Is David Stern, Evil?

[freshinthehouse]

What a crap thread this is!

Ofcourse Stern fixes everything. THat's why the Spurs won 4 championships since 1999, that's why the Pistons beat the Lakers in 2004,that's why we won in 2008, that's why the Mavericks won in 2011, that's why LJ didn't win anything up till now! Do I have to continue?

You people are pathetic, get a life!

TP.  Take off the tinfoil hats, people.

[Josh88]

Also, people always refer to that Kings-Lakers game. While something was obviously up with that game, it's not like that was the only one. Game 6 of the '02 Celtics-Nets series was almost just as bad. There were about 8 charges/blocks that were wrongly called in New Jersey's favor in that game, plus a number of other calls. And every time Boston has faced LeBron in the playoffs, it has been worse than the WWE. And need I mention the 4th quarter of Game 7 of the '10 Finals?

It honestly baffles me how there is so much obvious evidence pointing toward this, but people continually shrug it off.

Because it's utter nonsense just like 99.9% of conspiracy theories. You disregard any evidence that doesn't support your theory, and then focus on a few examples to reach a conclusion that makes no sense.

What possible motive would Stern have for wanting the Nets to face the Lakers in the 2002 Finals instead of the Celtics? What possible reason would he have for wanting the Lakers to win game 7 of the Finals in 2010 instead of the Celtics?

NBA basketball is a difficult sport to call, there's a certain degree of subjectivity involved and sometimes bad calls are made, that's all there is to it.

[Celtics4ever]

Stern, is pure unadulterated evil.  Here is your proof.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/David-Stern-is-the-devil/172882242797778

[mgent]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRDV7ltMhuM
.

[StartOrien]

David Stern is terrific at his job.

[MBz]

David Stern is terrific at his job.

I wouldn't go that far, but I don't think he's evil either.  I think he's been good, but not great.  I also think there should be some sort of limit to how long you can remain commissioner of a professional sports league.  Eventually, I feel like these guys get too comfortable with officials, changes, etc.  With that being said, the officiating and style of play in the NBA is the biggest problem, not David Stern.  The celtics style of play is a big problem in the league, we love to watch them, but most people don't want to watch the defensive basketball game.  They want to see them pushing the ball up and down the court.

[Eja117]

David Stern is terrific at his job.

That doesn't mean others couldn't be more terrific. And he hasn't done a good job of creating a league where people trust the results and the methods.

And it's not so much any one issue...it's the lying.

Like when he insists they have the best officials in the world. If he just wouldn't say anything, or would stick to a script about doing their best to get good officials and would hold them accountable publicly like he holds players accountable publicly it would be different. But instead he acts like they're a combination of his kids and the dauphine of France.

Also the refs are answerable to only him. If he would give up some power maybe....do less things ...like the draft lottery..... behind closed doors

But no. He's terrific in a don't look behind that curtain sort of way. Which isn't terrific at all

[Celtic]

[angryguy77]

anyone who allows the likes of Joey Crawford to remain employed is pretty evil in my book.

I don't know one way or the other, but the league has a problem and he does nothing to fix it. Why are refs assignments kept secret? Why is it so hard to hire officials who won't give special treatment to stars?

He may not be evil, but he is incompetent which is just as bad in my book.

[csfansince60s]

A lot of NBA execs think so, at least according to WoJ:

http://www.businessinsider.com/nba-lottery-rigged-2012-5

Here's the money paragraph from Wojnarowski:

The reaction of several league executives was part disgust, part resignation on Wednesday night. So many had predicted this happening, so many suspected that somehow, someway, the Hornets would walk away with Davis. That's the worst part for the NBA; these aren't the railings from the guy sitting at the corner tavern, but the belief of those working within the machinery that something undue happened here, that they suspect it happens all the time under Stern.

The Hornets only had a 13.7% chance of winning the lottery.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/nba-lottery-rigged-2012-5#ixzz1wSc76EXk

[gar]

Absolutely! Just ask Sports Nation

[celtics2]

Stern is definitely into bigger things than Basketball and in up to his waist in dung.

[mctyson]

I remember watching that Kings-Lakers game, every minute of it.  I was rooting for the Kings, because I viewed C-Webb as some sort of hero in an evil Greek tragedy, and I wanted to see the poor guy finally exercise the demons he built at Michigan.

It is still the the worst officiated game I have ever seen in any sport, and there is no doubt the officials were biased for the Lakers.

[csfansince60s]

David Stern is terrific at his job.

....as is (was) Vince McMahon.

[LarBrd33]

Definitely not.  Stern is fantastic.  Only thing I'm upset about is that he didn't do more to keep the Sonics in Seattle... but I hope that eventually he'll bring a team back to Seattle.

It's funny that when that vetoed trade happened everyone was like, "STERN IS EVIL!  HE SCREWED THE HORNETS!!! HOW DARE HE!! HE'S SELFISH AND EVIL AND HATES THE LAKERS AND KILLED THE HORNETS AS A RESULT!!"... even though it was a perfectly logical veto for an ownership group to make.  It would have saddled the Hornets with 60+ million of salary committed to mediocre players in their 30s (Kevin Martin, Luis Scola and Lamar Odom).  That wouldn't have turned them into a contender.  That wouldn't have sold tickets.  That wouldn't have done anything to alleviate the team's financial woes (they had been losing money every year).  It was a dumb trade proposed by a dumb GM and Stern had to kill it.   Flash forward several months and the Hornets win the Anthony Davis lotto.  Now it's "STERN IS EVIL!! HE FIXED THE LOTTO FOR THE HORNETS!!!".  GIve me a break.  They were transparent from the start that they'd want draft picks, cap relief and young talent for CHris Paul.  This is the "no-brainer" approach to rebuilding a team that loses a top 5 franchise player.  You don't just plug in a Luis Scola for a Chris Paul and expect results.  The lotto is a transparent event with media present.. the Hornets won a "base case scenario"... now they will build around 23 year old Eric Gordon, potential phenom Anthony Davis, the #10 pick and cap flexibility.  Can't have it both ways... Stern does his job well. 

On the ref thing.   That's equally stupid.  People claimed he fixed it for the Heat in 2006.  People claimed he fixed it for the Celtics in 2008.  People claimed he "screwed the Lakers" in the veto just a couple years after Kobe won his 5th title (a path paved with sketchy ref calls dating all the way back to Sacramento)...  Then last year the Heat lose in the Finals.  If Stern is evil... he appears to operate very randomly and we all seem to benefit from his evilness.