Too Much Ado about Something
Fans rooted for their teams to lose in order to get a better shot at Greg Oden and Kevin Durant. The term "contract season" is now commonplace because so many players work harder when it's time to sign a new deal (and often go right back into the tank once they make their millions). Players who are so washed up that they have to be bought out of their contracts often resurface on title contenders and seem rejuvenated. To act like basketball is some beacon of ethics is laughable and the fact that a ref was influencing games is a definite concern that much be addressed immediately, it isn't much of a surprise.
And honestly, it's not an issue that will destroy the NBA either. Many people have been pointing to the Suns-Spurs Game 3 as evidence of Donaghy's influence but many of the bad calls or missed fouls were on Eddie F. Rush. If Eddie F. Rush isn't named as one of Tim Donaghy's co-conspirators does that make things any better? Is it better that the fate of the series was affected by Rush's incompetence than Donaghy's dishonesty? And it's not like anybody thought referees were completely even-handed before this. Rookie calls. Superstar treatment. Home team advantage. Something was ALWAYS affecting how games were being officiated. How many times have you heard someone moan "Oh, that ref is doing the game? We're screwed." Hell, Covers.com has an entire breakdown of officials to help gamblers out. (Home teams fared poorly with Donaghy) Is having a corrupt official a problem? Of course. They need to weed out the zebras on the take and make face-saving moves to appease the masses. In the end, this is little more than a perception problem and one that I personally am not all wound up about.
The funny thing about this is that people are up in arms about the NBA... as if cheating like this doesn't go on in every sport. You think that there aren't any MLB umpires on the take? Some NFL officials aren't slipped some bills to give a team a favorable spot or call a pass interference to help out a drive? As long as millions are being bet on games, bookies will look for ways to fix the games to their advantage. It's the nature of high profile sports. If people want to really make a stand against this type of thing, they should stop betting on the games (and ESPN should stop posting the betting lines for every game). But you know what, I'll keep doing the office pool for football and betting on fights so I just don't feel like I can damn the NBA when I'm doing my part to keep the criminals interested in it.
What does Veronika Zemanova have to do with any of this? Nothing. I'm just tired of seeing Donaghy's mug everywhere.
