Tim Donaghy is not a saint. He may be responsible for one of the worst atrocities in the history of the NBA, but his involvement shouldn’t be as much of a surprise as it seems to be. He has a documented history of scandalous events surrounding the NBA. Disputes with neighbors which the league had to get involved in, the threats of violence from Rasheed Wallace after a Blazer game, and his role in the “other” biggest atrocity in the NBA (the pacers-pistons fight); the fact that this man was rated one of the better NBA refs is a joke.
But the question I want to ask is this; is a ref really able to shave enough points to sway a game? What if the team that is supposed to win goes absolutely cold from the field? What if the team that is supposed to lose gets so hot that they can’t be stopped? I question the fact that a mobster would invest substantial amounts of money on games that weren’t entirely open to manipulation. To be successful the acts would have to be so subtle that experts didn’t notice them. The act of paying an official to shave is a disgusting attempt to diminish a great game, but in my opinion it’s not on the same level as paying a player to do the same.
This situation makes me wonder just how often this happens. Either way Donaghy needs to be made an example of. If a harsh punishment is circumvented it may open the door for many more occurrences. My opinion is people need to sleep in the bed they make, and I think Donaghy’s bed is quite uncomfortable right now. He can only hope the punishment is enforced by the league and not his new friends.
