excerpts from the book the NBA doesnt want you to read

[PeterS]

While I've no doubt "fixing" exists I'm having a hard time swallowing some of these "specifics" being mentioned. I guess just the overwhelming nature of them.

You're talking about a few bad apples amongst a slew of reffs out there in the entire league literally trying to sink planet NBA.

Tim Donaghy, although within still an acceptable standard of calls typical made by refs was still way above the league average in his time.

These guys weren't flying under the radar.

He's got a lot more to gain now by adding fluff to his story.

[Eric Scholwinski]

the suns have been living this since 04-05.

[PeterS]

Wonder what's going on in college ball.

There's some fucken money there.

[Funkenstein]

Originally Posted by Eric Scholwinski

the suns have been living this since 04-05.

Bitch, please.

(Robert Horry incident of a certain playoff series goes here)

[Eric Scholwinski]

Originally Posted by Funkenstein

Bitch, please.

(Robert Horry incident of a certain playoff series goes here)

oh that as well, that's for sure.

[J. Fees]

Originally Posted by PeterS

Wonder what's going on in college ball.

There's some fucken money there.

ask dallas's steven smith about that. there was a time where college ball was pretty much all fixed, especially in the northeast.

[Eric Scholwinski]

Originally Posted by J. Fees

ask dallas's steven smith about that. there was a time where college ball was pretty much all fixed, especially in the northeast.

really? damn that's whack.

and isn't all this stuff posted in this thread from the book that Donoughy (SP?) wrote? but they sure as fucking wont publish it.

[PeterS]

The NBA is posturing like they're going to sue the shit out of anyone that puts that book out.

Like I said, he's gotta blow it up because his life/career is fucken done.

Dude's worse than Pete Rose.

[Dionysos]

Originally Posted by Funkenstein

I really hate hearing this. This is what Jonny always told me soured him to watching the NBA. He keeps up with the talent, but hates some of the play due to shit like this.

I always wanted to believe that the graft/corruption leaned to the low end, but so much for that thought anymore.

aaaaand you're welcome.


My Dad's been calling the NBA the WWE for years, looks like he was dead on.

[J. Fees]

Originally Posted by Eric Scholwinski

really? damn that's whack.

and isn't all this stuff posted in this thread from the book that Donoughy (SP?) wrote? but they sure as fucking wont publish it.

well it was very prevalent in the 40-50s especially in NYC. Lots of easily fixed games at the Garden.

[Eric Scholwinski]

Originally Posted by J. Fees

well it was very prevalent in the 40-50s especially in NYC. Lots of easily fixed games at the Garden.

yeah i wouldn't know about that since i don't follow college hoops really, especially something from the 40's.

but still that's shity.

[Eric Scholwinski]

Originally Posted by Funkenstein

Bitch, please.

(Robert Horry incident of a certain playoff series goes here)

oh hey, heres something from the book.

In the excerpts Deadspin published, Donaghy describes an NBA where referees were told to call fouls on “star stoppers” like former Sun Raja Bell, who regularly frustrated and shutdown the league’s elite.

If a player of Kobe’s stature collides with the likes of Raja Bell, the call will almost always go for Kobe and against Bell. As part of our ongoing training and game preparation, NBA referees regularly receive game-action video tape from the league office. Over the years, I have reviewed many recorded hours of video involving Raja Bell
. The footage I analyzed usually illustrated fouls being called against Bell, rarely for him. The message was subtle but clear-call fouls against the star stopper because he’s hurting the game.

Donaghy also accuses former colleague Tommy Nunez of being biased during the 2007 Western Conference Semifinals saying, “what many fans didn’t know was that Phoenix had someone working against them behind the scenes.”

Someone working against the Suns in the series that brought us the Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw suspensions? Fans have always had a sneaking suspicion about it but, without any direct proof, chalked it up to completely bad luck and ignorant rule interpretations.

In this passage, Donaghy may have given Phoenix fans their smoking gun.

Nunez loved the Hispanic community in San Antonio and had a lot of friends there. He had been a referee for 30 years and loved being on the road; in fact, he said that the whole reason he had become a group supervisor was to keep getting out of the house. So Nunez wanted to come back to San Antonio for the conference finals. Plus, he, like many other referees, disliked Suns owner Robert Sarver for the way he treated officials. Both of these things came into play when he prepared the referees for the games in the staff meetings. I remember laughing with him and saying, “You would love to keep coming back here.” He was pointing out everything that Phoenix was able to get away with and never once told us to look for anything in regard to San Antonio. Nunez should have a championship ring on his finger.

Is it time to call Oliver Stone in to direct the three-hour feature film? All we are missing is grainy film of the refs and the NBA conspiring shot on a 1960’s home video camera by a guy named Zapruder, and we’ve got an air-tight theory of the conspiracy variety.

Wait, what’s that you say? Donaghy is a jilted ex-employee who was fired for betting on games and rigging point spreads for the mob? That couldn’t affect his judgment, could it?


Before we here in Phoenix grab our pitchforks and light our torches on our way to storm the NBA’s New York castle, we have to separate the truth from fiction. To do that we’d have to see the entire book and all the evidence the former ref and current inmate has to share. Currently the evidence of, “I reviewed hours of Raja Bell footage”, “The message was subtle but clear-call fouls against the star stopper because he’s hurting the game.”, Nunez liked the Hispanic community of San Antonio, hated being home and didn’t like Robert Sarver, isn’t enough to convict the NBA of anything. The argument that the refs didn’t like Sarver isn’t enough to prove they’d rig games. Heck, half the fans of the Suns don’t like Sarver and they still pay to watch his product.

[Funkenstein]

I'll buy you a tinfoil hat if you think you guys would've won it all if you had beat us, Eric.

Let it go, bro.

[Eric Scholwinski]

that year we could have.

you guys swept the Cavs that year (2006-2007 season) you don't think the suns could have???

We were one of the elites in the west for 4 years.

[Funkenstein]

Be quiet! You're ruining the sweep memory for me.

Shhhh!