NBA Referee Betting

[greybeard]

Heard on my local sports talk radio that the NBA is cooperating with an FBI investigation of an unnamed NBA ref for betting on NBA games. Doc Walker made a good point: you are not likely to get much penetrating reporting of this if you use ESPN as your major sports news talk.

So, all those times you was screaming at the refs for those at the end calls/no calls, . . . .

[jma4life]

Wow. David Stern has got to be sick to his stomach right now. This is certainly not the type of news you want to receive in the offseason.

It's definitely been a tough off season for a couple of sports. With the NFL, the Vick incident is certainly disappointing and now, the NBA has to deal with the possibility that a referee bet on games he officiated.

Honestly, this does not surprise me at all. It is so easy to call a hand check or some cheap foul in the last minutes of a game to ensure that the spread is met. I would be highly surprised if any referee was stupid enough to bet on high profile or playoff games but in matchups that no one is watching towards the end of the year, it should be easy for a referee to swing the outcome of the spread. I mean, whose going to notice if the Hawks get a lucky call to only lose to the Celtics by 8 instead of 10 in the 75th game of the season.

Regardless, this is certainly devastating news for the NBA- in my opinion much worse than the brawl assuming that the investigation does conclude that a ref truly did bet on games he called.

[mapei]

Doc Walker made a good point: you are not likely to get much penetrating reporting of this if you use ESPN as your major sports news talk.

The record should show that Doc Walker is on a station in direct competition in the DC market with an espn station.

[cspan37421]

I don't think it is actually devastating for the NBA, at least, not from what we know now. If it is just one referee, then they get labeled a "bad egg" and life goes on as before.

To me it was much more of a concern when, many years ago (but post-Shaq) some referee(s) said, in an unguarded moment, that the NBA had trained them to call games in such a way as to not harm the entertainment value of their product - i.e., as a rule, try to not foul out the superstars. That was quickly quashed and I heard nothing after that.

[DukeDude]

Betting on regular season NBA games is like betting on a horse race. Most of the players and horses don't really care who wins.

[DevilAlumna]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19868741/

authorities are examining whether the referee made calls to affect the point spread in games on which he or associates had wagered.

The FBI probe, which began recently, also involves allegations that the referee had connections to organized crime associates...

The referee had a gambling problem, according to the official, and was approached by low-level mob associates through an acquaintance.

[mapei]

If the mob is involved, that ref was in a very tough position. And he may be in an even tougher one now. Scary.

[wilko]

I wish I could say Im surprised. Wonder if Mark Cuban has said "See, I told ya.."

[DevilAlumna]

http://www.blogmaverick.com/2007/07/...y-as-catalyst/

The NBA took a hit today. Behind that hit is a catalyst and opportunity for significant change that could make the NBA stronger than it ever has been. Its a chance to proactively put in place people, processes and transparency that will forever silence those who will question the NBA's integrity.

I have complete confidence that David Stern and Adam Silver will do just that and the NBA and our officiating will be all the stronger for it.

I wonder what he says in private...

[cspan37421]

Last night at a restaurant with ESPN on, a story update said that the official who was named is "cooperating" and will name others involved. Not sure if others meant other officials or bookies, other bettors (sp?) etc. If other officials, then obviously the "one bad egg" theory goes out the window, and the NBA takes a huge black eye.

And yeah, if he's naming names, he'd better get in the witness protection program, and quick.

[4decadedukie]

I have a visceral feeling – with nothing more than ESPN and the Washington Post for information – that this may become a lot bigger and a lot worse for the NBA. Any organized crime influence, obviously, would be bad, but will other refs, players, coaches, NBA staffers, etc. become implicated? If so, will the public’s confidence in the NBA – especially given the terrible/criminal conduct of some of its more-visible players – be fundamentally undermined?

[Cameron]

Honestly, after watching the NBA over the last six or seven years, I have thought to myself on more than one ocassion that some of its games seemed to be "pre-determined," at least on some level. A buddy of mine has been convinced of this as well.

Obviously I am just blowing smoke here, and have no real evidence or solid information to prove this. But, after watching the 2002 Western Conference Finals unfold, especially the infamous Vlade Divac tip-out to Robert Horry, I have my notions.

Then again, I have no idea. What I do know, however (and this is completely solid information), is that the NBA is losing ground fast as a reputable League. Pro football is heads and shoulders above it in terms of pure quality and competition. The NBA has certainly lost the luster it once had in terms of fan following and that true, unbridled, almost college-like atmosphere that it used to portray.

[Patrick Yates]

I have long felt that games, at all levels beyond high school, may be predetermined.

Approximately 10 years ago, illegal gambling was a 5 billion dollar a year industry. With online, off-shore, gambling sites, as well as legal sports books in Vegas and other gambling meccas, the total number is probably closer to 20-50 billion dollars annually.

If you were a person of power in the gambling world, would you allow a 20-50 billion dollar industry to be determined by which group of young men (cause even the older pros, at roughly 35-38 years of age, are still young men) played harder? On who happened to be shooting well that night? No, you wouldn't. In business you have to try to control as many variables as possible. With gambling, the human performance is the only variable. With billions at stake, much of which the IRS cannot prove, let alone tax, you would take steps to insure that the games, by and large, broke your way.

Remeber when CDu made that pointless shot in the FF against Ucon? Instead of losing by 4 we lost by 3. It reportedly cost gamblers $100 when CDu "beat" the spread.

It sucks, but there it is. My thoughts are, and I know this is horrible, is that even if SOMEONE knows who is going to win, I don't. So I kind of drift along in ignorance, pretending/hoping that the game is being played and called straight up.

Even if it is not gambling influence, others have been influencing games for years. Superstars are held to a lower level regarding fouls and turnovers on court. It is obvious that networks and leagues have team and matchup favorites that they would love to see advance to later rounds (as well as upsets that attract viewers and swing big money to gamblers).

Sadly, sports is a business on all levels. It is only a game to poor schlubs like us who wish we were that good. We realized, probably by Jr. HS or HS that we had no real chance to be pro athletes, so we just enjoyed the game. But if it became your career, well, it is a short step from playing the game for money to playing badly, on purpose, for money.

Patrick Yates

[mgtr]

You may be right, particularly when there is that kind of money at stake. But I have no clue how you root it out, other than to get lucky, which I gather is what happened in this case.

[Tom B.]

Regardless, this is certainly devastating news for the NBA- in my opinion much worse than the brawl assuming that the investigation does conclude that a ref truly did bet on games he called.

I assume that by "the brawl," you mean the 2004 melee between the Pacers and Pistons. (I guess that incident has achieved such iconic status that people don't need to say anything more than "the brawl" to describe it -- kind of like "The Catch" and "The Drive.")

Interestingly enough, the ref under investigation (Tim Donaghy) was also one of the refs for the "brawl" game.

[cspan37421]

I've seen several clips of players called for fouls by Tim D doing the "what the heck???!!" kind of look. Either they're great actors or they weren't in on the fix. My guess is that whoever else might be involved, it can't be that many people, because secrets like that are just too hard for every single member of a large group to keep. Someone gets drunk and blurts it out, eventually.

I didn't quite get the business on the DBR front page about other involved persons in "validating" calls on the court, in the stands unobtrusively. Are they saying they were giving sign-language instructions to Tim D? Or just being there to make sure Tim D "managed" the game correctly.

Worst thing that could happen now: Tim D gets rubbed out before he can tell his story. It will be most interesting to see what comes of this. I've had mixed feelings about the NBA for a long time. Not suspecting cheating so much, but a general lax attitude toward the written rule - such as with traveling, palming, contact/fouls, and so forth. That outcomes are managed so carefully? I somewhat doubt it. San Antonio and Detroit are not huge cities. And Jordan still needs to hit the shot over Ehlo, or Russell. But maybe he's not in that position to hit the game winner without some help along the way. I dunno.

[A-Tex Devil]

Did anyone see that Donaghy was one of 4 officials (including Joey Crawford) who graduated from the same high school in (I believe) suburban Philadelphia?

That was an eye opener.

Still, I have my doubts that this is a wider operation within the NBA, but I'll wait and see. Love that people all over the net are coming up with their own Zapruder films of Donaghy calls to try and show how their respective teams got screwed (especially Suns fans re: game 3 with the Spurs this past year).

Fact is, unless he admits the exact game(s), no one will really ever know, and even if he doesn't mention certain games, fans will always be suspicious. That loss of any legitamacy to any of Donaghy's past games whatsoever is the real tragedy.

[wilko]

I wonder if the best way to actually strengthen the college game is to totally deflate the Pro game... I didnt see that coming. Not at all.

Hope it works! I dont watch NBA ball. So I guess Im mising out.
But Im not upset by this scandal to hit the NBA. Not in the least.

Hope it purges some of the negative vibe thats eaten away at it like a cancer. Maybe THIS will keep some guys in school by virtue of having nowhere else to go... Dare I hope that much?

[cspan37421]

I seldom care much for Sally Jenkins' musings for the Washington Post, but I thought today's column was outstanding.

When the Fix Is In, You Can't Believe It

[cspan37421]

Today brings interesting news from ESPN radio. First, that David Stern is firmly holding to the "one bad apple" theory, while in contrast, it is reported that Donaghy's attorney says he's working on a plea deal (implying that others will be implicated). Either the latter party is fishing, or Stern is confident nothing will be proven against other officials, or both. I'm suprised Stern can be so confident, so quickly, when presumably what Donaghy may still do (or claim) remains unknown. Stern's credibility is really on the line now, and AFAIK, it didn't have to be, not so quickly.

Personally I don't cry for the NBA; it is nowhere near as exciting as college basketball. Too many regular season games are meaningless, there are too many teams that make the playoffs, and playoff series have too many games. one might even argue that the games are too long. With the college game, less is more.