Donaghy to Feds: Over 20 other refs participated in gambling

[Spectrum]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2979605&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines

Former NBA official Tim Donaghy will reportedly give federal prosecutors information that will implicate other referees in some forms of gambling activity as part of his cooperation with government officials.

The offenses might not include any criminal activity, but could draw the ire of NBA commissioner David Stern, who has insisted the Donaghy situation was that of a "rogue, isolated criminal."

A report on 1050 ESPN Radio in New York said Donaghy will give prosecutors as many as 20 names of other NBA officials and will detail their involvement in some form of gambling activity. The specifics of the gambling allegations are reportedly believed to include betting in casinos.

"As far as we know, the misconduct was isolated to one individual, and we'll stand by that until proven otherwise," National Basketball Referees Association director Lamell McMorris told ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan. "We'll review whatever information Tim Donaghy alleges, but as far as we're concerned, the only person whose conduct has been proven wrong is Tim Donaghy. We're dealing with truth, not hearsay, and the truth is that the only person who has pleaded guilty to any kind of wrongdoing is Tim Donaghy."

NBA spokesman Brian McIntyre said the league had received no information regarding the possibility of other officials being investigated.

On Friday, Donaghy spoke to the New York Daily News.

"I'm very sorry about what happened," he said outside his home. "I'm not going to say anything beyond that. This is an ongoing case -- I can't say anything else."

The NBA's collective bargaining agreement with the officials bans gambling by referees, although there is one exception -- officials are allowed to go to the racetrack and bet on horses during the offseason.

Donaghy, who pleaded guilty on Thursday and was released on $250,000 bond, faces a maximum of 25 years in prison when he is sentenced Nov. 9 for conspiracy to engage in wire fraud and transmitting betting information through interstate commerce. He also must pay a $500,000 fine and at least $30,000 in restitution to the government.

 

[xfactor]

Glad that you posted this over here, away from the marks and self hating groupies.

I think Donaghy is LYING to save his own skin but I'm interested to see what information he tells.

I spoke with an NBA referee earlier today and he was enraged with the situation but maintained his innocence as far as knowing if other referees were involved with fixing games.

This thing can have HUGE reprecussions for not only the NBA but other professional sports leagues.

 

[cranrab]

he was enraged with the situation but maintained his innocence as far as knowing if other referees were involved with fixing games.

it hasn't progressed to "fixing" - yet.

the speculation for "fixing" is natural, but this degenerate has only copped to gambling so far. the FBI, media and NBA have been scouring his games to find a game where this criminal's calls may have impacted the outcome, and haven't found ONE.

the espn story is premature and sensationalistic, because it emphasizes that this criminal may "name names", but doesn't equally emphasize that the names he's "naming" haven't done anything illegal - only ethically and contractually prohibited.

what hasn't been highly publicized either is that for MOST of the FBI investigation, this scumbag was being investigated for SELLING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION, NOT for gambling, NOT for fixing.

 

[cranrab]

Glad that you posted this over here, away from the marks and self hating groupies.

i just read your posts in E's BGOL thread. you're walking a slippery slope, young 'un.

you seem prepared to acknowledge that games are rigged, yet you also state that the spurs earned their championship(s).

once you walk through that (game fixing) door, you can't open it again.

this is the lesson david stern (and both of the commissioners BEFORE him) learned as a young attorney: you can't have it both ways.

 

[xfactor]

the speculation for "fixing" is natural, but this degenerate has only copped to gambling so far. the FBI, media and NBA have been scouring his games to find a game where this criminal's calls may have impacted the outcome, and haven't found ONE.

I don't know if there have been any games that have been officially dubbed as being tainted because of Donaghy's influence but I know of some games that are under investigation for "suspicious activities".

As a matter of fact, when I was out of town visiting a family member a couple of weeks after the shit hit the fan, the local franchise's media reported 2 games that specifically were under investigation. (Although I'm not going to ever take what the media says as 100% truth)

A friend of mine that "deals with the numbers" has shared with me information from his own research as well as information about games Donaghy has officiated from Vegas oddsmakers and the evidence is pretty overwhelming once you think about it.

 

[xfactor]

i just read your posts in E's BGOL thread. you're walking a slippery slope, young 'un.

you seem prepared to acknowledge that games are rigged, yet you also state that the spurs earned their championship(s).

once you walk through that (game fixing) door, you can't open it again.

this is the lesson david stern (and both of the commissioners BEFORE him) learned as a young attorney: you can't have it both ways.

If that is what it seems as if I alluded to then I apologize because that was not the case.

I will NEVER say an NBA game is rigged because I don't believe it. For a game to be rigged, in my opinion, the result/winner would have to be pre-determined before the opening tip. Like it is in professional wrestling.

 

[Rollie_Fingaz]

i just read your posts in E's BGOL thread. you're walking a slippery slope, young 'un.

you seem prepared to acknowledge that games are rigged, yet you also state that the spurs earned their championship(s).

once you walk through that (game fixing) door, you can't open it again.

this is the lesson david stern (and both of the commissioners BEFORE him) learned as a young attorney: you can't have it both ways.

The I'll open the door walk through it and dead-bolt it shut behind me. I think the games were fixed.

Stern was doing damage control and trying to make people think that it was only one ref. But I believe that others knew. Also, Stern knew about this. I think this goes all the was up the food chain. He opened the door for this mess when he allowed "superstar calls"

 

[xfactor]

The I'll open the door walk through it and dead-bolt it shut behind me. I think the games were fixed.

Stern was doing damage control and trying to make people think that it was only one ref. But I believe that others knew. Also, Stern knew about this. I think this goes all the was up the food chain. He opened the door for this mess when he allowed "superstar calls"

Although a lot of the game officials are "out of date" and should be replaced, I do not think games are fixed. The bad calls can make it seem that way (As I was referring to in the main board's post to alexw) but the only way I can think of a game being fixed is if PLAYERS (not referees) were in on it and I am almost certain that isn't the case.

But as I said above, I'm interested to see what the whistle blower has to say in his testimony.

 

[cranrab]

Stern was doing damage control and trying to make people think that it was only one ref. But I believe that others knew. Also, Stern knew about this. I think this goes all the was up the food chain.

david stern is/was and has been trying to do damage control ever since this thing went public.

if you are willing to believe the FBI (and then david stern, in that order) more than 1 year was spent investigating this shit head for selling confidential information. example: 2 of the games being investigated are a 76ers game when AI was being traded and a wizards game where gil arenas was a gametime decision and sat. scum bag's cell phone records show that he phoned the bookie 2 minutes before tip off in both those games and sold information.

the gambling aspect of the case only came about in the past 6 months. and by gambling, i mean the degenerate gambling on his own games. prior to that, he had been known to place bets on other games than the ones he worked.

to date, there is no allegation of "fixing" or "point shaving". it still requires a leap that is not supported by current evidence - yet. it is a small leap, but still a speculative leap. the biggest evidence AGAINST the "fixing" allegation is the douche bag's own gambling record. for a simp that is supposed to have been "fixing" games, his personal gambling win/loss record is pretty damn poor.

as to other referees, yes, i believe it is possible and probable that other referees gambled on other sports. on basketball? maybe. fixed games? unlikely. given that the officials have "inside" information on each game which would significantly determine the outcome, why would they need to make phony calls? being privy to priveleged information is a big enough edge.

 

[Rollie_Fingaz]

as to other referees, yes, i believe it is possible and probable that other referees gambled on other sports. on basketball? maybe. fixed games? unlikely. given that the officials have "inside" information on each game which would significantly determine the outcome, why would they need to make phony calls? being privy to priveleged information is a big enough edge.

I believe playoff series are fixed. Certain matchups I believe the league wanted to go 6 or 7 games.

Knicks-Bulls
Knicks-Heat
Lakers-Spurs
Lakers-Blazers
Lakers-Suns

I believe this because rivalries make good ratings. Now in a few of those cases one team was clearly the better team, but put two quick fouls on a star player and let them sit for a quarter and see what happens. When they come back into the game, they are not aggressive and gun shy. The official has just taken them out of the game.

To be honest..they wouldn't be "phony calls" Basketball is physical by nature, and with the lack of fundametals in U.S. players you could call foulds and violations on them any time.

You can call a carry on A.I. pretty much any time
Melo and Kobe walk every time
Shaq runs dudes over every time.
Big men usually take that extra step.

It would be simple..

 

[cranrab]

I believe playoff series are fixed. Certain matchups I believe the league wanted to go 6 or 7 games.

Knicks-Bulls
Knicks-Heat
Lakers-Spurs
Lakers-Blazers
Lakers-Suns

ok, so if we allow for these possibilities, why stop there?

why not "fix" playoffs to guarantee finals appearances by the biggest names? (none for MVPs kevin garnett or steve nash)

why not "fix" playoffs to guarantee finals appearances in the largest media markets? (new york knicks, chicago bulls, los angeles clippers and fakers)

why not "fix" playoffs to guarantee competitive finals appearances instead of sweeps (fakers v. nets, spurs v. cavaliers) or near sweeps (fakers v. 76ers, pistons v. fakers)?

they wouldn't be "phony calls" Basketball is physical by nature, and with the lack of fundametals in U.S. players you could call foulds and violations on them any time.

It would be simple..

agreed, i made this same point earlier in another thread.

 

[Rollie_Fingaz]

ok, so if we allow for these possibilities, why stop there?

why not "fix" playoffs to guarantee finals appearances by the biggest names? (none for MVPs kevin garnett or steve nash)

Because KG had to get through a Laker squad with a player on it that Stern clearly favored as the chosen one and the next Jordan. He would rather have Kobe in the Finals than KG. Nash isn't as marketable in Europe as Tony Parker is (who made himself more known by marrying the actress chick.) Stern ultimatly got what he wanted...a Euro as MVP.

why not "fix" playoffs to guarantee finals appearances in the largest media markets? (new york knicks, chicago bulls, los angeles clippers and fakers)

He has. You will hear grumblings of the Lakers going to the Finals all the time during their run. In fact a the last time they made the Finals everyone bitched that the Wolves didn't get the calls.

In the case of NY...Stern is not a magician..

why not "fix" playoffs to guarantee competitive finals appearances instead of sweeps (fakers v. nets, spurs v. cavaliers) or near sweeps (fakers v. 76ers, pistons v. fakers)?

The most competitive Finals may not generate the ratings. Case in point, the Pistons/Spurs Finals. Have you noticed that when a team was in the middle of a dynasty usually they went up against the team that was the popular player at the time? People didn't want to see the Spurs. They wanted to see Lebron in the Finals. As soon as they knew it would be a sweep the ratings dropped like a stone.

 

[SpiritualPorn]

The NBA has been fixed for a long time!!!! We all know it. It's just that the players aren't in on it.

This whole deal will end at Stern's doorstep.

He has protected the refs forever. He gives them complete power to control the floor and severely punishes anyone that might disagree. When Stern said this was an isolated incident, I knew he was in on it. How can he say that before he had all the info?

As far as I see the press is TRYING TO MINIMIZE the story.

Imagine this. If Stern was a black commissioner over an all white leauge do you think the coverage of the ref scandal would be the same?

 

[RunawaySlave]

the speculation for "fixing" is natural, but this degenerate has only copped to gambling so far. the FBI, media and NBA have been scouring his games to find a game where this criminal's calls may have impacted the outcome, and haven't found ONE.

Or haven't ADMITTED to finding one.

If they were to actually admit to the "fixing" of any one game. Then they would have to admit to fixing ALL of them. Which would basically render
every single title null and void. It would also reduce them to the likes of
the WWWF and kill any chances of them expanding the way they want to.

Naw, they might be looking, but I highly doubt if they'd ever admit to
anything. They've got their patsy, he will take the weight for them all

 

[DANGEROUSBLACKMAN]

Give Him Like 15-20 Years In Prison.

 

[dailysmoka]

even corporate america hates snitches.. a snitch is someone who gets caught..and then tell on everybody to get lesser time....without the snitches ..the police would no nuthin...why would u help them do their job.. snitchin is in season...so i give u a rule to live by...."if You Can't Do The Time ,Don't Do The Crime" ..Don't be a Tella-Tale You pussy ass nigga