This article is pretty amazing in it's cynicism, but after reading Donaghy it seems plausible. http://bleacherreport.com/tb/b1m13
If the NBA weren't around I'd probably not follow any sport aside from Duck football. They'll need to do some damage control before things get out of hand. Once that happens, Greg should start averaging more minutes since the refs seem to have it out for him (some of the time).
I knew it was a joke after Steve Smith got hammered with under 2 minutes were left in Game 7 of the 2000 WCF and no foul was called. An obvious foul, and no whistle. Hello, rigged NBA. It's been entertainment for me from that point forward. Do some of you still take this stuff seriously?
After the Donaghy leaks, my interest in the game has waned. A combination of a passable product marred by an obvious manipulation of the game by the refs (I'm looking at you, Denver game) has left me almost completely cold to this season. I have half a mind to sell or give away the rest of my tickets and punch the clock out of this sport. But this may be late-night misanthropy brought on by severe writer's block.
I've been suspicious ever seen the series in Utah when Malone got to play face surgeon with his elbows on Brian Grant, while Grant got whistled for technical fouls on pump fakes. However, I think my noticing had more to do with me turning a certain age and being more aware of the world around me than a particular shift in the NBA itself. That being said, that article was stupid, and should hardly be taken seriously. Yes, cynicism is probably at an all time high, but do we need Collin Gutman, a "senior in Pierson College" to tell us this? No.
I've been suspicious ever seen the series in Utah when Malone got to play face surgeon with his elbows on Brian Grant, while Grant got whistled for technical fouls on pump fakes. However, I think my noticing had more to do with me turning a certain age and being more aware of the world around me than a particular shift in the NBA itself. That being said, that article was stupid, and should hardly be taken seriously. Yes, cynicism is probably at an all time high, but do we need Collin Gutman, a "senior in Pierson College" to tell us this? No.
Well my point is when writers at small college papers are chiming in on this then the cynicism has really percolated down. Something tells me this guy isn't a super sports guy and yet he still feels obligated to throw in his two cents on the subject. I was making an over arching commentary about cynicism in the league. I agree with the poster that said the league better back the F off all the manipulation and show some CONCRETE attempt to police the refs done in a transparent manner or the whole thing is going to go rotten. As it is you get fined for criticising the refs and there is no transparent effort to show why the calls happen the way they do. That alone makes me suspicious, combine that with Donaghy and that Ex-FBI agent who worked on the Gambino and WTC bombing cases as a specialist in organized crime and I start to become more then suspicious. Watching the league post "replacement refs" has made me more, not less suspicious and cynical about manipulation.
Want me to PM you my address? I did nominate your for mod after all... I find it odd that Oden had virtually no foul trouble in the preseason (granted, it was preseason) and now is fouling like crazy.
no doubt... he's just arriving at the cynical view of the league that other non-college seniors have held for a decade plus. And whats with his odd closing reference about Rasheed and violence... Sheed's a hot head (of course) but violent? STOMP
I absolutely agree. His obvious lack of sports knowledge makes the article even more telling in a pulse of America kind of way. MrSelfDestruct makes a good point about Oden dominating in pre-season and having very little if any foul trouble. Now that the "real" refs are back he can't stay on the court.
