Bloggystyle -- The Greatest

One of Webster's definitions of "niche" is "a position particularly well suited to the person who occupies it." Simply put, this man has found his niche when it comes to notoriety.



For those lucky enough to never know of the NBA's existence, this man means nothing to you. For the rest of us outside of the City of Angels, the name Dick Bavetta strikes fear in us all. Somewhere hiding in the deep abyss that is the National Basketball Association's office is The Man, and many an individual believes that David Stern The Man dictates everything.

If you believe in The Man, then you understand the legacy of Dick Bavetta. If The Man truly exists, Dick Bavetta is the Darth Vader to his Emperor Palpatine (minus some Return of the Jedi theatrics). In some regions, the man is known as "Knick Bavetta."

You may laugh. But Shaq and Kobe aside, Dick Bavetta is the man most responsible for the Lakers 3peat. Some of us will never forget Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals in 2002, a crime so heinous even Ralph Nader felt the urge to investigate.


"What is thy bidding, my master?"

Your boy and my boy Michael Wilbon, now of Pardon The Interruption fame, put it very nicely.

All along, I've wanted to see a seventh game. But not if it had to come about like this.

Statistical evidence is usually circumstantial, but consider this anyway: the Lakers had shot an average of 22 foul shots through the first five games of this series, but on Friday night here at home they shot 27 . . . in the fourth quarter.

Much like innocence lost, Dick Bavetta continues to crush the dreams of all small market teams.


"In time, you will call me...Master."