An Open Letter To NBA Commissioner David Stern

An Open Letter To NBA Commissioner David Stern

Mr. Stern:

I am writing to you to inform you of a big problem your league has – officiating. I would like to think that you, too, can recognize this problem having seen how atrocious it is for yourself. However, given your inaction over the past few years, I am not sure that your eyes are working properly so you may want to get that vision of yours checked. It could be time for a new set of glasses.

I assume that a man with ears as unusually large as yours can hear well so maybe you should listen to your legions of fans who are in agreement with me on how poorly your games are called.

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

Before I go into detail about the many problems your league faces in regard to its officials, let me state for the record that I am an NBA fan. More specifically, and in the interest of full disclosure, I am a Boston Celtics' fan.

If you happened to watch games 1 & 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, there were numerous examples of how poorly your games are called.

Whether it was unnecessary technical fouls handed out to the likes of Ray Allen and Doc Rivers in game 1 or Dwayne Wade’s face-rake of Rajon Rondo or his karate kick to Kevin Garnett which both went uncalled in game 2, your refs stunk out the American Airlines Arena. And this is nothing new for your league unfortunately.

Your refs have become predictably horrible in many respects over the years. First of all, they constantly slant their calls in favor of the home team what seems like 99.9% of the time. And they always give the game’s superstars the benefit of the doubt when they blow the whistle. Rondo can get clobbered on his way to the basket in Miami and get no call from your esteemed officiating crews, but if a Celtic even looks at LeBron James or Dwayne Wade the wrong way, it’s two free throws for the Heat.

There are many who suggest that your league may influence the outcome of games so as to get a desired team or superstar to the Finals. I would love to argue that point, but am having a hard time doing so based upon what I have seen thus far in this series.

Silly me. I am actually one of those fans who believes that a game should be called evenly and that a foul for one team should be called the same way for the other team. I believe that it shouldn’t matter whether or not you are the game’s biggest and brightest star or the last man on someone’s bench when it comes to being judged by the refs.

Your detractors suggest that you and your league are dying for King James and his posse to win an NBA title. Think of the marketing possibilities. Cha-ching!

Again, silly me. I look at a team like the Boston Celtics who have the heart of a champion and play the game the right way, a team that understands that you have to earn everything that you get on the floor. But this crew has already won a championship so clearly you don’t want them in the Finals.

I guess all I am asking for myself and others who love the sport is for the team and the players I root for to be given a fair chance, unlike your Draft Lottery which annually screws the most deserving team out of picking the best amateur player.

I believe that your refs should call a foul a foul no matter who commits it. Likewise, I believe that taking more than two steps with the basketball is traveling and should be called as such. I believe that there is no handle on your Spalding basketballs yet your officials allow players to carry them like a suitcase with no repercussion.

I believe that the home team should have no advantage over the road team when it comes to the calls made by your refs. I also believe that come playoff time, that your refs should “let them play” a little more than they might during the regular season because of the intensity of the situation and all that is on the line.

In short, I believe that your officials should be doing a heck of a lot better job that they are doing now and that YOU need to be the one to send them that message and to hold them accountable for their performances.

I know this seems like a lot to ask Mr. Stern, but I can tell you that if you continue to allow your games to be officiated so poorly, you will lose this fan and possibly many others.

Sincerely,

Scott – The Celtics’ Fan