Spooner, the retired ref with 32 years in the league, said he thinks Paul has been building a calculated campaign against Foster.
“I’m going to tell you, and I know you are recording me, but I get asked all the time: ‘Who are some of the tough guys, some of the bad guys?’ And when I tell them that Chris Paul, in my 32 years in the league, was one of the biggest a–holes I ever dealt with, they say, ‘Not Rasheed Wallace … or da-da-da?’ Nope. Nothing like (Paul),” Spooner said. “And they are like, ‘Oh, he seems like such a nice guy.’ And I say, ‘Yeah, he’s a great image cultivator.'”
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5494360/2024/05/20/scott-foster-nba-referee/
by LordHussyPants
42 Comments
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Chris Paul was also the NBPA president that rejected cap smoothing. Which in turn allowed the Warriors to sign Kevin Durant.
This might be true, but Scott Foster is not a saint either. If this was AITA it’s one of those “ESH” situations.
That’s insane that someone can garner that reputation for so long in the NBA and not care.
Now ask former players who is the biggest a-holes that have refereed the game.
Kanye has something to say about Chris Paul
Referee alliance is like cops protecting each other no matter what shit they’ve done.
Helped usher in this era of complaining nonstop, all game. They think every foul they commit is a bad call and that every time they’re even touched it’s a hard foul
And yet I still have never hated Chris Paul like others tbh.
“Hello, LAPD? That asshole Chris Paul is going to beat me up.”
Chris getting caught with Kim was what threw me off.
FW a married woman with kids? N it’s a kim k? Fuck wrong with you
He’s dealt with Joey Crawford. NO ONE is a bigger asshole.
Who gives af
Chris Paul is an asshole.
Scott Foster is a petty, biased referee.
Both are true.
>he’s a great image cultivator
State farm ads went a long way in polishing his rep
This is very easy to believe.
It’s actually Chris Paul’s fault nobody trusts the refs and Scott Foster in particular, sure
Finally, a ref I respect.
I know nothing about CBAs or the salary cap but I’m ready to argue lol
Talking shit about Chris paul is basically karma farming
Only Chris Paul can make me support Scott Foster. Praying I don’t have to watch that guy on my team much longer
I fully believe Chris Paul was a slimy asshole.
But you’re a damn referee. Purportedly among the best ones on the planet. Your entire job is to call things completely according to the rules of the game and fairly and to be neutral. I don’t care if it’s Hitler himself making a game 7 finals buzzer beater while nearly out of bounds, you don’t call that out of bounds.
Leave grudges for off the court.
If Scott Foster is too human for that, he’s not fit to be a top referee.
Quotes like this are absolutely wild to me.
ARAB
No one should be surprised by this
i mean, yeah. he’s a referee
And this is why I don’t want cp3 on the Spurs
CP3’s campaign against Foster is literally the only thing I like about him. Also, Sheed was just an annoyance to those MFs. Of course he’s not the answer.
Calculated campaign? I think we just saw his crew be incredibly inconsistent in one of the most important games of the year last night with Mn vs Denver
Ever since he punched Julius Hodge below the belt in the ACC tournament I’ve had zero respect for that guy…
Maybe he is thinking of Jake Paul
Its funny, usually if you have a no doubt hall of fame point guard known for being cerebral approaching retirement—particularly one who is pretty mediagenic, has some big ad campaigns, etc.—he’d either be talked about as a potential head coach or someone who could get talking head gigs. But no one ever really talks about Chris Paul that way, and I think its cause fundamentally very few people actually like him. Its hard to picture players wanting to play for him as a coach, or viewers wanting to hear his commentary. I feel like there’s a good chance he just kinda fades from public consciousness when he retires.
There is a veteran NBA referee from my hometown and he came to one of our summer bball camps one time. One of the kids asked who was the worst player to deal with. Most people guessed Ron Artest at the time. He said Ron was fine, but Chris Paul was by far the worst. Changed the way I viewed him long time ago
Yeah not surprised by this at all
“But …” Foster remembers telling his dad, “what if I am the Michael Jordan of officiating?”
should tell you everything you know about how this delusional mf sees himself lol
Seems accurate.
Will be interesting to see what they say about Draymond eventually. On camera it looks like he just relentlessly harasses them but he maintains the longest leash in history and gets the benefit of the doubt on most swipes and moving screens for a solid decade. Maybe he’s way funnier in person and it Durant annoy them so much.
Cp3 is the dude who tried to get a 13 year old mavs fan kicked out for talking to his family
Shocking . A ref that’s from the same area as Foster, and where most the old refs came from because they all just recommend each other for the nba, defends him to keep up the old ref network
Russillo in shambles rn.
He’s a noted dick puncher. This should surprise no one.
It’s obvious no one likes Chris Paul. I’ve never been able to stand him since his Hornets days and then there’s all the injuries and playoff choking
Reminder to people that Bill Spooner:
Has tried to “distance himself” from Tim Donaghy.
Is friends with Scott Foster and was his coworker for decades.
Sued a reporter over a tweet. The tweet was implying Spooner gave a make-up call after botching another call.
Was one of the referees when Fizdale was fined $25k for loudly complaining of the biased refereeing in a Spurs Grizzlies playoff game where Kawhi had more FTs than the entire Grizzlies team.