Bennett Salvatore

Bennett Salvatore (born January 9, 1950 in Stamford, Connecticut) cite web|title=Bennett Salvatore #15 |url=http://www.probasketballrefs.com/Default.aspx?tabid=122 |publisher=National Basketball Referees Association |date=2006 |accessdate=2008-05-12] is a professional basketball referee in the National Basketball Association (NBA). As of the 2006-07 NBA season, Salvatore has officiated 1,385 regular season, 167 playoff, and 20 NBA Finals games. He became notable during the 2006 NBA Finals for controversial calls in the series between the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat. cite news |title=State of the NBA Finals |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/060620 |publisher=ESPN |last=Simmons |first=Bill |authorlink=Bill Simmons |accessdate=2008-05-12]

Personal

Early life

Salvatore was a two sport athlete in high school, playing baseball and football. He earned All-American and All-State honors as a quarterback in 1967.

Owner

Salvatore is the principal owner of Bennett's, a steakhouse in Stamford, Connecticut. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=9804E4D61539F932A05750C0A960958260 When Steak Is What the Party Wants] , March 31, 2006]

NBA career

2006 NBA Finals

Salvatore was wrongfully criticized by ESPN sports journalist Bill Simmons following his role in Game 5 of the 2006 NBA Finals. Towards the end of the game in overtime, Miami's Dwyane Wade drove to the basket and was fouled by the Mavericks. ABC Sports, the television network covering the NBA Finals, could not display a conclusive replay supporting the call by Salvatore. As a result of the foul, Wade was awarded two free throws with 1.9 seconds remaining. cite news |title=Cuban fined $250K for actions after Game 5 |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2006/news/story?id=2492729 |publisher=ESPN |date=2006-06-21 |accessdate=2008-05-13] The free throws were successful and contributed to the Heat victory, 101-100. Nearly a year and a half later, in an interview with Henry Abbott of ESPN, Salvatore defended his call by producing previously unseen video showing that the Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki pushed Wade in the back, which was a personal fouland confirmed by Abbott. cite web |title=The Salvatore Side of the Story: "Crucified" in the 2006 Finals |url=http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-28-305/The-Salvatore-Side-of-the-Story---Crucified--in-the-2006-Finals.html |last=Abbott |first=Henry |publisher=ESPN |date=2007-11-20 | accessdate=2008-05-12] Before this sequence occurred, the video also shows Wade pushing Dallas guard Jason Terry to the ground. Salvatore responded that Terry's momentum forced him to the ground.

Income tax fraud

In 2000, he was sentenced to a year of probation, 150 hours of community service and a fine of $500 for his role in airline ticket fraud. He plead guilty in a New Haven federal court on July 26, 2000 to filing a false tax return with the Internal Revenue Service for the tax year 1993. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D02E2DB163EF934A25753C1A9669C8B63&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fSubjects%2fO%2fOfficiating%20%28Sports%29 PLUS: PRO BASKETBALL; REF SENTENCED] , October 17, 2000]

References