THE NBA’S WORST NIGHTMARE

            Last Friday, Murray Weiss of the New York Times broke a story that the FBI has been investigating Tim Donaghy, a 13 year veteran NBA referee.  This type of an allegation is made to order for an Oliver Stone conspiracy movie.  According to law enforcement sources, Donaghy bet thousands of dollars on NBA games during the 2005-06 seasons.  Reports have circulated, that Donaghy not only bet on just games in the NBA, but also the games in which he officiated.  In other words, games where point shaving, by calling a foul, or a turnover at a certain point in the game could affect the margin of victory.  The word is that Donaghy had a gambling problem and a loosing problem.  He was approached by low-level mob associates to deal with his debt.  The debt was then used as leverage to get him to shave points.  Donaghy had previously submitted his resignation.  It seems he knew and possibly the league knew the suspension was coming.

The thing that makes this case possibly more compelling than Pete Rose or the 1919 Chicago White Sox is that participants in the game cannot always influence the outcome.  A game official, however; has more control over the outcome and the influence he can exert is potentially enormous.  The first question that comes to mind here is whether or not Donaghy acted alone.  The NBA has a three person referee crew system.  Players in modern day professional sports make so much money that they are unlikely to be influenced by money and the mob.  NBA refs are more like college kids.  They don’t have a big bank roll to fall back on.  They are more vulnerable, susceptible to influence.  Is this just the tip of the iceberg?  Are the keepers of the game unworthy of our trust?  Did one of his fellow refs turn him in? 

Here is a little food for thought and just why Donaghy is being investigated.  In games that he called, when the home team was favored by 0-4 1/2  points, the home team lost 12 of 17 times. Is it possible that almost 70% of the time, he and his crew influenced games so the underdog would beat the spread?   Home teams went 1-7 when the spread was 5-9.5 points.  This is significant because history has shown that basketball is the easiest game to fix.  A foul shot given in the right place, an errant pass, or a whistle that causes a turnover or an unfair advantage at the right time could make a gambler millions.  Traditionally, college kids have been involved in these scandals.  This allegation involving a referee could have a much wider impact. 

Last season, in a game involving the Chicago Bulls, Donaghy ejected Coach Scott Skiles in a game at New York in November.  Skiles said at the time, the he did not understand the reason for the ejection.  Was this an effort to influence the outcome of the game?  The point spread?  In a Heat-Knicks game in New York in February, the Knicks shot 39 free throws to the Heat’s eight and technical fouls were called on Heat Coach Pat Riley and Assistant Coach Ron Rothstein, and the Knicks won by 6.  New York was favored by 4 ½. 

The Phoenix Suns played a tough semi-final series against the eventual NBA champs, the San Antonio Spurs.  Game 3 of the Suns-Spurs series was called one of the poorest officiated games in playoff history.  It was a game of bad calls, bad no-calls and late non-calls.  What crew officiated that game?  Eddie Rush, Greg Willard and Tim Donaghy.  Some examples include Bowen forcing a turnover clearly hacking Nash’s hand, an error calling what appeared to be a clear block on Stoudemire.  Stoudemire, one of the Suns star players only played 21 minutes in that game due to foul trouble.  The Suns in one sequence forced a miss, got the ball and were on their way up the court, when a late foul was called, supposedly on the shot attempt itself.  This one was made by Donaghy.  The Spurs were favored by four points in that game and won by 7.  They shot 9 more free throws than the Suns did.  Was the game fixed?  Did this referee possible contribute to who would be named the ultimate champion of the NBA.    Don’t think that  coaches did not complain about the way the games was handled by Mr. Donaghy.  Orlando Magic Coach Brian Hill was fined $25k after complaining about a game the Donaghy crew officiated in March.  What does Commissioner Stern do if Donaghy had money on that game?  Does he give the fine back?  How do you replace a championship that may have been stolen?  This story has all of the trappings to become the single biggest sports story of 2007.  You just cannot overestimate the damage done to the NBA as the FBI continues to investigate betting on game and shaving point by this referee.  Is this just the tip of the iceberg?  The integrity of the league is vested in its officials.  No doubt, this has to be the NBA’s worst nightmare.

BOOK REVIEW

BY JIM MYERS

http://stores.ebay.com/Big-Jims-New-Store_W0QQssPageNameZl2QQtZkm

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THE CUBS FAN’S GUIDE TO HAPPINESS

BY GEORGE ELLIS

PUBLISHED BY TRIUMPH BOOKS

183 PAGES

ISBN# 978-1-57243-936-8

www.cubsguide.com

http://www.triumphbooks.com/products/the_cubs_fan_s_guide_to_happiness/1572435401.php?page_id=151

http://www.theheckler.com/store/shop/item.aspx?itemid=11

Rating:   

(Four Stars)

            “It’s better to be nuts and happy than sane and sad.  Whatever it is in the makeup of a Cubs fan that allows him or her to rationalize losing-and turn it into something positive-it’s certainly a quality to be admired.  We should all strive to be more irrational.  In fact you should make it a point to do something irrational on a daily basis…..Whatever makes you happy, no matter how crazy it sounds-that’s the Cubs fan’s motto.”

            Sports books generally are all alike.  Some jock going on and on about his miraculous life and achievements and struggles with their superiors.  Those books are very predictable, and usually boring.  The Cubs Fan’s Guide to Happiness is surprisingly different, refreshing, and incurably funny.  This book recognizes that the Chicago Cubs fan has been suffering since 1908, and that they have developed coping skills to make their Cubbies the loveable losers at Wrigley.  In fact, George Ellis, co-founder of The Heckler, details stories, events, checklists, suggestions, and pop quizzes to help the Cub fan cope with the misery in a humorous and original way.  This book even contains cartoon illustration of typical Cub’s fans.  This book shows what makes the average Cub fan tick, and makes humorous suggestions for what will make them happy despite over 100 years of futility.  Hope springs eternal on the corner of Addison and Sheffield.  Cub fans support that team.  They always believe there will be a next year.

            What makes the book interesting and worth reading is the gentle way that Ellis has chosen to poke fun at his team, the events that have occurred (he documents some of the funnies situations in Cub Dom), and the mindset in general that you have to have to be a Cubs fan (You’re not eliminated until you are mathematically eliminated, winning isn’t everything, the power of low expectations, 15 habits of happy Cubs Fans, 100 years, 100 ways to deal with the frustration).  There is page after page, after page of funny stories, interesting antidotes, and unusual humor that make this book a page turner. 

Ellis explores the minds and psyches of Cub fans, and their ability to adjust--- something they do better than most.  His breezy, funny and original style makes this one of the very best sports books around.  If you only read one sports-related book this year, this is the one you should read.  I heartily recommend this wonderful sports book.