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An exceprt from Tim Donaghy's book.

My favorite Tommy Nunez story is from the 2007 playoffs when the San Antonio Spurs were able to get past the Phoenix Suns in the second round. Of course, what many fans didn't know was that Phoenix had someone working against them behind the scenes. Nunez was the group supervisor for that playoff series, and he definitely had a rooting interest.

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.

http://deadspin.com/5392067/excerpts-from-the-book-the-nba-doesnt-want-you-to-read


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the section on Raja Bell and ‘star treatment’ too…

They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...

by Eutychus on Oct 28, 2009 5:25 PM MDT reply actions   0 recs

It basically

says players who are stars like the Kobe Bryants of the NBA don’t get called for the same violations that others do so that the league can please the fans who pay money to see them.

It references Raja Bell as a ‘star stopper’ player who would get more calls made against him than for him – simply because his defense on star players was not financially beneficial. – the idea is, if star players aren’t putting up big numbers – then fans aren’t happy – if fans aren’t happy – then they don’t pay $ for junk – therefore, star stoppers are targeted and fouls are intentionally called more on them.

They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...

by Eutychus on Oct 28, 2009 5:58 PM MDT up reply actions   1 recs

its amazing that star stoppers can make it at all in this league

that’s some good news

I find the rest rather unsurprising given the secrecy referees are granted.

Wondering what to drink to during suns games...

by ZonaFlash on Oct 28, 2009 8:06 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

I just dont know...

I am actually depressed more than justified by this post. I mean, granted we should have won that series and moved on. It may have been a defining moment in Suns history. Think about it! The Suns come back down 2-1 against the Spurs, beat them ON THE ROAD, which was big for them at the time, in a huge fourth quarter come-back down 10+ pts. They tie the series, go on to win again at home the next game and finally take either game 6 or 7. Awesome. Great. Maybe next season Marion doesn’t get traded. Maybe even if he does, Shaq and the Suns dont have as many worries when they play SA in the playoffs and soundly beat them blocking Duncan’s stupid 3pter. They then take the series 4-1 b/c they are past the whole “mind games thing.” As a consequence, D’Antoni doesn’t leave, Porter isn’t hired. Diaw and Bell aren’t traded and Amare doesn’t get hurt. The Suns get the 4-5 spot in the 08-09 playoffs. Play Portland and win. Western Conference finals HERE WE COME.

wow…what one ref with an agenda can do…this game sucks…

Go read a book!

by N8lol on Oct 29, 2009 8:03 AM MDT reply actions   0 recs

WEll....

This thing isnt really about what one Ref can do.

This thing is about the fact that if somebody told you this on the street, say a buddy or co-worker, and said that it was in the news that the Refs are doing this with all kinds of proof. Would you actually be surprised? Or would you say … “I knew something was fishy”.

My answer is no I would not be surprised.

That my friends is the problem and what this thing should be about. However, the media and attention it has produced (via the NBA head office) push the issue into a question of Donaghys reliability. But I say, that if this man is telling us that this is how he won 80% of his bets via spread or otherwise. I have no choice but to resolve that the NBA is BS and can be classified with the likes of WWF (or whatever its called now).

Now, will we ever know the truth? No. The NBA is sealed up tighter than Fort Knox. But what you can do is read the full FBI report which is published out there on the web. In there you will find that it was proven that Donaghy used his knowledge of relationships/NBA influences and so on to make bets. All he is doing here is saying what knowledge that was.

Think about it?

TO THE NBA - " Yeah, you have created a rift within me ; Now there have been ; several complications ; that have left me feeling nothing ; I might say, you were ; wrong to take it from me ; Left me feeling nothing " - Disturbed, "Numb"

by antiw0rm on Oct 29, 2009 8:43 AM MDT reply actions   0 recs

One way to attempt to diffuse an argument -
That my friends is the problem and what this thing should be about. However, the media and attention it has produced (via the NBA head office) push the issue into a question of Donaghys reliability.

Though Donaghy is a scum bag and a weasel, these tactics are typical of people who are guilty, and they are used all the time.

Most notably these tactics were used on one of my friends, people didn’t like what He was saying because it implicated them in violation of some laws… so instead of refuting the message, they took the easy road out and tried to discredit the messenger – eventually they just ended up killing him. Maybe you’ve heard about this – his name was Jesús!

They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...

by Eutychus on Oct 29, 2009 9:49 AM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

No

No he’s not saying Tim Donaghy is like Jesus, he’s saying he’s like Jesús!

Wikipedia Jesús

by eagleheart on Oct 30, 2009 12:43 AM MDT up reply actions   1 recs

+1

haha!

They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...

by Eutychus on Oct 30, 2009 10:44 AM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

Haha - no.no.no!

I knew somebody would do that… that’s why I emboldened “tactics” and added a couple of derogatory adjectives to describe Donaghy before I talked about Jesus… :)

They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...

by Eutychus on Oct 29, 2009 6:12 PM MDT reply actions   0 recs

+1

haha!

They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...

by Eutychus on Oct 30, 2009 10:44 AM MDT reply actions   0 recs

disregard this...

They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...

by Eutychus on Oct 30, 2009 10:45 AM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

schizo...

+1 yourself; comparing Donaghy to Jesus; bolding “tactics”….who are you!

Go read a book!

by N8lol on Oct 30, 2009 11:37 AM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

my bad – i’m having a tough time choosing the right ‘post’ button…

They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...

by Eutychus on Oct 30, 2009 11:42 AM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

lol.

I thought it was comical actually

Go read a book!

by N8lol on Oct 30, 2009 1:20 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

It all comes back to this being the sideshow

The center ring of the circus is the silence regarding referees from the commish. Remember the disclosures promised? The officiating process is just as opaque as ever.

That doesn’t mean its corrupt, but it certainly gives it the ability to be. As my gf’s father, a lawyer, says: “It is not enough to be honest, you must also appear honest as well.”

The NBA needs to shine the light of day on the officiating process, or I am fully willing to believe otherwise about the process.

Wondering what to drink to during suns games...

by ZonaFlash on Oct 30, 2009 2:03 PM MDT reply actions   1 recs

NBA refereeing has always been like this

The two most highly regarded refs of all time, Sid Borgia and Earl Strom were well known practitioners of the make-up call, back in the 60’s and 70’s. And there’s a case to be made, imho, for letting some kinds of call go, to keep game flow going, and for the make-up call when you screw up. But they were both considered to be scrupulously honest.

Refs like Bavetta, though, cross the line with their antics. We’ve seen the difference those refs make, simply by comparison with the replacemnt refs this summer. Big difference, I’ve got to say.

"True glory consists of doing what deserves to be written, and writing what deserves to be read".

by Pliny the Elder on Oct 31, 2009 3:16 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

LOL Earl Strom

Finals 1976 – WOULD NOT let us call timeout

April 29, 2008 Total Eclipse of the Sun. Is the sky falling?

by Hawk42 on Nov 1, 2009 7:24 AM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

sorry, memory lapse

That was Richie Powers, who would not allow Paul Silas ofthe Celtics call a timeout they didn’t have, which would have resulted in a technical and a Suns opportunity to win. Curiouslly, when the Suns called time out in the second overtime and did not have one, the official called the tech, which set the stage for the Shot Heard ’Round The World.

By the Way, Strrom was on the sidelines for all of this, having been sauspended by the league for the foul call disparity after game 2.

April 29, 2008 Total Eclipse of the Sun. Is the sky falling?

by Hawk42 on Nov 1, 2009 8:16 AM MST up reply actions   0 recs

Wow screwed over by David Stern and the Ref's

As if Stern suspending the suns players after Nash was checked by Horry wasn’t enough.

by Jmicro on Nov 4, 2009 3:00 AM MST reply actions   0 recs

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