We are now right smack dab in the middle of the NBA
playoffs. There are now four eastern and four western teams fighting for the
title of world champions of the sport. Even before they make it to that point
they look to gain complete bragging rights over there conference as the best on
the west and east side of the NBA. Although this is an exciting time, the
lovers of the sport often times seem to think that the NBA is rigged!
We all know that sports in general are a business, and even more
than that entertainment for spectators. Is it possible that in order to keep
things exciting the NBA fixes games for organizational financial gain? That is
the question often asked when great teams during the season “all of a sudden”
become unable to compete against the other great teams, or when terrible teams
throughout the season become able to compete with the better teams.
Some of the teams you may hear fans complain about being
allowed to rig games are the Lakers, the Heat, and sometimes even the Celtics.
This past season the LA Lakers did not play very well all season, but still
ended up beating some of the teams who played extremely well in the regular
season for not an 8th (very last) but for the 7th seeded
spot to begin the playoffs. Many yelled conspiracy, and accusations of games
being fixed, but no explicit proof has ever been brought up on any of the teams
ever accused.
In a society where reality TV is not really reality, but
mostly scripted, is it truly that far fetched? In a game where a new phenomenon
of flopping has become so much of an issue it is now punishable by fines, does
the idea of fixing seem too far away from a reality? As a true lover of the game I would hope fixing is truly a
myth. I would hope that the age old bug for the need to win at all cost, and
the idea that winning is everything has not so corrupted the minds of not only athletes,
but there employers and coaches, that they would compromise the ethics of the
game in order to gain more money. Only time will tell if this myth will always
be a myth or if the fix is truly a fix.
Victoria Davis
KIN 577
LT 24
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