After 39 years of officiating in the NBA, and not missing a single game since 1976 - Dick Bavetta is finally calling it a career at the tender age of 74.The first thing that pops in your mind is ... SEVENTY FOUR? Bavetta is SEVENTY FOUR?
The man is still in tremendous shape and has never failed to keep up with the pace of the game. I've seen officials 40 years younger unable to keep up with the pace of a high school game. That in and of itself speaks volumes about Bavetta.
The second thing that pops in my mind is - can we believe, beyond a shadow of a doubt that Bavetta's ability to call a game hasn't been impaired by his advancing age? Should the NBA in fact have a mandatory retirement age? If so, what would it be? 55? 60? 65?
It stands to reason that as players get bigger and faster, officials in their 70s may become a thing of myth and lore rather than reality.
Years ago, disgraced NBA referee Tim Donaghy implicated Bavetta as another official responsible for fixing games. Certainly the NBA has found no wrong doing on the part of Bavetta - despite what some Sacramento Kings fans may believe.
In addition to being one of the better officials in the NBA, Bavetta was a character. Some will debate if a referee SHOULD be a known personality, or just an invisible part of the game that blends into the background.
Professional sports is all about entertainment. The rules in the NBA have been changed to allow for more glitz and sizzle compared to the college or international game; so I personally have never had an issue with 'Humble' Dick being a bit of a side show.
Don't ask me who won the game that Sunday night - but I know Charles edged out a senior citizen and then kissed and made up.
Will Bavetta join an NBA broadcast, the referee's governing body in the NBA, or simply go home and enjoy his golden years?
I'm sure those questions will become clear by the time the season starts - but all of us here at The Bench are officially offering a sport to our favorite Dick to come and hang out with us anytime!
