Dan
2007-07-25 07:20:04
Hockey refs have it very tough, as illegal actions can occur far from the puck, and the speed of the game is intensely high. Fortunately, it is really quite difficult for players or refs to “shave points” in a game. A crooked ref in the NFL can be overturned by colleauges or instant replay. Additionally, their calls get far more individual attention by the public and television announcers.
An NBA ref makes foul calls in relatively rapid succession (unlike hockey), and the game doesn’t have the extended stops for review (unlike the NFL, even pre-replay, had considerable review per call).
All the sports are vulnerable to cheating at some level, but basketball is by far the easiest for a single official to influence.
