Questionable Officiating, Ever-Important Entertainment Value are Impacting Sports
Posted by Adam Butler on June 25, 2012
Special to BlogHawgs
By Tony Woodside
In the aftermath of the Arkansas Razorbacks controversial elimination from the 2012 College World Series last weekend, I have repeatedly heard people comment, “The officials aren’t supposed to determine the outcomes of games.”
My response is, “Yes, they are.”
Do I LIKE that they are? No. Not at all. But the reality is that officials, referees, umpires, etc. are put in place to do a “job”; they are told to do certain things; and like it or not officials are part of the game now, not just the players.
I know that it’s upsetting to be a fan and lose like Arkansas did Friday. But that’s the world we live in.
I’ve watched sports very closely for more than 30 years; I remember the days of having to stay up until after the 10:00 news to watch the NBA Playoffs because they were shown on tape delay; that’s how long I’ve watched the NBA.
I’ve played sports, covered them as a sportswriter and worked in the University of Arkansas Athletic Department. From my observations, at some point (I do not know when), “sports” became more about “entertainment/business” than “competition.”
NBA Commissioner David Stern has on many occasions been asked about the NBA being rigged. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him deny it; he either gets upset and doesn’t answer the question, or he goes in the opposite direction and laughs it off, essentially saying conspiracies make for good conversation.
The aptly named Stern runs his business–the NBA– with a stern hand, making it clear to even the game’s elite players that he is in charge.
According to Yahoo! Sports Adrian Wojnarowski, at the 2011 All-Star Game, Stern had a meeting with the All-Stars and told them he knows “where the bodies are buried” because he is the one who has buried them.
“It was shocking,” 2011 NBA MVP Derrick Rose said. “I was taking off my gear, and when he said that, I just stopped and thought, ‘Whoa …’ I couldn’t believe that he said it.”
Others agree with Stern. In July 2011 on TrueHoop Blog, Matt Moore (CBS Sports) wrote: “The NBA has a right to run its business towards profit and to act in its own self-interest.”
On the same blog, Zach Harper wrote: “Ultimately, the league (NBA) can do whatever they want because it’s their business, not ours.” Harper continued: people choose “which teams to root for and how personally we take the product they put out there…It’s about running a business the best way they see fit for their own gain.”
I think that pretty much sums it up. Sports is an entertainment business now, not solely about competition, and the people who run these businesses feel that they have the right to determine what routes their companies take.
ESPN, of course, stands for ENTERTAINMENT and Sports Programming Network.
I’m not saying that things are rigged or choreographed to the point of pro wrestling…yet… and several years ago, I wouldn’t have believed what I’ve just written. But I’ve seen way too many thing to come to any other conclusion than sports is now more about entertainment and compelling storylines than competition.
And, as the Hogs found out Friday, sometimes that leads to results straight out of the K Zone Twilight Zone.
Maukavelli said
Wait a minute…. pro wrestling isn’t real?!? You should really “spoiler alert” something like that. I mean, the next thing you’ll tell us is that the Easter Bunny and Santa aren’t real.
Maukavelli said
In all seriousness, I think you may be on to something, though. It’s hard to just even fathom that there isn’t some strange conspiracy at work at times since it is so driven by money. And while I’d have to think that the risk of ever getting caught is so great that you’d wonder why even do it, but the money has to outweigh that risk, right? How difficult is it for a commish or TV exec to suggest to an official, “boy, having a 3-peat sure would be good for us in NCAA baseball.”?
A few weeks ago, I was chatting with a few friends (many who are on this sight) about the NBA draft lottery and that it had to be rigged when the team that was OWNED by the league won the lottery. It led to a long argument about the NBA, but one of the things I mentioned is that the league still doesn’t do anything to make it seem legit. They changed it from being a one-card, one-draw televised event (aka, the frozen envelope for Ewing) to a 1000 ping-pong ball, non-televised event. Then they invited “media” to attend and watch, and this year, I heard from several who were in the room that “there’s no way it could be rigged” – but it’s still not televised (at least, not the ping pong ball part). My immediate reaction was, “well, of course, those media in the room could have been bought.” And it’s true that they could have been bought. The sad part is I sort of believe that it’s true.
Or maybe I’ve just watched too much TV.
Kridiculous Calls said
Nice piece, Woodside, but I disagree. Fans do not go to games to watch the officiating. We go to games to watch the players/teams. We want the players/teams to decide the outcome, not calls. We, (as fans) understand that sometimes games are going to come down to a final play in which a call is made or not made (LeBron’s “hack” on Kevin Durant) in which a decision to blow or swallow the whistle does decide the outcome. What “we” don’t like is when it is plainly obvious that the call(s) was blown.
I try not to be too overly critical with officiating. There are many times when a play is called and then it is almost impossible to determine whether that call was correct or incorrect after multiple replays. However, when replay is not needed, when it is obvious even to the casual observer that calls are being blown over and over again, those calls lead to credibility problems.
Costello’s strike zone was ridiculously one-sided to all who watched during the CWS. The SEC refs during the 2009 Florida game threw so many flags on phantom penalties and no flags on legit ones that the SEC reprimanded them. (It cost us a big game) The SEC refs in the 2010 Auburn game could not get two fumbles correct even after replay which led a text to me from an OU fan that said “Are you crazy? ya’ll aren’t getting that ball back. SEC wants an undefeated team”. The blatant bias against Oklahoma City made many NBA supporters (including myself) question the league’s intent.
This is the problem; not necessarily officials determining the outcome during the game, but predetermining.
Kridiculous Calls said
My first sentence should be re-worded. It’s more of an agree… sorry.
Jim Gooch said
I don’t think the NBA is fixed. It’s possible for individual refs like Tim Donaghey to go rogue and fix a game, but I don’t see there being a conspiracy from the top down. I’ve watched a lot of NBA over the years and I watched almost every minute of every game this post-season, other than the first round games in which the Lakers, Thunder, Heat, and Celtics were not playing. During one game against the Thunder, Kobe benefited from like three phantom fouls in one quarter. It made me cringe in delight. Then I saw LeBrown get the same treatment and it made me want to strangle an old lady to death. The stars have always gotten the calls in the NBA. And the missed foul by LeBrown on Durant at the end of game 3 was not nearly as egregious as some are making it out. It was a foul, but it wasn’t a hack and it was a typical non-call for the NBA, where they make a point to put the whistles away during the last seconds so as not to be criticized for determining the outcome.
Also, would the owners not have to be in on it?
Jim Gooch said
Plus, David Stern has flatly denied it several times on the record that his league is rigged. That’s just plain false to say that he’s never denied it. And kinda ridiculous.
Adam Butler said
Well, I’ll let Tony defend his opinion, but I will say this: One has to make a fairly deft pivot to say that NBA superstars get the calls, always have and always will, but then say that it’s ridiculous to think the NBA might be rigged.
Isn’t it inherently slanted if the superstars always get the calls?
And, can we get a ruling because I think Durant is a superstar. Who gets superstar preference?
What is the basis for the determination when Lebron and KG collide on top of the “restricted area”?
If it’s seniority, KG gets the call. If it’s gross profit from jersey sales, then Lebron gets the call.
Or, since KG had his ring and Lebron had come up short until this year, did Lebron’s paid dues factor into the superstar algebra? I’m confused.
Magic won a title as rookie. Bird won it in his 2nd year. Kareem and Duncan won it in their 3rd seasons. Kobe won it in his 5th despite coming straight out of high school.
Durant, an All-NBA player and 3-time scoring camp in only his 5th season doesn’t (and shouldn’t) get the benefit of the doubt and instead gets also-ran treatment because he hasn’t “paid his dues” yet and “everyone else did”?
THAT is ridiculous.
If it isn’t slanted and the players and coaches determine the outcome 100% let them do so and let’s stop falling back on unwritten, arcane, subjective Rules of Thumb regarding players having to “pay dues” before a game at the highest level of the sport can be officiated even-handedly.
Jim Gooch said
There’s a big difference between refs who on their own accord give deference to star players and a major top-down conspiracy to rig the outcome of the NBA playoffs.
That deference in my mind is the product of flawed human nature. They want the cool kids to like them. I don’t think it’s anything else.
Tony Woodside said
First, I don’t like the word “conspiracy.” It’s an emotive word and too often we as people throw that word out there to describe something that seems mysterious or that we don’t understand.
“Rigged” is too strong a word, too, for what I think is going on.
I don’t think that there is a “conspiracy” in the NBA or that there is some kind of very elaborate plan that all the owners, etc. are in on.
But I think those of us that have followed sports for our entire lives and love these sports sometimes don’t see what’s going on.
Have you ever watched an NBA game with someone who has rarely or maybe even never watched one?
It’s hard to explain to them what’s going on sometimes. To the casual observer, it seems more like a show than a competition. It doesn’t seem “real” or “fair” to some people when you try to explain why some people can run with the ball and others have to dribble.
Kridiculous Calls said
Gooch,
who oversees the the refs in the NBA? My wife (who watches every Cardinals game with me but does not like the NBA) watched the OKC/Miami Finals with me mainly because we lived in OKC for 7 years and stated “This is dumb. I’ll never watch another NBA game.” becuase of the clear favortism towards the Heat/LeBron/Wade. When she can watch a game and state (which almost mirrors text messages I was receiving from Adam) “Does Dwayne Wade complain after EVERY SINGLE PLAY?” you know your sport is in bad shape officiating wise.
To answer her question: yes.
Tony Woodside said
Thanks: Jim, Adam, Kridiculous and Maukavelli for the comments and feedback.
Kridiculous Calls said
Hey Woodside,
I’m pretty sure I could have been an All-State wide receiver had you worked a little more on your passing skills instead of your jumpshot. You held me back. And no, it was not me being a 5’10″ 140 lb receiver in a wishbone offense-it was you. All you.
Kris Boyd
Tony Woodside said
I was literally throwing to a spot most of the time. It’s nearly impossible to see over the linemen at my height and then have about 6 guys rushing at you. I don’t see how shorter NFL qbs can see to throw; they’re truly talented.
Kridiculous Calls said
Are you implying that my 5.2 40 was not fast enough for me to get to that spot?