It seems I’m not the only one who thinks the NBA is fixing games on an institutional basis:

Via Bloomberg:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=aUrZ16kqbll4&refer=home

Overall a great article that hits many of the points I’ve been talking about for years, and adds stats to boot.

A couple of notes though:

a)  The author, Kevin Hassett, must have forgotten the success of professional Wrestling when he states: “If fans suspect foul play, they will presumably stop buying tickets.”

b)  The first few rounds of the playoffs, through tournament seeding, pit the best playoff teams versus the worst.  So there should be even less a likelihood of a home team advantage than in the regular season during the first two rounds.

c)   While he compares home court winning percentage of the playoffs to the regular season, he assumes that there is no benefit for the NBA in fixing regular season game.   Anyone who is a fan of any sport, knows that attendance is directly dictated by whether the home team wins or not.  Who wants to shell out a couple of hundred bucks to watch the home team lose?  Heck many people leave early after spending that kind of money to avoid watching them lose.

From ESPN Today:

Congress talking about legislating PEDs in all sports

(PEDs: Performance Enhancing Drugs)

“WASHINGTON — Once again, professional sports and their leaders were hauled up to Capitol Hill on Wednesday by lawmakers who say they might try once again to legislate drug-testing policies for U.S. leagues.

Facing a House subcommittee that also held hearings on steroids in 2005, commissioners sat side-by-side with their sport’s union chief: Bud Selig was inches away from Donald Fehr; the NBA’s David Stern was next to Billy Hunter. Then there was the NFL’s Roger Goodell and Gene Upshaw, and the NHL’s Gary Bettman and Paul Kelly, who rounded out the day’s first set of witnesses. “

Notice anyone not represented is this august group….FANS !

I’m sure that the rich players and the even richer owners will get a sympathetic ear from the rich Democrats and the even richer Republicans

It’s akin to asking drug dealers and a drug addicts to draft drug laws.  Oh wait, it’s exactly like that.

Further evidence of the value of the Renaissance Man:

226 and a Turkey in the 10th; Not bad for the once a year bowler

Check this link to see what the Pros average: http://www.pba.com/stats/ytdstats.asp?Tour=1&Stype=Average