An Open Letter to David Stern

[NoraG1]

I still say it's massively hypocritical for any Celtic fan to blame the refs for a loss when we went to the finals in 2008 and 2010, won a title in 2008... and our competition has complained about ref bias favoring Boston at countless points during those runs.

So what if it did? Nobody is saying it's good when we get special treatment.

Most people who are unhappy with officiating want the games to be called fairly for both teams.

I'd also like to say that not all complaints against officiating are based in reality. This does not mean every complaint is invalid or baseless.

I really believe the refs call the game as fair as they came.  There is an element of human error, but it isn't malicious... and it's been happening forever.  Just part of the game.  You win some due to bad calls and you lose some due to bad calls.  I think it's gotten better than it was in the past, because there are some uses of "instant replay" and such.  Boring subject.  Heat won.  Let's try to win the next two.

Wow. Just wow. What in the world WOULD it take for you to consider that the refs were at least partly to blame? Obviously nothing. This is the kind of thing that allows Stern and refs to do whatever they want. People who look away when things are blatantly wrong.

[CoachBo]

It's a little disingenuous, frankly, to claim that because we went to the Finals in 2008 and 2010 we have no legitimate complaints against calls that target momentum - Game 1 - and were flatly badly missed - Game 2.

That's a classic apples to oranges argument. The Finals in 2008 and 2010 have absolutely nothing to do with what has occurred in this series, as they should not.

[Frontierboy]

NBA isn't going to respond with anything besides a "canned" letter that they send to everyone.

Corporate america man.... can't fight THE MAN.

[indeedproceed]

It's a little disingenuous, frankly, to claim that because we went to the Finals in 2008 and 2010 we have no legitimate complaints against calls that target momentum - Game 1 - and were flatly badly missed - Game 2.

That's a classic apples to oranges argument. The Finals in 2008 and 2010 have absolutely nothing to do with what has occurred in this series, as they should not.

If you want to talk about calls in a vacuum, then yes. The tone of the thread (and the mood on the site in general) has been speaking to an alleged maliciousness and possible conspiracy behind the calls, and to that end 08 and 2010 definitely matter.  

[Celtics18]

I've always believe that whenever the Celtics lose, it's because the game is rigged.  When the Celtics win, it's because we deserve it.

[NoraG1]

It's a little disingenuous, frankly, to claim that because we went to the Finals in 2008 and 2010 we have no legitimate complaints against calls that target momentum - Game 1 - and were flatly badly missed - Game 2.

That's a classic apples to oranges argument. The Finals in 2008 and 2010 have absolutely nothing to do with what has occurred in this series, as they should not.

If you want to talk about calls in a vacuum, then yes. The tone of the thread (and the mood on the site in general) has been speaking to an alleged maliciousness and possible conspiracy behind the calls, and to that end 08 and 2010 definitely matter.  

Well, the league wants to see Celtics and Lakers in the finals too. But they can't make that happen every year either. The reason we are talking so much about what happened in game 2 and the bad calls against the C's is because it happened most recently. You know the refs are doing their job when nobody knows their names.

[jarufu]

Dear Mr Stern,

You are entirely missing the point!  You're a businessman and I cannot believe that the path to more dollars is not staring you in the face!

If the officiating in the NBA is a laughing stock, don't defend it .. market it.

Here is my idea (please note that I have written down this idea and sent it to myself in a sealed envelope - which I believe constitutes a copyright) .. Guest Referees!  Just think of the possibilities?!

Announcer:  "Aaaannnd tonight your guest referees (btw by the second season these will be called "Guest-erees") are .. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Carmen Electra and the winner of Survivor series 12 (in the first year the celebrities will be z-list but it will pick up)"

Think of it, Dave, a Kardashian in the second season of "Guest-erees"!  Better yet, tie in another reality show .. Some teams could have semi-permanent Guest-erees (I bet Lyndsey Lohan would jump at the Clippers Guest-eree gig) ..

Okay, you might have to go through a couple of cringe-worthy moments where the smaller teams guest refs are three girls from the nearest Hooters, but the possibilities are endless!!

Dave, you know it's better for dollars-in-your-pocket than bald guys running up and down the court with Vegas on direct-dial, you know it!

I expect a direct reply from your personal mailbox tomorrow.

J

[angryguy77]

I still say it's massively hypocritical for any Celtic fan to blame the refs for a loss when we went to the finals in 2008 and 2010, won a title in 2008... and our competition has complained about ref bias favoring Boston at countless points during those runs.

So what if it did? Nobody is saying it's good when we get special treatment.

Most people who are unhappy with officiating want the games to be called fairly for both teams.

I'd also like to say that not all complaints against officiating are based in reality. This does not mean every complaint is invalid or baseless.

I really believe the refs call the game as fair as they came.  There is an element of human error, but it isn't malicious... and it's been happening forever.  Just part of the game.  You win some due to bad calls and you lose some due to bad calls.  I think it's gotten better than it was in the past, because there are some uses of "instant replay" and such.  Boring subject.  Heat won.  Let's try to win the next two.

Even so, if it's human error it's still a problem. I see no valid reason why games cannot be called correctly. Refs can be trained to do a better job, yet we don't see the league doing that. There is just no reason for games to be officiated so bad. We see it every year, yet we don't see anything done to fix it.

College ball doesn't seem to suffer from this as often as the pros do. I don't understand why the league cannot be more consistent when it comes to officiating. There will always be bad calls, but games like the one on Wed should never happen in the playoffs when you have the "best" refs calling the game. Do you really think that if it had been James who was hit in the face at that moment in the game instead of Rondo that the whistle wouldn't have been blown? That play encompassed everything that is wrong with this league.Of course that wasn't the only reason we lost, I don't believe one play determines a game. But I do believe the sum of calls throughout a given game can influence the outcome-intentional or not.

I cannot tell you how many people have told me they can't get into the NBA because of superstar rules and games like the one on Wed. There is a reason the NBA has this stigma, it just didn't appear out of thin air. If I was commissioner, I wouldn't want the integrity of the game to be called into question. I'd do everything I could to make sure there is no favoritism, and that each team would have a fair shake.

I'd bet if you took a person who has a grasp of the rules to a game, they would ask you why is player "x" allowed to palm, push off etc while the other players are not. I believe this league could be much more popular if they made a serious effort to call the games even.
 
I'm not saying there is a conspiracy against the Celtics. But this system is broken, this fixable problem that isn't being addressed is just as bad as a conspiracy in my book.

[Celtics4ever]

I still say it's massively hypocritical for any Celtic fan to blame the refs for a loss when we went to the finals in 2008 and 2010, won a title in 2008... and our competition has complained about ref bias favoring Boston at countless points during those runs.

They still gave more help to LeBron that us that year.   They really helped him why don't you post his FTAs to ours, I dare you too.   I think you will eat your words.   

Human error does not account for a guy getting hit in the face and three guys calling nothing.