Is The NBA fixed? Tim Donaghy Believes So - I Am A Trail Blazers Fan - Message Boards - Team

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ClydeFrog
Posts: 975

Posted 05/06/2010 4:55 PM

Here’s some news that may console Trail Blazers fans grumbling about the team’s second straight first-round playoff elimination.

Ex-NBA ref Tim Donaghy says it’s nearly impossible for a small-market franchise like Portland to make the finals. Donaghy says the NBA and its referees are wired to benefit large-market teams such as Boston and Los Angeles, and marquee players like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

Admitting he traded on knowledge of colleagues’ biases—as well as knowing the grudges refs carry toward certain players and coaches—to bet on NBA games that included contests he reffed, Donaghy pleaded guilty in 2007 to federal gambling charges.

Released from prison in late 2009 after serving nearly a year, Donaghy is far from the $275,000 a year he made as a ref with 13 years’ experience. He’s working for a gambling treatment center in New Jersey called Firststep and in a consulting business—Donaghy & Osborne—he hopes will enable him to speak on college campuses.

But it’s his book, Personal Foul: A First-Person Account of the Scandal That Rocked the NBA, that grabbed the attention of the league and its fans. With the playoffs—minus the Blazers—now in the second round, WW spoke with Donaghy about his allegations that the impartiality of his profession is B.S.

Willamette Week: Portland fans have long believed referee Steve Javie has had it in for the Blazers. True?

Tim Donaghy: When Portland had Bonzi Wells and Rasheed Wallace and some of those other players who were extremely difficult to deal with, the stronger referees like Steve Javie or Joe Crawford took pride in the fact they wanted to stick it to those guys and give them technical fouls to see what they can do to piss them off. That’s done in the NBA on a nightly basis.
Tim Donaghy: Portland Is Screwed

I am a fan of Watching Elliot Williams Take Flight!

nobody
Posts: 1

Posted 05/06/2010 6:54 PM
what about the pat on the butt the suns coach gave the ref after he called a b.s. call..................................... cheap shot artist. bums that cant play ref.

***Jason***
Posts: 258

Posted 05/07/2010 3:12 PM
Wow. That hurts. That guy doesn't mix words. I can't stand Stern. He's ruining the league by not getting the refereeing under control. Of course Stern trashes this guy and tries to destroy his credibility. He has all the motive in the world to do that. I think Donaghy has more credibility then Stern on this subject because he's been scrutinized so much. What is his motive to lie? He's definately no making excuses or painting himself in a positive way. That last game we had against Dallas this year was awful. The worst I've ever seen it. Those fools almost caused a riot. Stern can't see that stuff and know he has a problem? If they're not crooked they're incompetent. Which one is it? Seems like he feels like it helps the league more to defend the ref's and promote the big markets and names and f everybody else. I was never a fan of pro wrestling, and if the league keeps going this way it's going to get hard to fork out the money for the ticks. People fork out big bucks to watch wrestling, so maybe it will work for the NBA, but I'm not interested. I'm trying to keep my head in the sand because I have the bug and it's so much fun watching and hoping this team will advance further. It sucks to say it, but if Stern keeps running this policy, he's going to leave people like me out. The other day I heard that Paul Allen may be as much as 1 billion dollars in the hole with the Blazers. Why would a guy like that keep throwing money at a trainwreck like the NBA. STERN NEEDS TO GO!

I am a fan of Im a fan of the nba, players and owners, doing what they have to to earn the fans back.

Ballinrotation365
Posts: 5

Posted 05/07/2010 5:52 PM
I'm not predicting the future but I'm still hoping this decade brings out more diversity in teams winning nba championships. I seriously hope the next decade doesn't dominate w/ LeBron & other name-to-fame players.. i hope Portland wins at least one. I also hope lakers don't continue to dominate.. I mean c'mon Stern it's boring watching the same teams and knowing the outcome of who goes to the finals.. i might be wrong but it's kinda pretty f***ing obvious it will be Kobe & LeBron this year.. by the way that game almost did start a riot (the one with dallas) Rasheed was right, it's turning into wwe. But i still love basketball!

ClydeFrog
Posts: 975

Posted 05/08/2010 10:39 AM
I really want to believe its not fixed, but all you have to do is watch the early 00's Laker title runs and see the rediculous bias they received..makes me sad my favorite sports team will always be behind the 8 ball.

I am a fan of Watching Elliot Williams Take Flight!

blazerman-iac
Posts: 8

Posted 05/08/2010 12:09 PM
But Cleveland is not a small market team. Portland is in the top 25 cities in ameirca. Cleaveland is 41st. So its stupid to call them a large market team. Portland has really grown. If the refs are favored to call it for large market teams, then how come GS ( a team tha isn't even ranked in population on the top 50 cities in america) beat Dallas 3 years ago in round one. and why do teams like the clippers who are from L.A. Suck???

I am a fan of Nate McMillan is my coach of the Year!!!

blazerman-iac
Posts: 8

Posted 05/08/2010 1:28 PM
I don't get why everyone is favoring the Cavs to win this year. How many years in a row have people predicted the cavs would win or the cavs have been favorites? Like every year for the past like 5 years. And how many times have the cavs choked in the playoffs? Every single time. they just can't produce in the post season. magic vs. suns for the finals. Magic in 6

I am a fan of Nate McMillan is my coach of the Year!!!

blazerman-iac
Posts: 8

Posted 05/08/2010 1:28 PM
I don't get why everyone is favoring the Cavs to win this year. How many years in a row have people predicted the cavs would win or the cavs have been favorites? Like every year for the past like 5 years. And how many times have the cavs choked in the playoffs? Every single time. they just can't produce in the post season. magic vs. suns for the finals. Magic in 6

I am a fan of Nate McMillan is my coach of the Year!!!

RipCityRevival
Posts: 683

Posted 05/08/2010 7:28 PM
I am not sure why this is new news? Did nobody hear the interview with Donaghy with CIP? It was brutal, and regardless of the fact that Donaghy is a scumbag, that only amplifies my belief that he is telling the truth. He's pulling a Jose Canseco. Make money off the truth, let them call you a liar, then when the wash gets turning watch them fall apart. David Stern will never admit it. He's stuck in a catch 22. If he admits it, he will have to turn the league over to a different commish, probably an entirely new committee because the public wouldn't believe anyone currently administrating the NBA. If he continues to lie, he can hope that it goes away, but if it ever gets discovered that he lied then the NBA its self would crumble into failed sports history. A new league would pop up, but the NBA would no longer be. Possibly the ABA or the World Basketball League. Maybe Donaghy is the liar, but I personally don't think he is.

I am a fan of #20 in the rafters, but #1 in our hearts and prayers...The Enforcer

blazerman-iac
Posts: 8

Posted 05/08/2010 10:03 PM
http://northstationsports.com/basketball/is-the-nba-fixed/
You should read that article about the game bing "fixed" I could see Donaghy lying. Why not, the nba fired him so he has a vendetta against them. Secondly if Stern wants James to win so bad, why have the yet to win a championship and why would a small market team like orlando go to the WC last year??

I am a fan of Nate McMillan is my coach of the Year!!!

EthanMoney
Posts: 301

Posted 05/09/2010 1:09 AM
Proof of fixing - See final season game vs Mavs. Someone tell me that game wasn't rigged?

I am a fan of

RipCityRevival
Posts: 683

Posted 05/09/2010 8:59 AM
I don't think he does want LeBron to win that bad. He wants LeBron to get close enough, but not over the hump this year. If LeBron doesn't win, he is more likely to move to a bigger market. Can you imagine the revenue exchange for LeBron in New York City? It'd be bigger than Patrick Ewing ever was. As far as Orlando goes, one of the NBA's biggest partners is...DISNEY! Besides, who else is going to compete with Boston and Cleveland? There's no way to rig the poor talent that has been placed in the Eastern Conference, it's just terrible from the fourth team to the bottom. I would argue that Orlando is still a bigger market than Portland, and Cleveland isn't really considdered a large market either, but you have iconic players like Howard and LeBron and you need them to continue to get face time if you want the ratings to stay up. The only argument against rigging would be the San Antonio/Detroit Finals a few years back. That was a ratings disaster for the NBA.

I am a fan of #20 in the rafters, but #1 in our hearts and prayers...The Enforcer

Bertram
Posts: 803

Posted 05/09/2010 12:46 PM
I think it's rigged in some ways...but not completely. You remember the MVP commercials, with Kobe and LeBron puppets. Nike and the NBA were already getting ready for a Kobe/LeBron showdown. Yeah didn't happen, and it wont again. Orlando is coming out of the east and Lakers out of the west again. Who wins, I'm taking Magic.

I am a fan of B-Roy and LaMonster!

Bertram
Posts: 803

Posted 05/09/2010 12:46 PM
I think it's rigged in some ways...but not completely. You remember the MVP commercials, with Kobe and LeBron puppets. Nike and the NBA were already getting ready for a Kobe/LeBron showdown. Yeah didn't happen, and it wont again. Orlando is coming out of the east and Lakers out of the west again. Who wins, I'm taking Magic.

I am a fan of B-Roy and LaMonster!

ClydeFrog
Posts: 975

Posted 05/10/2010 1:44 PM
My thoughts as well. Tim D is exactly like Jose Canseco. Once the first domino drops, it could be a disaster that could lead to the fall of Stern. The NBA should just follow the NFL's blueprint. They don't market star power to their fans, their market matchups and teams, not just individuals. Notice how since Magic and Bird it was Drexler's Blazers vs. Jordan's Bulls and Malone's Jazz against Robinson's Spurs, etc? I don't think that its 100% fixed, but any little fix is enough to sway outcomes.

I am a fan of Watching Elliot Williams Take Flight!

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