Tim Donaghy's book exerpts

[patrickgpe]

just found this and if even half of this stuff is true, its really a black eye for the nba who's referees integrity has always been in question.

 

http://deadspin.com/53920...ead?skyline=true&s=x

 

To have a little fun at the expense of the worst troublemakers, the referees working the game would sometimes make a modest friendly wager amongst themselves: first ref to give one of the bad boys a technical foul wouldn't have to tip the ball boy that night

 

Relationships between NBA players and referees were generally all over the board-love, hate, and everything in-between. Some players, even very good ones, were targeted by referees and the league because they were too talented for their own good...If Kobe Bryant had two fouls in the first or second quarter and went to the bench, one referee would tell the other two, "Kobe's got two fouls. Let's make sure that if we call a foul on him, it's an obvious foul, because otherwise he's gonna go back to the bench. If he is involved in a play where a foul is called, give the foul to another player."

 

Crawford wanted the game over quickly so he could kick back, relax, and have a beer; [Dick Bavetta] wanted it to keep going so he could hear his name on TV. He actually paid an American Airlines employee to watch all the games he worked and write down everything the TV commentators said about him. No matter how late the game was over, he'd wake her up for a full report. He loved the attention....Studying under Dick Bavetta for 13 years was like pursuing a graduate degree in advanced game manipulation. He knew how to marshal the tempo and tone of a game better than any referee in the league, by far. He also knew how to take subtle-and not so subtle-cues from the NBA front office and extend a playoff series or, worse yet, change the complexion of that series.

 

and it goes on. I think there is a lot of sour grapes on Donaghy's part but still most of this stuff is not that unbelievable.

[endaround]

One of the things that I think pointed out how corrupt NBA officiating is came from the Jordan divorce proceedings. Now much of Jordan's extracurricular activiteis were obviously whitewashed by a fawning media but he got in trouble with one mistress that lead to his divorce. It told how Jordan met her (she was a lounge singer). An official (I think it was Crawford but I don't remember exactly anymore but it was a big name guy) was in the hotel lounge, called Jordan on his cell and told him about the woman because the official thought she was Jordan's type. Yep, NBA officials were busy arranging dates for MJ. Remember the brouha over Favre signing a ball for some referee's son?

[owbc]

I always thought the Bucks got screwed out of an NBA finals appearance in 2001. This confirms my suspicions. I suspect that most of what Donaghy says is correct--or at least an exaggerated form of events that happened.

 

The NBA has never taken an aggressive stance on officiating, and this is the consequence.

[Schlitz001]

I always thought the Bucks got screwed out of an NBA finals appearance in 2001. This confirms my suspicions.

What's ironic for me is that the NBA is fixing these games to bring in a larger audience, but the 2001 Eastern Conference Finals was when I gave up watching the NBA, because of the blatant fixing.

[homer]

Is there someplace on the web where you can see game stats by referee? In other words, # of fouls called, what kind of fouls, point differential etc.

[bucks2281]

The NBA has never taken an aggressive stance on officiating, and this is the consequence.

 

Not only that, I think this kind of crap is a directive from David Stern himself. I think he's a slimy, shady, smarmy fellow, and I hope someday somebody will take him to task. In his time as commissioner, he has screwed at least two teams (Milwaukee and Sacramento) out of conference titles -- and look where those two teams are now. I'm also very wary of the Lakers/Blazers WCF in 2000.

 

Homer, I peruse the Bucks board on RealGM, and IIRC, one poster conducted an awesome study on Dick Bavetta or Joe Crawford (I forget which one).

[trwi7]

It was SCassell19. I'll look for that thread.

 

Edit:

 

Here's one thread.

 

Here's another.

[jason21nl]

I'm also very wary of the Lakers/Blazers WCF in 2000.

other than the Bucks series, this is the series I have always wondered about.

 

I went to the Bucks playoff games that year and lost total interest in NBA right after the playoffs ended. I have been to 2 games since.

[bullox]

I'm also very wary of the Lakers/Blazers WCF in 2000.

other than the Bucks series, this is the series I have always wondered about.

 

I went to the Bucks playoff games that year and lost total interest in NBA right after the playoffs ended. I have been to 2 games since.

Funny you say that. I too went to every 2001 playoff game, remember booing more than I ever have at officials, and since have been to maybe a handful of Bucks games.

[JimH5]

The book has been pulled by the publisher, apparently over fear of legal action.

 

I hope he got an advance to write it.

 

I actually thought this might be a year that I got back into the NBA after a 25 year absence. I think the Bill Simmons book and podcast re-kindled my interest. Plus, the NBA is pretty big in this part of Asia, and it gets a little coverage, unlike MLB.

[JimH5]

Agreed that Donaghy is a low life, but Jose Canseco was equally scorned when his first book came out, and it turned out to be largely truthful.

 

I would hope that the Donaghy book also contains truth. . .though if the publisher is pulling it for fear of legal action, then maybe there is content that can't stand up to legal scrutiny.