Referee's Wife Petitions NBA Once in a while you run across a story that really makes you scratch your head, and the one you're about to read is one of those. FanHouse managed to acquire a copy of a letter sent to the NBA . . .by locked-out referee Marc Davis' wife. On the surface, the letter seems like a passionate plea by a passionate woman who is simply defending her husband, but as you read through it, she makes some pretty darned good points - including a few that the average fan (and, admittedly, NBA analyst), might not think about. "These past few weeks have been a very trying time for our family, as I am sure they have been for the families for all of the 57 NBA referees. The stress of worrying about a lockout has been, at times, overwhelming. We have three small children to feed, clothe, and educate. Like most American families, we have a mortgage and bills to pay. These bills do not know what the word "lockout" means. "What has been most disheartening, however, is accepting the fact that the sacrifices that all of our families make year in and year out appear to be meaningless to the NBA and David Stern. The 'offers' made by the NBA are insulting to our families. "The NBA has repeatedly stated that their goal this year is to bring the referees compensation and benefits more in line with the rest of the NBA office employees and its administrative staff. But referees are not office and administrative staff. They do not wake up at home each morning and see their kids off to school before heading to a job from which they get to return home each night, if not for dinner, then to tuck their kids in and kiss them good night. They do not get to sleep in their own beds with their spouses by their sides. "While I don't know for certain, I would guess that most of the NBA office employees do not miss their kid's school plays, parent-teacher conferences, sports practices and games, graduations, Christmas mornings, and other holidays. Their husbands and wives do not have to explain to their children each morning and night for 10 months of the year that daddy or mommy will not be coming home again today and won't be home again for the next ten days either. I can tell you from first-hand experience that three, four and five year olds do not get that concept very well. All of this is not to diminish the value of the NBA office and administrative staff. They obviously play a crucial role in the day-to-day workings of the League. But in reality the jobs of an office worker and an NBA referee are not the same. Comparing the two is not comparing apples to apples, but instead it is trying to make an apple an orange. "By even making the comparison in the first place, David Stern runs the risk of changing a 'craft' into a job. Though the NBA office staff is some of the best in the world, you can find anyone to do a job, not everyone is a true craftsman. The men and women who work this job are true craftsmen. Though frequently criticized by fans and the media, they are the best in the world at what they do and I am proud to be the wife of one. They cannot be replaced by placing an ad in the classifieds and picking out a new hire from the folks who line up at the door. If they could, then perhaps the deal the NBA is offering makes sense. "It does not, however, make sense given the sacrifices our families make every day. I would even go so far as to say that the sacrifice we make is larger than that that made of anyone in the NBA, including the players. Whatever the public perception may be, the referees do not have huge contracts, fly on private planes, or get to work half of their games at home. They are regular people, who trek around from city to city, airport to airport, arena to arena, and practice their craft to provide for their families. "In any given season, we are lucky if my husband works three home games in a 75-game schedule. We are lucky if he is home more than five 24-hour periods a month. Who else on the NBA staff can say they do the same? Players can't. David Stern can't. Office staff can't, nor can anyone else who works for the NBA. Referees are unique in what they give to and what they give up for the game. "And so what are all of these sacrifices for? Why are we missing holidays together and games and school events? So that the NBA can tell all of us that our sacrifice is meaningless and that it is worth no more to them than what the office worker, who jumps on and off the train, each day does? That seems ludicrous by any rational measure. "It was not my dream to be an NBA referee. It was not our kid's dream to have a father who is one either. But it is a dream we are fully committed to supporting because it is my husband's dream. I take on single parenthood and being a 'referee widow' because I love my husband and believe in him and his dream. All that has happened with this contract just has me questioning whether the NBA realizes the sacrifices 57 families of their employees make to continue to put out the 'best product in the world.'" For more
She can suck it...boo hoo, you have to travel a crapload...um...duh!!! Refs are paid between 90-250k per year to referee basketball games! How about you bitch when your husband is an nfl referee and they dont even pay you enough to make it your full time job. NFL refs have to take 2nd jobs!!! I have no sympathy for her or refs at all
I agree. What a fucking crybaby. She can wipe her tears away with the seatbelt strap on her Mercedes Benz s500.
Yeah I'm gonna have to agree (although less harshly lol) as the posters above... I worked at a hotel on holidays and nights and weekends and missed things with family, and it was for a hell of a lot less money... the traveling is part of the career that YOU chose. They knew that full well going in. If the traveling and being away from families is part of the career you chose, you shouldnt be allowed to use it against employers, as an argument.
She might as well have channeled Patrick Ewing and Kenny Anderson back in the 99 strike. Look at me, my husband gets paid a lot of money, and I have to put up with him for half the year...waaaaah. Please, unless they're one of the top refs, they're off basically from April till October.
Most NFL refs have full-time jobs because they leave for "work" on Saturday morning and are home by Sunday night. They then spend the week with their families in whatever town they live in, if they choose. They make decent money (NFL referees currently earn between $42,295 and $120,998 per season) for what amounts to a part time job. So, your comparison makes little sense.
Cry me a river. In related news: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2009-08-25-donaghy-prison_N.htm?csp=34
Gonna go with a +3 on the above comments. It's his dream job, and he gets to do it. Sorry if it takes you away from family and friends and holidays. Find a new job. Many would love that sacrfice for their salary. Many would love that sacrifice for their job. You can't push and push and push towards a career, adn then whine about an aspect of the job you knew was there.
Exactly! Thats the sticking point for me right there.. its not like they didnt know it was gonna involve those sacrifices.
I think it's more about the pay cut than whining about the job. Again, how much money is Stern making a year? According to various reports, I put it at around $10 million per. Seems to me like the rich get richer while the middle class gets the shaft.
That's the biggest whine fest ever. Big fucking deal. Why do I almost feel like she's comparing her husbands profession to what military members do every fucking day. Except their families are separated for years at a time, and there's a good chance they could get injured or killed. Did I forget to mention they get paid peanuts? Have a little fucking perspective you stupid bitch.
I think the point is that the compensation helped them offset being away from their families for 9 months of the year. Semantics, I suppose, but I do see their point. Now, with decreasing their pay while Stern continues to make $10 million/per, I can see why they would be a bit upset.
no it makes perfect sense....the NFL is the biggest sports entity in the USA (possibly world?). They make money hand over fist and they cant even pay enough money so the refs can focus on being a better referee
Well, that's certainly an argument to make, but it's not like people are drafted into the military, either. Plus, it's a bit easier getting into the military than becoming an NBA referee. I respect the military much more than an NBA referee, but supply and demand do set the market price. I'm not sure the refs should keep their pay, but I won't argue with the wife for not wanting to give it up without trying to keep it.
NFL refs work, at most, 20 games a year. NBA refs work well over 100 games. By the hour, the NFL refs are stealing money. Also, if the idea if to get better NFL refs, perhaps the NFL, since they are making "money hand over fist", should pay their refs more so they don't have to be distracted with their real jobs. It's not like the NFL doesn't have BS calls and missed calls. Hell, that's half of the message board chat after any random NFL game. So, you kinda just defeated your own argument.
I doubt the NFL is as big as Formula 1 and probably a couple of the soccer (nee, Football) leagues in Europe.
Just like working for the state.. pay cuts with the same duties are happening everywhere. Maybe I should get some Govenors to take pay cuts actually. Go Refs!
I agree there. I do not like when people complain about their spouse traveling for work though. They chose that profession, just like many in the military did, but really there is no comparison when it comes to hardships. It's not like these guys have Phd's or something.
