Perhaps taking a tip from Carmelo Anthony’s Wire-y “Stop Snitching” DVD, Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy, unafraid of David Stern’s vague threats, will not name his referee source, writes the NY Daily News’ Frank Isola.
Several FedEx packages containing $20 bills arrived in Jeff Van Gundy’s office yesterday. Boxes of the candy bar “$100,000 Grand” were sent to his house. Even a local businessman known as Mattress Matt offered to pay the Houston Rockets coach $100,000 for making a personal appearance at his furniture store.
“It’s been unbelievable,” Van Gundy said yesterday. “But you know what? I got myself into this mess so I handle it by myself. But I do appreciate the offers.”
The impromptu fund-raiser for Van Gundy is in full swing as the Rockets look to avoid elimination tonight against the Dallas Mavericks, and Houston’s coach looks to avoid permanent extinction from the NBA.
Van Gundy reiterated yesterday that he will not reveal the name of the official who informed him that the referees would be “looking harder at Yao (Ming)” because of complaints to the league office from Mavericks owner Mark Cuban about Yao setting illegal screens. NBA commissioner David Stern has already fined Van Gundy a record $100,000 for failing to cooperate with the investigation and has hinted that the former Knicks coach could be facing a lifetime ban.
“If I had one do-over I would not have spoken with great emotion and brought his name into it,” Van Gundy said of the unnamed referee. “It is a choice between two rights; helping the commissioner in his investigation and between the right of being a man of my word. The choice between those two rights is clear and simple for me. I have to stand by my word.”
The referee in question will likely be fired if his identity is revealed, and for that reason, Van Gundy said he cannot “put my friend on the chopping block.”