Conspiracy Theory
by SalemORguy on Oct 7, 2009 9:20 PM PDT
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PrintAfter watching just a one preseason game (Bulls/Jazz) listening to one (almost two now) and checking box scores on the rest, I have come up with a theory...
David Stern and the referee's union are NOT having any trouble coming to an agreement on a new deal. I think that during negotiations on a new contract, they got on to the subject of the way the referee's are percieved by fans and some of the media as well. Both sides know that refs are always accused of being horrible. That fans think they are all out to get their favorite team. That they are controlled by Stern and ultimately decide which teams should win games, advance in the playoffs, and ultimately win the title.
This is when they came up with a great idea, fake a contract dispute. Tell the media and the public that they can't come to terms on an agreement. The referee's just want too much money and the NBA isn't going to budge. They are going to play hardball because of the state of the economy. Instead they will use replacement refs.
Now we have these replacement refs out there completely screwing up the games. They call a foul on nearly every possession. When they aren't calling fouls, they are calling travelling, or palming, or reviewing a 24 second clock violation. The games have no flow to them, everyone is on the verge of fouling out, and somewhere David Stern and the normal refs are smiling. It hasn't even been a week and everyone is calling for the return of the regular referee's.
Do you think that Mr. Stern might have told these new refs to be a bit liberal with their calls? Do you think he wanted the fans and the media to see for themselves just how bad it could be?How big of a surprise would it be to see Stern and the referee union come to an agreement just before the regular season begins? It wouldn't surprise me, I can assure you of that.
Edit: This was really just supposed to be a tongue in cheek look at the replacement refs after hearing their whistles every 2 seconds. It seemed like a silly way to rationalize how bad they seemed to be, in a completely irrational way.
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Well ...
Even without the conspiracy, I’m sure the real refs are loving this. No reason to budge on your offer if you know the next best thing for the league is not a good thing for the league.
"These are dreams that we have." --Rudolfo Fernandez
Lets take this one step further
The league KNOWS the blazers window is opening and they KNEW greg would get his touch back this season. SO what they did was get foul calling nut job refs who’s day jobs include things like “internet marketeer” .
So in order to make sure huge markets like LA and New York or even Cleveland w/ their genetically constructed LeBron James, the WALKING CONSPIRACY THEORY, win all the time, they got these “replacements” to get Greg to Foul out of every game and then have opposing players can kick Joel in the nuts all day long and it’s an offensive foul on Joel and the BLAZERS LOSE EVERY TIME.
This conspiracy theory is infallible. Somewhere, David Stern is pointing at Blazer fans and laughing that we still spend our money on this team SMH
Sophia
The Princess of Blazersedge
It just takes an iron fist to keep the riff raff under control and her princess hand is mad strong- Idoltime
by BlazerFan1 on Oct 7, 2009 9:41 PM PDT reply actions 5 recs
rec
As author of Da BOM (Blazer Optimist Manifesto), I hereby certify that we will win 62 games in the regular season. Disagree at your peril.
It´d actually be good for us
if the replacement refs stayed for a while.
I know about Greg´s foul problems, but we also have one of the deepest teams.
I find it hard to believe that every ref not in the NBA refs union is so squeaky on the whistle.
Conspiracy? I’ll say yes. Mostly because I like the the piracy part of it.
*Unless KP has a secret plan that makes this statement incorrect.
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><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Wheeler just said Travis' name in the post game as not playing tonight, along with the others.
Trade conspiracy averted. FOR NOW
Whatever
thetinfoil@gmail.com
I just loves me a good conspiracy theory....
Blazer's Edge Ambassador to The Dream Shake Blog
LMA Rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I <3 LMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LMA - Putting the POWER in POWER FORWARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The concussion must have jarred him into "Destroy All Opposition Terminator Mode!" - BlazersOrBust
David Stern controls the world
Just ask Seattle.
"Either way we have two phenomenal units. I'm excited to play with either one." - Martell Webster
the NBA is paying the scab refs
by the tweet, not by the hour
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I prefer my tin foil hat with a brim to shed water......
……We all know the rain in the Northwest is part of a plot by Californians (Faker Fans) who want to steal our water but don’t want to deal with water falling out of the sky.
by upper left corner on Oct 8, 2009 6:16 AM PDT up reply actions
Nostradumbass and
The Bible crossword puzzle predicted this so it must be true
by southern oregon on Oct 7, 2009 10:08 PM PDT reply actions
Did you know that the gov't planned 9/11?
LMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! --- LaMarvelous
It makes a lot of sense.
Makes the old refs look better than they were. I think there are better refs out there. It’s hard to believe that the 50 or so refs in the union are the only top quailty refs in the game. The refs that are on the court were probobly hand picked by Stern. I also agree that an agreement will be made before the start of the season. I hope some changes are made either way
However by preventing the league from broadcasting the preseason games who sees them (besides season ticket holders)
That is another interesting mandate from NBA – no broadcasts = no internet. Now that I think about it the blackout is to keep Europe from seeing the crappy refs and not wanting to come to the NBA?
"Either way we have two phenomenal units. I'm excited to play with either one." - Martell Webster
WNBA playoffs dont need the competition
by southern oregon on Oct 7, 2009 11:30 PM PDT up reply actions
Another good point
"Either way we have two phenomenal units. I'm excited to play with either one." - Martell Webster
Maybe not a conspircy theory with the FAKE labor negotiation troubles,
but I can definitely see David Stern using this negotiation holdout as an opportunity to tell the replacement refs to be aggressive with their whistles, so when the regular refs come back people are happy.
But by asking the replacement refs to look bad
It builds public pressure to make a deal with the refs union, weakening Stern’s position.
He should want the replacement refs to be as good as the regular refs, so the regular refs worry that they can be easily replaced and no one would care.
Unless, of course, Stern just wants the refs to look good. I think he wants them to sign for what he wants them to sign for.
Morty
Morty FTL
Theories are more fun when they are fun. Yours is boring.
As author of Da BOM (Blazer Optimist Manifesto), I hereby certify that we will win 62 games in the regular season. Disagree at your peril.
by jscot on Oct 8, 2009 3:52 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
"fire-bomb" isn't cussing
As author of Da BOM (Blazer Optimist Manifesto), I hereby certify that we will win 62 games in the regular season. Disagree at your peril.
He is actually wanting to retire older refs
That is the issue not the money that they are not yielding either side.
"Either way we have two phenomenal units. I'm excited to play with either one." - Martell Webster
I'm talking long term. The reffing in the NBA is more scrutinized than just about any other league.
Maybe he’s using this as an opportunity to make fans appreciate the regular refs. Nothing to do with the labor negotiations.
by dario argento on Oct 8, 2009 8:32 PM PDT up reply actions
Oddly enough, this conspiracy theory makes ostensible sense.
However, there’s no way that both parties would be on board with this.
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
The refs don't need to be a part of it!
The real beauty of Stern’s plan (and I have no doubt that this IS his plan), is that he never had to tell the replacement refs anything – he knew they’d call it “by the book”, as all refs (except the NBA’s) are trained, and that the difference would be striking, and not embraced by the players or fans.
So my point is that it’s a lot easier to keep the conspiracy theory intact if you don’t have to tell anybody about it!
Blazers: RUN away with the title!
KP: Please don't trade the next decade's Scottie Pippen (Batum), Spanish Larry Bird (Rudy), Bill Russell (GO) or Captain BRoy - at least until they 3-peat..
I think the replacement refs are getting better
What if it backfires and everyone falls in love with the replacements?
I wouldn't mind at all
The Detroit Bad Boys turned basketball into a wrestling match under the basket in the name of “defense”. It wouldn’t bother me if the games were called a little tighter and without the “superstar” calls.
As author of Da BOM (Blazer Optimist Manifesto), I hereby certify that we will win 62 games in the regular season. Disagree at your peril.
Read it somewhere recently
That a number of the current refs were scabs from previous holdouts. I know, worthless without pics, but whatever.
Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game
I think it's good
The replacement refs ACTUALLY call travelling and don’t give all-stars the “Kobe-treatment”. Aside from the refs not letting us muscle teams, I think that these refs are good for the Blazers. Last time I checked Roy was one of the most fundamentally sound players in the league. I think the new refs bode well for the Blazers.
Plus, ever since the Tim Donaghy scandal I’ve always had a little voice in the back of my head that there are “higher” powers encouraging some of these calls. I hope the back-up refs backfire on the “real” refs! KEEP EM!
agreed
I’m okay with the replacements. Boths sides are getting the whistles after all.
"Fernandez, to my eyes, is the Blazer who walks that walk most comfortably. A lot of Portland's fans (egged on, dare I say, by their local broadcasters) lament things like how Ron Artest or Yao Ming get to hit Brandon Roy's arms.
But I suspect Fernandez sees all that and thinks: We get to hit arms! Cool!"
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-39-135/On-Playoff-Experience.html
"I told Pau the Lakers never win here in Portland; I think it's great." -- Rudy Fernandez
I would agree to a point
but sitting almost courside at our first preseason game 1/2 the travelling calls were not legit, these guys barely know the rules of the game, just ask Detroit fans.
Ben II Blazersedge.com || New to Blazers' Edge?
Or have NBA players traveled excessively for decades?
Remembering that FIBA referees in the World Games and Olympic Games called traveling on our NBA players far more than the opponents.
"Either way we have two phenomenal units. I'm excited to play with either one." - Martell Webster
Yes
And every point guard palms at least 50% oft he time before the crossover and drive the lane…
Blazers: RUN away with the title!
KP: Please don't trade the next decade's Scottie Pippen (Batum), Spanish Larry Bird (Rudy), Bill Russell (GO) or Captain BRoy - at least until they 3-peat..
Meet the new refs
Same as the old refs
Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game
by iDea on Oct 8, 2009 1:46 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Some kind of consistency would be nice
I think if the replacements stop giving D-Wade and Kobe the demigod treatment, call traveling, and don’t let Shaq elbow people in the head on a regular basis (his only real offensive move) then this may give Stern even more bargaining power. He can look at the games and say “hey look, the fans aren’t complaining about the things they’ve been complaining about for the last ten years.”
Also, the same fouls called for the same reasons for both teams, not just in the L@kers’ favor.
These are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others. -Groucho Marx
The hardest part isn't it?
Consistency is the problem of MLB, NBA, and to a lesser extent NFL. In MLB the home umpire establishes his strike zone and pitchers and hitters must adjust in the game. The consistency there is once established the zone stays the same all game. It might be the same for the NBA – some referees seem to call certain infractions more than others and the players need to learn to adjust to what they have in that game. The biggest problem is the limit on fouls before disqualification from my perspective.
I absolutely agree that it needs to be the same for both teams in any game. The NBA evaluates referees at halftime now as well as after the game. Do you think that helps?
"Either way we have two phenomenal units. I'm excited to play with either one." - Martell Webster
No! Makes it easier to influence
I sincerely hope there is no contact between the evaluator and the refs at halftime. Refs forever have looked at the halftime stats to find one number: total team fouls for each team. This little bit of info is enough to influence judgement calls. The idea of league representatives reviewing the first half calls is a HUGE problem, IMO, if the league wants to maintain any semblance of integrity. NBA2010 = WWE?
Blazers: RUN away with the title!
KP: Please don't trade the next decade's Scottie Pippen (Batum), Spanish Larry Bird (Rudy), Bill Russell (GO) or Captain BRoy - at least until they 3-peat..
Meant to respond to lee3022 with that one, sorry
Blazers: RUN away with the title!
KP: Please don't trade the next decade's Scottie Pippen (Batum), Spanish Larry Bird (Rudy), Bill Russell (GO) or Captain BRoy - at least until they 3-peat..
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