Donaghy testimony slaps onus back on NBA
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So the guy has a gambling addiction. Fine.
So he is on antidepressants and psychotropics for his sadness. Whatever.
So Tim Donaghy is charging headlong through his mid-life crisis. Zip-a-dee Bloody do-dah.
None of that matters.
Because when his testimony hit the judge late this week, the transcript did as much to tarnish the NBA as it did Donaghy.
Now, Timmy Bear isn’t posturing himself as a victim. Hardly. The guy pleaded guilty and is spilling his guts.
In doing so, he illustrated the following for the justice dept.
1) NBA refs have tendencies. Some call playoff games more tightly. Others give veteran players preferential treatment. Others hold grudges against players and/or teams.
2) As a veteran NBA referee, Donaghy had, in his own words, “non-public information. I was in a unique position to predict the outcome of NBA games.” As such, he could make educated wagers — and help others do the same.
3) Our black-and-white image of this sin is smudged. Nowhere in the indictment did it read “game fixing” because that wasn’t happening. Neither did it read “point shaving” because that wasn’t really happening either.
What was happening, according to Donaghy’s testimony, was a straight probability play. Taking the edge away from the house, if you will. Counting cards, but different.
All Donaghy really had was specific knowledge. Specific knowledge of officiating inconsistencies.
And if that knowledge didn’t pan out, he fell back on his whistle and made it pan out.
“National Basketball Association, how do you plead?”
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