Exactly, you know why fans are probably agreeing with Van Gundy? Maybe because the NBA is probably the worst officiated game of the major sports. Most sports fans would probably agree with that. But Van Gundy took his comments way to far. Its one thing to complain about the officials and its another to claim he has specific knowledge of a specific agenda. The substance was wrong, and to make these comments in the midst of choking away this series doesn't help his cause except the fact that this has become the number one issue with the Rocket fans and not play on the court. So maybe he's more sane than I give credit for.
It is...you're right. It is easily the worst officiated game of the major sports. I don't think it's even close, frankly. As for JVG...I don't think he claimed any specific knowledge of any specific agenda. He said he could only guess as to why Yao would be treated differently...and he only relayed hearsay information after the fact. Should he have been fined?? Probably. She he have been fined $100,000??? No way. That's ridiculous. Again..this is a league that saw its players hit the stands to fight with fans...that had a player attack a coach...and now Stern is talking about a lifetime ban of Van Gundy for comments made about officiating. My take is that Jeff must have really struck a nerve. When you hit that close to home, that kind of outlandish response is what you get.
He said an official told him that the refs pay closer attention to Yao because of pressure from Mark Cuban.
I doubt it. It just doesn't make any sense, Mark Cuban isn't the league, he's one owner. I know that's not what you asked of me but I really can't even come close to accepting as true. I mean really, think about this guys. I think if these comments came from another coach about another player, say Phil about Shaq, you guys would be singing a completely different tune. If Stan Van Gundy said an official told him that Les wanted the officials to watch Shaq more closely and that they felt pressure from him, would you believe that?
My opinion, I think it is true, Van Gundy has never come across as a liar or a hype person. And the senario can be this simple (JVG is a straight shooter)- He was told something by another official that he had not heard EVER before- that Cuban's films of Yao and Deke are posted on the refs website (this was confirmed on a Dallas radio station) and that refs are using the film to crack down on the moving screens. Since he is friends with the ref who he talked with I am sure the discussion made him feel his player was getting a very unfair scrutiny. He has suspected and seen such all season long. This was a straw that broke something in Van Gundy. He knew if he went to the league and complained it would have been poo-pooed. So he went straight out honest and said it like it happened. Suffer the consequences. He is a smart man, he knew it would cost. But it came down to principle. And he stood. I really believe that is pretty much how it sits.
Mark Cuban complained about Yao committing moving screen fouls. That's what he wanted the refs to look at more closely. How often has Yao been called for that? Not very much.. so, it's probably not true. I think JVG made his point. And now, he should do whatever it takes to appease stern - even if that includes making a public apology or whatever. Stern doesn't strike me as a guy to bluff when making threats. If he says he's going to fire JVG, then he's going to do it. And then where will that leave the Rockets????
and i don't doubt that happened for one second. not even a little bit. they review tapes like that all the time. Cuban himself is saying the league told him they missed 9 fouls against Yao in the previous games. it's not much of stretch to get to the idea that the refs were told to watch Yao closer.
I just think the punishment is too harsh. If Phil Jackson had been hit with a $100,000 fine I would not have agreed with it. My reasoning for that is because I believe that the NBA does call certain players differently. I don't think its too much of a stretch to believe that the Referees would have a meeting about watching Yao Ming more closely than other players. Is that really that damaging? Maybe it does imply that the league would bow to pressure from one of its owners, but I don't think it is seriously damaging. It would be more damaging if JVG had said "I have a contact in the league who told me that the Refs had a meeting about making sure the Mavericks got back in the series." Then I would agree with the $100,00 fine.
I would like to know all of your honest opinion on something: Let's assume that Jeff having a source is true. A: would you have more respect for Jeff (while being compelled to right a wrongdoing against Yao) for being loyal to his referee friend by not naming him, despite overbearing repercussions. (kinda reminds me of the movie: Scent of a Woman) or B: would you give credit to Jeff for have brass ball and, upon finding out about this situation, blowing the whistle to everyone and eventually naming any names he was given, including his source, to shed more light on the truth and sticking up for the integrity of the game.
Neither. I think Jeff should hire Ron Artest, who has demonstrated his skill at beating up non-athletes, to pop that lil Oompa Loompa in the grill. You know Artest would love a shot at that guy. C'mon, Jeff. You gotta represent.
Stern is a fat dictatorial punk. If they're going to hold coaches liable for criticizing officials, then they should hold officals liable for making these crackhead calls. Instead, they get a free get-out-of-jail pass
Yes, and they've missed 122 fouls on the Mavs for the very same thing. THE MOVING SCREEN HASN'T BEEN CALLED A FOUL ALL SEASON! That's the point that Van Gundy is making. Owners shouldn't be able to pressure the officials into changing the way the game is called, especially in the post season after the game has been called in a certain manner the whole live long season. It's not like nobody else is setting moving screens. THE WHOLE LEAGUE IS DOING IT! That's why it looks like they are picking out Yao because he has been the source of Cuban's complaints. It's total bologna especially since Van Gundy and the Rockets have been petitioning the league the whole year long about the way Yao is officiated, and the league has admitted that he has not been officiated right, but yet, they haven't done anything about it the whole season. Now, 2 games into the post season, Cuban is going to be able to get a response from the officials and they are going to start calling moving screens???????????? Totally ridiculous. The league or whoever is responsible amongst the officiating crew or the league office for this kind of decision making needs to be held accountable. If not, then the league loses integrity. The integrity of the league is not lost because Van Gundy made those comments. The integrity of the league is lost when these situations are not redressed properly and the coaches, players, and fans can all see what is happening. We have been watching the terrible officiating of Yao the whole season long. If the league is not willing to adjust the way they call the game on Yao, then they should not adjust the way they call the screens just because Cuban sends them a tape. It's that simple.
LMFAO at Marc Stein's little gloom and doom piece here worrying about all the things that Stern is going to do to Van Gundy. You honestly think Stern has the legal power to levy unlimited fines on Van Gundy and his big contract and then throw him under the bus? Granted, the NBA can decide who can and can't be at its games in general, but JVG (and the Rockets) also have an interest in having him coach that itnersects with that. If Stern wants to make it into a personal battle, if I were JVG I would investigate all of my legal options - you're not going to beat the NBA on this, most likely, but any litigation between the two over this would make the NBA's refereeing policies fair game in discovery - I don't think Stern wants that unless he's confident there is nothing embarrasssing in there - and there always is.
Well to me it seems that Van Gundy has been fined because basically he has said that what Cuban has done (sent videos of Yao's moving screens) has worked. Cubans actions have caused the refs to look a little harder at Yao, all because Cuban has asked them to. Seems Les should send in video footage of Finley out of bounds and ask the refs to make sure that if a player isn't on the court he can't touch the ball . Also in the article here, it lists a couple of the largets fines against coaches. Phil Jackson was fined 50g, for specifically mentioning a referee treats Shaq differently, and had some sort of hidden agenda. Yet when Van Gundy says that officials are refereeing Yao differently and without mentioning any specifics at all, he gets fined double that and is threatened with a life ban. Stern should get his head out of his a$$, and yes the NBA is a business, but should ensure that this business at least shows some sort of integrity and a morale standard higher than what they have at the moment. I still can't believe that (as Clutch has said) the "Refs Choose The Mavs". Get so pissed off the more I think about this and how the Rockets have been robbed in the last 3 games (probably like the rest of you...)
David Stern Is A Dictator In Every Sense of the Word As if by this "stern" show of force in coming hard on JVG, he becomes the prime exemplar of league governance. This reminds me so much of the many sad U.S. government entities (in my case, local) that operate in this similar way. You get one dictatorial executive, a staff of spineless cronies in "office", and an army of lawyers versed in contract law, and VOILA! You get a quick recipe for the non-sense and pathetic showing of "integrity" that we've seen with Mr. Stern. This kind of arrangement is precisely what we DONT need in any organization including the NBA. Since when could/should one person, man or woman, be allowed to play both judge executor??? If I should be so bold, the irony is that just as referees are fallible, so too are commissioners. And here's a case where it's a little more than remotely possible that this thing called EGO has obfuscated our good commissioner's better objectivity. What really irks me is more the focus by Stern on getting JVG to reveal his "mole" than on the accusations being made here. Indeed, if baseless accusations were being made here to the public, I'd see the need for disciplinary action. Yet, so far, from what we know to be the facts, there is nothing apart from the idenitifaction of JVG's mole that there is anything being concocted here. Moreover, it's not like the accusations here aren't transparent to fans and league officials alike. Let the people decide. I mean, c'mon, we're in the digital age where anyone who has eyesight can see for themselves whether or not there's even some remote credibility to the accusations being made. I signed the petition literally 5 minutes ago and summed it up my feelings this way: "your failure to investigate the REAL issue -- being the systematic discriminatory officiating by referees -- is deplorable." The NBA needs a complete overhaul insofar as leadership. Even to those fans who like David Stern, every leader has his/her time. And in this case, I think Mr. Stern is overstaying his welcome. -theSAGE
