[/B][/QUOTE]
Hey Larry, this is pure fan-speak. What do you mean the
Mavs couldn't buy a call? What do you mean calls were going
their way after they earned their keep? Perception is
reality? How about if Mark Cuban makes a statement
that the refs have nothing to do with his team's lack of
success. You think that would change the current
perception? Maybe a little? Anyway my take on this is
that Mark Cuban will eventually learn to keep his mouth shut
or he'll disappear. I doubt the NBA wants owners to
have their advertising centered on how biased the refs
are. [/B][/QUOTE]
Dan,
You need to remember when the season started last year I was only a fan. I also said the NBA officials are the best there is, which in hind sight may not be true because there may be better officials who have no desire to call the pro game. Before anyone ask; no I cannot name specific instances of early season and late season calls. But you only have to had watch the games to see Mav players not get called for something in the late season games (when they were in the playoff hunt) that was called in the early season games. Were they better? Maybe. Was it a different crew with different philosophies? Probably. Did they have a better view than a guy watching on TV? ABSO-DAMN-LUTELY!!!
I stand by my comment that perception is reality. If a group of people thinks you're a jerk...you're a jerk to them. If a group of people thinks you're fair and above reproach...you're fair and above reproach to them. If a group of people thinks the league "protects" certain players...they do to that group of people. I does not matter what the facts are. The league (or the individual) needs to figure out how to correct their erroneous perception (if they value that group). That is true in basketball, business, politics and life. Why do you think some people love Bill Clinton and some hate him? Perception. Why do some think Bush stole the election and others think Gore tried to steal the election? Perception. You could also call it bias.
As for making Cuban disappear, when was the last time the league stripped the owner of a franchise? I don't see him selling anytime soon. If he "disappears", my guess would be that 50% of the disinterested observers of the NBA would instantly become "convinced" that Cuban was right and they had to shut him up.
By the way, the Mavericks are having HUGE success compared to the last 10 years. I think Cuban is happy for this year. I also think you will see him "clean up". It only took the other Dallas owner (the one from Arkansas) a short period of time before he hired a
PR firm to help him. Trouble is he fired them and won't hire them back.