Hey Ref!

From FoxNews.com:

An academic study of NBA officiating found that white referees called fouls
at a greater rate against black players than against white players, The New York
Times reported in Wednesday's editions.

The study by a University of Pennsylvania assistant professor and
Cornell graduate student also found that black officials called fouls more
frequently against white players than black, but noted that that tendency was
not as pronounced.

Justin Wolfers, an assistant professor of business and public policy at
Penn's Wharton School, and Joseph Price, a Cornell graduate student in
economics, said the difference in calls "is large enough that the probability of
a team winning is noticeably affected by the racial composition of the
refereeing crew."

The study, conducted over a 13-season span through 2004, found that the
racial makeup of a three-man officiating crew affected calls by up to 4 1/2
percent.

The NBA strongly criticized the study, which was based on information
from publicly available box scores, which show only the referees' names and
contain no information about which official made a call.

Stalin's take: If you are taught that the referees are basically there to help you you will have one type of interaction, if you are taught that they are out to get you you will have another type.