hagansp
07-23-2007, 06:03 PM
By now most of you probably know about the points shaving scandal in the NBA and referee Tim Donaghy. The question is how relevant is this in every sport? Are we as fans going to now ask in every debatable call...is this referee betting this game and trying to determine the outcome? We know cases have occurred in every sport. You think about a blatant pass interference call in football…or if they then determine it was uncatchable…or pickup the flag. That could go either way either time. In baseball on a close play at the plate, or a time where a ball bounces first and then goes into a glove is ruled a catch. Hockey, a minor penalty is given out as a major penalty, or a penalty shot isn’t awarded when you think it should be. How about nascar, Jimmie Johnson’s pit crew picking up a tire that rolled out of the box or for that matter a nascar official stopping a rolling tire? What’s his interest? Maybe he has Jimmie in his high dollar fantasy nascar league? You can pose questions in any sport. How will the recent events of Donaghy affect the future of sports? I think we have to see the league’s making more efforts of reviewing every single call an official makes. EVERY SINGLE ONE.
Do, I think this is an issue in sports. I truthfully hope not, but anything is possible. Right now, I would say no. I think this is a small-contained issue, and a damaging one to the credibility and popularity of the NBA. The NBA already had issues of credibility and question marks…oddly enough Donaghy was an official in arguably the most controversial game of the year in the NBA. The playoff game between the Spurs and Suns when Stoudemire and Diaw were thrown out…oddly enough that probably led to the Spurs winning the series. However, will we ever truly know if he had a part in it, or intentionally made bad calls in that game? Could the NBA go through every call he made and check, sure; will they, probably; will we ever know, probably not.
So how do sports ensure this won’t happen in their sport? Will we see more automated scoring systems? For example, will the automatic strike zone in baseball be considered more now? Originally, the reasoning for not using this was human error is a part of the game. The officials will sometimes make a bad call, that’s part of the game, but do we now move to trying to have everything be a definite? There is a definite strike zone, penalties in sports will be under review as they are called, all decisions will be reviewed as they occur…If there is a problem with the call the league official will overrule it. This is then assuming the league official in charge of the other officials isn’t betting in any way.
This is now and will forever be a giant question mark for sports. Now that we know it has happened, we will only doubt it more. So the biggest question of all now. Are pro sports becoming more and more like professional wrestling? Should we question if sports are more for entertainment rather then having the best team win? Or are the leagues/refs going for what they feel will be best for ratings/money? Or is the best team that night always winning? I am as diehard of a sports fan as they come, and have said this before this incident. I follow all 5 of the major sports. Yes, I am including nascar in that. Am I a little reserved now, knowing this has happened, you had better believe it. Now we just have to hope sports, specifically the NBA can get through this incident and remain 100% legit. That’s not even discussing the idea of steroids and body enhancement drugs affecting the situation and making something 100% legit, but that’s another topic for another day.
Hopefully you have found this read interesting and have maybe though about this a little more. Let’s hear what everyone else thinks.
Do, I think this is an issue in sports. I truthfully hope not, but anything is possible. Right now, I would say no. I think this is a small-contained issue, and a damaging one to the credibility and popularity of the NBA. The NBA already had issues of credibility and question marks…oddly enough Donaghy was an official in arguably the most controversial game of the year in the NBA. The playoff game between the Spurs and Suns when Stoudemire and Diaw were thrown out…oddly enough that probably led to the Spurs winning the series. However, will we ever truly know if he had a part in it, or intentionally made bad calls in that game? Could the NBA go through every call he made and check, sure; will they, probably; will we ever know, probably not.
So how do sports ensure this won’t happen in their sport? Will we see more automated scoring systems? For example, will the automatic strike zone in baseball be considered more now? Originally, the reasoning for not using this was human error is a part of the game. The officials will sometimes make a bad call, that’s part of the game, but do we now move to trying to have everything be a definite? There is a definite strike zone, penalties in sports will be under review as they are called, all decisions will be reviewed as they occur…If there is a problem with the call the league official will overrule it. This is then assuming the league official in charge of the other officials isn’t betting in any way.
This is now and will forever be a giant question mark for sports. Now that we know it has happened, we will only doubt it more. So the biggest question of all now. Are pro sports becoming more and more like professional wrestling? Should we question if sports are more for entertainment rather then having the best team win? Or are the leagues/refs going for what they feel will be best for ratings/money? Or is the best team that night always winning? I am as diehard of a sports fan as they come, and have said this before this incident. I follow all 5 of the major sports. Yes, I am including nascar in that. Am I a little reserved now, knowing this has happened, you had better believe it. Now we just have to hope sports, specifically the NBA can get through this incident and remain 100% legit. That’s not even discussing the idea of steroids and body enhancement drugs affecting the situation and making something 100% legit, but that’s another topic for another day.
Hopefully you have found this read interesting and have maybe though about this a little more. Let’s hear what everyone else thinks.