FBI investigating NBA ref

[canuckrefguy]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/21/sp...=5070&emc=eta1

[johnny1784]

Originally Posted by canuckrefguy

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/21/sp...=5070&emc=eta1

Interesting but read this...

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ba...whistle-3.html

[Adam]

Originally Posted by johnny1784

Interesting but read this...

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ba...whistle-3.html

I don't mind saying "I told you so" here.

[rainmaker]

Originally Posted by johnny1784

Interesting but read this...

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ba...whistle-3.html

Wow, refs in our association who act like that get kicked out. Makes you wonder how he got that far. It's really sad. He's a guy with a serious problem, but he kept working hard and trying, and he was really doing well, but never could get his problem under control.

I'm guessing the NBA has suspected something for quite a while and just let it go until there was enough evidence to make sure they could make something stick. If they'd have started showing too much interest too soon, it would have been harder to bring it out into the open and get the slate wiped clean. I think.

[Texas Aggie]

I just find it hard to believe that the NBA was not aware of this or if they felt he was doing such a horrible job, they would not have given him any playoff games.

I find it impossible to believe, especially after the points you make here.

Guys, the NBA is totally different in the way they evaluate officials then what we are all used to in high school and even college. Unless he was incredibly lucky and able to make so-called bogus calls (late in games, to be sure) without detection, the NBA shares in any sort of blame here.

We know he worked in the first round this year. Last year, he worked at least one second round game -- New Jersey v. Miami series. I'm betting he worked more second round games. As a 12 year (at the time) vet, second round assignments are about average for the NBA.

[Love2ref4Ever]

One thing is for sure, he knew that the feds were coming for him, he resigned from the NBA one week prior to the leak in the news papers. Gambling is classified as a "disease" so he will just cooperate with the feds and then the rest of his days in a federal witness protection program. There is one bright spot to this all though, the NBA has one opening available on there officiating staff this upcoming season! I learned more about gambling from this post then I ever knew, over and under.....spreads....sounds like something you do behind close doors!

[LeeBallanfant]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

I find it impossible to believe, especially after the points you make here.

Guys, the NBA is totally different in the way they evaluate officials then what we are all used to in high school and even college. Unless he was incredibly lucky and able to make so-called bogus calls (late in games, to be sure) without detection, the NBA shares in any sort of blame here.

We know he worked in the first round this year. Last year, he worked at least one second round game -- New Jersey v. Miami series. I'm betting he worked more second round games. As a 12 year (at the time) vet, second round assignments are about average for the NBA.

Donaghy worked the pivotal 2nd Round Series between SA and Phoenix. Very good article on this

 http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/070722

Also, if a couple of aricles I read are correct, Donaghy only started working the playoffs in 2005-2006. After he started the shenanigans. Says a lot for the NBA evaluation system

[canuckrefguy]

Originally Posted by LeeBallanfant

Donaghy worked the pivotal 2nd Round Series between SA and Phoenix. Very good article on this

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2...simmons/070722

OMG - that column is incredible.

[SMEngmann]

It'll be interesting to see how this shakes out, particularly if Donaghy names names. I don't see how Ronnie Nunn can keep his job with this scandal happening on his watch. The NBA really needs to be more pro-active from a PR perspective. Even before this, the perception of NBA officials was heavily negative. One thing the NFL has working for it is that the referee can actually communicate directly with the audience and explain calls that were made, and that lends credence to their credibility.

The NBA has solid criteria for grading officials, and they classify calls. There's RSBQ for guard play, etc. One thing I've picked up from reading this forum is that even fellow officials feel that calls are too subjective. The league needs to publish officiating guidelines, such as RSBQ and make them public. Perhaps we could all benefit.

The other note in this is that 2 of the officials in the Cardinal O'Hara 4 are responsible for the 2 latest incidents. Hopefully this isn't a trend, and maybe it's coincidental, but it's hard to tell.

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by LeeBallanfant

Donaghy worked the pivotal 2nd Round Series between SA and Phoenix. Very good article on this: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2...simmons/070722

Here's the video montage that Simmons mentions in the article:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fvkKdXLwt0U

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

Here's the video montage that Simmons mentions in the article:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fvkKdXLwt0U

1st play--This was not a very good call. I have seen this call made many times at all levels.

2nd play--Looked like a block to me.

3rd play--Great offensive foul. You cannot just push someone out of the way in the post. This is often not called and they got it right.

4th play--This was a very close call. Also an NBA official told me that when they look at film on block/charge calls, that 80% were considered blocks by the NBA. Also Nash kind of flopped and the NBA wants more calls either way on these types of plays. Even at the camps I went to this summer; it was beat into our head to call something.

5th play--Looked like the defender ran into Duncan. Hard to say how much of the contact caused Duncan to foul, but he did after all fall. Bad angle on the replay, but I see why the foul was called. BTW, you noticed no players complained?

6th play--What is the damn problem? An offensive foul was called (or Player Control Fouls for other levels).

7th play--It is called defense for a reason. They can touch you. And it looked to me as if Nash was losing the ball when there was any kind of contact. Just because Nash reacted does not make it a foul.

8th play--The defender tapped away the ball. It is called DEFENSE!!! (Or DEFENCE for Mr. Nash).

The bottom line the only call that I would say that was totally bogus was the one made by Tim Donaghy which was very early in the game and likely he was dinged for this anyway. Once again the average person does not understand that the NBA evaluated each call. Now we do not know what the NBA thought, but as an official when a ball handler tries to squeeze a ball between two defenders, that is not likely to be called. For one it is a dumb play and secondly there is always going to be some kind of contact. That is just the nature of the game.

Peace

[JugglingReferee]

Thanks to The Score, a Canadian channel, for providing this footage.

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

Here's the video montage that Simmons mentions in the article:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fvkKdXLwt0U

Play 1: Not a good call at all, with Tim Donaghy at T.

Play 2: I've got a foul on Tim Duncan.

Play 3: This is a foul. 100%.

Play 4: The blocking call is wrong, imo. This is an offensive foul. Nash had great position. Tim "the whiner" Duncan gets a superstar call.

Play 5: I've got a Team B foul. Duncan still is a whiner.

Play 6: If I see this in a Fed game, I pray that I have the gonads to call INT. A knee to the groin of a stationary player. Nice.

Play 7: Looks like Nash messed up one of his behind the back passes. I couldn't see the foul from that angle.

Play 8: Nash was contacted by two Spurs players, not just one. Both prior to the ball coming loose. Bad no-call.

All in all, at best 50% correct calls by this crew.