# NBA ref throwing games????



## mediocre man (Feb 24, 2004)

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/7042010?MSNHPHMA


I hope it's Crawford or Javie.


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## Zybot (Jul 22, 2004)

mediocre man said:


> http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/7042010?MSNHPHMA
> 
> 
> I hope it's Crawford or Javie.


I am surprised this hasn't happened sooner. These refs have, in comparison to athletes, a low salary and such an influence over the game, it is bound to happen. Whoever it is, they need to make a serious example out of the ref for the good of all competitive sports. It is sad to hear.


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## GrandpaBlaze (Jul 11, 2004)

This could cause some serious problems if some of the games in which the official participated were key games for someone trying to make the playoffs (and they lost due to him).

For example, Golden State just barely made the playoffs last year, suppose they won a game or two they might otherwise have lost???

Gramps...


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## PapaG (Oct 4, 2004)

What, the NBA is fixed? No way!!

:biggrin:


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## B_&_B (Feb 19, 2004)

Looking forward to learning more details. This is huge news. A guy on Colin's show said that the FBI/NBA started their investigation a little over a year ago, so my guess is that the ref in question didnt ref this past season.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2943095


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## TLo (Dec 27, 2006)

Not much of a surprise to me. I've always felt that NBA refs were influenced in some way or another. Be it gambling, bribes, league mandates, whatever...


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## crandc (Sep 15, 2004)

One referee we now know for sure is not the party involved: Violet Palmer. They said "he". She's the only female ref.


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## BlazerCaravan (Aug 12, 2004)

papag said:


> What, the NBA is fixed? No way!!
> 
> :biggrin:



hehehe... my dad's gonna have a field day with this. :cheers: 

This actually is a step in establishing that the NBA isn't systematically fixed ala the WWE -- if it's individual refs with individual deals, that's different than Stern telling Dunleavy to throw Game 7 after they built up that huge lead.


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## BlazerCaravan (Aug 12, 2004)

crandc said:


> One referee we now know for sure is not the party involved: Violet Palmer. They said "he". She's the only female ref.



All the more reason to call her "he" if she was being investigated. Why make such an obvious hint in using the only female ref's proper gender?


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## Public Defender (May 5, 2003)

The updated version of the article says that games last season and the season before that were involved and that the probe started "recently". It doesn't say that any playoff games were involved - but that would certainly raise the stakes a little. The ref also (allegedly) has organized crime connections? I wonder if he's not the only one. 

This could damage the NBA. I doubt that it's one of the more highly regarded refs (Bennett Salvatore, Steve Javie, Joey Crawford, etc.), but if it is, this could be enormously explosive. If it's a ref who's only been around a few years, I could see the NBA not having much trouble sweeping this under the table as "one bad actor."


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## mediocre man (Feb 24, 2004)

Purple Palmer is the worst referee in the history of sports. She has no business being an NBA official.


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## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

1. I doubt it is Javie. I may not agree with all his calls, but every time he makes a call, he will stop and talk with a player and explain his call if they are willing to talk calmly.

2. Crawford was suspended last year wasn't he? He did referee in the seasons in question though. But I believe if it was him, they would be referring to "former official." since I believe he is done.

3. Yes Violet Palmer is one of the worst officials in the game. Some of the other rookie officials really stink it up too though.


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## moldorf (Jun 29, 2007)

B_&_B said:


> Looking forward to learning more details. This is huge news. A guy on Colin's show said that the FBI/NBA started their investigation a little over a year ago, so my guess is that the ref in question didnt ref this past season.
> 
> http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2943095


since the article specifically mentioned games from 2006/07 and from the "past 2 seasons", I'd say your guess is incorrect


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## crandc (Sep 15, 2004)

Actually, Palmer has consistently gotten very high ratings from players and coaches.

I think a lot of people say she's a lousy referee because of factors other than her actual work.


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## audienorrisatomicdog (Feb 13, 2007)

i knew it all along. crooked *******s. jake o donnell opened alot of peoples eyes, i knew he was corupt the whole time. i thought it was ironic that he didnt get busted till clyde was outta portland though. my friends think im a luni conspiracy theorist but this should help my case a little, dontcha think. we should try and get a list goin of possible games fixed from the last two seasons. it seemed like the refs were pretty fair to us the first month and a half of last season but later on there were some pretty questionable games. one against miami comes to mind and one against san antonio as well, i think they were in the same week.


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## mediocre man (Feb 24, 2004)

crandc said:


> Actually, Palmer has consistently gotten very high ratings from players and coaches.
> 
> I think a lot of people say she's a lousy referee because of factors other than her actual work.




All I know is whenever I watch a Blazer game she is awful. It has nothing to do with anything other then her being a crappy official.


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## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

crandc said:


> Actually, Palmer has consistently gotten very high ratings from players and coaches.
> 
> I think a lot of people say she's a lousy referee because of factors other than her actual work.


Crandc I personally find it insulting that you would suggest that. Just because she is one of the few female refs in the league doesn't mean that I can't hate her reffing. I can also list 10 times as many male refs I hate too.


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

Joey Crawford, believe it or not, has been re-instated by the NBA. Even though there wasn't a headline about it, he will be back for 07-08. Also, for a seasoned NBA official of that many years fixing games doesn't really make sense. They get a pension, make over 100K per year and get their hotel accommodations and meals paid for. Citing their salary as a reason they may do it is wrong. It's probably someone with a gambling problem.


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## Samuel (Jan 1, 2003)

The odds are extremely high that we were involved in several of these games. If I were a ref looking to affect the point spread, I'd choose a game with a double digit spread so that by the time I started calling nutty fouls, the game was already decided.


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## yakbladder (Sep 13, 2003)

hasoos said:


> Crandc I personally find it insulting that you would suggest that. Just because she is one of the few female refs in the league doesn't mean that I can't hate her reffing. I can also list 10 times as many male refs I hate too.


Ditto.


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## Iwatas (Aug 3, 2003)

The NBA has been rigged for a long time. When Portland played Chicago or the Lakers in the playoffs it came up time and again. Between "make-up calls" and "superstar calls" and just lousy reffing, it was always clear to me that for Portland to win big, we had to beat the other team *and* the refs. And we were never quite good enough to do both. 

Instant-reply on key calls can provide some protection. So is paying refs better, so they are not tempted. But lastly, the culture has to be changed. Superstars should not get special treatment. Fouls at the end of the game should be called just as they are throughout the game. Players would be a lot happier if *they* believed the refs were square. 

iWatas


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

Ummm, Michael Jordan and the Bulls were better than the Portland Trailblazers. Refs didn't stop them from winning, Jordan did. 

As for the Lakers in 2000, the Blazers choked in the 4th quarter of Game 7. Had a chance blew it. Next thing you're gonna say is the Pistons whooping you in 1990 was the refs too.


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## alext42083 (Nov 7, 2003)

Probably whatever ref called that "tripping" foul during the Blazers-Heat game, where Dwayne Wade fell by himself onto the ground.

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/aySGUzzxjGE"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/aySGUzzxjGE" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

Been no secret that refs make some questionable calls down the stretch. Now it finally came true!
What a nightmare for the NBA.


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## SodaPopinski (Aug 10, 2004)

An NBA official on the take? I'm utterly shocked.

   

Some observations:

1) I'd be shocked if there weren't more officials than just the one involved. In order to have enough of an impact in a game to actually effect the point spread or the outcome, you're going to have to have some help from your two colleagues on the floor, right?

2) It HAS to be a senior official. While it's fun to speculate it could be Violet Palmer (who, by the way, is the WORST official in the league - and no crandc it has NOTHING to do with her gender), it's not likely to be a junior official, because they're more likely to be overruled by their more senior colleagues in a bad call. The senior officials can make bad calls without their colleagues overturning their call.

-Pop


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## ProudBFan (Apr 29, 2003)

Remember all those home games last year when it seemed like the refs were out to get us? Well, it may just be that one or more of them was.

Gee, whoda thunk it? 

PBF


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## Scarlett Black (Jan 2, 2003)

crandc said:


> Actually, Palmer has consistently gotten very high ratings from players and coaches.
> 
> I think a lot of people say she's a lousy referee because of factors other than her actual work.


I'll say it. 

Violet Palmer is consistently named on this board as THE worst ref. She is not. She is an easy target because she is the only female and thus everyone knows her name. There are dozens of NBA refs and we know the names of about 5? So, perhaps Violet Palmer is the worst ref of the 5 NBA refs we know. That makes her better than 50 refs (guessing at the numbers). 

And for the record, in my opinion, the worst ref is Leon Wood.


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## crandc (Sep 15, 2004)

Not to get off topic but I have heard a LOT of people, including Charles Barkley, say that Violet Palmer should not referee NBA games because she is a woman. They said so before she stepped on a court.

I can't speak for what is inside the head of posters here. But I do think that Palmer, obviously, stands out. How many refs can you name? 5 or 6? And I'll bet she's on the list. So since she stands out people will notice and remember her calls. Every ref no matter how good or how honest makes some bad calls, the game is fast and no one is perfect. When John Doe makes a bad call, you may forget about it a week later unless it is so blatant or costs a game. When it's Violet Palmer, you are more likely to remember BECAUSE you remember her name. 

I don't see every ref at every game and neither does anyone else here. Going by those whose job it is to evaluate refs objectively she is a good referee, and since she is not "he" cannot by definition be the one named in the probe. If she was involved, investigators would use gender neutral terms to avoid making it obvious.


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## Samuel (Jan 1, 2003)

HKF said:


> Ummm, Michael Jordan and the Bulls were better than the Portland Trailblazers. Refs didn't stop them from winning, Jordan did.
> 
> As for the Lakers in 2000, the Blazers choked in the 4th quarter of Game 7. Had a chance blew it. Next thing you're gonna say is the Pistons whooping you in 1990 was the refs too.


Thanks, captain obvious.


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## barfo (Jan 2, 2003)

Regarding your avatar, Scarlett, that's the first picture I've seen of Roy and Taurean Green together.

barfo


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## alext42083 (Nov 7, 2003)

My vote for worst officiating crew: Ron Garretson, Tim Donaghy and Steve Javie. Couldn't get any more worse or any more egos than those three working a game.

Who wants to speculate based on this list?
http://www.coverwire.com/basketball/refdata.htm


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## Samuel (Jan 1, 2003)

crandc said:


> Not to get off topic but I have heard a LOT of people, including Charles Barkley, say that Violet Palmer should not referee NBA games because she is a woman. They said so before she stepped on a court.


So Chuck speaks for the majority of people now? You're reaching. The guy talks turkey about a lot of issues, but he also makes an arse of himself because that's his job.



> I can't speak for what is inside the head of posters here.


That's seems to be precisely what you're doing.


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## Scarlett Black (Jan 2, 2003)

barfo said:


> Regarding your avatar, Scarlett, that's the first picture I've seen of Roy and Taurean Green together.
> 
> barfo


:lol: :lol: :lol:


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## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

I just wonder if the Miami Heat will have an asterisk next to their name for their Title.


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## MARIS61 (Apr 28, 2003)

I told you so.


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## Boob-No-More (Apr 24, 2006)

GrandpaBlaze said:


> This could cause some serious problems if some of the games in which the official participated were key games for someone trying to make the playoffs (and they lost due to him).
> 
> For example, Golden State just barely made the playoffs last year, suppose they won a game or two they might otherwise have lost???
> 
> Gramps...


No where in the article does it mention that the outcome of any games were affected - only the point spreads:

"_According to a law enforcement official, authorities are examining whether the referee made calls to affect the point spread in games on which he or associates had wagered._"

Which makes perfect sense. If the ref makes obvious, deliberate bad calls that determine the outcome of a game, the coach will probably file a complaint with the league office, the fans will send in letters of complaint, Mark Cuban will get is panties in a wad and post a diatribe against the official on his blog, etc. In other words, it won't go unnoticed. 

On the other hand if the the final point spread ends up being 11 points instead of 13 points due to a bad call with 10 seconds left in a meaningless Spurs vs. Memphis or Suns vs. Sonics game, nobody will care or even notice. It would take a while to establish a long term pattern of such behavior, allowing the ref in question to think he's getting away with it, before the league finally starts to suspect something is amiss and begins an investigation.

BNM


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## BIG Q (Jul 8, 2005)

June 4, 2000 Blazers @ lakers. The refs were:

Hugh Evans
Dick Bavetta
Steve Javie

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/scores100/100156/100156331.htm

Interesting that Javie was part of the game where Portland could not get a foul call in the fourth quarter.

And to HKF and any other poster that thinks it is crazy to actually think the Blazers did not choke this game away and have actually been jobbed a few times, the fact that a ref is about to be prosecuted is enough to fuel the argument. I am sure Sac fans are all over this as well. Maybe Ralph Nader was on to something.


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## SodaPopinski (Aug 10, 2004)

alext42083 said:


> Who wants to speculate based on this list?
> http://www.coverwire.com/basketball/refdata.htm


Interesting list. Thanks for sharing. If I'm reading the data correctly, it looks like those at the top of the list are more likely to have the games over the over/under and those at the bottom are more likely to officiate games under the over/under. Tough to speculate, but I'd guess the people at the top of the list are more likely to call fouls, and those at the bottom are more likely to ignore obvious fouls.

So, given that, I'd probably assume the person most likely to be involved with throwing games is extremely high or low on that ranking and has officiated 50+ games to develop some sort of pattern.

By the way, I found it interesting that the official I have the most respect for in the league - Dick Bavetta - was smack dab in the middle, which shows a pattern that his presence does not effect the outcome of the game. And THAT is the best definition of a good official.

-Pop


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## Crimson the Cat (Dec 30, 2002)

And some of you thought this Summer would be boring!

Remember the foul that wasn't called on a Laker when Steve Smith was under the basket in the WCF? 

That 4th quarter was terribly coached and played by the Blazers, BUT it also was terribly officiated IMO.


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## Samuel (Jan 1, 2003)

SodaPopinski said:


> So, given that, I'd probably assume the person most likely to be involved with throwing games is extremely high or low on that ranking and has officiated 50+ games to develop some sort of pattern.


Or, he was so cautious in his ways that he attempted to stay near the middle.


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## BIG Q (Jul 8, 2005)

Boob-No-More said:


> *No where in the article does it mention that the outcome of any games were affected - only the point spreads*:
> 
> "_According to a law enforcement official, authorities are examining whether the referee made calls to affect the point spread in games on which he or associates had wagered._"
> 
> ...


And I am sure that will be the company line. The point being is that if the result of a game has been manufactured, RICO laws have been broken and you are looking at conspiracy to commit fraud. How many paying customers (season ticket holders) have been defrauded? How many legal gamblers in Vegas and Atlantic city have been defrauded? The league would have to cut a deal with the government to avoid RICO prosecution because pretty much anyone could then sue them, and they would be bankrupted. 

Of course they are saying it is only point shaving. But how many points are being shaved when the line is 1.5 points?


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## Samuel (Jan 1, 2003)

BIG Q said:


> Of course they are saying it is only point shaving. But how many points are being shaved when the line is 1.5 points?


This is why I think some of the worst teams in the league were probably involved in these games. When the outcome of the game was already determined, the scrubs were in, and the fans were growing disinterested or had left already.


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## Basketball_Coach2000 (Jul 3, 2007)

HKF said:


> Ummm, Michael Jordan and the Bulls were better than the Portland Trailblazers. Refs didn't stop them from winning, Jordan did.
> 
> As for the Lakers in 2000, the Blazers choked in the 4th quarter of Game 7. Had a chance blew it. Next thing you're gonna say is the Pistons whooping you in 1990 was the refs too.



The refs had a big problem in not calling Bill Lambeer and his Flopping act if I remember correctly .


(is there a flopping smiley?)


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## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

Considering we don't even know if the ref was working in the league back when the Blazers were in the finals and WCF, most of that stuff doesn't even matter right now. If it is a 20 year vet, the NBA has a serious problem. If it is a guy who has only been here a few years, it is much less of one.


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## Boob-No-More (Apr 24, 2006)

BIG Q said:



> And I am sure that will be the company line. The point being is that if the result of a game has been manufactured, RICO laws have been broken and you are looking at conspiracy to commit fraud. How many paying customers (season ticket holders) have been defrauded? How many legal gamblers in Vegas and Atlantic city have been defrauded? The league would have to cut a deal with the government to avoid RICO prosecution because pretty much anyone could then sue them, and they would be bankrupted.
> 
> Of course they are saying it is only point shaving. But how many points are being shaved when the line is 1.5 points?


There are multiple games every night with much bigger point spreads. Why would a ref involved in point shaving (or the people benefiting from his actions) put himself in a situation where a difference of less than 2 points would affect the outcome of a game when there are much lower risk situations that can achieve the same desired results? Determining the outcome of a close game by making a bad call would only draw unwanted attention to himself. An occasional blown call during garbage time of a blow out would be much less likely to attract attention from the league or the feds. The whole point of this is to get away with it and to get away with it for as long as you can. Games with a big point spread are much lower risk for the same reward. A pattern of blown calls determining the outcome of games will get you noticed almost immediately.

Were there games where the ref in question affected the outcome? Possibly, but none of us know that at this time, and may never know for sure. Since he got away with it for the better part of two seasons (that we know of), I'd say it's more likely he was influencing the point spread in games that weren't close.

BNM


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## BIG Q (Jul 8, 2005)

Boob-No-More said:


> There are multiple games every night with much bigger point spreads. Why would a ref involved in point shaving (or the people benefiting from his actions) put himself in a situation where a difference of less than 2 points would affect the outcome of a game when there are much lower risk situations that can achieve the same desired results? Determining the outcome of a close game by making a bad call would only draw unwanted attention to himself. An occasional blown call during garbage time of a blow out would be much less likely to attract attention from the league or the feds. The whole point of this is to get away with it and to get away with it for as long as you can. Games with a big point spread are much lower risk for the same reward. A pattern of blown calls determining the outcome of games will get you noticed almost immediately.
> 
> Were there games where the ref in question affected the outcome? Possibly, but none of us know that at this time, and may never know for sure. Since he got away with it for the better part of two seasons (that we know of), I'd say it's more likely he was influencing the point spread in games that weren't close.
> 
> BNM


My point is that eventually, the refs "handlers" would force him into affecting the outcome of a low point spread game as those are the games that get the most action, hence the most bang for thier buck.

I agree that we are all just speculating about who, how long, etc... But there is one Blazer game that lives on in infamy in Blazer lore, and I have *never*thought the Blazers just "choked" in the 4th quarter of game seven in 2000 in LA. They were jobbed to a degree. The refs were involved because they made terrible no calls that all benefitted the Fakers. *Were they being paid to do it or did they just get cought up in the Fakers run?* I do not know, but I would like to know.


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## Masbee (Dec 31, 2002)

Boob-No-More said:


> No where in the article does it mention that the outcome of any games were affected - only the point spreads:
> 
> "_According to a law enforcement official, authorities are examining whether the referee made calls to affect the point spread in games on which he or associates had wagered._"
> 
> ...


When I first saw the story this morning, my first thought was along similar lines.

They would, use regular season games, avoiding real high profile games, use illegal bookies so as to avoid tracking of the bets, use point spreads not game outcomes.

They also would have to do it a LOT. Even with a crooked ref, the outcome of any particular game cannot be assured. They can't place all their money on one game. So the conspirators would have to make many multiple bets of even amounts, and expect they would still lose some bets. The ref will help them win more bets - not all of them. Of course, over time, it could be extremely profitable.

This is a disturbing news story. Certainly lends credence to the MANY MANY critisims over the years of how the NBA manages officiating.


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## MARIS61 (Apr 28, 2003)

The usual scenario is the gambler owes a bookie bigtime, and the bookie calls the shots as to how and when the cheating is done.

Big games yield more profit.


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## BIG Q (Jul 8, 2005)

MARIS61 said:


> The usual scenario is the gambler owes a bookie bigtime, and the bookie calls the shots as to how and when the cheating is done.
> 
> Big games yield more profit.


Agreed, and the big games have smaller point spreads.


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## Reep (Jun 4, 2003)

Tim Donaghy was the ref, according to ESPN. I've never heard of him. I was hoping for the guy with the Pat Riley hair (whack).


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## Samuel (Jan 1, 2003)




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## Masbee (Dec 31, 2002)

Reep said:


> Tim Donaghy was the ref, according to ESPN. I've never heard of him. I was hoping for the guy with the Pat Riley hair (whack).


Isn't Donaghy the one that was involved in the confrontation on the loading dock of the Rose Garden with Rasheed?

I think that was him.

That was the worst officiated game by a single official I had seen in person. Donaghy was horrible, biased, and rude during the game. I couldn't believe it at the time how unfair he was on the court as an official.

If true, that he is about to be arrested - I can't think of another official I would rather have go to jail.


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## B_&_B (Feb 19, 2004)

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2943095



> NBA referee Tim Donaghy is under investigation by the FBI for allegations that he bet on games that he officiated over the past two seasons and that he made calls affecting the point spread in games, multiple sources told ESPN.
> 
> Donaghy, a 13-year veteran of the league, is aware of the investigation and resigned from the NBA recently.


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## B_&_B (Feb 19, 2004)

Masbee said:


> Isn't Donaghy the one that was involved in the confrontation on the loading dock of the Rose Garden with Rasheed?
> 
> I think that was him.
> 
> ...


Yes, it was him.



> Portland Trail Blazers forward Rasheed Wallace is suspended for seven games for threatening referee Tim Donaghy after game against Memphis Grizzlies


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## mediocre man (Feb 24, 2004)

B_&_B said:



> Yes, it was him.



I hate him, but Sheed should demand his money back for those lost games


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## Samuel (Jan 1, 2003)

Last game I could find was vs. Orlando at home.

Betting-wise: Total Points was 189 and they gave Portland 4.

The final score was 91-89, off the Grant Hill tip-in to win it. 

http://www.covers.com/pageLoader/pa...nba/results/2006-2007/boxscore740847.html&t=0

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playbyplay?gameId=261201022


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## Masbee (Dec 31, 2002)

B_&_B said:


> Yes, it was him.


I can hear Sheed now,

"Jail don't lie"


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## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

Masbee said:


> Isn't Donaghy the one that was involved in the confrontation on the loading dock of the Rose Garden with Rasheed?


First of all: I hope he's innocent. Not just found innocent, but actually innocent. This is sad.

Secondly: Donaghy has always struck me as an *******... or, worse, yet, an incompetent *******. Javie is unique and forceful, but I get the sense he knows what he's doing. Donaghy... just doesn't. Not that I'm an expert.

Thirdly: Rasheed getting just a little bit of vindication would be kinda sweet.

And, on another front: I think that Palmer is far from the best official, but I TOTALLY agree with crandc and others that she's targeted more than most by fans and members of this board. I don't think it's because of overt discrimination, but she DOES stand out as the only female, and given that refs make mistakes all the time, it's easier to remember her than most other officials.

Ed O.


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## o.iatlhawksfan (Mar 3, 2006)

If they were throwing games, it's MOST likely against the Hawks. I remember 2 years ago, those refs must've robbed them atleast 10 times.


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## Crimson the Cat (Dec 30, 2002)

what a can of worms this opens up. yeesh.


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## TLo (Dec 27, 2006)

Masbee said:


> I can hear Sheed now,
> 
> "Jail don't lie"


:rofl2:


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## TheBlueDoggy (Oct 5, 2004)

I think it's rather ironic that Donaghy is the one under investigation. After the Sheed incident, I remember a big story on ESPN about how Donaghy was this macho ex-law enforcer or something, and how great of a guy he was and how he wasn't afraid of Sheed because he'd had to face criminals before being in the NBA.

As for Palmer, I think she's a compitent ref nowadays. Her first year in the league, I attended a Blazers game, and she was on the crew. She made 2 calls that were horrible. Not because they were bad calls in the sense she didn't see something, but bad calls because she didn't know basic NBA rules and called things like it was a college game or something. Fortunately, the other refs pulled her aside, explained NBA rules, and changed her calls. I remember a lot of that from her early on in her NBA career, but as far as I can tell she's gotten past that, and unlike most of the male refs, she doesn't make her calls based off ego or attempts to show up players.


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## alext42083 (Nov 7, 2003)

alext42083 said:


> My vote for worst officiating crew: Ron Garretson, Tim Donaghy and Steve Javie. Couldn't get any more worse or any more egos than those three working a game.
> 
> Who wants to speculate based on this list?
> http://www.coverwire.com/basketball/refdata.htm


Whoo hoo. Called it. Donaghy is not only one of the worst refs, but a cheating one as well.


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## ProudBFan (Apr 29, 2003)

A bad official who officiates the game equally badly at both ends is MUCH better than a good official with an agenda, IMO.

Also, Donaghy is one of the ones who really messed games up for us here at the RG last season.

PBF


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## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

ProudBFan said:


> Also, Donaghy is one of the ones who really messed games up for us here at the RG last season.


So he helped us get Oden. We should be thanking him, I guess! 

Ed O.


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## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

Ed O said:


> So he helped us get Oden. We should be thanking him, I guess!
> 
> Ed O.


Hmmm I wonder if he bet on the draft lottery...:biggrin:


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## BIG Q (Jul 8, 2005)

I found this link interesting;

http://www.covers.com/pageLoader/pa...ata/nba/referees/2006-2007/referee403935.html


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## mook (Dec 31, 2002)

Masbee said:


> I can hear Sheed now,
> 
> "Jail don't lie"


lmao! funniest post this month.


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## HispanicCausinPanic (Jul 2, 2005)

How cool would that be if he and Sheed share a cell one day!


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## Resume (Jul 17, 2007)

Oh no... This is really not good. And of course its happened before. Didn't you guys watch the Laker vs. Blazer game 7 in the WCF a few years back? Tell me the refs didn't throw that one away.


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## Fork (Jan 2, 2003)

Here's an interesting game re-cap from 2000.

http://www2.jsonline.com/sports/buck/jan00/buck11900.asp


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## loyalty4life (Sep 17, 2002)

Fork said:


> Here's an interesting game re-cap from 2000.
> 
> http://www2.jsonline.com/sports/buck/jan00/buck11900.asp


This wasn't as bad as when Sheed was tossed in LA for _looking_ at the ref during a game - from the sidelines.


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## loyalty4life (Sep 17, 2002)

Oh, and it's offical. If this is true, Donaghy really pulled a Swirsky.


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## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

You know, that over the long haul, if handled right, IMO this could actually be a good thing to happen. For years I have thought that the referee's in the league needed more scrutiny, and quite possibly, this might be the event that kicks it off.


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## Five5even (Jun 15, 2007)

I would laugh so hard if one of the referee's who rigged some games was dick bavetta.


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## upstate blazer (May 24, 2006)

Slightly off topic, but while there at it they should investigate those refs in the 2005 Super Bowl. . .never seen a more lopsided sporting event in my life.


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## BIG Q (Jul 8, 2005)

Game three of this years WCF was officiated by Donaghy. The local sports talker down here (Phoenix) are speculating that game was influenced by him because they say it was one of the worst officiated games ever. Any thoughts?


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## PapaG (Oct 4, 2004)

BIG Q said:


> Game three of this years WCF was officiated by Donaghy. The local sports talker down here (Phoenix) are speculating that game was influenced by him because they say it was one of the worst officiated games ever. Any thoughts?


Any game that he reffed will be an excuse for the team that lost.

That said, big money on a fixed WCF game would be pretty blatant IMO.


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## Bwatcher (Dec 31, 2002)

The real question, it seems to me, is whether or not Mark Cuban's data helped finger the guy. 

If he had just started "influencing the games" data about call tendencies may well have changed. I think it would be really great if Stern has Cuban to thank for helping check on the refs!


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## MARIS61 (Apr 28, 2003)

The NBA lost all credibility long ago when Jess Kersey, Mike Mathis, Hank Armstrong and George Toliver were convicted of tax evasion charges.

Nearly 20 referees were suspected of similar crimes, with most reaching plea agreements.

http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1997/vp970905/09050828.htm

Absolute power corrupts absolutely.


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## Oldmangrouch (Feb 11, 2003)

At the risk of sounding small......I am going to enjoy this!

(grabs the popcorn and finds a comfortable seat)


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## Talkhard (May 13, 2003)

mediocre man said:


> I hate him, but Sheed should demand his money back for those lost games


I'd say that Rashweed's suspension was one of the best things Donaghy ever did for the NBA.


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## Public Defender (May 5, 2003)

Talkhard said:


> I'd say that Rashweed's suspension was one of the best things Donaghy ever did for the NBA.


And now the greedy SOB is going to improve Wallace's reputation (Rashweed? please, TH, you're better than name-calling). I can just see the statement now... 

"I told you that guy was calling stuff that wasn't there," Rasheed Wallace said. "That's what I told him that night, and now I have proof that the guy was calling whatever got him paid."


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## BlazerCaravan (Aug 12, 2004)

Rasheed: "A man's gotta do what he's gotta do. I have nothin' but respect for him. He wanted to CTC, and he made it happen."


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## Public Defender (May 5, 2003)

Commissioner Stern... no benefit of the doubt for Donaghy?



> "We would like to assure our fans that no amount of effort, time or personnel is being spared to assist in this investigation, to bring to justice *an individual who has betrayed the most sacred trust in professional sports,* and to take the necessary steps to protect against this ever happening again," Stern said. "We will have more to say at a press conference that will be scheduled for next week."


Jeez. Even Jarrett Jack, who has no reason to be diplomatic, said "I hope he's innocent," at least acknowledging that sometimes, police make mistakes or exaggerate things. (Of course I suspect he is more likely than not, guilty, but come on, let's have the legal process, eh, Mr. Stern?)


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## MARIS61 (Apr 28, 2003)

Public Defender said:


> Commissioner Stern... no benefit of the doubt for Donaghy?
> 
> 
> 
> Jeez. Even Jarrett Jack, who has no reason to be diplomatic, said "I hope he's innocent," at least acknowledging that sometimes, police make mistakes or exaggerate things. (Of course I suspect he is more likely than not, guilty, but come on, let's have the legal process, eh, Mr. Stern?)


Jarrett's a bit on the gullible side.

He still believes KP when he says he's not shopping him.


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## o.iatlhawksfan (Mar 3, 2006)

Anybody here willing to bet a ton of those thrown games, were Hawks games.


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## MARIS61 (Apr 28, 2003)

Is it true Donaghy bet on Vick's dogs?


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## o.iatlhawksfan (Mar 3, 2006)

MARIS61 said:


> Is it true Donaghy bet on Vick's dogs?



YEP!

I heard he's also related to Pete Rose!


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## drexlersdad (Jun 3, 2006)

o.iatlhawksfan said:


> Anybody here willing to bet a ton of those thrown games, were Hawks games.


well he threw games to make the favored team lose, and the Hzawks are never favored to win, so.... sure ill bet you 1000 ucash.


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## Oldmangrouch (Feb 11, 2003)

drexlersdad said:


> well he threw games to make the favored team lose, and the Hzawks are never favored to win, so.... sure ill bet you 1000 ucash.


You might lose that bet.

The object of the point spread, is to get suckers to bet on the underdog. If you get a bunch of people to bet that the Blazers will lose by 10 points or less, and you use your crooked ref to make sure they lose by 12, those people lose their money. 

The added bonus, is that people are less likely to notice if you screw the underdog. If people expect the team to lose, they are less likely to quibble with the final score. Even if you do decide to shaft the favored team, you don't do it by making them lose outright. You just make sure they don't cover the spread.


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## blzr610 (May 24, 2006)

ESPN is now reporting that Donaghy was "*on the take for the mob*". This just gets more and more interesting.


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## Public Defender (May 5, 2003)

blzr610 said:


> ESPN is now reporting that Donaghy was "*on the take for the mob*". This just gets more and more interesting.


That's been reported. 

The next step that some enterprising sports reporter should take is to look at the individual games that Donaghy called and go back and watch the video. See exactly how he fudged the game - no calls on superstars? inconsistencies in charges v. blocking fouls? technical fouls? 

There's already been one article about how Donaghy tossed Pat Riley from a Knicks-Heat game (when Riley was the Heat's coach). In that game, the Knicks also went to the foul line something like four times as often as Miami. I'd like to see Quick, or someone from The O (or heck, someone on this board with the tape!) go back and look at the game in which Rasheed Wallace confronted Donaghy after. If there are atrocious calls against Wallace, and the result of the game is consistent with what Donaghy was being paid to do... we've got ourselves a pretty interesting development.


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## GOD (Jun 22, 2003)

As this story continues to break, do you think a log of games that he fixed will surface?


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## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

What I wonder is how long good old Tim is going to be on this planet. I wouldn't be surprised if the Mobster family put a hit out on him to shut him up.


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## Public Defender (May 5, 2003)

GOD said:


> As this story continues to break, do you think a log of games that he fixed will surface?


I think there'll be a log of "suspicious" games. Unless Donaghy admits to fudging calls in particular games, I'm not sure that we'll ever know for sure what games he "fixed" or "influenced unduly" and which ones just look consistent with the pattern. I don't know how the FBI found this out - but it may be that their informants have specific information about certain games. If that's the case, then when this goes to trial (or when grand jury testimony gets leaked), we'll know more. 

As much as this is a black eye for the NBA, I'm very intrigued to learn more about this. And as Mark Cuban wrote in one article I saw, I'm hoping this gives the NBA a wake-up call to #1 - pay referees more, and #2 - come up with stricter guidelines on what constitutes a technical foul and other "gray-area" calls.


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## MARIS61 (Apr 28, 2003)

Here's a humorous picture:

_Stern had to suspend Joey Crawford, who had worked more postseason games than any active ref, after Crawford ejected San Antonio's Tim Duncan from a game in April. Duncan, who was on the bench laughing when hit with his second technical foul, later said Crawford challenged him to a fight._

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-refereesimage&prov=ap&type=lgns


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## stupendous (Feb 17, 2003)

I didn't read all of the posts here, but I know he did 7 Blazers games (the most of any team) during 2005-2006.


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## Iwatas (Aug 3, 2003)

What's the difference between the WWF and the NBA?



In the WWF the fan doesn't always know the fix in advance.


iWatas


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## Iwatas (Aug 3, 2003)

(cross-posting)

Here is a simple but effective idea.

Each coach starts the game with 2 video replay challenges. If the coach challenges and the replay shows he was right, he gets the challenge back (so coach gets to use it again).

In the Spurs/Suns game, the coach would have overturned the ref handily.

voila!

iWatas


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## sabas4mvp (Sep 23, 2002)

"The Daily News reported Sunday, citing unidentified law enforcement sources, that Donaghy will cooperate with authorities and possibly name other officials and players involved in the betting scandal." - ESPN

Interesting, I wonder if players are actually involved or if that is just speculation. I could see players being permanently banned if they were involved, unless it's Kobe because the NBA loves him too much.


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## BeaverMaz (Jan 6, 2003)

There is an interesting article on espn with an expert handicapper on how a ref might fix a game. It is not on the point spread but probably on the total points. Call more fouls in the fourth quarter get the teams in the bonus and drive up the total points in the game.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=expertexplainsNBAbets


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## BIG Q (Jul 8, 2005)

As some of you know, I live in Tempe, Az. I am listening to "The Gambo and Ash show" on the local talker here. Gambo is John Gambodoro. He used to be a boxer and then a boxing manager. He is well conected in the fight game. He and his wife/kids are good friends of Ali. And of course the boxing community is Vegas. With all that set up, here is what he just said, paraprased;

He has friends in Vegas that knew that games were being thrown in the NBA. His friends were not involved, nor anyone from Vegas that he knows of. But, his friends know that at least three refs are involved and there may be a fourth. There were also rumors a while back (in Vegas) of a player/players being involved.

Just FYI


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## Iwatas (Aug 3, 2003)

BIG Q said:


> There were also rumors a while back (in Vegas) of a player/players being involved.



Highly unlikely to be a Blazer, FWIW. Nobody cared that much about us. This is going to be interesting, though!

iWatas


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## ProudBFan (Apr 29, 2003)

BIG Q said:


> As some of you know, I live in Tempe, Az. I am listening to "The Gambo and Ash show" on the local talker here. Gambo is John Gambodoro. He used to be a boxer and then a boxing manager. He is well conected in the fight game. He and his wife/kids are good friends of Ali. And of course the boxing community is Vegas. With all that set up, here is what he just said, paraprased;
> 
> He has friends in Vegas that knew that games were being thrown in the NBA. His friends were not involved, nor anyone from Vegas that he knows of. But, his friends know that at least three refs are involved and there may be a fourth. There were also rumors a while back (in Vegas) of a player/players being involved.
> 
> Just FYI


OOOOOH! When will you give us names? _Soon?_



PBF


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## BIG Q (Jul 8, 2005)

This is not a source or anything. He is just a local sports talker, but he is well conected in Vegas. He was just passing along what he has gotten from people he knows in Vegas. I do not know any names, but they will surely be leaking out in a week or so I would expect. While the Feds are great at prosecuting they are terrible at keeping secrets.


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## furball (Jul 25, 2004)

This keeps getting better and better. La Cosa Nostra, a crooked referee, point shaving. Sounds like a Martin Scorsese movie in the making. How about Jake Gyllanhal as Tim Donahahy? Danny Devito as David Stern. Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci as the low level Gambino's putting the squeeze on Timmy Boy. Wanda Sykes as Kobe Bryant. They may not look alike, but they are both little *****es.


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## ProudBFan (Apr 29, 2003)

Anyone got a list of *all* the Blazers games Donaghy has officiated over the years (particularly over the last 2 seasons)? I dont know if anyone remembers, but last season (and I am pretty sure the season before) there were several games which, based on calls (and/or non-calls) that were made, I was *certain* one or more of the officials was conspiring against us. Enough to send letters to the NBA to protest, in fact. And I am also pretty darn sure Donahy was involved in some of them.

If someone can give me a list of our games Donaghy officiated, I would be willing to comb through all my posts here (I always post copies of my letters to NBA folk here) looking to see if there is any correlation...

PBF


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## yuyuza1 (May 24, 2006)

ProudBFan said:


> Anyone got a list of *all* the Blazers games Donaghy has officiated over the years (particularly over the last 2 seasons)? I dont know if anyone remembers, but last season (and I am pretty sure the season before) there were several games which, based on calls (and/or non-calls) that were made, I was *certain* one or more of the officials was conspiring against us. Enough to send letters to the NBA to protest, in fact. And I am also pretty darn sure Donahy was involved in some of them.
> 
> If someone can give me a list of our games Donaghy officiated, I would be willing to comb through all my posts here (I always post copies of my letters to NBA folk here) looking to see if there is any correlation...
> 
> PBF


Link.


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## HispanicCausinPanic (Jul 2, 2005)

The scary thing is if a player or players are involved. A player throwing games is scary. Remind me, but didn't they have a problem with that at Arizona State in the 90's?


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## MARIS61 (Apr 28, 2003)

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/

3rd story down.


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## ProudBFan (Apr 29, 2003)

MARIS61 said:


> http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/
> 
> 3rd story down.


Notice that the Blazers lost every single game Donaghy officiated?

Cause, or effect?

PBF


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## B_&_B (Feb 19, 2004)

David Stern is holding a press conference right now and it is BORING! He is talking way to slow and saying nothing of substance.

Anyone else really dislike David Stern? He always comes across as very arrogant.


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## furball (Jul 25, 2004)

There was a scandal down at ASU involving point shaving. I believe it cost Bill Frieder his job. I remember one of the players was Stephen "Headache" Smith.


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## Todd (Oct 8, 2003)

B_&_B said:


> David Stern is holding a press conference right now and it is BORING! He is talking way to slow and saying nothing of substance.
> 
> Anyone else really dislike David Stern? He always comes across as very arrogant.


The guy is a total dick, he acts like he's talking to a bunch of children.

Did you hear when he said that Donaghy was a rogue that went against his country:lol:


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## It's_GO_Time (Oct 13, 2005)

B_&_B said:


> David Stern is holding a press conference right now and it is BORING! He is talking way to slow and saying nothing of substance.
> 
> Anyone else really dislike David Stern? He always comes across as very arrogant.



I saw it different. A very uncomfortable situation and it appeared Stern wasn't reading a pre-written statement but talking candidly about a very dificult topic (as he phrased it the worst situation he has had to deal with since being invovled in the NBA)

He was talking slow and monotone, but I think this situation called for it (Stern has shown a sense of humor during other interviews). 

I see what you are talking about with the arrogant thing . . . but (note to selig) at least he holds a press conference and deals with difficult topics.


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## BIG Q (Jul 8, 2005)

Kiss_My_Darius said:


> I saw it different. A very uncomfortable situation and it appeared Stern wasn't reading a pre-written statement but talking candidly about a very dificult topic (as he phrased it the worst situation he has had to deal with since being invovled in the NBA)
> 
> He was talking slow and monotone, but I think this situation called for it (Stern has shown a sense of humor during other interviews).
> 
> I see what you are talking about with the arrogant thing . . . but (note to selig) at least he holds a press conference and deals with difficult topics.


+1

Although I do not like the little Hitler, the league needs him now for leadership and stability. It is also good that a scandal such as this will force him to look at the "human element" of situations such as him rewarding Robert Horry for his hip check.


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## MARIS61 (Apr 28, 2003)

Stern apparently had been told Donaghy was gambling 2 years ago and suspended him from the playoffs.

Stern says there is no sports gambling in Atlantic City. Yeah, right.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=txsterngambling&prov=st&type=lgns


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## MARIS61 (Apr 28, 2003)

Donaghy's mentor?

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-26-85/When-an-NBA-Referee-Was-Convicted-of-Shaving-Points.html


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## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

B_&_B said:


> Anyone else really dislike David Stern? He always comes across as very arrogant.


I think he's great. He's smart and well-informed. He's measured and he's commanding.

He might act superior, but it's not unjustified given his position and role in the sport.

Ed O.


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## MARIS61 (Apr 28, 2003)

Ed O said:


> I think he's great. He's smart and well-informed. He's measured...


About 4'8" by my estimate.:biggrin:


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## MARIS61 (Apr 28, 2003)

Stern's boat still cruising on *De Nile*.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-bettingprobe&prov=ap&type=lgns


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## Iwatas (Aug 3, 2003)

Ed O said:


> He might act superior, but it's not unjustified given his position and role in the sport.
> 
> Ed O.


I think Stern has pushed the entertainment angle too far in recent years.

We have:

1: Superstar calls
2: Supercity calls (preference for big league teams)
3: NBA promotion of gangsta lifestyle (think Iverson) for many years
4: And now, pretending that this is something that can be smoothed over. 

Stern needs to fix this with a comprehensive fix of officiating (including instant replay credits by coaches). Or he needs to step aside for someone who will.

iWatas


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## Oldmangrouch (Feb 11, 2003)

Iwatas said:


> I think Stern has pushed the entertainment angle too far in recent years.
> iWatas



Agreed. I takes massive tunnel vision for someone to fuss about dress codes while ignoring the fact that the average fan has lost faith in the officiating.


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## RW#30 (Jan 1, 2003)

After seeing some of this on other forums , 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38thrnsBqlw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRbQJBsvVRA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBQZRqYsLbw


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## Oldmangrouch (Feb 11, 2003)

What amazes me are the people in other forums who refuse to take this seriously. They are still stuck on the mantra that anyone complaining about the refs is just a sore loser.


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## Nate4Prez (Jun 3, 2007)

Oldmangrouch said:


> What amazes me are the people in other forums who refuse to take this seriously. They are still stuck on the mantra that anyone complaining about the refs is just a sore loser.


I don't know if its a lack of taking it seriously or just indifference. Not to defend any ref, or make light of the situation but the integrity of refs and their calls have always been questionable. I think this needs to be addressed certainly, but it only makes refs go from bad to worse. The majority of fans know there are good calls, bad calls, and blind calls. It happens, its part of the game. Certainly if a ref has money on the line its a different story, but is anyone ever totally surprised by bad calls?


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## BG7 (Jun 25, 2003)

Oldmangrouch said:


> What amazes me are the people in other forums who refuse to take this seriously. They are still stuck on the mantra that anyone complaining about the refs is just a sore loser.


Well, I think Portland fans should just say "oh, lets not get into fans feeling cheated by Donaghy", since if Donaghy didn't fix a Heat vs. Knicks game, Greg Oden would have a different home. :biggrin:


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## Crimson the Cat (Dec 30, 2002)

I like the way Stern manages the NBA for the most part. I think it has become obvious that the league does not strictly monitor their refs as they have led us to believe. This must change. If they did monitor, this would have been picked up on. There would have been a history of non-calls or phantom fouls, IMO.

A good outcome will come of this, I hope!


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## ProudBFan (Apr 29, 2003)

RW#30 said:


> After seeing some of this on other forums ,
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38thrnsBqlw
> 
> ...


Strange... the referee in each one of those clips looked like Donaghy.

PBF


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## ProudBFan (Apr 29, 2003)

Stern is full of crap. I don't believe for one second this is a case of an "isolated, rogue criminal" infiltrating the system. Because if all their supposed "safeguards" weren't able to detect it until damage had been done - let alone prevent it - then how the hell do they even know others haven't been / aren't doing the exact same thing, even now? The answer is that they don't, and can't. And this, by definition, means that Stern is full of crap. And the fact that he's coming out and claiming "isolated, rogue criminal" at this point actually makes the whole situation look even more suspicious (i.e., potentially bigger) to me.

PBF


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## Paxil (Jan 1, 2003)

If you were just allowed to bet on the outcome of the game it would be more obvious when someone was influencing the games. The margins, point spreads, points in the 4th quarter or whatever make it so much easier to get to cheat. It is probably much easier for a ref to justify just amplifying the score as opposed to influencing the outcome. I've seen many games where they way the game is being officiated obviously changes. Some games they won't call ANYthing. Others start out like that and then they go to ticky tack mode. I have also noticed the tendency to try to equal out the calls with non-shooting fouls late in a quarter. The refs are aware that there are stats being kept, and what they are, and you know they are going to try to make sure everything looks good, even when it is not. It has always bothered me that the NBA refs seem to have more influence on the outcome of a game than any other major sport. Three to four calls is the average winning margin. It doesn't take much.


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## STOMP (Jan 1, 2003)

Public Defender said:


> I'd like to see Quick, or someone from The O (or heck, someone on this board with the tape!) go back and look at the game in which Rasheed Wallace confronted Donaghy after. If there are atrocious calls against Wallace, and the result of the game is consistent with what Donaghy was being paid to do... we've got ourselves a pretty interesting development.


I think I can recall a bit of the things you were wondering about... perhaps Masbee can confirm/deny/elaborate as he claimed to have been at that game. I just watched the TV feed.

Wallace was issued a tech for tossing a normal bounce pass on a side out to Donaghy who wasn't looking. I don't recall whether it was a foul on RW that preceded the T but I recall it looking like TD overreacted to nothing (a slow moving ball bouncing off his hip). Of course Sheed then went his usual nutso protesting his innocence and was quickly tossed... I recall the microphones picking up him yelling something along the lines of "You know I'm getting that money back for that BS tech" referring to the automatic fine that comes with a Tech that is subject to review by the league officials.

Certainly two wrongs don't make a right and a player getting in a heated arguement with an official after a game doesn't seem acceptable even with the benefit of hindsite knowing that said official may be a scumbag cheater. That said, I've been a vocal critic of the league's overall officiating for some time... we'll see if Stern's droaning damage control press conference nips the problem at the bud, but it's my feeling that this apple has more rot then just a single rougue worm. No other pro sport has anything approaching the open favoratism that the league (through it's officials) grants to it's lead pitchmen... and as they say it all starts at the top.

STOMP


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## Oldmangrouch (Feb 11, 2003)

Now there is word that there may be congressional hearings on this matter.

My question: why?

The only way Congress can compel Donaghy and his "associates" to testify, is to grant them immunity. Would the Beltway Bozos really spike the criminal prosecution just to grab a few cheap headlines? Don't they have *anything* more pressing to worry about? :whofarted 

What are they going to do......create a new Federal Bureau of Zebra Oversite? :lol:


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## PapaG (Oct 4, 2004)

Quite simply, Stern was pooping a brick because he knows that his refs can no longer protect the superstars without an immediate backlash from fans in other cities.

This is why he was shaky at the podium. The Donaghy thing is secondary.


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## MARIS61 (Apr 28, 2003)

Oldmangrouch said:


> Now there is word that there may be congressional hearings on this matter.


Here we go. Rep. Bobby Rush, Founder of the Illinois Black Panther Party, is poised to take down Stern's Napoleonic empire.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2950266


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## STOMP (Jan 1, 2003)

from Maris61's link...



> Rush wrote that he appreciated the need for the league to conduct its own investigation and that he would like to meet with Stern at "the earliest appropriate time."
> 
> "Unfortunately, fairly or not, the NBA, more than any other professional sport, has been consistently dogged with allegations that league referees needlessly affect the outcomes of games by making bad calls," Rush wrote.


sounds like they intend to talk about more then just one bad ref.

STOMP


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## MARIS61 (Apr 28, 2003)

Gambling ties represents merely one of many problems which affect impartiality in officiating. More prevelant problems of racism, nationalism, and personal dis-likes, coupled with "what's good for the league" and special treatment for stars pretty much makes it a crap-shoot at best.


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