The Fix Was In

From Clay Shaw to Jimmy Hoffa to David Stern, I'm a bit of a conspiracy theorist. They intrigue me. I want to learn more and study them. The NBA and gambling/outcome favoring is still alive and well from my view.

Again last night, it really looked like the fix was in for the Lakers/Heat game.

You could tell early in the game that LA was going to be whistled for everything. Two plays in the first quarter, called by the same ref, featured Dwayne Wade getting the call where he wasn't touched. Bynum was targeted for, by my count, the league-leading 18th time.

It's a simple and effective strategy. You call fouls early on the favorite, sending starters to the bench, getting into the bonus and stifling a quick start. Donaghy said "targeting players" happened, and you see it play out over and over again. I don't put a lot of stock into what a degenerate gambler/felon says, but I had a feeling it was going on before he said anything. It's not as obvious if fouls are called in the first quarter, but it's still important.

FYI: I have never gambled on NBA basketball. I don't look at it from a gambling perspective as much as favoring certain players and teams on certain nights. Most of the time it's directly related to home-court.

If it's not favoring teams, how do you explain these calls? The refs are that bad at their job? I understand being on the take more than being that bad at the top-level of a profession. I understand being biased against someone. I don't get calling a foul on someone who isn't even playing close defense.

Don't think I'm riled up because it was the Lakers who lost. There are really bad calls against everyone, including Laker opponents. This was just the latest example on national TV.

If I could address every basketball official at every level across the country I would say this:  Call fewer fouls. Make sure it's a foul before you blow the whistle.

It's a fine line and I understand that. But from the high school girls' basketball game Wednesday night to the NBA games last tonight, the refs call too many fouls.