Ex-Ref Tim Donaghy Blows Whistle on NBA's Secrets

[benji]

They seem completely disinterested in an outside investigation. They're already whining about the one they conducted themselves. It's a no-win scenario to talk about the past. The league just needs to move forward with the transparency. Announcing the punishments to refs (which the league regularly does), like they do to players would be start.

Which is, obviously, agreeing with you in a sense.

[Andrew]

What about the suggestion of making officials accountable for their actions through post game interviews as well? Would the duty to defend questionable decisions to a worldwide audience keep things on the level at all?

[Laxation]

What about the suggestion of making officials accountable for their actions through post game interviews as well? Would the duty to defend questionable decisions to a worldwide audience keep things on the level at all?

Do people want to hear, "Yeah, I did miss that call, and that's why your teams season is finished."?

[Wacky Bibe]

I think we all have these allegations every time a team with a superstar wins.

so "we all have these allegations" every year? with the exception of maybe Detroit winning a few years back?

yes.

[benji]

From a Sacramento Bee blog:

Not that Kings fans needed more fuel for their conspiracy fire, but there is a rather odd development to the Game 6 controversy. Several of my colleagues say they've previously viewed video clips on YouTube of each game from the infamous 2002 Western Conference playoff series between the Kings and Lakers.
But as of today, clips of Game 6 are missing. All the other games are there. You can watch highlights of Kobe Bryant scoring 30 points in Game 1 and the clips from the deciding overtime in Game 7 remain. Another NBA blogger also picked up on the missing clips.
Where did Game 6 go? YouTube won't say. Their official response to my question was as dry as they come.
"We do not comment on individual videos or video sets," a spokesperson said.

[Jing]

proof of the NBA destroying evidence? but then again online stuff is easy to remove. What about the hard copies in like the ABC Studios or wherever they are kept.

[[Q]]

I think we all have these allegations every time a team with a superstar wins.

so "we all have these allegations" every year? with the exception of maybe Detroit winning a few years back?

yes.

wow thanks for clarifying that. glad that we all say that the league is fixed virtually every year.

proof of the NBA destroying evidence? but then again online stuff is easy to remove. What about the hard copies in like the ABC Studios or wherever they are kept.

it was NBA on NBC at that time. if only we could get that back... freaking ABC extended the contract til 2011 or something.

[Andrew]

What about the suggestion of making officials accountable for their actions through post game interviews as well? Would the duty to defend questionable decisions to a worldwide audience keep things on the level at all?

Do people want to hear, "Yeah, I did miss that call, and that's why your teams season is finished."?

Not really, but presumably if they're being held accountable they'd need to come up with better answers than that.

The removal of those clips certainly doesn't help dispel the conspiracy theories. It was interesting that the Maloofs came out with a statement that downplayed the notion of a league conspiracy, though admitted they were dissatisfied with the calls at the time.

[Patr1ck]

freaking ABC extended the contract til 2011 or something.

Damnit, I have to deal with the stuttering for 3 more years?

[Jeffx]

The removal of those clips certainly doesn't help dispel the conspiracy theories. It was interesting that the Maloofs came out with a statement that downplayed the notion of a league conspiracy, though admitted they were dissatisfied with the calls at the time.

They're being PC, Andrew. You know they must be seething inside. That Kings team would have won the title, but got robbed big time. Everyone thinks something was up. You're right, there should be an outside investigation, but Stern's not having it.

[[Q]]

freaking ABC extended the contract til 2011 or something.

Damnit, I have to deal with the stuttering for 3 more years?

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2918089

omg 2015-2016.

WTF

the only redeeming qualities of the current ESPN/ABC broadcasts is Hubie who they stole from TNT and the Breen/JVG/Mark Jackson team. JVG is good for a few laughs each game.

[Andrew]

The removal of those clips certainly doesn't help dispel the conspiracy theories. It was interesting that the Maloofs came out with a statement that downplayed the notion of a league conspiracy, though admitted they were dissatisfied with the calls at the time.

They're being PC, Andrew. You know they must be seething inside. That Kings team would have won the title, but got robbed big time. Everyone thinks something was up. You're right, there should be an outside investigation, but Stern's not having it.

True, though they've probably put it behind them for the most part since they're not about to hold the 2002 Playoffs again no matter what revelations are made. Interesting that they'd go to the trouble of expressing support for the league though; they could remain silent and still be PC, after all.

[galvatron3000]

I believe him only because he picked a series and the same game I remember as referring at that time as rigged. Did the NBA have anything to do with it, who knows but I suspect foul play by someone and Donaghy decided if the league is going to drag him down, he's no going alone. I think there's some truth to what he has says, how much is true and how much is false is the question. Remember, Stern was a lawyer so watch how he has been responding. I love the league but we all know there is something not quite right and so does the league.

No more excuses! Get a fourth ref if need be. Make only cause you see and not judegment calls. Call the game the same way in the playoffs as the regular season, stop making make up calls, they do exist.

[galvatron3000]

But how would they ever demonstate they have nothing to hide? If they conduct an investigation won't it be just as easy to say "of course they wouldn't find anything! Why would they indict themselves!"

Of course people will continue to scoff. There are people who believe the moon landing was staged on a Hollywood set and nothing can convince them otherwise so they'll continue to question the integrity of the NBA and its officials. But an outside investigation would surely demonstrate that they're doing something, something beyond "he said/she said".

Well, the flag was moving as if air was blowing and there's no wind in space to my knowledge, also we've never come close to sending a human back. I'm skeptical we ever went too, lol.

[BigKaboom2]

Only thing about this is that there are no laws against any of it, to my knowledge. Nobody regulates the NBA from doing anything that he said, and there is nothing that can be done without government intervention.

honestly the allegations sound like it could quite possibly have happened. conspiracy theorists have always played with the idea of refs fixing games and what not, but this is probably the first time it's been a formal allegation.

http://espn.go.com/classic/s/basketball ... osion.html

All were in violation of section 382 of the penal code, the bill passed by the New York State legislature in 1945, which established as illegal an attempt to bribe a participant in any sporting event, amateur or professional.

State government is responsible for ensuring the objective fairness of sporting events!

[shadowgrin]

Well, the flag was moving as if air was blowing and there's no wind in space to my knowledge, also we've never come close to sending a human back. I'm skeptical we ever went too, lol.

Because the flag's edges have soft wires? It gives the impression of movement even though it's a bit stiff. There is wind in space, not air wind but solar wind. That's the reason a passing comet's tail is always pointing away from the sun.

Why would they send a man back to the moon? It's barren wasteland, it's the same as sending someone to Canada if that's the case. Not to mention the cost of a manned space travel as compared to just a mission with rovers/observers.

[Andrew]

Well, the flag was moving as if air was blowing and there's no wind in space to my knowledge, also we've never come close to sending a human back. I'm skeptical we ever went too, lol.

Not to get too off-topic here but there tends to be explanations for the supposed evidence that the moon landing was a hoax. As for why there hasn't been a second manned moon landing, I'd say it's because that particular stunt has been done.

Anyway, my point was that some people will stick to certain beliefs no matter what evidence they are presented with. No gigantic creature has been found in Loch Ness, yet the legend persists. Likewise, no matter how open the NBA is about the allegations or what an outside investigation turns up or doesn't turn up, conspiracy talk won't go away anytime soon.

That's not to say I don't believe there is superstar treatment or a tendency to let things slide when it comes to star players and technical fouls in the fourth quarter of a big game but I'm skeptical about the league ordering it to happen with the intent of rigging games. Sure, there are examples of matchups that are arguably more desirable happening seemingly thanks to the officiating but it seems to me if the league was really pulling the strings it would happen more often. If they truly are trying to rig the Playoffs, they're missing out on a lot of opportunities.

Dan Wetzel wrote an interesting column on the subject of announcers perpetuating the belief that referees are out to screw teams over. That doesn't disprove the conspiracy theories of course but it's an interesting observation given how quickly a lot of fans blame losses on officiating these days.