N/S But Kinda, Former NBA Ref Discusses How NBA Influenced Officiating/Outcomes (1 Viewer)

[SaintsFanInLA]

Whether you find him credible or not, listening to Tim Donaghy should at least give you pause.

At around the 20:08 mark he talks about how former Ref Dick Bavetta said that he was put on Game 6's to make Game 7's because that was more revenue.
At about 22:30 he talks about how the league before games would show tapes to refs indicating what calls to focus on and that these calls would favor the team behind in the series.
He also mentions once when NBA Commissioner David Stern was asked what the ideal Finals would look like, and his response was "The Lakers vs The Lakers"...he said that this would directly impact the ref decisions when making calls.

He also mentioned how the owners hated Mark Cuban because Cuban would send videos of poor calls and as a result the officials had to be more accountable and actually study film on making correct calls; EVEN THOUGH HE WAS RIGHT. So, they hated him for making them have to spend more effort doing their job.

The point I am making is, there doesn't have to be a GRAND CONSPIRACY against any one team, like say the Saints, but if the league finds one outcome more desirable, it can do things to influence it. And the thing is, people can SEE with their own eyes that something looks fishy and here come the "Smartest Guy In The Room" Types to tell everyone who believes their own eyes, how stupid they are and how they need tinfoil hats.

It is entirely possible that officials can influence games without there being some great A HA it's rigged theory.

 

[CDeuce26]

Thank you! People have been calling us “conspiracy theorists” for thinking there is a possibility of bias and referees may influence outcomes of games. I think it is naive to think that it is NOT possible and to just blindly accept the results. NBA games have been influenced by officiating and it is entirely possible that this occurs or has occurred in the NFL.

 

[SaintJ]

Whether you find him credible or not, listening to Tim Donaghy should at least give you pause.

At around the 20:08 mark he talks about how former Ref Dick Bavetta said that he was put on Game 6's to make Game 7's because that was more revenue.
At about 22:30 he talks about how the league before games would show tapes to refs indicating what calls to focus on and that these calls would favor the team behind in the series.
He also mentions once when NBA Commissioner David Stern was asked what the ideal Finals would look like, and his response was "The Lakers vs The Lakers"...he said that this would directly impact the ref decisions when making calls.

He also mentioned how the owners hated Mark Cuban because Cuban would send videos of poor calls and as a result the officials had to be more accountable and actually study film on making correct calls; EVEN THOUGH HE WAS RIGHT. So, they hated him for making them have to spen more effort doing their job.

The point I am making is, there doesn't have to be a GRAND CONSPIRACY against any one team, like say the Saints, but if the league finds one outcome more desirable, it can do things to influence it. And the thing is, people can SEE with their own eyes that something looks fishy and here come the "Smartest Guy In The Room" Types to tell everyone who believes their own eyes, how stupid they are and how they need tinfoil hats.

It is entirely possible that officials can influence games without there being some great A HA it's rigged theory.

I am sure that the NFL's sending four L.A. area-based refs to the NFCCG, led by a guy for whom the Rams were 0-8 when he called their games, was a fairly clear signal.

Especially when there was a game they could have worked in Kansas City that day.

 

[efil4stnias]

Thank you! People have been calling us “conspiracy theorists” for thinking there is a possibility of bias and referees may influence outcomes of games. I think it is naive to think that it is NOT possible and to just blindly accept the results. NBA games have been influenced by officiating and it is entirely possible that this occurs or has occurred in the NFL.

We ruined Favre's farewell in 2009. That is what the NFL wanted.

So much so, the following off season the NFL REVISED the overtime rule that had been in place for almost 2 decades.

For all those who clammor on about "human mistakes", they conveniently leave out "human nature".

The NFL could do themselves a big favor and reign this in.

 

[DaveXA]

The first thing that comes to my mind were the reports of Payton sending film of bad calls to the league office. I'm sure other coaches do it as well, but I figure the officials resent being held accountable or being questioned, so retaliation is plausible imo.

As for the rest of it. I say it's hardly surprising considering the stakes and amount of money involved. Every sport is susceptible to stuff like this. The question is how pervasive is it?

 

[efil4stnias]

And as indicated by Stern, leagues love nothing more than their storied franchises to be on top.

Same holds true for the NFL.