ESPN NBA

In ESPN the Magazine, Ric Bucher writes:

Chances are you've heard that an NBA referee recently resigned, sending a wave of uncertainty rippling through the league and leaving everyone to wonder what the commissioner will do to resuscitate faith in his officials.

Chances are, you're thinking of the wrong ref.

While allegations that Tim Donaghy conspired to fix the NBA games he was officiating rocked the league's foundation, it was the resignation of Bernie Fryer immediately after he worked Game 3 of the NBA Finals that was the summer's first bombshell.

Fryer, a 28-year ref regarded as one of the league's best, is hanging up his whistle because he can no longer stomach the league's current system of managing its officials. And his disaffection is shared by as many as nine other topflight veterans -- about one-sixth of the corps -- who also have talked about stepping down in protest. "It's so bad," says one, "guys buy lottery tickets everywhere they go. If they win, they're just going to leave their shirt hanging in the locker."

Really worth reading the whole story, which also breaks the news that David Stern has indicated suspended referee Joe Crawford will be granted his wish to return next season.

Kind of funny how things work isn't it? We turn over rocks looking for sexy stuff like crime and mobsters but find boring stuff like poor management practices and incompetence.