Reputed aggravator Rudy Gobert pissed off another group of people Friday night, and although get up isn’t newsworthy in itself, it’s what the Frenchman did to win a technique that’s interesting. In the final seconds of the Cleveland-Minnesota game, with his team leading by one point, the Timberwolves center was whistled for his sixth foul, and as he left the field, he made the money signs to the referees that Johnny Manziel made famous.
Darius Garland took the gift and sent it into overtime where the T-Wolves were outscored, 16-7, for a 113-104 loss. It was the second straight game for Gobert’s already-shorthanded team, and afterward he admitted his mistake but said the gesture was genuine.
“My reaction, which I believe is the truth – this is what I truly believe – even if it is the truth, it was not the time for me to react that way,” Gobert then said. “I should not have done that. I cost my team the game and obviously they were eager to give me some tech. It was bad. It was an immature reaction.
Asked to clarify his position, the 11-year-old center pointed to the legalization of sports betting in the United States.
“I’m going to bite the bullet again” Gobert said. “I’ll be the bad guy. I’ll take the fine, but I think it hurts our game. I know betting and everything else is getting bigger and bigger, but that shouldn’t be the case.
“I made a few mistakes. I threw down a dunk. Errors happen. Referees also make mistakes. But sometimes I think it’s more than just mistakes. I think everyone in this league knows that. I think it needs to improve.
Expect NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to happily fine him, as this is the same league that had to fire a referee for doing exactly what Gobert implied last night . Tim Donaghy, Tim Donaghy, Tim Donaghy. Sorry, I’m writing this three times quickly to make sure I can safely mention his name.
It’s only a matter of time before another gambling scandal occurs. Just this week, more details emerged on Team employee who embezzled $22 million from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Although Amit Patel’s actions had no bearing on the integrity of the games, his lawyer said that “99%” of the stolen funds were used to fuel his client’s gambling addiction.
Sports franchises and college programs need to exercise increased oversight as paper trails now exist thanks to sports betting apps. Leagues and franchises should know if a team employee has hundreds of thousands, or even millions, in gambling debts, and the same goes for the companies those leagues do business with. I mean, hell, Patel was playing with the Jags’ CORPORATE CREDIT CARD. This should have raised some sort of flag.
I don’t want to do any more virtue signaling, and I won’t, because I don’t have to. Since sports betting became legal and more accessible across the United States, we have seen an increase in incredibly stupid behavior from coaches, players, and gambling addicts. There has yet to be a other situation with Donaghy, although I should mention that the former NBA referee admitted to a gambling problem during the ensuing court proceedings that led to his 15-month prison sentence.
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Rudy Gobert is right. You shouldn’t have the impression that betting is harming sport, but this feeling is becoming more and more common.
