NBA Referee Betting on Games

[MiddieMan05]

I know the story appeared a few days ago, but as we learn more about this, I think this is huge. For those of you unfamiliar with the story, FBI investigators have discovered that a 13-year NBA referee, Tim Donaghy, betted on several games and even made calls that affected the point spread. Apparently he bet thousands of dollars, and was even approached by low-level mobsters. I think that something like this is far worse than a dog fighting scandal, and maybe even bigger than steroids. Having a ref bet on games is essentially corruption in the NBA 'government', and some say there were more refs and even some players involved. The refs could have been making calls changing the outcomes of games, and if players were involved, they could be throwing games. This is just a terrible situation for the NBA not only from a publicity standpoint, but in the integrity of the game, which I think is far more important. I also think that in general, sports has been having several bad incidents with Vick, the whole steriod scandal in baseball, and steriods in cycling, and it being thrown around in golf. So what do you think?

[Mista Hollywood]

i dont know why they didnt figure this out earlier. If players play for money, wouldnt the refs too

[MainLax28]

My dad used to caddy with this guy back in the day. He was shocked when he heard this cause he said the guy was always pretty cool, and didn't seem like the gambling type. What addictions can do is amazing though.

[HawkletLax]

did you hear he reffed the infamous sun vs spurs game where amare and diaw both get suspended. he also reffed the detriot brawl game.

[livin4lax09]

haha i thought you said 13 year old ref. I was thinking "wait a minute..."

[livin4lax09]

i dont know why they didnt figure this out earlier. If players play for money, wouldnt the refs too

are you implying refs dont get paid? I'm just confused by your statement.

[baseballsucks]

i think he refed a game where tim duncan got thrown out, and all he was doing was sitting on the bench talking to his team, and he wasn't saying anything bad at all. there was a video on some web site that i saw and it is true, it showed it all on tape and it showed tim duncan not saying anything at all, but got thrown out of the game. and as you might know, tim duncan and tony parker, run the team practically and without tim duncan they are nothing, and i am pretty sure they lost in that game.

[MiddieMan05]

i think he refed a game where tim duncan got thrown out, and all he was doing was sitting on the bench talking to his team, and he wasn't saying anything bad at all. there was a video on some web site that i saw and it is true, it showed it all on tape and it showed tim duncan not saying anything at all, but got thrown out of the game. and as you might know, tim duncan and tony parker, run the team practically and without tim duncan they are nothing, and i am pretty sure they lost in that game.


I remember seeing that game, and he might have reffed in it, but it was Joey Crawford who threw Tim Duncan out. Crawford then get suspended from refereeing for the rest of the season. And to livin4lax09, I think MistaHollywood means that the players get so much money playing, so that refs would then try to get more money because they clearly don't get paid as much as players.

[baseballsucks]

oh my bad i thought it was Tim Donaghy that threw him out but oh well i am still pretty sure he was reffing in that game though, but since you saw it wasn't that crazy????

[Mista Hollywood]

are you implying refs dont get paid? I'm just confused by your statement.


if players sometimes bet on games, wouldnt there be speculation that refs do too

[MiddieMan05]

oh my bad i thought it was Tim Donaghy that threw him out but oh well i am still pretty sure he was reffing in that game though, but since you saw it wasn't that crazy????

ya that was ridiculous. I don't remember who they were playing, but I remember I wanted the other team to win, but when I saw Duncan get thrown out I just couldn't believe it, even though I wanted the Spurs to lose.

[Mista Hollywood]

well he just pleaded guilty

[HdGLaxWarrior]

well he just pleaded guilty

now we're waiting for mike vicks guilty plea.

[callum123]

I heard he was betting his salery for that game on the team. Is that right?

[livin4lax09]

now we're waiting for mike vicks guilty plea.

and his paying of the 63 billion dollar charge against him :)