NBA Commissioner Dave Stern, I have been a big fan of the NBA since Magic Johnson came into the league in 1979 and I still enjoy the game to this day. Anybody who knows me knows that I love basketball and I try to watch almost every game regardless of who is playing. For some years now and even at the start of this 2009 season, I’ve noticed some unfair officiating but I just over looked it. What brought it to my attention again was the start of the 2010 Playoff season and watching the Orlando Magic start their run in the Playoffs against the Charlotte Bobcats. Honestly, and correct me if I’m wrong but I have never seen a player called for so many fouls and spend the majority of their time on the bench until Dwight Howard. When looking back at some of the games which I had taped, you can clearly see that a lot of those fouls did not happen and it is not fair to us as fans or the Orlando Magic Organization to see this take place. It appears that no matter what Mr. Howard does on the court he is being called for a foul. Even if he looks at a referee or shows any kind of emotions he is given a Technical. The foul problems are not only with Mr. Howard and the Orlando Magic, but it is also with other players and teams as well. Upon watching the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls series on April 27, 2010, I noticed the same thing. I know the referees are not perfect and will miss and even make some bad calls, but it is happening more frequently and it is just not fair. I literally watched with disappointment the Bulls big men get into foul trouble guarding Shaquille O’Neal with foul calls that clearly did not happen and probably could have been given to O’Neal himself. This is something that even a blind person would have seen. Mr. Stern I have watched some of the 2010 Playoffs series where teams are allowed to play with some physicality and nothing be called at all or the calls are being called correctly so it does show that it is still some good officiating being done. I don’t want you to think that I’m insinuating that your officials are not doing a good job or that they are fixing games, but what we as fans have been seeing lately would make one think that something is just not right. As fans of the NBA we would really appreciate it if you could take some time out of your busy schedule and look at some of the games footage and see for yourself at how the officiating is being done. We as fans are not influenced by comments made by coaches and players regarding the officiating of games. We are influenced by what we see when these games are being unfairly officiated and base our judgments solely on that. Loyal Fan, Mia Roland
The momentum we have built proves that fans are fed up with the blatant officiating bias ruining the playoffs. Dave Stern can no longer pretend this is just a few bad calls when thousands of us are calling out this rigged garbage. Keep the pressure on these officials because they have nowhere left to hide.
Reached 100 supporters
May 19, 2010
6 Comments
J
Jason Navarro
16 years ago
Featured
refs have way too much control over the outcome of the game. let them play.
K
Kevin Edwards
16 years ago
Featured
dont even get me started on the cavs series. joke.
S
Sarah Adeyemi
16 years ago
Featured
DWIGHT HOWARD GETS WHISTLED FOR BREATHING! ridiculous officiating and it needs to stop or people will stop tuning in
D
Dave Medina
16 years ago
Featured
fix the reffing. sick of seeing superstars sit with foul trouble every single night.
M
Marcus Coleman
16 years ago
Featured
NBA is becoming a joke with these soft calls. you cant even touch the guy without a foul being called anymore. ruinning the sport.
M
Mike Lawson
16 years ago
Featured
it is getting hard to watch. feels like the games are rigged half the time especially in the playoffs.
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NBA Commissioner Dave Stern, I have been a big fan of the NBA since Magic Johnson came into the league in 1979 and I still enjoy the game to this day. Anybody who knows me knows that I love basketball and I try to watch almost every game regardless of who is playing. For some years now and even at the start of this 2009 season, I’ve noticed some unfair officiating but I just over looked it. What brought it to my attention again was the start of the 2010 Playoff season and watching the Orlando Magic start their run in the Playoffs against the Charlotte Bobcats. Honestly, and correct me if I’m wrong but I have never seen a player called for so many fouls and spend the majority of their time on the bench until Dwight Howard. When looking back at some of the games which I had taped, you can clearly see that a lot of those fouls did not happen and it is not fair to us as fans or the Orlando Magic Organization to see this take place. It appears that no matter what Mr. Howard does on the court he is being called for a foul. Even if he looks at a referee or shows any kind of emotions he is given a Technical. The foul problems are not only with Mr. Howard and the Orlando Magic, but it is also with other players and teams as well. Upon watching the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls series on April 27, 2010, I noticed the same thing. I know the referees are not perfect and will miss and even make some bad calls, but it is happening more frequently and it is just not fair. I literally watched with disappointment the Bulls big men get into foul trouble guarding Shaquille O’Neal with foul calls that clearly did not happen and probably could have been given to O’Neal himself. This is something that even a blind person would have seen. Mr. Stern I have watched some of the 2010 Playoffs series where teams are allowed to play with some physicality and nothing be called at all or the calls are being called correctly so it does show that it is still some good officiating being done. I don’t want you to think that I’m insinuating that your officials are not doing a good job or that they are fixing games, but what we as fans have been seeing lately would make one think that something is just not right. As fans of the NBA we would really appreciate it if you could take some time out of your busy schedule and look at some of the games footage and see for yourself at how the officiating is being done. We as fans are not influenced by comments made by coaches and players regarding the officiating of games. We are influenced by what we see when these games are being unfairly officiated and base our judgments solely on that. Loyal Fan, Mia Roland
The momentum we have built proves that fans are fed up with the blatant officiating bias ruining the playoffs. Dave Stern can no longer pretend this is just a few bad calls when thousands of us are calling out this rigged garbage. Keep the pressure on these officials because they have nowhere left to hide.
Reached 100 supporters
May 19, 2010
6 Comments
J
Jason Navarro
16 years ago
Featured
refs have way too much control over the outcome of the game. let them play.
K
Kevin Edwards
16 years ago
Featured
dont even get me started on the cavs series. joke.
S
Sarah Adeyemi
16 years ago
Featured
DWIGHT HOWARD GETS WHISTLED FOR BREATHING! ridiculous officiating and it needs to stop or people will stop tuning in
D
Dave Medina
16 years ago
Featured
fix the reffing. sick of seeing superstars sit with foul trouble every single night.
M
Marcus Coleman
16 years ago
Featured
NBA is becoming a joke with these soft calls. you cant even touch the guy without a foul being called anymore. ruinning the sport.
M
Mike Lawson
16 years ago
Featured
it is getting hard to watch. feels like the games are rigged half the time especially in the playoffs.
Help this petition grow
Share it with friends to help reach
250 signatures.
Sign Petition
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refs have way too much control over the outcome of the game. let them play.