Stern News Conference review from the CBW

[Snoopy the Celtics Beagle]

 From the CBW:
July 24, 2007
David Stern uses press conference as audition for "Dancing With the Press"
For the last several days, just about everyone has realized that 
today's press conference given by NBA Commissioner David Stern would 
have to be one for the record books, in order to start reweaving the 
tattered shreds of trust in not only the officiating of the NBA, but 
the ability of the Commissioner to police it.

Instead we get Stern portraying Colonel Klink and Sgt. Schultz of 
"Hogan's Heroes", as the Mob tunnels beneath the foundation of the 
NBA camp under everyone's nose.

Stern's had one doozy of a quote, when he said he understood Donaghy 
"was the only referee alleged to have bet on NBA games and disclosed 
confidential information to others.  Let me make it clear that's my 
current understanding.  If that understanding changes tomorrow, I 
will so inform everybody"

Stern then said he was unaware of any discussions of Donaghy 
potentially fixing games, despite widespread reporting of same.  You 
can just imagine him saying, "I see nothing, hear NOTHING!"

Gee, maybe he stopped reading the newspapers and the internet, and 
watching tv because he didn't want to hear spoilers for the last 
"Harry Potter" book.  Not because of any sports book.  It's possible, 
I suppose.

In his wishy-washy effort to appease fans who have seen the worst 
claims of the conspiracy theorists confirmed, he said, "I pledge that 
we will do every look-back possible to analyze our processes and seek 
the best advice possible to...continue to assure fans we are doing 
the best we possibly can."

Then Stern insulted people's intelligence when asked if he was 
surprised that the NBA's background checks and oversight of it's 
referees missed Donaghy's alleged conduct.  "I'm surprised, but I 
guess no more surprised than the head of the FBI, head of the CIA 
when rogue employees turn on their country despite the best 
investigative procedures in the country."

Gee, Col. Klink, at least with the FBI and CIA, you're generally 
dealing with professional crooks--people who are smart enough to know 
how to deal with a potential investigation, or have the backing of a 
government to learn how to try to keep ahead of the 
investigators.  You're going to tell us that a guy whose problem was 
so "secret" that his own neighbors knew for over a year that he was 
gambling is as smart as those guys?  Or does it mean you hired 
Maxwell Smart to run the investigation?

Stern blew it.

He should have come out and said something like, "We screwed up.  We 
were concentrating on only monitoring certain facets of officiating, 
and that narrow-mindedness allowed an official with a gambling 
problem to continue working even after people knew he was placing bets.

"We're working to resolve the matter, first by cooperating with 
investigative authorities, then by instituting a full, 
no-holds-barred background check and investigation on every NBA 
official that Donaghy might name.

"We guarantee that by tipoff of the upcoming NBA season, every single 
referee will have been vetted fully.  Since our internal oversight 
has failed, we will utilize respected outside investigations to 
review our organization.

"We will review tape of every single game worked by Donaghy, and make 
case by case decisions on whether changes to any NBA records are 
warranted, from number of fouls to win-loss records.  This process 
will take time, but it will happen."

You get the idea.  He needed to take a get-tough, plain-spoken 
approach that left no room for doubt that this mess was going to be 
cleaned up NOW.

Instead, we got Colonel Klink telling us once again that there's 
never been an escape under his command.

And questions about Stern's own failures to keep on top of the situation?

"DIS-missed!"

Snoopy the Celtics Beagle
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