Van Gundy backtracks on comments

[gostars]

Since the other thread has gotten so sidetracked I thought I'd post this in a new one.

Houston's Van Gundy backtracks on comments

05:25 PM CDT on Monday, May 9, 2005

Associated Press

NEW YORK – Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy backed off from comments that a referee told him Rockets center Yao Ming was being targeted by officials in the first round of the playoffs, the NBA said Monday.

The league said in a statement that it considered the matter closed. Van Gundy was fined $100,000 – the largest ever for a coach – after saying that a referee who was not working the playoffs told him that Yao was being targeted by officials following complaints by Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Houston's first-round opponent.

Van Gundy subsequently apologized publicly for the comments.

"(Van Gundy) has also confirmed directly to an NBA representative that, during the Houston/Dallas playoff series, he did not have any communication with a referee (working or non-working) other than, of course, during an ongoing game," NBA deputy commissioner Russ Granik said. "In fact, his only conversations with league employees during the series were with league personnel in the normal course.

"In light of these circumstances, we now consider the matter to be closed."

Van Gundy started the saga by telling three reporters at the team hotel in Dallas that a referee not working the playoffs called him after the Rockets went up 2-0 and warned that Yao was mentioned in an online evaluation from supervisor of officials Ronnie Nunn.

Van Gundy also told the reporters that referees "were looking at Yao harder because of Mark's complaints" to the league office, referring to Cuban.

Commissioner David Stern said an investigation into Van Gundy's remarks would continue once the Rockets were out of the playoffs. Houston was eliminated by the Mavericks in Game 7 of their first-round series on Saturday night.

Stern threatened more punishment – perhaps even banishment – if Van Gundy did not cooperate and reveal the name of referee who was the coach's source.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont....906bfa0a.html

[ChrisSportsFan]

So......he either lied then or he's lying now. Either way, what credibility does he have? Kinda reminds me of the little boy who cried wolf.

As far as other people wanting to cover the fine for him, it seems like not much of a punishment if rich businessmen are willing to step in and cover your fines. Maybe this is a lesson for Stern that the next penalty needs to be tripled if people are going to pay it for him, and then they need to give the $ to a charity.

[Jurassic Referee]

The story that I read said that Van Gundy is now saying that it wasn't a referee in the first place; it was a "league official"- as in somebody on the NBA paid staff. I don't think that it should really matter to Stern. His staff shouldn't be spreading those stories either. But......apparently the NBA don't care now as long as it wasn't a member of the officiating staff.

This one smells to high heaven now. Not sure I believe this latest spin at all.

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by ChrisSportsFan
As far as other people wanting to cover the fine for him, it seems like not much of a punishment if rich businessmen are willing to step in and cover your fines. Maybe this is a lesson for Stern that the next penalty needs to be tripled if people are going to pay it for him, and then they need to give the $ to a charity.

I once read that fines were deducted from a player's/coach salary and sent to the league. I don't know if that is true. But if someone "reimbursed" him for the fine, I beleive that would be considered income and be taxable. It's difficult to hide a $100K gift.

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by Jurassic Referee
The story that I read said that Van Gundy is now saying that it wasn't a referee in the first place; it was a "league official"- as in somebody on the NBA paid staff. I don't think that it should really matter to Stern. His staff shouldn't be spreading those stories either. But......apparently the NBA don't care now as long as it wasn't a member of the officiating staff.

This one smells to high heaven now. Not sure I believe this latest spin at all.

I'm with you, this is the worst possible outcome, neither side looks good.

Looks like everyone concerned is just hoping the entire mess just goes away and we can get on with hoping there's a fight during the Indy/Detroit series.

[Mark Dexter]

Originally posted by BktBallRef

I once read that fines were deducted from a player's/coach salary and sent to the league. I don't know if that is true. But if someone "reimbursed" him for the fine, I beleive that would be considered income and be taxable. It's difficult to hide a $100K gift.

From what I've been hearing - when Yao Ming offered to pay half the fine - it's also against NBA rules. Dealing with Stern is bad enough, I wouldn't want to bring in the IRS!

[Nevadaref]

Originally posted by Mark Dexter

From what I've been hearing - when Yao Ming offered to pay half the fine - it's also against NBA rules. Dealing with Stern is bad enough, I wouldn't want to bring in the IRS!

Well according to a court ruling some years back, fines are tax deductible because they were deemed a business expense, so if someone else pays him back he is in exactly the same salary situation as before the fine as far as the IRS is concerned.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally posted by Nevadaref
[/B]

Well according to a court ruling some years back, fines are tax deductible because they were deemed a business expense, so if someone else pays him back he is in exactly the same salary situation as before the fine as far as the IRS is concerned.

[/B][/QUOTE]Charles Barkley made that point years ago about fines being tax deductible. That's why it never bothered him much at all when he was playing when he got up into the 6-7 figure range annually for fines.

Tax wise, I think that a "loss of income" levy from being suspended from games with the accompanying payroll loss might be handled differently from a tax deduction standpoint. Iow, I don't think that Ron Artest is deducting anything from his income, mainly because I don't think that he is getting an income while he's suspended. I don't know for sure exactly how that works though.

[Jurassic Referee]

This one just keeps getting better. Now the National Basketball Referees Association wants Van Gundy to be fired. The NBRA said in in a statement "Van Gundy flat out lied to the public and in the process he called into question the reputation of all game officials and the integrity of the game itself". Strong words. Apparently David Stern has now said "Never mind". It's OK for a league official to do that, and Van Gundy is off the hook for any further repercussions. Kinda tells you where the officials stand on the NBA totem pole, doesn't it?

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baske...larifies_x.htm

[Edited by Jurassic Referee on May 10th, 2005 at 06:20 AM]

[FrankHtown]

OK, let me give you the biased Houston view. The NBA just wants to sweep this under the rug. This was the equivalent of a "plea agreement" with neither side acknowledging what really happened. Van Gundy says it was a "league official," whatever that means. The NBA is taking the position it wasn't a referee, so the "integrity" of the game has not been besmirched. So, I guess we'll really never know if the NBA referee's web site said "Watch Yao Ming" or "watch for illegal screens from seven foot chinese centers."

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by Nevadaref

Well according to a court ruling some years back, fines are tax deductible because they were deemed a business expense, so if someone else pays him back he is in exactly the same salary situation as before the fine as far as the IRS is concerned.

Except for this:

http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/...=98968,00.html

[Edited by Dan_ref on May 10th, 2005 at 09:50 AM]

[OldCoachNewRef]

Van Gundy was fired today!

[Goose]

I wonder if Stern uncovered anything that would make him accept the other cheek? Maybe a rather large rathole?

Seems kind of comical now that he was up in arms about the statement and then VG apologizes and all is well with the world...ahem, NBA. But now the ref's are crying foul. Our integrity is at stake! Will anyone listen, or take them seriously? If the league does not, that will just show you what the league thinks of its officials.

Famous near last lines of the black knight from Monty Python's "Holy Grail"...."this nothing but a flesh wound!" Play on!

goose

[ChuckElias]

Originally posted by OldCoachNewRef
Van Gundy was fired today!

[JRutledge]

The NBA Official's Union wants Van Gundy fired. He has not been fired from the Rockets at all.

Peace