http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/sharp/2008-06-18-nba-future_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip


Stern rebuke isn't enough to stop doubt

By Drew Sharp, Detroit Free Press
I assume that upon the conclusion of these Finals, the NBA will cease to exist.
How can it possibly survive?

Should the growing fraternity of conspiracy mavens live true to its paranoia, then these fans will unconditionally walk away from such scripted fraud, right? If you're absolutely certain of a con job orchestrated as executive policy, then how can you not walk away?

But they won't abandon the NBA because they share an affliction quite common in our society today: Nobody wants the truth. We'd rather cling to the comforts of convenience.

It's always easier blaming others for your own shortcomings. That's true when deciding on a presidential candidate, grasping the intricacies of global economics when you've lost your job or the gradual erosion of the family unit.

It's also evident within the parochialism of NBA fandom.

That was David Stern's biggest mistake in the wake of Tim Donaghy's allegations of league-mandated playoff manipulation that, at times, overshadowed the Celtics-Lakers series.

The commissioner was logical. He was practical, assessing Donaghy's "he said-she said" claims of impropriety as the last breath of desperation from a disgraced referee. But that approach never succeeds with an audience that thrives primarily on the power of perception.

Stern came off as the arrogant aristocrat, dismissively brushing off charges of illegal corruption like dandruff flakes on his shoulder.

Stern can't win this fight because it isn't a battle waged within the restrictions of reality. He must play down to those who wouldn't accept the probability of truth even if it chomped down on their noses.

That means he must play The Game. He must find his George Mitchell to oversee an independent investigation absent of subpoena power. It would produce a wide-ranging synopsis creating the impression of accountability and commitment for corrective measures without fully changing the minds of those certain that competition remains crookedly skewed.

He must welcome the inevitable congressional intrusion. It's only a question of time before Washington gets involved, as it did with steroids and Spygate, because the political circus operates under one central premise — give your constituents what they want to hear. And what they desire most is a fall guy, blaming somebody else for their misery.

It can't be that their favorite team lost because pampered millionaires suddenly lost interest in winning or that maybe — just maybe — they were the victim of egregious human error, just good old-fashioned horrendous officiating. Or as Donaghy admitted a year ago, a rogue official who found himself under the thumb of his own indiscretions and compromised the integrity of a valued trust.

Stern can't logically rationalize his league out of this mess. That's why he should tap Bill Bradley as the face of this investigation. The former senator, Rhodes Scholar and NBA standout is the epitome of propriety. He'd bring credibility.

And it won't change one mind of those adamant that the NBA leans more toward pro wrestling.

Nobody can fully disprove Donaghy's accusations because he never offered documented evidence Stern or his minions directed referees to manipulate the outcome of Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference finals between the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers, universally regarded as one of the worst-officiated postseason games ever.

Donaghy's claims are solely based on alleged conversations. Maybe they occurred. Maybe they didn't.

It's open to individual discretion, the perfect landing spot for those who don't wish to face an inconvenient truth.

why do we have Donaghy discussions in the main & off topic forums? shouldn't we consolidate all these & keep the discussion flowing?

Posted by playa2:

your moderator will only allow my threads to go in off-topic even though my post can go in knicks forum, take it up with him(martin).



[Edited by - playa2 on 18-06-2008 18:51]

no playa, they should take it up with you. After repeatedly asking you and emailing you to post your wildly OT stuff in the OT forum instead of the knicks one, you still went ahead. This is our remedy for you wasting our time.