Reports: Donaghy bet on more than 100 games he worked

proof of what, that human beings sometimes don't get along?

 

You're surprised that there was bias in officiating? See Spurs & Crawford etc -

I read that as saying Donaghy sold the crew info before the the crews were announced. Hardcore handicappers and gamblers have been pricing this into the line for years, all donaghy did was give them a tip on the info before the line could move to adjust for it.

 

2005-06 study on race bias in officiating:

http://209.85.215.104/search?q=cach...ing+crew+line+spread&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=8&gl=us

 

pgabriel, samfisher,

what is it about the internet that makes people think all comments are an attempt to argue. why are you arguing? Are you arguing with MadMax or me?

I already said we all think there is bias in officiating. I'm saying, I've never seen a ref essentially admit to it being so widespread and worth betting on.

this is court proof. This is public info that will / and should embarrass Stern and the NBA.

Saying, "oh we all new this was going on, so what?" What does that mean? does that mean we should ignore it? It's like saying, "We all new steriods was widespread. so what?" Biased NBA referring being widespread is something that needs to change. We all know that. There is no arguing. Now we have court evidence. Stern now should do something about it.

 

first of all, you said this should be investigated or at least "deal with". second of all, i'm responding that there is essentially nothing you can do about it. of course there's a human element, this guy took advantage of it, but what are you going to? seriously, what correction can you put in place that ref not have a dislike for someone.

 

yes, I remember that report. But no, I don't believe Stern can do much about race bias...as some statistical average. I believe some of that will be no different than any cultural/race bias in any part of society (like salaries). More valuable would be to learn exactly which refs are more susceptible to that. Plus, I think Official X doesn't like Super Star Y is much more valuable info. And that is something Stern needs to fix, imso.

 

The NBA fired a ref for bias against Drexler in the '95 (or 96?) playoffs. Don't you remember. What was his name?

There is precendence for proven bias against a player to be a suspendable/fireable offense.

 

i remember, but that was an extreme example of the guy kicking drexler out the game based on nothing. it was in phoenix in '95 btw, don't remember the name.

these leagues are like fraternities, everyone knows everyone, and the subsets, players, coaches, gms, officials, owners, are even smaller fraternities. word is going to get around of who doesn't like who. i'm sure coaches know what refs don't like what players, what refs don't like what refs, what players don't like what players. its just a human element, that goes along with any job.

if coaches or gms thought it was a bigger issue, i'm sure they'd make a bigger deal out of it. coaches have no problems criticizing refs to a certain point, although stern can act like a dictator regarding this topic. but if it was really a big deal i'm sure we would know.

 

I guess I'm the only one appalled by this, then. I just see this as an NBA-specific issue. I rarely hear people say this about baseball or football. It has a lot to do with the proximity of players to refs and the amount of verbal interaction.

 

that's not why he got fired though. There was a proven track record of him hating Drexler, on top of the rapid fire double Ts.

 

"ha ha ha and things only continued to get worse for jake o'donnell"

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3404607


Attorney drops bombshell accusations, argues for probation for Donaghy
ESPN.com news services

Updated: May 20, 2008, 10:29 AM ET
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NEW YORK -- Disgraced basketball referee Tim Donaghy told investigators in the NBA betting probe that relationships among officials, coaches and players "affected the outcome of games," his attorney said. The league said the charges were unfounded.




Donaghy

Donaghy's attorney made the assertions in a letter filed in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn on Monday, in which he argued that his client should be sentenced to probation because he fully cooperated with prosecutors and has been undergoing treatment for his gambling addiction.

The attorney also suggested that Donaghy told investigators about the gambling activities of other NBA officials and about a referee that passed "confidential" information to an unidentified coach.

The attorney, John F. Lauro, wrote that the U.S. attorney's office for the Eastern District agreed to plea agreements with other defendants in the case, even though his client told investigators about NBA matters outside of the government's initial investigation. Lauro said the disparity in treatment could not be fully explained because prosecutors have "surrounded this case with a cone of silence."


In a footnote, attorney John F. Lauro suggested that the NBA might have "pressured" the attorney's office "into shutting down this prosecution to avoid the disclosure of information unrelated to Tim's conduct."
The U.S. attorney's office said Tuesday it has no comment.

In a footnote, the attorney suggested that the NBA might have "pressured" the attorney's office "into shutting down this prosecution to avoid the disclosure of information unrelated to Tim's conduct."

"The letter filed today on Mr. Donaghy's behalf contains an assortment of lies, unfounded allegations, and facts that have been previously acknowledged, such as the fact that certain NBA referees engaged in casino gambling in violation of NBA rules," said Joel Litvin, the NBA president for league and basketball operations, in a statement. "The letter is the desperate act of a convicted felon who is hoping to avoid prison time."

The 42-year-old veteran referee pleaded guilty last August to felony charges for taking cash payoffs from gamblers and betting on games he officiated. Donaghy's sentencing was pushed back to July 14 on Monday; by law, he faces up to 25 years in prison and a $500,000 fine, though the term could be much lower under sentencing guidelines.

While citing Donaghy's commitment to his family, charitable activities and positive feedback for his career as a referee prior to his "tragic fall from grace," his attorney said that his client's "aberrant conduct" can only be understood in the context of his gambling addiction, a "crippling disease, which prevented him from exercising complete rational self control."

Lauro wrote that Donaghy is taking steps to get treatment for his condition, including therapy with a gambling counselor and attending Gamblers Anonymous meetings.

"Without a doubt, Tim made significant errors in judgment, but he also tried to right the wrongs of his conduct by assisting the government and seeking treatment for his disorder," Lauro wrote.

 

here's another article from the New York Times saying the NBA is calling everything "Lies." Much the same info but more quotes.

The fact the Times wrote a separate article means many other newspapers are going to reprint or rewrite the same thing.


ha ha ha: And things are only getting worse for David Stern.

 

I agree with HP that if there is hard evidence that specific refs are biased against specific teams/players, the NBA has to deal with it or the game's integrity is compromised.

It does seem that officiating in the NBA is more personal than other sports. I am not sure if it's the closeness. I mean, the umpire is pretty close to the hitter in baseball and they do hear a lot of complaints from the players.

 

I can't comment on the officiating bias in other sports, but it is absolutely ludicrous that there is seemingly so much bias in the NBA.

The top players get more leniency etc, and that happens in most sports to some degree I would think, but this is nuts.

A review of every game, at least in the short term, seems like the best way to go. Go hammer and tong at it until there's a general feeling that the problem has been sorted, then they can move to reviews of x% of games.

 

Honestly the older I get . . . . . the more I believe everything is rigged

Rocket River
Watch the Lotto . . . . I suspect some semi-affluent non-minority neighborhood will win it.