey really need more air-time? Ok, we've already covered this in another thread (http://bbs.clutchcity.net/ubb/Forum9/HTML/000629.html), but here's a repeat of the answer: The lottery use to be live back when all teams had a single ball. Once they went to the weighted system, the actual drawing hasn't been live, but there's a pretty good reason for that. The way the lottery works, there are are 14 numbered balls placed in a hopper. There are 1000 four number combinations assigned among the lottery teams (there is one dead combination that isn't assigned to anyone). four balls are selected and they check to see who owns that combination. If it's the dead combination, then they draw again, otherwise the team owning that combo has the first pick. Then they put all the balls back in and draw four more balls for the second pick. If the combination drawn is either the dead combination or a combination owned by the team that won the first pick, then they pick again. Repeat the process for the third pick. As you can see, there's a very good chance that some of the picks will have to be redrawn (possibly multiple times) and the fact that once a combination is drawn, they have to go check a chart to actually find out who's holding that combination. It's not fixed, it just doesn't make for very compelling TV. No way could the whole drawing compressed to fit into a 3 minute segment like you saw on Sunday. Do the 13 reps get to actually see the balls pop up? If not, then I'm almost certain that they rig it every so often... Yes, there are representatives of all 13 lottery teams present when the balls are placed in the hopper and when each number is drawn and when the teams owning the winning numbers are verified. The team representatives are kept isolated until the actual lottery results are announced. Here's a quote from a Houston Chronicle story on 5/21/00 about the lottery: Teams may have been less than thrilled with the Magic's and Hornets' back-to-back good fortune, but the Spurs in 1997 were perhaps the least appreciated lottery winner. Owner Peter Holt represented the Spurs on the stage. But in the back room, where the actual lottery is held and the positions secured, Schuler served as the Spurs' official monitor and unofficial sacrificial lamb to envious runners-up. "Our combination of numbers come up first," Schuler said. "It was dead quiet in there. People I've known for years, guys in my position or business people, nobody would talk to me. Everybody could see right away that along with David Robinson, Tim gave us a chance to be a pretty good team again. I just had to sit there twiddling my thumbs." It was a long hour. The NBA allows no contact with the outside world until after the cards are uncovered onstage. The backstage observers are searched for cellular phones before they enter the room. If one must use a restroom, he is escorted by security to make sure he doesn't make a call. "It's really hard to sit there," Schuler said. "You're on the edge of your chair, but there's nothing you can do." ------------------ [This message has been edited by aelliott (edited May 21, 2001).]
thank you aelliot. I read that before but I didn't know where to look for it so i could post it. But seriously, I've been hearing rumors from upstairs that Houston will be getting the #1 next year to make up for them not making the top 3 this year. So this was a very good draft for us. We traded down our top 3 this year for a number 13 this year and a number one next year. Hopefully Simms declares for the draft, I think he would like to play for Houston. ------------------ snap crackle pop
When that last envelope was opened, I knew one of the deep thinkers on this board would start a thread like this. Unfortunately, I was right. ------------------
THANK YOU! Finally some proof! I could understand if the Wizards had the Rockets record and got the #1 pick, then I guess I could listen to a conspiracy theory, but Washington only had a slightly less chance of getting the #1 pick over the Warriors and Bulls and they happened to win. How does getting the #1 pick benefit Washington in a draft that is weak? the '85 Ewing draft, I guess, could have been rigged since it was in its infancy, but mean nowadays!? Washington won because they sucked. ------------------ See the three, be the three.
what does this have to do with the rockets? where is the proof amidst ALL THIS SPECULATION? im having a hard time seaping through all this garbage, can someone help me out? ------------------ Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
kidrock8, Back to my original question: Since there were observers from the 13 lottery teams present at the actual drawing, do you believe that all 13 teams were in on a fix? ------------------
well they could have rigged the balls before the drawing like that travolta/kudrow flick ------------------
Great reading! I haven't laughed so much at posts in this forum since Lhutz last posted! Calm down boys, things are probably as they seem. But look... even if nobody can prove the draft ISN'T fix, you have to realize how weak your evidence is that it is. Nothing that weird has ever happened, outside of Charlotte, and the NBA couldn't care less about the Hornets. ------------------ A few years back on the Senate floor... Phil Gramm: "If Democrats could, they'd tax the air we breathe." Ted Kennedy (jumping up): "By God, why didn't I think of that sooner!" Boston College - NCAA Hockey National Champions 2001 [This message has been edited by haven (edited May 21, 2001).]
kidrock8, I gotta say man, I love how you just ignored all of the valid points made by aelliott. Also Toddie, I missed that movie so I guess I'm not privy to the latest in lotto ball conspiracy methods... ------------------ I refuse to use smiley's in my posts, you'll just have to figure out how serious I am on your own... [This message has been edited by Band Geek Mobster (edited May 21, 2001).]
I don't, but there has got to be a very good explanation for all of this. Can you believe Kidrock is dating Pamela Anderson??? ------------------ My doctor says I am bipolar. I am going to get a second opinion. I have never had intimate desires for polar bears.
Fixed or not, these players still have to produce. Fact is, Griffin, for example, could just as easily be the next Joe Smith as well as the next Tim Duncan, and so on. I mean, just look at how well having last year's #1 helped out Thorn, not to say that Martin is a bust because he's not, but the Nets are such a mess of a team that no one player is going to make that big a difference. MJ's in the same boat. I had this nice, warm fuzzy feeling seeing Krause yesterday, pissed off. Life DOES work out sometimes. ------------------
B-A-A-A-A-! I think a live televised lottery drawing would be high drama. It's too important to do at half-time of some playoff game. Make it an outdoor pre-game show at DisneyLand or World. Fly over some black helicopters for visual and psychological effects. ------------------ Time is a great teacher-- only problem is it kills all its pupils.
if NBC won't air it, they could at least tape it and show it on nba.com TV afterwards BGM, i didn't see the movie either but it had to do with injecting all the other ping pong balls with paint so the lightest ones come out first. don't know if that's actually possible but who knows? ------------------
Maybe NBC could get Vince McMahon to setup the drawing. You could see skanks with very little clothing handle the balls while the house band (Slayer, Pantera, or Coal Chamber) could play some hardcore music. Then maybe instead of having the typical boring representatives, we could have some wrestlers be the representatives and they can talk smack to each other while the lotto balls are being drawn. I could see it now... Wizards Rep The Rock proclaims after his balls were drawn first, "You guys are a bunch of rudy poo jabronis, do ya smell what the Wiz are cookin?" I hope I didn't mess up any of his catch phrases wrestling fans since I quit watching wrestling back at the ripe old age of 8... That would make great tv, all flash and no substance, NBC likes that kind of programming... ------------------ I refuse to use smiley's in my posts, you'll just have to figure out how serious I am on your own... [This message has been edited by Band Geek Mobster (edited May 21, 2001).]
I hear that next year, they're going to do the lottery down in Palm Beach, Florida. Rumor has it, that they are pretty good with numbers down there. ------------------
"They" would be Stern, and the NBA's "integrity" guy... Stern hires someone who would not get disgruntled about rigging a lottery... There are only 2 people involved, and Stern gives the "integrity" guy some hush money... I sure hope you would agree that boxing is rigged... ------------------ "Awesome baby!" Dick Vitale
