I just saw on Channel 13 news that the NBA Referee Union demands that Van Gundy be fired and that the matter is not resolved until this is done. It was quick but I heard that the referee union stated that even though Van Gundy eventually claimed that it was an "NBA official" and not a referee, they still feel that he has questioned the integrity of the refereeing committee.
JVG should tell them to go to hell and isn't Les the only one who can techinically 'fire' him? Stern can ban him but thats not gonna happen GO TO HELL REFS!
Does anyone know what power the referee union has? Because the head of the union, I forget his name, LaMarr or something, spoke on the report and seemed very adamant that JVG get canned.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2005/news/story?id=2056599 Referee group not satisfied, wants Van Gundy fired NEW YORK -- Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy clarified comments about an official telling him Rockets center Yao Ming was being targeted by referees in the first round of the playoffs, and the NBA now considers the matter closed. "When I referred to an NBA official, people inferred that I was talking about a working NBA referee, instead of an official with the league," Van Gundy said Monday in a statement released by the Rockets. "I was purposely vague because I had given my word that I would keep his name out of it." The league fined Van Gundy $100,000 -- the largest assessed against a coach -- after saying that an official who was not working the playoffs told him that Yao was being targeted following complaints by Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Houston's first-round opponent. Van Gundy subsequently apologized publicly for the comments. "He has also confirmed directly to an NBA representative that, during the Houston-Dallas playoff series, he did not have any communication with a referee [working or non-working] other than, of course, during an ongoing game," NBA deputy commissioner Russ Granik said in a statement Monday. "In fact, his only conversations with league employees during the series were with league personnel in the normal course. "In light of these circumstances, we now consider the matter to be closed." The National Basketball Referees Association, which represents NBA officials, however, disagrees the matter is resolved and wants Van Gundy fired according to a statement reported by USA Today. "Van Gundy flat out lied to the public," the statement said. "And in the process he called into question the reputations of all NBA game officials and the integrity of the game itself. ... The matter will truly be closed only when Van Gundy is fired." Lamell Morris, NBRA spokesman and lead negotiator, addressed the latest developments in the Van Gundy case on Mike & Mike in the Morning on ESPN Radio on Monday morning. "There is a tremendous amount of confusion, but the only thing that cannot be confused are the words that Jeff Van Gundy uttered," Morris said on the radio show. "And to now kind of spin it to say that he wasn't actually talking about an official, but for the last week, the integrity of the officials who officiate the games during the playoffs and during the regular season has been called into question. "Fans have been enraged over the possibility of game fixing, and now he wants to come out and say a week later, after he's on a bit of the hot seat, if you will, that he actually was not talking about a referree, I think it's a bit of a stretch and I think it's unfair. And at the least he should be suspended, at the least. But I think to now say that he wasn't talking about an actual referee is a very egregious lie." Van Gundy started the saga by telling three reporters at the team hotel in Dallas that a referee not working the playoffs called him after the Rockets went up 2-0 and warned that Yao was mentioned in an online evaluation from supervisor of officials Ronnie Nunn. Van Gundy also told the reporters that referees "were looking at Yao harder because of Mark's complaints" to the league office, referring to Cuban. Commissioner David Stern said at the time that an investigation into Van Gundy's remarks would continue once the Rockets were out of the playoffs. Houston was eliminated by the Mavericks in Game 7 of their first-round series on Saturday night. Stern threatened more punishment -- perhaps even banishment -- if Van Gundy did not cooperate and reveal the name of the referee who was the coach's source. "I did not want the issue to continue, so rather than clarifying my original comments, I chose to let the matter die since I was wrong to bring the official into it to start with," Van Gundy said. "I have been honest during this process, loyal to those involved and have apologized for my comments. I look forward to putting this behind me." Stern, in Phoenix to present Steve Nash with the MVP trophy Monday night, said he considered the case finished. "He apologized. He accepted his $100,000 fine," Stern said, "and he acknowledged that his previous statement that he got a call from an NBA referee was, shall I say, in error, was inaccurate. As far as I'm concerned, that makes it over." In a SportsCenter interview before the Phoenix-Dallas game, Stern explained why, in a surprise, he stopped pressing for Van Gundy to name his source. "Everybody [with every team] talks to somebody." Stern said. "I got phone calls today about officiating. That pressing [for a name ] is not necessary because as commissioner I encourage … calls from coaches, GMs, owners. This was not a question about pressing." When told that Van Gundy said that he never said it was a referee who called him, despite stories to the contrary, Stern offered a sarcastic response to the crowd of reporters. "The media did it again," Stern said jokingly. "We're going to bash you guys. You were taken in and you just ran with it. Shame on all of you." Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
I have a feeling this is going to raise some serious issues next season. I just hope that the refs can call a fair game and not hold a grudge against JVG. We all know the refs hold grudges against certain players, now all of the refs hold a grudge against our coach. This could cause some serious problems in the future for JVG and the Rocks.
man this is a total no win situation for jvg. if he reveals his source, he all but assures that this ref loses his job and further punishment from stern for whistle blowing. when he covers it up like he did, he gets this from the ref union. i do think the refs will give the rockets a total shafting when it comes to calls in major games if this remains a topic throughout the offseason.
Curious because I honestly don't remember: Has anyone -- the NBA or the N-Bra -- denied this completely? I really think there is some truth to what Van Gundy said because I think it's obvious the NBA was concerned they had a talker in there somewhere. This has really struck a nerve. Not to say it's some conspiracy, but I do believe there was an instruction of some sort to watch Yao for the moving screens -- even if it was just a clarification of what is legal.
The N-Bra has little to no infuence over the league. I wouldn't worry about them at all. Almost every major request they have made of the NBA was ignored by Stern's office. In fact, in 2004 the NBA threatened to hire replacement refs if the NBRA didn't agree to a contract extension. So they are about as important/have as much influence as the Baseball Umpires, and you know what happened there a few years back. The guy who spoke on "behalf" of the NBRA was himself contradicted by Ric Bucher on SportsCenter today, who said that he talked to multiple figures in the NBRA who said that they didn't want JVG fired, and that this guy Lamell Morris spoke without their concensus on this matter. This is, of course, all according to Ric Bucher, whom I trust as a pretty good source of information on ESPN. Check out this link where the refs are seem to be actually pissed more about the league's "witch-hunt" of the ref that was JVG's source, and that harrassment seems to be their real concern, as well as the fans ire against the refs throughout the playoffs: http://probasketballrefs.com/ReadtheArticles.asp?News_ID=24 So really guys, no one gives a **** what the NBRA says, if I were JVG I would be laughing my ass off at their "request". Screw us on purpose? They can't afford to do that, because if anything everyone will be following the games in which JVG coaches to see whether or not the refs are bias against the Rockets. They won't be stupid enough to give JVG or another Rockets official ammunition to use against them, which would only further prove that they ARE in fact bias.
Man that would really suck. I am just hoping the media gets bored with this topic and drops it during the off-season. The less attention this get the better it is for the NBA, JVG, and especially the Rockets.
Exactly my thought as well. To come out swinging like they are, you almost have to wonder...obviously the referee association feels threatened.
Did somebody say the refs are going to screw us next season? ROTFLMAO! I thought our behinds are still plenty sore eventhough our season is over!
Refs should review their calls on Yao all of the season.They will find 50/50% good/bad.That's not forgivable.
