David Stern's Letter to Bob Delaney: You're Demoted

Dear Bob,

I am sorry I have to do this to you, but after watching the replay of last night's game and receiving all the complaints specifically about you and the two other members of your crew. Your services are no longer needed in the NBA, and we are sending you to the developmental league.

As commissioner, I had a hard time just not saying the words that you hear from Donald Trump of "you're fired" but instead I decided that the truth is your skills may have diminished but you could use a second chance by fixing the glaring mistakes you made in last nights game with the Atlanta Hawks vs Golden State Warriors. 

The first play that caused a little concern for me is the no call on Jamal Crawford. Clearly a foul yet no whistle so it makes me wonder where was your crew on that one? You're the veteran official and that's way too easy of a call to miss. 

The second play is the foul call on Ronny Turiaf when Maurice Evans was going in for a layup and Turiaf blocked his shot. After watching the replays over and over again I do not know how you came up with a foul on Turiaf.

The only way that contact was made was Maurice Evans extending his left arm out and creating the contact. This should have been an offensive foul. 

A third play was a foul call on Andris Biedrins. For this one you, Bob were clearly out of position and had no reason to blow the whistle, but you did. Again after watching the replay there was absolutely no contact made by Biedrins who had blocked the shot.

Again, as a veteran official, I expect you to swallow the whistle on that because there were two others with way better angles who were not going to call a foul for the same reason I just mentioned—the no contact. 

So, when the fourth play that came into question was another foul by Biedrins. I have become livid with you and your crew. I just don't know how the foul call was made, but Biedrins also never made any contact on the play with Josh Smith driving at him.

Biedrins was retreating the whole way back trying not to pick up another foul and Smith kept coming at him till he tried taking a shot which he missed badly.

Yet, even with the no contact the whistle again was blown. 

The call that broke the camel's back though was when Bibby in the closing seconds lost control of the ball and was the last player to touch the ball. Yes, at first glance it could look like the ball was knocked out by a defender, but the ball was never even closed to being touched by a defender.

The ball should have been given back to the Warriors. 

Lastly, maybe the saving grace for you is that you made the correct call in reviewing whether Mike Bibby was behind the line when Stephen Jackson bought the pump fake when Bibby drew the foul.

The three free throws awarded to Bibby was the wrong call, but luckily you were able to watch the replay and determine the actual call which should have been made on the floor because a member of your officiating crew was watching the whole time and it was clear that Bibby's foot was on the line and it should have been two free throws. 

I get the fact that being a ref takes a lot of patience. I also realize that your only human and will make mistakes, but eventually these mistakes are getting costly. I'm tired of hearing fans complain about the conspiracy that young teams will not get the calls. I'm tired of every bad call being equated to the whole Tim Donaghy scandal.

After watching this game it's clear that it's time for me to take action. I wish there was some other way Bob I really do, but it's time for you to be made an example of.

If you're going to make horrible calls and not be in the correct position to even blow the whistle then it's clear to me and the rest of the NBA that you need to get back to the official you once were.

So how do we do that? Well, Bob it means that you are being summoned to be an official in the developmental league where you can regain your form and in a month or two if you show me that your working hard you can get your job back. If you decide that your too good to take the demotion then you're fired.

Sincerely,

David Stern