Welcome to the New 'Gate'
Disgraced referee Tim Donaghy casts the NBA in a bad light with allegations of game-fixing during the 2002 playoffs, and suddenly it's "Refgate." Thank you for that, Michael Wilbon.
Have we become so lazy that we have to use the same suffix for every single scandal? I'm taking a stand. No more anything-gate, please, because when I hear "Refgate," I'll think of Spygate, and then I'll think of Arlen Specter. Do we really need more of Arlen Specter, in any capacity?
". . .Perhaps what the league needs is for someone to take an Arlen Specter level of interest and demand a fuller inquiry into this mess," Wilbon says.
Well, then. "Refgate" it is.
On to the matter at hand: Does the NBA need to launch an independent investigation of referees and their relationship with the league, or are Donaghy's allegations "baseless," as Commissioner David Stern has repeatedly told the media?
Let's check in with what readers are saying:
ChoppinBroccoli: C'mon. In the first season after the Donaghy scandal broke, the Celtics and Lakers are in the finals. How stupid does the NBA think we are?
How stupid do we think they are?
vicsoir: Any organization that backs its employees as all "lily pure" without periodic investigations is necessarily self-deceptive.
dharper2: To me the irony of this is that Stern states that after each game the league office reviews all the calls and evaluates them on merit. Anyone, and I mean anyone, with a modicum of good judgement could determine that the calls made by officials in any game could, and should, be fired for incompetency.
taocpa: Referees do receive instructions from the league on what they want to see called and what refs should crack down on. Don't kid yourselves they don't receive hints from the league. The league has a vested interest in "protecting" skilled players. You aren't paying good money to see Kobe sit on the bench. To that extent, the league is "fixing" the outcome.
Reader vmrg1974 brings up an interesting point about Donaghy's credibility:
vmrg1974: Donaghy might be a criminal and he might be wanting to save his skin, but the most he can get is 33 months in prison. Any lawyer would advise his client to NOT lie to the feds. if Donaghy is lying he can get another 10 years just for that.
imZandor: All you have to do is watch a game and you will know that Donaghy is telling the truth. . . This is ALL under the control of Stern. He should be sitting in front of Congress telling lies, just like Baseball has.
That may actually be the way this thing is going, don't you think? I'm sure a few senators could use a basketball signed by the NBA's commissioner.
By Lindsay Applebaum |
June 12, 2008; 11:52 AM ET
| Category:
Cheaters
,
NBA
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Posted by: CRitch | June 12, 2008 12:45 PM
The other scandals pale in comparison to the NBA. No one is really convinced that video taping really made all that much difference and as for MLB, those players who have come clean have generally been embraced. Donaghy isn't likely to be lying since he's only getting three years and a lie to the feds now could easily land him lots more time behind bars. If you've watched the NBA and it's refs over the last few years, it's hard not to think he's telling the truth.
Posted by: Papa Smurf | June 12, 2008 12:47 PM
The folks at Newgate Mall in Ogden, UT, must get awfully tired of the endless questions every time a new 'gate' is coined, right?
http://www.newgatemall.com/html/index18.asp
They're not doing themselves any favors with that clunky slogan, "What brings you?" And you'd think that, especially in Utah, they should be careful to avoid euphemism-friendly wording like "soft play area."
"Voted the #1 shopping center in Northern Utah in a recent Standard Examiner poll! Featuring over 95 stores, including American Eagle Outfitters, Anchor Blue, the Buckle, Eddie Bauer, Hot Topic, Wet Seal, Victoria's Secret and many more.
"After you're done shopping, catch the latest hit movies at our 14-screen, all stadium seating theater or take a break while your children enjoy our soft play area. Whatever you want, we've got it here, Close to You!"
Posted by: Nate in the PDX | June 12, 2008 10:36 PM
HA! Love it, Nate.
Posted by: Lindsay Applebaum | June 12, 2008 11:19 PM
I voted for the NBA "scandal."
But, I've thought for many, many years the reffing not only sucks but is rigged. Finally we are getting some input from refs and others within the game.
Posted by: marksman | June 13, 2008 12:19 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
About time a jouranlist called for the end of "over use of gate-gate". I think every journalist should have to contribute a dollar to Woodward and Bernstein every time its used, like they have to do when they call the Rays the Devil-Rays.