Report: Longtime referee Dick Bavetta retiring

[Basketball Fan]

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/07/30/report-longtime-referee-dick-bavetta-retiring/

[QUOTE]Report: Longtime referee Dick Bavetta retiring

The NBA was reportedly trying to nudge Dick Bavetta into retirement in 2010.

But the referee

[smoovegittar]

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/07/30/report-longtime-referee-dick-bavetta-retiring/
He's pretty legendary now when you think about it. God bless him!

[JT123]

Glad that POS is leaving! He's the main one responsible for the Lakers "title"
in 2002. :rolleyes:

[TheReal Kendall]

Bout damn time. He looks older than Sterling out there.

[Hey Yo]

Bout damn time. He looks older than Sterling out there.
Dudes 74yrs old. Can't fathom having the stamina to do his job at the age of 64, let alone 74.

God bless him.

[D-FENS]

Bummer. Why couldn't it be Joey Crawford?

[Timmy D for MVP]

I love that he was still out there doing his thing at his age.

But he should have retired earlier. It gets to a point where you just start losing your physical abilities.

Props to him though. :cheers:

[Fudge]

I love Dick and i'm gonna miss him!

[poido123]

Dick will be sorely missed :lol

But seriously, he's one of the crooked ones still left in the NBA, good riddance to him.

[jstern]

The most amazing thing is that someone like Dick has been there, on the floor with so many great players over the decades, from Bird, Dr. Jay, Jordan, Lebron, Barkley. That's wow.


I love that he was still out there doing his thing at his age.

But he should have retired earlier. It gets to a point where you just start losing your physical abilities.

Props to him though. :cheers:

He's in better shape now than he would have been had he retired four years earlier. So overall it's better for him.

[russwest0]

Good Riddance. The guy was one of the most corrupt officials we've had in this sport.


Crawford wanted the game over quickly so he could kick back, relax, and have a beer; [Dick Bavetta] wanted it to keep going so he could hear his name on TV. He actually paid an American Airlines employee to watch all the games he worked and write down everything the TV commentators said about him. No matter how late the game was over, he'd wake her up for a full report. He loved the attention.

[QUOTE]That very first time Jack and I bet on an NBA game, Dick was on the court. The team we picked lost the game, but it covered the large point spread and that's how we won the money. Because of the matchup that night, I had some notion of who might win the game, but that's not why I was confident enough to pull the trigger and pick the other team. The real reason I picked the losing team was that I was just about certain they would cover the spread, no matter how badly they played. That is where Dick Bavetta comes into the picture.

From my earliest involvement with Bavetta, I learned that he likes to keep games close, and that when a team gets down by double-digit points, he helps the players save face. He accomplishes this act of mercy by quietly, and frequently, blowing the whistle on the team that's having the better night. Team fouls suddenly become one-sided between the contestants, and the score begins to tighten up. That's the way Dick Bavetta referees a game

[Lebronxrings]

Bummer. Why couldn't it be Joey Crawford?
because the spurs need to 3peat.

[Jameerthefear]

Dick will be sorely missed :lol

But seriously, he's one of the crooked ones still left in the NBA, good riddance to him.
No surprise that you like Dick.

[Smook A.]

I hope Joey Crawford is next

[no pun intended]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqroFQKoCSI

[Adam Silver]

What a sad day for myself and the NBA community. Fortunately, Joey Crawford promised me that he will be going strong for at least another decade.

[flipogb]

he has stamina but he looks more like 94 than 74

[bagelred]

I hope Joey Crawford is next

Why don't you like Joey Crawford?

[russwest0]

Why don't you like Joey Crawford?

He's officiated in like 25 straight finals. Dick Bavetta always referred to himself as the NBA's "go-to" guy when they wanted a certain team to win in an important playoff game but it's clear who their new "go-to" guy is.

[Locked_Up_Tonight]

Joey Crawford is the best ref in the business.

[played0ut]

Aw. Chuck should give him a kiss goodbye.

[Nets fan 93]

Dang. Can't say I'm surprised though. He had a good run

[Gotterdammerung]

I used to post at Lakers Talk board as Dick Bavetta. Too bad that's history.
:oldlol:

[Pointguard]

I don't really recall him last years. Was he on restricted duty?

[wally_world]

Keep gettin dem checks Dick!