More access to referees for fans and media?

[grunewar]

I know we don't talk too much NBE here. However, below is exerpt from USAToday article. Any thought on the last bullet? More access to refs? Wouldn't they have to answer questions on calls? Relationships with players and coaches? etc.

NBA referees' report concludes that Tim Donaghy acted alone:

The report's author, former federal prosecutor Lawrence Pedowitz, did make three recommendations to the NBA to improve the integrity of the game "and, yes, alter perceptions, if we can," in the wake of Donaghy's 15-month federal sentence for wire fraud and transmitting betting tips through interstate commerce:

• Create a hot line to anonymously raise questions about gambling and game-integrity issues.

• Beginning with this season's playoffs, make available any complaints the league receives about referees to the teams to avoid suspicions of bias.

• Provide more access to referees for fans and media.

Entire article is at: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baske...s-report_N.htm

[JRutledge]

These were for the most part suggestions. I do not recall that this was automatically going to be used or implemented.

Peace

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

These were for the most part suggestions. I do not recall that this was automatically going to be used or implemented.

Peace

JR - I understand that, I was just curious as to opinions on referees being "more accessible" more "public" figures.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by grunewar

JR - I understand that, I was just curious as to opinions on referees being "more accessible" more "public" figures.

I was just making that point clear. This tells me that most of these will not be implemented. They do not want the players talking about the NBA; you really think they want the officials talking about why someone got thrown out of a game? If the media wants to know what a call is or is not, pick up a rulebook. Until that happens, I do not see this taking place.

Peace

[Mark Padgett]

From the report:

• Beginning with this season's playoffs, make available any complaints the league receives about referees to the teams to avoid suspicions of bias.

What the heck does this mean? Are they going to set up an 800 number for fans to call to complain every time a call doesn't "go their way" and then send a record of all those calls to the teams? Then what? Have every team call back every complaining fan and say, for instance, "Yeah, you're right. He wasn't calling it both ways." This is just plain ridiculous.

• Provide more access to referees for fans and media.

Riiiiiight. Have officials hold "fan conferences" in the arenas after games to explain why "they didn't call it both ways".

Representatives of the fans already exist to ask these ridiculous questions. They're called "the media" and they seem to already have access.

[Scrapper1]

I heard about this on ESPN radio this afternoon. What a joke.

[BillyMac]

In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, officials can hold the post-game fan conference right after they hang around and observe the post-game handshake. By the time they get out of there, all the local establishments that offer adult beverages will be closed. This will cause a lot of officials to give up officiating.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I was just making that point clear. This tells me that most of these will not be implemented. They do not want the players talking about the NBA; you really think they want the officials talking about why someone got thrown out of a game? If the media wants to know what a call is or is not, pick up a rulebook. Until that happens, I do not see this taking place.

Peace

While I still can't believe refs will have "Press Conferences" which would be absurd IMO, here is an excerpt from another article today:

Stern promised to implement all the recommendations included in former federal prosecutor Lawrence Pedowitz’s review of the NBA’s referees operations department, the result of a 14-month probe that cost the league several million dollars.

The report recommended it include: a hot line to anonymously raise questions about gambling and game integrity issues; making available any complaints the league receives about refs—beginning in the 2008-09 playoffs—to both teams to avoid suspicions of bias; requiring officials to annually report their contacts among players and team personnel to the league so it can monitor fraternization.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slu...v=ap&type=lgns

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I was just making that point clear. This tells me that most of these will not be implemented. They do not want the players talking about the NBA; you really think they want the officials talking about why someone got thrown out of a game? If the media wants to know what a call is or is not, pick up a rulebook. Until that happens, I do not see this taking place.

Peace

It certainly wasn't unclear.

[rainmaker]

Originally Posted by grunewar

• Beginning with this season's playoffs, make available any complaints the league receives about referees to the teams to avoid suspicions of bias.

• Provide more access to referees for fans and media.

If I worked in the NBA, these would be deal breakers. No way I'd work under those conditions. Stern is just throwing the refs under the bus if he enacts these.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by grunewar

While I still can't believe refs will have "Press Conferences" which would be absurd IMO, here is an excerpt from another article today:

Stern promised to implement all the recommendations included in former federal prosecutor Lawrence Pedowitz’s review of the NBA’s referees operations department, the result of a 14-month probe that cost the league several million dollars.

The report recommended it include: a hot line to anonymously raise questions about gambling and game integrity issues; making available any complaints the league receives about refs—beginning in the 2008-09 playoffs—to both teams to avoid suspicions of bias; requiring officials to annually report their contacts among players and team personnel to the league so it can monitor fraternization.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slu...v=ap&type=lgns

I honestly hope you do not believe everything you read. There is no way that the union for the NBA Referees would allow this kind of situation the way this is being characterized. Mark my words; this would be a disaster if they wanted comments on every game and every play from the officials. There might be more openness, but not where you will see a press conference with the three officials standing up and making those comments.

Stern is just making the public think they are on top of a scandal. Do not believe the hype.

Peace

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by rainmaker

If I worked in the NBA, these would be deal breakers. No way I'd work under those conditions. Stern is just throwing the refs under the bus if he enacts these.

If you are making 6 figures officiating, I seriously doubt this would be a deal breaker.

Peace

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I honestly hope you do not believe everything you read. There is no way that the union for the NBA Referees would allow this kind of situation the way this is being characterized. Mark my words; this would be a disaster if they wanted comments on every game and every play from the officials. There might be more openness, but not where you will see a press conference with the three officials standing up and making those comments.

Stern is just making the public think they are on top of a scandal. Do not believe the hype.

Peace

Absolutely concur. I was just posting it as it was written. This would make their positions impossible. Time will tell what changes are implemented.....and much of the article specifically addresses gambling.

Ya mean everything I read on the internet isn't true? I am shocked, shocked I tell ya!

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by grunewar

Ya mean everything I read on the internet isn't true?

It's true if you read it on the Official Forum Basketball site.

[Bad Zebra]

Originally Posted by grunewar

• Provide more access to referees for fans and media.

What an absurd idea. But, it might be pretty funny to imagine some of the questions from the media:

Are you being paid by the winning team?

What is your eyesight? Do you wear contact lenses?

Is it true you roomed with Tim Donaghy in college?