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Blowing the Whistle by Tim Donaghy

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Blowing the Whistle by Tim Donaghy 

Post#1 » by Mr. E » Sat Oct 31, 2009 3:25 pm

http://deadspin.com/5392067/excerpts-fr ... ou-to-read


Donaghy's tell-all book on NBA officiating which has been (I believe) put on the shelf for the moment. Here's one of the leaked excerpts from the book:

Two weeks before the 2003–04 season ended, Bavetta and I were assigned to officiate a game in Oakland. That afternoon before the tip-off, we were discussing an upcoming game on our schedule. It was the last regular-season game we were scheduled to work, pitting Denver against San Antonio. Denver had lost a game a few weeks prior because of a mistake made by the referees, a loss that could be the difference between them making or missing the playoffs. Bavetta told me Denver needed the win and that it would look bad for the staff and the league if the Nuggets missed the playoffs by one game. There were still a few games left on the schedule before the end of the season, and the standings could potentially change. But on that day in Oakland, Bavetta looked at me and casually stated, "Denver will win if they need the game. That's why I'm on it."

I was thinking, How is Denver going to win on the road in San Antonio? At the time, the Spurs were arguably the best team in the league. Bavetta answered my question before it was asked.

"Duncan will be on the bench with three fouls within the first five minutes of the game," he calmly stated.

Bavetta went on to inform me that it wasn't the first time the NBA assigned him to a game for a specific purpose. He cited examples, including the 1993 playoff series when he put New Jersey guard Drazen Petrovic on the bench with quick fouls to help Cleveland beat the Nets. He also spoke openly about the 2002 Los Angeles–Sacramento series and called himself the NBA's "go-to guy."

As it turned out, Denver didn't need the win after all; they locked up a spot in the playoffs before they got to San Antonio. In a twist of fate, it was the Spurs that ended up needing the win to have a shot at the division title, and Bavetta generously accommodated. In our pregame meeting, he talked about how important the game was to San Antonio and how meaningless it was to Denver, and that San Antonio was going to get the benefit of the calls that night. Armed with this inside information, I called Jack Concannon before the game and told him to bet the Spurs.

To no surprise, we won big. San Antonio blew Denver out of the building that evening, winning by 26 points. When Jack called me the following morning, he expressed amazement at the way an NBA game could be manipulated. Sobering, yes; amazing, no. That's how the game is played in the National Basketball Association.



Personally, I have no problem believing that the NBA referees are a bunch of corrupt, dirty, egotistical bastards who believe themselves to be bigger than the game...but that's just me.
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Re: Blowing the Whistle by Tim Donaghy 

Post#2 » by DreamShook34 » Sat Oct 31, 2009 3:53 pm

if Donaghy is allowed to release this book he is going to be rich.. This will confirm most of the allegations we fans accuse the NBA, Stern, and the Refs of committing.. I cant wait for a Rockets mention. So I can scream "I KNEW IT!"

This would have blown Bill Simmons' "Book of Basketball" out of the water if it was released on the same day lol.
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Re: Blowing the Whistle by Tim Donaghy 

Post#3 » by Nachbar_is_God » Sat Oct 31, 2009 4:04 pm

Is this basketball's equivalent to the steroids issue in baseball? I think so. Everyone knows its the NBA's dirty little secret. I hope Stern goes down for it.
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Re: Blowing the Whistle by Tim Donaghy 

Post#4 » by PocketRockets » Sat Oct 31, 2009 5:15 pm

i thought he couldn't release it? Something about the publishers pulling his release of the book. Sounds like "influence" from a higher power.....regardless, if you don't think the refs "can" control the outcome of a game....you are (Please Use More Appropriate Word), like mentally. Do they do it every game, every play? Hell no. Do they do it a lot near the end of the season? Yes and mainly in the playoffs b/c people bet those games the most.

There's corruption in every field/profession. Whether it's taxes, medicine, professional sports, gambling, it's there. =/
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Re: Blowing the Whistle by Tim Donaghy 

Post#5 » by Munchlaxatives » Sat Oct 31, 2009 7:26 pm

Bevetta fixes game? What a shock!

I unfortunately find Donaghy as trustworthy as Jose Canseco, who so far has not been wrong about any of his allegations, including Manny Ramirez and A-Rod.
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Re: Blowing the Whistle by Tim Donaghy 

Post#6 » by tha_rock220 » Sat Oct 31, 2009 9:32 pm

I want to read this book. I would absolutely love it if this shed some light on the BS we've seen out of the NBA for the past 10 years, and I would love to see Stern run the hell out of the league. The man has made some of the dumbest decisions over the years and I don't want him running the NBA anymore. Hell, once he ended the NBA on NBC I wanted him gone.
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Re: Blowing the Whistle by Tim Donaghy 

Post#7 » by tisbee » Sat Oct 31, 2009 9:49 pm

From the excerpts I've seen,there's no there there.
The games he mentions were the games everyone has talked about for yrs. The Sports Guy has for yrs ranted against how certain refs can be counted on to call games certain ways.
Until he makes a statement that can be independently verified about a game no one had any suspicions about,I call BS.
(I esp like the part where he tells his gambling buddy to make a bet based on Bavetta's "inside info". LOL,if he wanted to assure the outcome-well he WAS REFFING the game,why did he need Bavetta? BS.)
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Re: Blowing the Whistle by Tim Donaghy 

Post#8 » by PocketRockets » Sun Nov 1, 2009 7:46 am

Because it's a safe bet if two out of the 3 refs are in on it. It's tough to make a bad call after bad call if someone else isn't in on it. Two refs could alternate bad calls which would throw everyone off. Regardless, there is at least some corruption in everything that has to deal with money. You are a fool if you think otherwise.

Is it fixed like WWE? No, b/c then we would just see the lakers vs. knicks or some other big market eastern team every year. But I do find it funny how many series goes 7 games in recent playoffs, especially first round series.
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Re: Blowing the Whistle by Tim Donaghy 

Post#9 » by YoungMoney23 » Sun Nov 1, 2009 3:08 pm

The only series I am convinced was fixed was the 2002 conference finals...

But if Bavetta and Joey Crawford aren't fixing games I'd be surprised
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Re: Blowing the Whistle by Tim Donaghy 

Post#10 » by Iggyemu » Mon Nov 2, 2009 2:43 pm

His allegations of games being fixed is something everyone needs to evaluate for themselves and ask themselves whether they believe that. He picked a game that everyone had their suspicions about to describe. He didn't break ground with that.

I think the real meat and the real truth in his book is when he explains how he bet on games. For example he said that officials give certain guys calls. The example he used about Iverson was very enlightening. He said Javie doesn't like Iverson and always tried to stick it to him when he reffed a game Iverson was in and b/c of that Donaghy said he would always bet against Iverson's team. He said Joey Crawford loved Iverson and his grand kids loved Iverson and that anytime Joey reffed a game AI was in he would bet for AI's team.

Thats the type of stuff I think will stick. Those are the truth in the book IMO. NBA officials have too much of an effect on whether a team loses or wins for favoritism to be involved in what they do. But it is and that's something that may bring the NBA down unless they deal with the situation but we all know they won't as long as the Celts/Cavs play the Lakers in June.
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Re: Blowing the Whistle by Tim Donaghy 

Post#11 » by Lava Rock Kid » Mon Nov 2, 2009 5:47 pm

What a shame their isnt more investigation into this. The NBA just says consider the source and sweeps it under a rug. I read an article where a NBA player said that the refs can effect the outcome of a game with just 3 calls. During the playoffs most teams are pretty even, but 3 calls can decide the game.

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