Ref Scandal Hurts NBA

Note: The referee pictured above is a generic referee picture and not a picture of the guilty individual.

As a fan of the NBA for many years now, hearing about the recent NBA referee betting scandal is definitely troubling. The extent of the involved referee's actions hasn't been presented yet, but one reporter claimed the ref may have affected calls in anywhere from 10-99 NBA games total over the course of a season. Recent sports shows are correct in saying if not for the Barry Bonds homerun chase and the Michael Vick dogfighting charges, this would be the top headline in sports.

The main problem with this scandal, is the ref basically made calls which influenced the scores in NBA games, which he was also betting on. There was a connection with the mob as well. The questions start to run rampant as to whether or not it was just one referee involved here or if there are more. You also start to wonder if he was only affecting the actual spreads in games or the actual winner/loser. Luckily the NBA has 3 referees out on the court during a game, so it will be tough to say that 1 referee affected the overall outcome of any game. I don't believe the controversy here is what gave the Spurs the championship, or helped Lebron beat the Pistons. However it seriously does affect the stat books and morale of teams. It also hurts the fans, other people betting, and gives major credence now to the arguments of players and coaches that officiating in games is poor.

I believe that the NBA will have the resiliency to bounce back from this situation. I don't see it hurting attendance or fan support either. There's still a ton of talented players and teams to watch, who put on a great show night in and out. We have a crop of bright young stars on the horizon who can take the league to new levels. I'm biased due to my love of basketball, but feel Stern's done alot for the sport since his start. As a former attorney Stern will know how to handle this, as well as market the league as best he can. Commissioner Stern will take a serious look at this situation and take appropriate actions and precautions to make sure NBA officiating is at the top of its game.