Ref Scandal Returns

Sorry about not getting the blog in the books yesterday. We have had some awful weather of late here in Southern Ontario and needed to get some stuff done while there was sunlight. That combined with the fact anything I wrote would have been old news fast with game 3 going on last night. However despite the Lakers Game 3 win the talk is about playoffs past as oppossed to the Lakers vs Celtics Final. You remember Tim Donaghy? He is that dirty ref that was at the center of the Ref Scandal that rocked the NBA last summer. I was always suprised how the NBA was able to keep this story out of the news through majority of the season. I expected it to be a bigger story and have an impact on this season. The one thing that can impact any sport is the idea that games are not played fairly. But to my suprise David Stern was able to get people back and focused on the game. He told us all that the NBA took this matter seriously and that from what he had learned based on the federal investigation was that this was one bad apple in the NBA Referee roster.

That bad apple being Tim Donaghy. Well Donaghy now is talking and making some claims that the league had agendas for playoff series. He makes reference to series in 2002 and 2005. Saying the NBA wanted certain teams to win and directed officals to not make calls against the teams they wanted to win. Do we believe him? Keep in mind that Donaghy is still to be punished for his crimes and has yet to get a sentance for his crimes. I watched Larry King last night and saw wrestler Hulk Hogan try to do damage control over the arrest and of his son that caused injury to the passenger in his sports car after the car they were driving smashed into a tree in a street race gone wrong. Nick is now in jail for an 8 month prison stay he was given in a Florida Court. Hogan put on a performance last night that was better than any he had in a WWE ring. After all their is still a civil suit to be settled based on his son’s actions. People will always do what they can to protect their own backside and that of people close to them. It is human nature to do so. Tim Donaghy is no different from that is he? I would take this much more seriously if not for a couple facts. The one I mentioned that he has yet to be punished for his crimes yet and it is clear he will do what he can to reduce that punishment as much as he can. This is a guy that cheated and lied and now we are suppose to buy what he is selling? Second thing that I find fishy is the timing of all of this. The NBA Finals are going on and he takes this time to share these damaging statements with authorities? Why could he not have made the same statement months ago? It seems far to staged that this happens in the middle of the NBA marquee event of the NBA Finals.

What I hope comes out of this is it makes David Stern step up his promises of a more open system when it comes to how the game is called. The time has come in all sports for referees to have accountability to their actions on the floor. If we can have instant replay in sports would it kill anyone to have a 5 minute press event where refs could answer media questions after a game? The time has come for Refs to speak and have a voice. My father as I mentioned use to be an umpire of baseball and softball and I know he took the integrity of that job seriously as do the people that make a full time living at it. They deserve the right to defend their actions or admit to mistakes they have made. We hold governments accountable for their actions and many other organizations of people. So why should we not have that for Refs.

The two series that are in dispute are the Lakers vs Kings Conference Final of 2002 and a Houston vs Dallas series in 2005. For more on this here is an Article from ESPN on the Finals and this Topic.

Game 3 Of The Finals

The Lakers are not claiming scandal but they were less than happy with the job being done in games 1 and 2 by the Refs. They would be more pleased to get more chances at the charity stripe in this game but did not make them count. In fact both teams struggled from the line. But Kobe Bryant finally found a Robin to his Batman in this game. Don’t ask Sasha Vujacic about Paris Hilton. Also don’t ask Paris to spell his name. But he would be happy to talk about his performance in game number 3. He was big for the Lakers in getting them their first win of the NBA Finals.

The list of walking wounded also grew for the Celtics in this game. Paul Pierce may not be as injured as we might have thought. Rajon Rondo however it would appear is though. He was coming off a great performance in game 2 and turned his ankle in the second half. Going to the locker room without the fanfare of Pierce and returning with even less. He did not play much after he came back to the bench and did not have the miracle like recovery of Pierce. Kendrick Perkins is also suffering with an ankle issue as well. Should this series get extended you have to think the growing amount of walking wounded for the Celtics is going to have an impact.

Still the pressure remains on the Lakers to hold serve so to speak on their home court. A loss would mean having to win both game 6 and 7 in Boston which would seem to be a task that not even Kobe Bryant would be able to pull off.

Raptors Know Something We Don’t?

I admit that I am far from an insider when it comes to the Toronto Raptors. I do pay attention to what is going on though. The Raptors were scheduled to hold draft workouts in Buffalo on Thursday and they have been cancelled. Does this mean Raptors have found their man? Does it mean they may be looking to move out or up in the draft and are quietly scouting up the draft board. The Raptors staff is spread out all over the globe at this point. It also has seemed odd that they have looked at a lot of guys that many have pegged for the second round at best. The Raptors currently have no second round pick. So why?  People might think it means they are going to acquire a second round pick as part of a trade and it seems like that would make some sense based on the people they have been looking at.

If there is no secret plans at work, Chris Douglas Robert and Robin Lopez have to feel good about thier chances to be a Raptor as they were the two big names that the Raptors have seen that could be in the range of their current pick at #17. But something says to me the process to this draft is going to be a bit more of mystery from past seasons. Last season there was none of this speculation and drama as the Raptors did not even have a pick going into draft night. They would acquire a late 2nd round pick to draft a player out of Greece that they like. But it was far less exciting.

I may be jumping the gun based on just a work out being cancelled but it does seem strange. That being said these things are very hard to work out to get guys in and out of town. They are like traveling salesmen and scheduling can be a nightmare to see some of these draft eligable players. The other thing of course is when the heck is Roy Hibbert coming. I mean this is no secret that I like this guy and no workout with Raptors? None that we know of anyway. Another draft dream for me down the tubes. 15 more days and we will all find out what the Raptors have been up to as far as the draft goes. Hopefully you will join us all for the Dino Nation Draft Party on June 26th. You don’t need to share your food or bring your own drinks just sit right in front of same screen you are reading this from. Make sure you can see you T.V too. This will be the start of a lot of interactive oppurtunties that will be a very big part of what I will being doing next year. Also you can bring as many friends to this party as you like in fact that is part of why I am doing it to bring more people into the Dino Nation Blog family and have a chance to interact with all of you that are part of it now.

 

Tags: Celtics, Chris Douglas-Roberts, David Stern, Dino Nation Blog Draft Party, Kobe Bryant, Lakers, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Raptors Draft 08, Raptors Offseason, Ref Scandal, Robin Lopez, Sasha Vujacic, Tim Donaghy