Guest Dangerous A Report post Posted June 6, 2002 Here is an article about consumer watchdog and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader calling for an investigation for the game 6 debacle in the NBA western conference finals. The controversy over officiating in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals between the Kings and Los Angeles Lakers reached new heights Tuesday when consumer advocate and former Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader called on NBA Commissioner David Stern to review the fairness of the outcome. "At a time when the public's confidence is shaken by headlines reporting the breach of trust by corporate executives, it is important, during the public's relaxation time, for there to be maintained a sense of impartiality and professionalism in commercial sports performances," reads the letter Nader and a watchdog group called League of Fans sent to Stern. "That sense was severely shaken in the now notorious officiating during Game 6" that went against Sacramento in a game won by the Lakers 106-102 at Staples Center. Nader cited various media accounts of the game, including stories in the Washington Post and USA Today that were highly critical of the officials. At the core of the problem, Nader claimed, is Stern's absolute power that allows the referees to "escape all responsibility" under a system that gives Stern the authority to fine players and coaches who complain about the officials. "It seems you have a choice," said Nader's letter. "You can continue to exercise your absolute power to do nothing. Or you can initiate a review, and if all these observers and fans turn out to be right, issue, together with the referees, an apology to the Sacramento Kings and forthrightly admit decisive incompetence during Game 6, especially in the crucial fourth quarter." Nader told The Bee on Tuesday that "the Kings beat the Lakers in six games, but that's not going to be remembered. They (Kings) were robbed of an entire season. "There will be no inquiry, and meanwhile the suspicion of the public increases. They (NBA) are losing credibility and the trust of the fans. They called 27 fouls on the Kings in the fourth period? Come on, that's a joke." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly Report post Posted June 6, 2002 Why isn't Nader turning his attention to boxing? Him and Lennox Lewis could join forces to rid boxing of its misfits. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest NoCalMike Report post Posted June 6, 2002 I think Ralph Nader makes some good points, and I agree with most of them. I just hope people don't mix this up with thinking this is for political gain, but then again I am sure he just won some votes from the Sacramento area~! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Vern Gagne Report post Posted June 6, 2002 Nader told The Bee on Tuesday that "the Kings beat the Lakers in six games, but that's not going to be remembered. They (Kings) were robbed of an entire season. "There will be no inquiry, and meanwhile the suspicion of the public increases. They (NBA) are losing credibility and the trust of the fans. They called 27 fouls on the Kings in the fourth period? Come on, that's a joke." "The Kings beat the Lakers in 6 games". What a bullshit statement, he has no idea if the Kings would of won that game. It wasn't 27 fouls, it was 27 free throws. It's a large number, but with exception of 3 calls, they were fouls on Sacramento. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Ripper Report post Posted June 6, 2002 I will be the one to say that it has nothing to do with just the 4th quarter. The game was lopsidely officiated from the moment Kobe was throwing the elbow in a tieup with Webber and they called a foul AND a Tech on webber, then minutes later called a double technical on Vlade and George, when all Vlade did was get pushed. That was just a embarrasingly one sided game in terms of calls. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted June 6, 2002 Why isn't Ralph Nader upset about the officiating from Game 5? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest alkeiper Report post Posted June 7, 2002 Cause Kobe Bryant didn't elbow Mike Bibby in the face in that game. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Dangerous A Report post Posted June 7, 2002 I posted this article on Nader going after the NBA. After some thought I have come to this conclusion. The NBA did favor the Lakers to win game 6. However they also favored the Kings in game 5. I believe they did what they had to to push this series to 7 games. When the seventh game came, they finally called it down the middle as you have seen. No one disputes the way game 7 was called. However the issue to me seems to be the NBA manufacturing game 7 drama instead of letting the 2 teams play it out. It's really a shame we didn't get to see what both teams were capable of doing with unbiased officiating for A FULL 7 GAMES!!! Honestly I could see that series ending in 5-6 games in favor of either team if THE REFS WOULD'VE ALLOWED IT. That is where my beef with the NBA is. They screwed the fans and both teams by not allowing it to be played the way it should've been. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest NoCalMike Report post Posted June 7, 2002 I think another big point of Ralph Nader's article was to point out the flaw in the system that will fine or suspend a player/coach for any criticism of a call/s, and at the same time the officials bare no responsibility for the crappy game they may call. I think it was more his way of trying to ask, why the officials can get away with altering games, whether it be for the Kings, Lakers, Nets...etc... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Vern Gagne Report post Posted June 7, 2002 It's nice too see everyone I've seen on TV or Radio laugh Nader out of the building for this stupid crap. Probably only Mark "Elephant Boy" Cuban, and Sacramento fans are sending in e-mails to David Stern. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Ripper Report post Posted June 7, 2002 What was this favoring in game 5 for the Kings everyone keeps talking about. Are you still trying to reach for the Bobby Jackson fouling Kobe?? How is that in anyway comparable to Kobe elbowing Bibby in the Face, or the fouls on Bibby in game 5 that allowed the Lakers to be that close. I think that game 5 was just a badly officiatied game where they were not consistant, but not favoring one team more than another. On one end, Bibby is getting hip checked, grabbing his arms to force "turnovers" yet everyone acts like that didn't happen at all. Ralph Nader, every sports writer, casual fans, sports comentators, NBA analist, even some of the more truthful Laker fans have commented on how the Lakers were given game 6...how is this still debateble. In the 16 years that I have watched basketball, that was the worst officiated game I have ever seen by a mile. The officiating wasn't great in the other games, but the Kings weren't favored in game 5. There is a reason that Shaq didn't argue his 6th foul...he knew he did it and at least he has the honesty(unlike guys like Vlade, Fisher, Kobe, and Turkolu) to admit he did it. he just started walking to the bench because he knew that they would call the tripping foul. Kobe complains EVERY DAMN PLAY that he got fouled...but he didn't even look in the refs direction when that shot missed. WHY??? Because he didn't expect a call because there shouldn't have been one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
