GuidoWorld

Stern Consequences

June 21, 2008 on 7:02 pm | In General |

In my last post I presented my case of how David Stern’s control freak nature and his apparent obsession with packaging basketball into “boffo” early Hollywood  like entertainment  has injured the integrity and beauty of the sport. He has encouraged the game to be called in favor of superstars and even modified rules to create a freakshow mentality.

If today’s big man (Shaq) friendly rules existed in the 60’s, then Wilt would have won a lot of championships and Bill Russel would be the visual recipient of poster dunks and have many fingers free of those cumbersome championship rings he won. Could you just imagine what a true athletic big man like Wilt could have done if he were allowed to bulk his way to the basket and play defense with no fear of fouling out?  Remember that after a long grueling career in the NBA Wilt retired and played professional level volley ball, he truly was a freakish athletic specimen and a carnival huckster like Stern would have savored the entertainment value he offered.

Another example of Stern’s control freak style is in how he has recast the role of NBA refs as the extension of his iron rule. Refs routinely give technicals to players who “show up” the refs. Freedom of speech and expression might be acceptable for US citizens but not to the totalitarian rule of the basketball Czar. Players and coaches who make any comments which could be construed as critical of the league, Mr. Stern or the refs can be finded and suspended with no real recourse.

Now, Mr. Stern is considering extending his iron rule to the Orwellian world of thought police. The NBA announced plans to begin to fine players who apparently flop on the court trying to draw a charging foul. This will entitle Mr. Stern and NBA officials the freedom to divine the intentions of a basketball player. I would like to point out that players would prefer to stay on their feet when someone charges into them, but if they kept standing the refs usually wouldn’t blow their whistle and call a foul. Players only began routinely falling down to try and force the ref to make the call they should have made in the first place.

The current scandal involving the supposed one bad apple of a ref that bet on and fixed over a hundred games he officiated in a three year span, is a natural outgrowth of Stern’s tendency to modify the rules to assist in the entertainment value of pro basketball. It’s not too far to go from not having stars foul out to creating the best storyline insuring fan interest. Why shouldn’t a series go a couple of extra games to maximize profits and keep fans wanting more? Why shouldn’t good win over evil, or evil sometimes have its day if it makes for good entertainment? Gosh, look how profitable it has been for pro wrestling.

I’m not at all surprised to hear the accused ref admit that he was often told by league officials to call a game a specific way. Ralph Nader was not the only basketball fan who thought the playoff series between Sacramento and LA was fixed. I know many fans such as myself who were neutral o even pulling for LA who immediately smelled something fishy. For Stern to deny even suspecting something only makes him look all the more guilty.

Stern looks even worse when he says the matter has been completely investigated and one of the other officials who worked that series publicly states that the league never questioned him. It also seems beyond reason that one ref working on his own could fix so many games without arousing suspicion by his colleagues or the league office.
Years before this scandal broke a majority of my friends began losing interest and trust in the NBA. I must admit I still watch an occasional game of my favorite team the Bulls, and I do watch a few of the playoff games. Only when Stern is removed and the integrity of the game is somewhat restored will I and my friends become frequent watchers of NBA basketball.

In my next post I will debunk the Stern generated myth that his tenure has made basketball a more popular sport.  For Stern to take credit for the popularity of NBA basketball is like Jed Clampett saying his millions were a natural outgrowth of his great business acumen.

Jim Guido