This morning, we learned about a few unmentioned NBA referees being disciplined by David Stern for minor gambling infractions. But if you heard this first on MSNBC, you might be a little confused by the conflicting subhead/lede combination. So I'm here to clear this up.
See, they're not suspended from the league, as in "cannot officiate games in the NBA for a period of time with or without pay," but rather suspended, as in "hanging from a bungee cord over a sea of lava until they repent their sins."
Even though they are not grave misdeeds — who among us doesn't fancy a quick game of nickel slots at an Indian casino — David Stern is clearly not taking any chances that these six referees will cast an even darker cloud over the post-Tim Donaghy world of NBA officiating. The suspended-over-lava gambit is a harmless, yet clear message to anyone who betrays the pure soul of the National Basketball Association, and it really did wonders on Rasheed Wallace.
Bison Dele, however, didn't quite escape.
NBA Punishes 6 Refs Who Broke Rules [New York Daily News]
NBA Reportedly Disciplines 6 Refs After Scandal [MSNBC]