Originally posted by the AP articleThe FBI is investigating allegations that veteran NBA referee Tim Donaghy bet on basketball games over the past two seasons, including ones in which he officiated.
The law enforcement official said the bets involved thousands of dollars and were made on games during the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 seasons.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Donaghy officiated 68 games in the 2005-06 season and 63 games in 2006-07. He also worked 20 playoff games, including five last season.
Allow me to be the first to say it.
"That bastard Donaghy probably bet against my Pistons in each game they lost and he officiated. Otherwise, the Pistons would have been world champs both of those years."
Try it for your team.
"That _________ Donaghy probably bet against my _______ in each game they lost and he officiated. Otherwise, the _________ would have been world champs both of those years."
Originally posted by Reverend J ShaftTry it for your team.
"That _________ Donaghy probably bet against my _______ in each game they lost and he officiated. Otherwise, the _________ would have been world champs both of those years."
Unless of course, you are a Celtics fan. *ba-dum-bum*
This sure sounds like it'll be ugly, and I'm definitely in "watching the train wreck" mode.
"As you may have read in Robert Parker's Wine Newsletter, 'Donaghy Estates tastes like the urine of Satan, after a hefty portion of asparagus.'" Jack Donaghy, 30 Rock
How can one ref in a crew of three affect a game to a degree of magnitude that's implied here? I mean the other two wouldn't pull the guy aside during timeout and ask "what the hell are you looking at tonight?", or possibly issue some of the NBA's famous make-up calls if they felt he was blowing things *that badly?
Is this Donaghy one of the crew chiefs, or what? Anyone else having a hard time thinking something like this could work, when you (as a ref) have to answer to the mob if you don't get the game onto the proper side of the point spread??
If it was just the ref in business for himself, you could see where he might be able to lose some games when a random bench guy goes off for 36 one night - he could win in the long run by swinging the close (to the spread) games his way. I'm thinking that the mob guys would want to load up the bets, and win every time the fix was in.
Originally posted by TheOldManHow can one ref in a crew of three affect a game to a degree of magnitude that's implied here? I mean the other two wouldn't pull the guy aside during timeout and ask "what the hell are you looking at tonight?", or possibly issue some of the NBA's famous make-up calls if they felt he was blowing things *that badly?
Is this Donaghy one of the crew chiefs, or what? Anyone else having a hard time thinking something like this could work, when you (as a ref) have to answer to the mob if you don't get the game onto the proper side of the point spread??
If it was just the ref in business for himself, you could see where he might be able to lose some games when a random bench guy goes off for 36 one night - he could win in the long run by swinging the close (to the spread) games his way. I'm thinking that the mob guys would want to load up the bets, and win every time the fix was in.
Call a couple of quick hand-check fouls against a scoring guard of the team you are betting against or a moving pick/charge on a big guy early, and you can just claim you are calling the game close. If you are betting over/unders, you blow the whistle a lot in garbage time if necessary. Ref in basketball and the home plate umpire are the officials who can most control a game and thus screw around with it. Plus, it isn't like a guard in basketball or a pitcher in baseball who can get pulled from the game if they are tanking and allow for a comeback once they are gone. An official can foil a run by a team or cause a run for a team very easily. Kobe Bryant being charged with rape was a day at the beach for David Stern compared to this. Now for my comment: That bastard Donaghy probably bet on my Celtics in each game they won and he officiated last season. Otherwise, they would have ended up with more ping pong balls and ended with Greg Oden.
That asshole Donaghy probably bet against my Pacers in each game they lost and he officiated. Otherwise, the Pacers would have been world champs both of those years.
...But seriously folks...
This is definitely bad for a league that's still reeling from the Ron Artest thing (a game in which ironically Donaghy was an official), and is facing, as people have called it, an increasing divide between its primarily African American players and its primarily Caucasian fans.
Between this, Barry Bonds in baseball, and the Vick thing and all those arrests in football, it seems it's almost time for a hockey scandal to make it even, huh?
"Finally, finally, my God finally, Chris Benoit is the Heavyweight Champion of this World!" --Jim Ross, WrestleMania XX
Remembering Chris Benoit (1967-2007) and Eddie Guerrero (1967-2005)
Fan of the Indianapolis Colts-- Super Bowl XLI Champions
Certified RFMC Member-- Ask To See My Credentials!
Originally posted by RYDER FAKINI can't say I'm surprised. And I can't say I'd be shocked if more refs, from more sports, are involved, or have done something similar
I can't think of any other refs participating in anything like this. Given what refs earn, I agree that I can't believe more of this hasn't happened.
The only other pro sport betting scandals I can think of are in baseball: the Black Sox, Pete Rose (he'll even sign the statement if the $$$ are right) plus Tris Speaker and Ty Cobb. I am surprised there weren't more back in the day before the salaries got so stratospheric. Paul Hornung was suspended for a year for consorting with gamblers, but I don't think anything definitive about throwing games or shaving points was ever proven. Regardless, given what players make now, I couldn't imagine the reward would be worth the potential cost.
Even for college players, there really isn't much of a history, at least compared to the opportunity for this type of behavior. In college hoops, there was the ASU/Stevin Smith point shaving scandal in 1994 and the CCNY super scandal in the early 1950s. I can't think of anything else off the top of my head.
With the NCAA, they are really aggressive fighting gambling. One of my students at Southern Methodist who was a walk-on basketball player said he got so intimidated by the NCAA training program on proper behavior (which, according to him, was 90% anti-gambling/point shaving/etc.) that he quit fantasy football because he was worried that could be construed as gambling. Of course, this kid didn't even play 40 minutes all season, so he was hardly the target. Plus, he's super sharp and wouldn't throw away his future on something like that. Still, it was interesting (at least to me).
"Teach children that they have great potential because they are human." -Warrior
I agree with the calls for higher referee wages in light of this scandal. A lot of people have commented that player-gambling scandals would never happen in this day and age of multi-million dollar contracts, but referees are ripe for the picking. After thinking of things that way, the idea of a referee gambling scandal isn't that crazy.
Having said that, let's not go completely nuts. This doesn't mean the fix was in for everything. But it's safe to say that total garbage games like that Clippers/Grizzlies abomination from a year ago should probably get a second look. I'd personally love to see a list of games that Donaghy has officiated over the years.
Between this, Vick in the NFL, and the steroids scandal in baseball, this has been a terrible year for sports. Hell, with the Benoit situation, this hasn't even been a good year for FAKE sports.
Originally posted by ekedolphinThis is definitely bad for a league that's still reeling from the Ron Artest thing (a game in which ironically Donaghy was an official)
Analysts are pointing out how lackadaisical Donaghy's officiating was for that game and that he and his crew could have actually prevented the brawl with some stricter officiating. Has nothing to do with the gambling situation, but it's definitely interesting to note.
EDIT: Here's the Bill Simmons take on this situation. Which is very notable, because he links back to this column, in which he looks at a horribly officiated Game 3 between the Suns and Spurs. A Game 3 in which the referee squad was led by one Tim Donaghy. Dun-dun-dun!
(edited by It's False on 22.7.07 1014)
The Wisdom of Homsar: DaAaAa, these Easter pants are gettin' way too tight!
The salaries aren't the issue. If Donaghy was making a million a year, it would have been more money for him to bet. And if you can't get by on a couple hundred thousand a year, plus perks, to work 100 times a year, you've got a problem
Also, you can't "get" to the players these days because most of them have handlers and agents that prevent it (or have the common decency NOT to gamble in the first place - at least not at this level). Most of the players' troubles are from partying with the wrong crowd - not from something like this, which is worse than 99% of the nonsense going on
There needs to be a "no tolerance" rule for gambling, period. On anything, if you are a professional athlete, or involved in professional sports. Put it in the contracts and / or Union agreements. One strike and you're out - and forget about ever working in this town again
FLEA
Demonstrations are a drag. Besides, we're much too high
"We think we have here a rogue, isolated criminal here," Stern said at a news conference. "I feel betrayed by what happened on behalf of the sport."
Sure David...sure...
Click Here (sports.espn.go.com) Watched the whole conference on First Take...hey I'm on vacation! Stern just knows this is the tip of the iceberg but he is playing it very cool...oh and the death stare to the reporters...priceless.
Puerto Rico...fighting for 3rd place on the World Baseball Classic!
WASHINGTON -- The chairman of a House subcommittee is requesting a meeting with NBA commissioner David Stern concerning the betting scandal involving former referee Tim Donaghy.
Rep. Bobby Rush, who heads the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection, said he is also considering calling a hearing on the matter "should the facts warrant public scrutiny."
"If the allegations prove true, this could be one of the most damaging scandals in the history of American sports," the Illinois Democrat wrote in a letter sent to Stern on Wednesday and released to the press on Thursday.
I honestly don't see what good a Congressional hearing would do. It did absolutely nothing for baseball's steroids scandal, except make pariahs out of a couple of guys. Is there really anything that can result from this?
The Wisdom of Homsar: AaAaAaAaAaAaA! Caramel corn for president, please!
Thread ahead: Pistons coach Saunders: 20 yards away from Minnesota bridge when it collapsed Next thread: Agent Zero on shark attacks Previous thread: No Yi in Milwaukee
#
#