this donaghy stuff is getting uuuuugly for the NBA

[Azazello1313]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3436401

 

The allegations are some of the strongest ever made against the NBA, coming at a time when the officiating of this year's Finals between the Celtics and Lakers has come under heavy scrutiny.

 

In the letter submitted by Donaghy's attorney, the following "manipulation" is alleged:

 

"Referees A, F and G were officiating a playoff series between Teams 5 and 6 in May of 2002. It was the sixth game of a seven-game series, and a Team 5 victory that night would have ended the series. However, Tim learned from Referee A that Referees A and F wanted to extend the series to seven games. Tim knew referees A and F to be "company men," always acting in the interest of the NBA, and that night, it was in the NBA's interest to add another game to the series. Referees A and F heavily favored Team 6. Personal fouls [resulting in obviously injured players] were ignored even when they occurred in full view of the referees. Conversely, the referees called made-up fouls on Team 5 in order to give additional free throw opportunities for Team 6. Their foul-calling also led to the ejection of two Team 5 players. The referees' favoring of Team 6 led to that team's victory that night, and Team 6 came back from behind to win that series."

 

Although no teams are specifically named, it is not hard to deduce the game in question. The Lakers-Kings series was the only one that postseason that went seven games, and the officiating in Game 6 was so questionable that consumer advocate and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader called for a formal investigation.

 

The Lakers attempted 40 free throws to the Kings' 25 in that game, and Los Angeles made 21-of-27 from the line while Sacramento converted 7-of-9 in the fourth quarter alone.

 

In addition, a foul was called against Mike Bibby of the Kings after he was shoved and elbowed by Kobe Bryant, denying the Kings an opportunity to try for a tying basket. Also in that game, Kings centers Vlade Divac and Scot Pollard fouled out, and Kings coach Rick Adelman was highly critical of the officiating afterward.

 

"My first thought [upon hearing Donaghy's allegation] was: I knew it," Pollard said Tuesday night. "I'm not going to say there was a conspiracy. I just think something wasn't right. It was unfair. We didn't have a chance to win that game."

 

The Lakers went on to win the 2002 NBA championship.

 

The letter apparently comes in response to the NBA's claim that Donaghy pay $1 million in restitution to cover the cost of the league's private investigation. Donaghy's legal team is trying to demonstrate his cooperation with a federal government investigation before he is sentenced on July 14 on felony charges of taking cash payoffs from gamblers and betting on games himself.

 

The document referenced other alleged improprieties that Donaghy disclosed to federal law enforcement officials. Among them:

 

• "Tim gave information on how top executives of the NBA sought to manipulate games using referees to boost ticket sales and television ratings," the letter reads. "He also described how nepotism played a far greater role than qualifications in a number of referee hirings."

 

• "Tim explained the league officials would tell referees that they should withhold calling technical fouls on certain star players because doing so would hurt ticket sales and television ratings," the letter adds. "As an example, Tim explained how there were times when a referee supervisor would tell referees that NBA Executive X did not want them to call technical fouls on star players or remove them from the game. In January 2000, Referee D went against these instructions and elected a star player in the first quarter of the game. Referee D later was privately reprimanded by the league for that ejection."

 

• In addition to game-altering allegations, Donaghy's letter claims that many officials carry on "relationships" with team executives, coaches and players that violate their NBA contracts. For example, it said, referees broke NBA rules by hitting up players for autographs, socializing with coaches and accepting meals and merchandise from teams.

 

"Tim described one referee's use of a team's practice facility to exercise and another's frequent tennis matches with a team's coach," the letter says.

 

• The letter also alleges that during a 2005 Rockets-Mavericks playoff series, "Team 3 lost the first two games in the series and Team 3's Owner complained to NBA officials. Team 3's Owner alleged that referees were letting a Team 4 player get away with illegal screens. NBA Executive Y told Referee Supervisor Z that the referees for that game were to enforce the screening rules strictly against that Team 4 player. Referee Supervisor Z informed the referees about his instructions. As an alternate referee for that game, Tim also received these instructions."

 

Mavs owner Mark Cuban did in fact complain after his team lost the first two games of the series, and Dallas went on to beat Houston in seven games. Jeff Van Gundy, then the coach of the Rockets, said that an NBA official had told him about the league's plan to closely monitor moving screens by Yao Ming, and Van Gundy was ultimately fined $100,000 for his comments regarding the situation. Van Gundy later backed off his comments.

 

man, I wasn't a fan of either team, but I remember that lakers/kings game. it would be easy for the NBA to dismiss this as the ravings of a desperate felon, if it didn't ring so true for anyone who watched that particular game (and so many others over the years). easy to dismiss if it didn't just confirm everything people have been saying about NBA officiating for years -- strongly and unfairly favoring star players, star teams, certain playoff matches, long series', etc.

[chiefjay]

yep, no question.

[Big John]

 

• "Tim explained the league officials would tell referees that they should withhold calling technical fouls on certain star players because doing so would hurt ticket sales and television ratings," the letter adds. "As an example, Tim explained how there were times when a referee supervisor would tell referees that NBA Executive X did not want them to call technical fouls on star players or remove them from the game. In January 2000, Referee D went against these instructions and elected a star player in the first quarter of the game. Referee D later was privately reprimanded by the league for that ejection."

[Azazello1313]

hey at least it didn't say the ref "erected" a star player, that would REALLY be cause for a scandal.

[Ursa Majoris]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3436401

 

 

 

man, I wasn't a fan of either team, but I remember that lakers/kings game. it would be easy for the NBA to dismiss this as the ravings of a desperate felon, if it didn't ring so true for anyone who watched that particular game (and so many others over the years). easy to dismiss if it didn't just confirm everything people have been saying about NBA officiating for years -- strongly and unfairly favoring star players, star teams, certain playoff matches, long series', etc.

Anyone not in a coma in a Siberian cave knows the NBA star system is alive and well. It is far more pervasive than any other sport (despite Wildcat's opinion elsewhere). Donaghy's accusations ring true.

 

Don't know how the NBA will deal with this because it ain't going away. If Joe Public thinks it's rigged, the TV ratings will be in the toilet even further than they are now.

[godtomsatan]

Don't know how the NBA will deal with this because it ain't going away. If Joe Public thinks it's rigged, the TV ratings will be in the toilet even further than they are now.

 

I was surprised that ESPN and ABC are actually reporting both sides of the story. Stern's laughing off of the allegations was dangerous and invites some serious questions as to how WWE the NBA actually is.

[budlitebrad]

It doesn't help that this finals series has been pretty lackluster. After rewatching the '84 finals on ESPN Classic earlier, the first 3 games of '08 just don't seem to do the rivalry justice.

[wildcat2334]

Anyone not in a coma in a Siberian cave knows the NBA star system is alive and well. It is far more pervasive than any other sport (despite Wildcat's opinion elsewhere). Donaghy's accusations ring true.

 

Don't know how the NBA will deal with this because it ain't going away. If Joe Public thinks it's rigged, the TV ratings will be in the toilet even further than they are now.

 

Have been busy Ursa, let me say, the star system in the NBA probably is more prevelant than any other sport, I do agree. My previous point was simply that it does exist in all sports. This is disgusting to me as an NBA fan, and the Sac/LA series sure sticks out in my mind, along with Port/LAL and the finals between Miami and Dallas on '06- pretty sad really - NBA refs are outta control.

 

 

No one will ever convince me there was not bias/some kind of cheating to get Pittsburgh and Bettis their SB win in Detroit over Seattle on some level - that was an absolute travesty, this stuff goes on too much, unfortunately.

[AtomicCEO]

I sent that article to a Laker fan I work with, and the denial was H8-esque.

 

I knew there was a reason I didn't watch basketball. I generally oversimplify it as to "basketball is for tall people".

[SheikYerbuti]

This guy wants his sentence reduced so bad he'll say anything. Classic stool pigeon.

[wiegie]

I sent that article to a Laker fan I work with, and the denial was Patriot-esque.

fixed

[bushwacked]

I think any Seattle fan will tell you that Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals (Seattle at Phoenix - 94 or 95?) was just as frustrating as Superbowl 40. Games 1-6 were incredibly entertaining and fast-paced and then all of the sudden Phoenix gets something like NBA playoff 64 free throw attempts in Game 7. The Barkley vs. Jordan matchup secured for the Finals. I know of several people today who claim they have never watched the NBA again after that game.

Edited June 13, 2008 by bushwacked

[Azazello1313]

now that bushwacked is here and there are two mentions of superbowl 40, how far behind can manudo be?

[wildcat2334]

I think any Seattle fan will tell you that Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals (Seattle at Phoenix - 94 or 95?) was just as frustrating as Superbowl 40. Games 1-6 were incredibly entertaining and fast-paced and then all of the sudden Phoenix gets something like 70+ free throw attempts in Game 7. The Barkley vs. Jordan matchup secured for the Finals. I know of several people today who claim they have never watched the NBA again after that game.

 

 

werd - completely set up a Barkley/Jordan finals.

 

ahhh the joys of being a Seattle sports fan - the most tortured sports city in America not named Cleveland

Edited June 12, 2008 by wildcat2334

[bushwacked]

now that bushwacked is here and there are two mentions of superbowl 40, how far behind can manudo be?

 

[test]Dancing with the Stars, American Idol[/test]

[chiefjay]

This guy wants his sentence reduced so bad he'll say anything. Classic stool pigeon.

 

and that's what the NBA wants you to believe. We didn't need Tim D. to know all of this. This just confirms it even more.

[godtomsatan]

This guy wants his sentence reduced so bad he'll say anything. Classic stool pigeon.

 

He's just saying in a legal setting what owners, coaches, players, broadcasters, writers, and fans have been saying for decades about the NBA. It's a sham. Always has been. Probably always will be.

[Pope Flick]

• The letter also alleges that during a 2005 Rockets-Mavericks playoff series, "Team 3 lost the first two games in the series and Team 3's Owner complained to NBA officials. Team 3's Owner alleged that referees were letting a Team 4 player get away with illegal screens. NBA Executive Y told Referee Supervisor Z that the referees for that game were to enforce the screening rules strictly against that Team 4 player. Referee Supervisor Z informed the referees about his instructions. As an alternate referee for that game, Tim also received these instructions."

 

Mavs owner Mark Cuban did in fact complain after his team lost the first two games of the series, and Dallas went on to beat Houston in seven games. Jeff Van Gundy, then the coach of the Rockets, said that an NBA official had told him about the league's plan to closely monitor moving screens by Yao Ming, and Van Gundy was ultimately fined $100,000 for his comments regarding the situation. Van Gundy later backed off his comments.

 

If I were him, I'd sue for my money back.

[godtomsatan]

If I were him, I'd sue for my money back.

 

He kowtowed the other night during halftime of Game 3 when he was given the opportunity to speak. He said he said "official", not "referee", and reiterated that he wasn't fined for what he said but the forum in which he said it.

[bushwacked]

I think any Seattle fan will tell you that Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals (Seattle at Phoenix - 94 or 95?) was just as frustrating as Superbowl 40. Games 1-6 were incredibly entertaining and fast-paced and then all of the sudden Phoenix gets something like NBA playoff 64 free throw attempts in Game 7. The Barkley vs. Jordan matchup secured for the Finals. I know of several people today who claim they have never watched the NBA again after that game.

 

 

ETA, it was only 64 free throw attempts, but nevertheless, an NBA record.

[polksalet]

It was obvious why detroit didn't make a 3-peat in the 90's.

[Chief Dick]

This happens in every professional sport. Guaranteed.

[forever in debt to mo lewis]

anybody see kobe, in a one possession game, drill paul pierce in the ribs....no call...get a fast break dunk on the feed from o-dumb???

[chiefjay]

anybody see kobe, in a one possession game, drill paul pierce in the ribs....no call...get a fast break dunk on the feed from o-dumb???

 

he drilled him in the ribs? If that would have happened Pierce would have been on the floor acting like he was shot.

 

I'll admit that sometimes they call that a foul and sometimes they don't.

Edited June 16, 2008 by chiefjay

[Ursa Majoris]

Over in the NBA Finals thread, there's a link to Sports Guy's game diary. Buried within that diary is a link to this 2002 Sports Guy article. This is an excerpt from it, talking about the seven most controversial NBA games from 1999 through 2002. There is one common thread through all seven games - Dick Bavetta.

 

Question: What was the most disturbing subplot of the playoffs?

Answer: The officiating, also the most disturbing subplot of the past four playoffs. If you examine the last four NBA playoff campaigns, during every situation where the league definitively "needed" one of the two teams involved to win -- either to A) change the momentum of a series so it didn't end prematurely, keep an attractive, big-market team alive in a series, or C) advance an attractive, big-market team to another round -- the officiating appeared to be slanted towards the team that needed that game. I use the phrase "appeared to be," because reviewing an official's performance is purely subjective. Maybe I'm dead-wrong.

 

These were just the games that jump out in my mind (again, I could be wrong):

 

# 1999, Knicks-Pacers, Game 3 ... LJ sinks a game-winning four-pointer (called a continuation foul by referee Jess Kersey even though LJ was fouled a full second before he released the ball).

 

# 1999, Knicks-Pacers, Game 6 ... Knicks last chance to close out Indy before the series shifts back to Indiana for Game 7 ... they get every call.

 

# 1999, Spurs-Knicks, Game 3 ... down 2-0, the Knicks get every call in their first home game and win their only game of the series.

 

# 2000, Knicks-Heat, Game 7 ... Knicks advance to the conference finals ... falling out of bounds, Latrell Sprewell awarded a timeout by referee Bennett Salvatore with 2.1 seconds left even though none of the Knicks called for one ... Sprewell admits after the game that he hadn't called a timeout ... the Miami players chase the referees off the court after the game, yelling that they had been robbed ... after the game, Jamal Mashburn tells reporters, "They had three officials in their pocket" and Tim Hardaway refers to referee Dick Bavetta as "Knick Bavetta."

 

# 2000, Lakers-Blazers, Game 7 ... LA shoots 21 more free throws and rallies back from a 17-point deficit in the final seven minutes ... Shaq plays an illegal defense down the stretch, undaunted ... Rasheed Wallace absolutely gets manhandled down the stretch, yet doesn't get a single call ... up by four with 25 seconds left, Shaq body-blocks Steve Smith out of bounds and the refs don't make the call (the most egregious non-call in recent memory).

 

# 2002, Celtics-Nets, Game 4 ... Celts up 2-1 ... the Nets are inexplicably allowed to push and shove Kenny Anderson and Pierce while they dribble the ball ... a number of head-scratchers go against Boston, including three offensive charges down the stretch ... four different "bull-(bleep)" chants during the game.

 

# 2002, Lakers-Kings, Game 6 ... LA needs a win to stay alive ... from an officiating standpoint, the most one-sided game of the past decade ... at least six dubious calls against the Kings in the fourth quarter alone ... LA averaged 22 free throws a game during the first five games of the series, then attempted 27 freebies in the fourth quarter alone of Game 6 ... rumors that David Stern wanted to pull a Vince McMahon and declare himself "The special guest referee" for this game prove unfounded.

 

(By the way, I would feel remiss if I didn't share this information: Dick Bavetta was assigned to every one of the above games. That's an absolute fact. You can look it up. Doesn't mean anything ... I just felt the need to pass that along. It sure looks bad, doesn't it? Maybe the league could do a favor for Bavetta and not assign him to Game 3 of the Finals, especially if the Lakers jump to a 2-0 lead over New Jersey. You wouldn't want to rile up those conspiracy theorists or anything. Ummmm ...)