THE NBA couldn’t have experienced a worse summer had Isiah Thomas bought the league.
In the wake of an unwatchable Finals (the ’80 Lakers-76ers tape-delayed series drew more viewers), a corrupt referee completely blindsided an impervious commissioner, who once upon a time in his law career aided in the investigation of Jack Molinas and a mob of other accused dumpers and fixers, when his (later admitted) crimes – betting on games and supplying inside information to bad faces – was exposed.
Anybody with intimate knowledge about a degenerate gambler knew this kind of sports scandal was inevitable, just as common sense dictated referees were without a doubt more susceptible to violating a sacred trust than players and coaches. Of all those with a controlling hand on the wheelhouse of wins and losses and, oh, yeah, altering or enhancing point spreads/totals, wiseguys always knew, if they’re going to get to anybody in the pros, tempting a referee or threatening to tattle on one who has something to hide is your best shot.
Moreover, nobody’s more abused and thought less of than referees, not even sports writers.
I only point that out on the exceedingly slim chance referee Tim Donaghy isn’t sick, isn’t addicted to the thrill, the action, of betting. If that’s the case, pure greed and a superiority complex may have been the determining factors for his morals rotting. Who knows, he may have felt the incessant insults his nightly chores invites entitled him to steal an extra five or 10 grand tax free to pay off mounting losses and bills, or maintain a lifestyle beyond his $200,000 annual means and indulge in decadence without his wife catching on.
Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of Donaghy? Other than the Feds, I mean. The rest of us shouldn’t expect to hear word one of enlightenment or a Michael Vick-like staged mea culpa until after his sentencing Nov. 9 when he’s finished squealing like a toad on anyone who might merit him a reduction in stir.
Who knows, maybe not even until the obligatory autobiography or unauthorized tome is leaked two weeks before its official release date?
In the meantime, I’m wondering whether those who commended Vick for taking responsibility for his diseased conduct – ahem, once his peeps gave him up – will applaud the refs’ “act” of contrition and judge it as genuine.
Inhuman beings like Vick can’t leave home long enough for me. No matter how long his stretch, though, guaranteed it’ll never dawn on him had he chosen dogs as friends they’d still have his back.
Think David Stern privately rejoined the NFL is in business to share the shame? Still, the NBA’s salacious summer (from Donaghy to the sexual harassment suit against Isiah Thomas with scads of unpleasantness sealing the cracks) was barely interrupted by a vastly superior USA team that was forced to qualify for the ’08 China Olympics due to a loss in the ’06 Japan World Championship.
“It was fun to see them grow up,” Stern said in a phone conversation earlier this week expressly designed to pump some enthusiasm into my sails regarding the upcoming season. Talking me off the ledge of my observation deck was closer to the truth.
“Carmelo (Anthony) was a different person. LeBron (James) picked up where he left off. Kobe (Bryant) was out in Vegas making friends. Dwight Howard was hitting free throws. Etc. The corrective effort by the new team was clear. It shows it’s a process. I went out there for a night to thank them personally for their commitment and for setting the right example.
“That’s all well and good, but it’s not as if they beat Argentina with a full roster (no Manu Ginobili or Andres Nocioni),” it was indelicately noted. “It’s also not as if they won the tournament in Spain where the comp was so stiff that France (flaunting four NBA players) failed to quality for China and unheralded Russia bumped off Spain (five NBA fraternity brothers) for the championship.
“Iran qualified for Asia. Angola qualified for Africa. It’s compelling stuff. The international basketball world is in positive ferment as it heads to Beijing,” as only Stern can put it.
My cheerlessness almost began to recede until I noticed an e-mail announcing a conference call by Greg Oden, out for the whole season following knee surgery. Brandon Roy’s left heel that kept him out of 20 games at the outset of his regal rookie year is acting up again, too. So much for Portland’s great expectations.
How much depression can one league be implicated in? The city of Seattle is suing the Sonics from vacating after this season. Players pocketing $13.7 million to $19.47 million this season (Andrei Kirilenko, Shawn Marion, and Bryant) are unhappy enough to have made trade demands. Eddie Griffin died in a car crash. Byron Houston, Keon Clark and Robert “Tractor” Traylor were convicted of assorted felonies. Ron Artest (seven games), Stephen Jackson (seven) and James Posey (one) start the season on the suspended list; there’s plenty of time for others to gain eligibility. Knicks management purposefully disinclined to discipline Stephon Marbury (it’s what it does best) for disrespecting Anucha Browne Sanders or for his cavalier attitude about cheating on his wife with a then-22-year-old team intern.
Better to hug Donaghy’s desecrated ground with Stern than to excavate those dirt roads, I figured. Thanks to Donaghy, the league’s 60 referees will be taking immeasurable grief for seasons to come. The integrity of every single call that goes against a team will be questioned even more fanatically, just as their body of work will be scrutinized even more scrupulously and meticulously by the league office.
There isn’t enough money in circulation to pay me to walk in their shoes, and that was before this scandal. How is anyone supposed to handle such nightly pressure? The league might want to think about outfitting each ref with a bodyguard and a personal psychiatrist.
Stern repeated to me his message of total support he communicated to the refs when he addressed them last week at their camp in Jersey City.
“Just because one of their members engaged in a criminal activity, it’s unfair to impugn the reputation of any other referee. Same as it’s unfair to impugn the reputation of other FBI agents because Richard Hanson sold secrets to Russia. Jason Blair failed to follow the ethics of his profession but, guess what, it didn’t influence me not to return your phone call. I don’t think less of you because of what Jayson Blair did.
“The refs are gravely disappointed one of their own did this, but they’re not devastated,” Stern maintained. “We discussed it. They expressed anger and frustration. I told them we’re going to get through it together.”
“It sure sounded good,” one ref revealed. “Then again, he’s almost forced to be supportive. If he leaves us out there, he’s leaving himself out there. It benefits him to get us all through it. It’s his legacy.”
I asked Stern if he’s interested in talking to Donaghy when it’s appropriate, when he’s finished being a cooperative witness. Would he like to give him a piece of his mind?
“I’ve got nothing to tell me. I would like to hear what he has to say.”