Is Basketball Fixed?

[Padgoi]

Re: Is Basketball Fixed?

Will, for your info, I am a football ref and I have been complimented many times on my ability to see plays that a normal ref would see so I know how hard it is. However, some of the calls that the refs miss are downright ridiculous. Whether it is because they are out of position, not looking or just dont wanna call it, sometimes the refs miss calls that are obvious. So don't go saying that no one has ever reffed any sport because I have for a few years and I can say, from experience, that some of the calls in the NBA that are missed are not missed "accidentally."

[TheMatrix31]

Re: Is Basketball Fixed?

Actually, Will.....I have reffed bball and football games for little kids ages 10-12......sure its not on that level, but hey, I do ref the occaisional PE football game when I'm sick or somethin also. It's not easy, but hey, you know these guys are professional refs.

[Blue_Monkey]

Re: Is Basketball Fixed?

Ok, so the refs are a factor (or so it seems). But how can we know that that the players aren't "in it" sometimes. Nascar for example. How can we know that that exciting final overtake really happened, or did it "happen" to happen. Was that DB really too slow or was he "slow"?

It can't be a conspiracy or anything, that would be too big to keep secret. But I can't trust anymore that sports is always a battle fought between two or more sides and then we see which one wins. The little things go like the star treatment but I fear that is not all of it. I just can't get rid of that idea.

And I wish it never had gotten to my head...

[Freelance]

Re: Is Basketball Fixed?

Even professional players, coaches, and owners in the NBA complain about the "star system." It's plain as day to me. How many minutes did Jordan play, and how many times did he foul out? Is that a coincidence? Did he just not play defense? No, he was given more latitude defensively than anyone on the court, and he got more touch fouls on offense than anyone on the court.

How could anyone not see that? I still loved watching him though.

[sportsdude]

Re: Is Basketball Fixed?

There's definitely some star system. Remember a few years ago when Vince Carter started busting out? NBC played practically every Raptors game even if they were playing the worst team in the league. And anytime Carter did anything remotely cool, the commentators would jump all over his nuts like he just dunked from half court. I remember making fun of the NBA with friends about this same issue. Did anybody else notice this?

[Graphik]

Re: Is Basketball Fixed?

The NBA isdefetnitly bangwagon ready. Like madden said Sat, ppl gone start having ankle sprains jumping off so many wagons.
If a player is hot, he gets the juice. If he sucking, forget about him.

[Will]

Re: Is Basketball Fixed?

No doubt there's a star system in basketball. Same way there is in every other sport, also. Do I agree with it? No. Is it there, though? Yeah. Does that mean there's some big grand conspiracy going on? Absolutely not.

[Graphik]

Re: Is Basketball Fixed?

No conspirasy at all. Its just that refs are basiclly in charge of a teams momentum. And its up to the team to take control.

[Freelance]

Re: Is Basketball Fixed?

I don't see a star system in the NFL or NHL. I see a slight star system in baseball with the strike zone, but not as blatant as the NBA.

The NFL promotes its league first, the NBA promotes individual players first. The Bulls were secondary to Jordan, the Lakers are secondary to Shaq and Kobe.

But Farve is secondary to the Packers, as is Emmitt to the Cowboys.

In football, I never get the feeling that refs decide whether or not to call holding or whether or not a fumble occurred based on the player. If Emmitt fumbles, he fumbles. If Rice is out of bounds, he's out of bounds.

But in the NBA, it's all about the name on the back of the jersey at times.

[Graphik]

Re: Is Basketball Fixed?

Thats the truest statement I read so far in this thread.

[Padgoi]

Re: Is Basketball Fixed?

ERod, that was a very accurate statement. Unfortunately, in the NBA, it does depend on the name on the back of the jersey. And most of us feel that it isn't some type of grand conspiracy, but are we 100% sure? Hopefully it's not. But that is the point of the thread. Why is there a star system in basketball and not so much in other sports? Why does the NBA promote individuals over teams and over the actual league itself? And do you think a player has ever actually shaved points to cover a spread? Do you think maybe gamblers have a say in anything? Do you think any of the players have ever taken money from a gambler to shave some points? These are all questions that need answering, even though some of you (Will) may find them ridiculous. They are not completely unheard of. These things may indeed go on in professional sports.

[Freelance]

Re: Is Basketball Fixed?

Padgoi, I think you're stretching a bit on the point-spread thing and whatnot. That's a Pandora's Box that would eventually get uncovered, and the league would be finished financially from there.

It's college where I worry about Guido getting his hands on some kid at Creighton who has no NBA future and can make some money by missing a few shots.

NBA players are so unbelievably well-paid, that I think they'd be tough to buy off.

But keeping stars in games? Yep, I think there's a conscious effort. That, in turn, leads to a stilted "fixing" of a game because it can certianly help to determine an outcome.

However, I don't think it's about determining what teams will win and lose directly.

[Will]

Re: Is Basketball Fixed?

ERod, nice spin. I mean, yeah, if Emmitt fumbles, he fumbles, and if Rice steps on the line, he steps on the line. Do tell me the last time Kobe stepped out of bounds and it wasn't called, or the last time Jordan had a ball carom off his knee out of bounds and it wasn't called.

Watch any major receiver. They get away with push offs almost at will. Young receivers don't. If you even touch Brett Favre in the head, it's a penalty. You have much more freedom to hit a guy like Kelly Holcomb.

Same with hockey. How often is a guy like Lemieux called for anything? The only big name players that even get called for anything are those big names that made their name as being a punisher, guys like Claude Lemieux and Scott Stevens. You better not even touch the other guys.

My point is just that there's just as much of a star system in other sports, but you don't see it as often because it doesn't present itself as often. There's maybe 10 penalties a game in hockey, while there can easily be 40 in basketball. It's there, it's just not shoved down your throat like basketball.

[EWRMETS]

Re: Is Basketball Fixed?

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
It's college where I worry about Guido getting his hands on some kid at Creighton who has no NBA future and can make some money by missing a few shots.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Thanks EROD for offending all Italians.

[lakerfan617]

Re: Is Basketball Fixed?

i think that the star system comes from the pressure that the refs have to referee a game. home court advantage also comes in to play during close games or important games or calls. for example, in game 6, there was no doubt that kobe foulded bibby and practically broke his nose. but because that game was played in l.a., the refs just didn't call it. imagine wat the crowd would do and say about the ref if he did call it. the crowd would go beserk and that ref's life would be turned into a living hell. it's the pressure that comes from the crowd and that hom court backs up the superstars. that's why teams have great home records, but when they are away, the star players don' t get any advantage or

o by the way, if that fould was called, and bibby got to shoot freethrows, lakers would still have a 2 or 3 point lead and the win