O'Donnell's retirement marks the end of an era

Sporting News, The, Dec 18, 1995 by Shaun Powell

The regular referees are back and all except one grabbed a whistle.

Jake O'Donnell, who never hesitated to make a tough call in 28 seasons, gave the NBA a double-technical and automatic ejection from his life.

In any other season, O'Donnell's retirement would simply be a passing of an era. O'Donnell was the last of the truly great referees, a man who belongs in the company of Mendy Rudolph, Norm Drucker, the late Earl Strom and Richie Powers. They had personality and presence.

However, O'Donnell picked a bad time to quit if only because of his last game.

Because of the controversy that swirled during and after the May 9 playoff game, the first in the series between the guns and Rockets, O'Donnell's retirement gave the impression he was forced out, something he and the NBA vehemently deny.

"That game," O'Donnell says, "had nothing to do with my retirement."

In that game, O'donnell refused to shake hands with Clyde Drexler at tipoff. Then he tossed Drexler in the first quarter after calling a touch foul before slapping the Rockets guard with two quick technicals.

It appeared O'Donnell had a personal feud with Drexler, which was widely rumored at the time. The league certainly thought something was amiss because it suspended O'Donnell for the rest of the playoffs and wouldn't allow him to work the NBA Finals, ending a string of 23 consecutive appearances.

The league heightened speculation with its mysterious handling of the episode. There was no official comment about the elimination of the game's best ref. What's more, a source said the league, months later, paid O'Donnell for the games he was suspended. Word circulated that O'Donnell was prepared to threaten with a lawsuit.

"It shouldn't have been controversial in the first place," O'Donnell says. "The NBA made it controversial. There was no grounds for what they did. It was handled wrong.

"They felt I was after Drexler because I didn't shake his hand that night. Well, I hadn't shook his hand in a couple of years. There was one game where he didn't extend his band, and so I said, fine. So I hadn't shaken his hand since. Things like this have happened before. (Darell) Garretson wouldn't shake Larry Bird's hand. If I had to do it all over again, I would've done it the same way."

O'Donnell says he had nothing personal against Drexler and didn't hold grudges.

"I just don't take any crap from anyone," O'Donnell says, "and he couldn't handle that. If he thinks it was personal, fine, but it wasn't from my standpoint."

O'Donnell's no-nonsense approach was the trait that made him enormously popular among players and gave him the appearance of impartiality, which is a requirement for any referee longing for respect.

O'Donnell offered his take on a few other referee-related subjects:

* The replacement refs: "That whole scene was terrible. They took them out of the CBA, and not only were they out of the CBA, some of them hadn't worked pro ball in years. It was a disgrace, but they were going to prove a point to the regular referees."

* His most memorable games: "That Atlanta-Boston seventh game in the Eastern Conference finals (in 1986), when Bird and Dominique had their shootout. Another was when Jordan scored his 63 points (in '86), and the seventh game of the Lakers-Pistons (in '88). Plus those Philadelphia-Boston series in the '80s. They were always wonderful to work."

* On Garretson, the league's chief of officials, who shared many differences of opinion with Strom and O'Donnell: "Darell Garretson is a very egotistical guy, who makes it seem like it's not right if it's not his way. He works hard and all, but I think some of it is just overdone. But he has to have control of the staff. There have been nothing but rifts since he took the job. He was my boss, but other than that, he had no control over me. I had a way to referee, and I wasn't about to be a robot out there. I used my own signals."

* On the quality of today's refs: "The toughest thing is getting consistency from the staff. I don't think you'll see the Earl Stroms, the flamboyant types, anymore. You've seen the last of that breed. They want them all to look alike and use the same signals. Today, refs are in the background. There aren't many refs who if you said their name you'd recognize them."

Not really. Not anymore. The last one just left the game.

The final chapter

The Mavs tried to rehabilitate the ultimate rehabilitation project Roy Tarpley, only to watch him crash and burn for the final time.

That means there will b no second (or third or fourth) chances for Tarpley in Dallas. He finally struck out for good when a positive test for alcohol effectively voided the final five years and $22 million on his contract.

Owner Donald Carter wasn't too wise to re-sign Tarpley in the first place, given his history. But at least Carter was smart enough to include a clause. "It's done," Mavericks G.M. Norm Sonju says. "It's the past. That's not being cold. It's just a fact."

Hot air

Agent David Falk, who represents upcoming free agents Michael Jordan, Alonzo Mourning and Juwan Howard, believes the top talent will command in excess of $20 million next summer. Then Falk, speaking to the New York Post, tried to slip the Knicks a message by saying client Patrick Ewing will be worth as much when he becomes a free agent in two years. Falk conveniently left out the fact that, at that time, Ewing will be 35.