"Refs fix playoff series and other games..."

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8231176/Donaghy:-Refs-fixed-playoff...ries,-o


Court documents filed by Donaghy's lawyer detailed the "inner-
workings" of a plot in which top league executives used referees to
manipulate the games. Donaghy claims two referees were "company men"
whose job was to extend a playoff series in 2002 to a seventh game.

The documents did not name the series, but the Lakers-Kings Western
Conference finals was the only series in 2002 that went to a seventh
game, with the Lakers winning both Game 6 and 7 to reach the NBA
Finals.

"Personal fouls (resulting in obviously injured players) were ignored
even when they occurred in full view of the referees," the document
says of the unnamed series. "Conversely, the referees called made-up
fouls on Team 5 in order to give additional free throw opportunities
to Team 6."

Two players from Team 5 fouled out in the game, the document said, and
the "referees' favoring of Team 6 led to that team's victory that
night." Team 6 also went on to win Game 7 of the series, according to
the document.

NBA commissioner David Stern flatly denied the allegations Tuesday,
dismissing Donaghy's allegations as a despearte attempt to ease his
sentence.

"My reaction to Donaghy's lawyer is that clearly as the date of
sentencing gets closer and the things he's thrown against the wall
haven't stuck, he's rehashing a variety of things that have been given
to the FBI, have been investigated, and are baseless," Stern told
reporters.

"He's a singing, cooperating witness trying to get as light a sentence
as he can."

The Lakers trailed the Kings three games to two in 2002 when Los
Angeles rallied to win each of the final two games and eventually went
on win the NBA championship. Key Kings big men Vlade Divac and Scot
Pollard both fouled out in Game 6.

Shaquille O'Neal scored 41 points and pulled down 17 rebounds against
the Kings in Game 6, and drew most of the fouls that sent Divac and
Pollard out of the game.

"Our big guys get 20 fouls tonight and Shaq gets four? You tell me how
the game went," Kings coach Rick Adelman said after the game,
according to SportsTicker. "It's just the way it is. Obviously, they
got the game called the way they wanted to get it called."

"I knew before the game I'd be out of it," Divac added. "(O'Neal) went
out (on fouls) up there (in Sacramento). It had to be the same down
here."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson, speaking with reporters before Tuesday's
Game 3 of the NBA Finals, stressed the need to wait for proof before
any judgments are made, but was not shy to offer a low opinion of the
officiating in the 2002 series.

"Was that after the fifth game, after we had the game stolen away from
us on a bad call?" he said, referring to a game-changing play by Kings
guard Mike Bibby in the final moments.

The letter doesn't name anyone involved. Donaghy's attorney and
prosecutors have declined to comment. The league has denied the
scandal goes beyond Donaghy and two co-defendants.

Donaghy also claims that a 2005 playoff series was improperly
influenced, saying that referees were instructed to call illegal
screens more strictly on a particular player after an opposing owner
called to complain after falling behind 2-0 in the series.

Though the document again does not name anyone specifically, Mark
Cuban did complain to the league that year about the officiating after
his Mavericks fell behind 2-0 in their series with Houston. Dallas
went on to beat the Rockets in seven games.

Then-Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy claimed at the time that an official
— who was not working the playoffs — informed him of the plan.

"I didn't think that really worked in the NBA, but in this case it
has," Van Gundy told reporters after the fourth game of the series,
according to USA Today. He was later fined $100,000, a record sum for
a coach.

The document also described other alleged infractions, including
league officials telling referees that they should withhold calling
technical fouls on certain star players because doing so hurt ticket
sales and television ratings."

Donaghy also said refs broke league rules by routinely fraternizing
with players, coaches and team management and that the resulting
inappropriate relationships may have influenced the outcomes of games.
He claims one general manager in 2004 made a game-day phone call to
referees to encourage them to call more personal fouls against an
opponent.

Donaghy claims referees have accepted autographs, merchandise and
meals from team representatives. He said one official used a team's
facility to exercise and another played tennis with an NBA coach.

The veteran referee pleaded guilty last year to felony charges
alleging he took cash payoffs from gamblers and bet on games. He faces
up to 33 months in prison.

pH 4C1D wrote:
> http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8231176/Donaghy:-Refs-fixed-playoff...ries,-o
>
>

Somewhere 'Sheed is nodding...

This stuff was investigated a year ago and Donaghy could not actually come
up with a name or evidence. He is claiming he is 'cooperating' to shorten
his sentence...

The source:

Donaghy is nuts. He did not like his neighbor and made threats, when they
complained to the police Donaghy stalked his wife at the golf club and then
to get revenge for some perceived slight drove their golf cart off a cliff
and set fire to their lawn mower... When they sued Donaghy told NBA
investigators that the neighbor was the one doing the harassing...

Then there was the mailman that accidentally knocked over a recycle bin at
Donaghy's house... Donaghy chased the mail truck in his car screaming wild
threats at him and tried to run the mail truck off the road...he was
arrested and changed for that... and in june 2002 at that...

Then 'Sheed gets a bogus T in a game when 'Sheed cut down to 11 Ts that
season....Sheed yells to that he "will get his money back" Donaghy starts
cussing and they exchange some of that with 'Sheed across a parking
garage... which non blazer related witnesses outside of the refs said was
just that, about what would draw a T in a game. Tyrell Brandon laughed and
told 'Sheed "you know you will get fined" .... Donaghy writes it up as
'Sheed coming after him and really threatening him ...and 'Sheed gets
suspended 7 games...

So I will not bet against him saying this for revenge... and what better
series to pick? Great source for him to use a series that already had Nader
on it... I will hold judgement...


--
Laurel T
The league has informed the Blazers
that Wallace and the team will be fined the next
time Wallace ignores his responsibilities
to speak to members of the media.
Wallace was unavailable to comment.