http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/05/sports/basketball/05roberts.html? Sports of The Times Stern's Game Can Be Called Misdirection By SELENA ROBERTS Published: May 5, 2005 AS a lawyer with a sly mind in constant motion, David Stern understands the art of throwing suspicion in one direction to divert attention from the real culprit. With a Lighter Wallet, Van Gundy Moves On (May 5, 2005) So it was not surprising to see Stern boldly scold a whistleblower instead of the men who blow the whistles. In eye-catching fashion, Stern assailed the integrity of Houston Coach Jeff Van Gundy this week when Van Gundy refused to divulge the Deep Throat in officiating who had told him there was a league conspiracy against Yao Ming. Stern beamed the attention on Van Gundy by smacking him with a record-breaking $100,000 fine, by vocally ratcheting the temperature on him, by shepherding a whisper campaign to portray Van Gundy as a fantasist. All Van, all the time. Sound bites can certainly make for nice subterfuge. Remaining strategically unnoticed has been the untidy issue of referee credibility. Much of Stern's focus was on how wrong Van Gundy was, but what if Van Gundy was right about the bias of officiating? Much of Stern's outrage has been directed at coaches who publicly lobby for calls, but they do it because they believe it works. More than anyone, coaches view the frame-by-frame of every game and of every call. They can do the before-and-after of their postgame rants against the refs. Obviously, they see results. Are referees this malleable? Does the league want to know? The N.B.A. doesn't like to acknowledge the potential presence of a cheating gene in its midst. In the late 90's, more than 20 league officials were hit with tax-evasion charges when they exchanged their first-class tickets for coach seats and kept the change. Two years ago, in court documents filed by Karla Knafel, a former mistress of Michael Jordan's, the official Eddie F. Rush was described as the matchmaker who played cupid for the clandestine couple. Tax cheating, wife cheating. It is not so difficult to assume that deceptive practices could transfer to the basketball court, but the league doesn't view it that way. The N.B.A. reinstated a few of the tax evaders, and Rush was later promoted, even though he might have crossed an implied code against cozy conduct. Believe it or not, there was not an official codification of fraternization rules until last year, when, as the N.B.A. spokesman Tim Andre said yesterday, it was inserted into the work rules during the 2004 collective-bargaining agreement between the referees and the N.B.A. Maybe the league thought they had a problem. And maybe they do. The ref who talked to Van Gundy and discussed the anti-Yao calls was in clear breach of the rules. But the rules are apparently pliable. On the official Web site for N.B.A. referees, there is a note that promotes Bob Delaney's Referee Development School at IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla. This is the same Delaney who has been officiating in the playoffs. For as much as $1,825 for a four-day session this summer, campers can sponge up Delaney's referee knowledge and even officiate scrimmage games with real-live N.B.A. players. In the off-season, the IMG Academy is buzzing with hoop stars from Chauncey Billups to Erick Dampier. It is not far-fetched to wonder if a player who participates in Delaney's school believes he has done his favorite referee - wink, wink - a favor. League officials said they had reviewed Delaney's school but found no reason to assume the worst. Andre said the league had waived its fraternization policy for Delaney. Odd how the refs get the benefit of the doubt, but the coaching complaints do not. For years, some coaches have privately wondered about referee ethics. On rare occasions, officials have been known to ask for extra tickets from teams and even request shoes from players. If true, who is going to call out a code-of-conduct violator? Who is going to risk the wrath of referee backlash? It is true that coaches are a paranoid bunch, and Van Gundy is not alone. But their suspicions about referees, about calls being orchestrated, about star treatment for certain players and teams, cannot be completely unfounded. The league does not want to go there. It is much more comfortable with the image of Van Gundy being cast as a truth-averse schemer. Van Gundy is many things - a manipulator and a survivor - but he is not known to be a liar. In fact, in his time, he has been candid to his own detriment. During his days as the Knicks' coach in the late 90's, he once called Michael Jordan "a con man" and Phil Jackson "Big Chief Triangle." He wasn't smart, but he was right on both counts. Now, once again, Van Gundy has disclosed too much for his own good in what Stern described as a new low for coach-speak. Stern was happy to cast the information Van Gundy related as wicked gamesmanship - and it might have been - but Van Gundy may have been right, as well. Stern barely wants to consider that possibility. He isn't running an investigation of Van Gundy's allegations to uncover an officiating conspiracy; Stern is beginning it as a scare tactic against the next coach who wants to speak out. It is much cleaner to isolate this controversy to Van Gundy - and localize the N.B.A.'s image pain - than to consider an alternate culprit to the game's integrity. E-mail: selenasports@nytimes.com
Exactly. What makes it especially interesting is Stern is also in New York so the article is in his back yard as well. I don't know what's been said in the Chinese newspapers but that's still the medium to put the most pressure on Stern. I can't believe they haven't jumped on this more.
Very interesting, and quiet sharp. I like this article. It really makes you wonder how the refs and the league get away with it. But if indeed the dirty truth are exposed, will there be a lifetime bias towards the Rockets and JVG?
Superb article! It is interesting that papers all over the country are picking up on this story and lamenting the league instead of JVG. The NBA is fixed, the refs are not all honest, Stern better be ready for one major backlash.
Come on, Commissioner. Where's your $100,000 fine on Selena Roberts for refusing to divulge who showed her the web site? By the way, Commissioner, what's on the site? Or do we have to discover all the self-dealing ad space allocations through leaks?
It's a good thing that bs foul on Duncan was called, the one where he fouled out - the timing was perfect. Just when everyone was set to discuss the issue, a clear bs call was made against another team.
Basically the majority of so called bball experts in Chinese newspapers just said there was no reason for Stern to initiate some conspiracy to target Yao and Rockets,so there is no such a thing as targeting. They admitted there were bad calls, but no targeting. An article on Sports Weekly today even said it was always the losing side that rushed into questioning the calling of the game, like AJ after game 1, Cuban after game 2, and JVG after game 3,4. Chinese media doesn't seem so passionate to take JVG's side, to say the least. And that's so sad.
Ridiculous. Obviously the government thinks the NBA is more important to its success than Yao's development. You would think a country that's so nationalistic would take a stronger stance on its best player. And it's not really Stern per say but the referees who really screw us. Stern is protecting "his people" and Van Gundy is doing the same. Too bad the Chinese media/government is siding with the enemy.
Stern better be ready for 4 million pissed off Houstonians. Bring it on David! If there is one thing Houston fans are known for it's their big wallets and ability to drag your ass through the mud.
The media and fan reaction all seem to be on the side of JVG on this one. I think Stern is already looking for his exit strategy.
Quote: Originally posted by wwale Chinese media doesn't seem so passionate to take JVG's side, to say the least. And that's so sad. /Quote What the hell are u talking about? I'm a Chinese and 99% the news I read is supporting JVG. So u are quoting one different voice as the option of the whole country? What gives ...
Now, that's ridiculous. You can't be serious that the Chinese government would actually be involved and make themselves totally laughable in the international community. But mind you, as far as I know, the website, bbs, and articles I read, no one is really at Stern's site. But to suggest that Chinese officials to raise voice on this issue, is a little bit irrational. What do you expect them to do? Calling Rice to talk about that? What would Rice say? Hmmm, we are a capitalism country and free country, as soon as NBA is not violating any national security interest, we as the governement body, can't tell them what to do. Maybe?
is this the site?: http://probasketballrefs.com/members.asp maybe this was the ad she was talking about: http://probasketballrefs.com/training_delaney.htm
Are you serious? The Rockets had to go through several government bureacratic BS just to get Yao here. How many trips, phone calls, negotiating did Michael Goldenberg, Rudy, and CD have to do? Forget the Shanghai Sharks or the CBA. The true player in the game was the Chinese government. How many times did we hear about how the government wanted to put Yao in an environment where he would be successful or bringing the NBA coaches and trainers to work with the National Team. And exactly why did they label Yao the "Model Worker" of the year? He's their international superstar meant to make China look good. Wasn't the whole point of allowing him to play in the NBA to strengthen the Chinese National team by 2008? Now, to say the Chinese government has absolutely no influence or say in this type of situation is just BS.
Anyone else think it's f'd up to be hoping the Chinese gov't will come in and fix the problem? As a fan of basketball, I find it a bit disturbing to think that the NBA would soften up on Yao because of it's fear of the Chinese government. I understand the money involved, but I'd hope fans would be looking to fix this the right way. Mo Damp going to help out a referee's off-season money-maker was a new story here. Not that it's helped him much with the refs in this series. To me, this is not an international incident. It's a case of poor judgment in: (1) letting Mark Cuban get to them (posting his videos on the site in the first place) and (2) overreacting to JVG's words. It's also an example of how the new anti-defense rule changes are backfiring. Sure there's more fluidity to offenses, but nobody's allowed to play D. I preferred when zone D was illegal, but hand checks weren't. That way, individual superstars don't foul out for trying to play good, tough defense. The league should have slapped down the fine and moved on. Lets not turn this into a Congressional hearing (or should I say a National Peoples Congressional hearing?)
International incident? So when the Rockets management team was negotiating with the Chinese government to have Yao come over to the NBA, was that an international incident as well? Did that negotiation involve the Premier? Was George Bush contacted about the negotiation? And yet was the Chinese government involved? Doesn't the government have some national sports director or other title to deal with issues like this? To say that this is a private matter is completely contradictory to the evolution of Yao being able to compete in the US. If this was just a normal player in a normal sport, there would be 0 government intervention - from start to finish. The Chinese government had its motives to improve Yao's game: Increase it's presence on an international level, get compensated (1/2 of Yao's salary), create demand of other potential players in the pipeline, attract US coaches and trainers, win a medal in basketball for 2008. Those were all part of the rationale to "allow him" to come to the U.S. And yet, people make it sound as though Yao has complete autonomy. We all know what happened to Wang ZhiZhi when he refused to report - his games are no longer shown in China. Yes yes. The Chinese government would be creating an international scene and must involve the Premier, Condeleeza Rice, and the entire communist party to take a stance on the issue. And it would be completely out of character for them to get involved in Yao's career. Bottom line: The Chinese government has and always will be involved in Yao's career (i.e. forcing him to come back to China every summer to play some meaningless Asian games when he should be resting or playing at Fondue Rec center).
