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http://www.columbussports.com/content/writers/brian_white/who_needs_nba_refs.shtmlNBA refs - who needs them?
Let's get rid of the NBA refs altogether...
I've got a great solution to fix (no pun intended) the NBA referee scandal that's plaguing the league and taking the focus off the Lakers-Celtic Finals. Get ret rid of them. That's right, just say so long to the refs. From now on, all NBA games should be refereed by the players, calling fouls and traveling and other infractions themselves just like we all did when we were kids playing pick up games.
In addition to all the money the league would save (perhaps donate the money to schools across the country to improve basketball facilities?), it would instantly enhance the credibility of the game and put a stop to the conspiracy theorists claiming the whole league is a sham. There would also be the added benefit of not having to listen to those damn whistles every 30 seconds.
"This is something that is the worst that could happen to a professional sports league."
David Stern, NBA Commissioner
Wouldn't work, you say? The players will succumb to the same gambling interest temptations that some refs did? Players will become "corporate men" and do the NBA's bidding? Think back to your own experience playing pick up games. What happened to someone that was obviously trying to help his team by calling phantom fouls or screaming "traveling!" every time you made a move? Just like baseball players have historically policed their own with a well placed fastball under the chin, today's NBA players could easily handle anyone not playing "fair".
Besides restoring credibility to the league, just think how much fun it would be to watch a game where the players called fouls and infractions themselves. The trash talk and arguing alone would be worth the price of admission. Perhaps the game could even evolve enough whereby just like hockey, fighting became acceptable and 2 or 3 times per game you'd get to watch players like LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal go at it. Of course just like soccer there may be a few players carried off on stretchers, but with the increasing popularity of MMA, people would soon come to accept it as just another part of the sport.
So I hereby call for the permanent swallowing of all those whistles and bring the game back to its roots where it can once again flourish in the open air of fair competition and without the prurient interests of the league and its officials getting in the way. Just like the Olympics still are.