Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy is set to appear on tonight's edition (January 24) of The EOG Sports Hour, a one-hour radio program broadcast live from Las Vegas every weekday night at 10:00 p.m. Pacific on KLAV-AM 1230 (www.klav1230am.com).
Donaghy officiated 772 games and 20 playoff games in a career that spanned 13 NBA seasons, the last four tainted by a betting scandal that rocked the league.
Labeled a "rogue" referee by commissioner David Stern, Donaghy will address a variety of topics including his early years as a young official, the culture of fraud and favoritism rampant in the league and the manipulation of playoff results to improve the NBA's balance sheets, specifically the case of the 2002 Western Conference Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings.
In his book "Personal Foul: A First-Person Account of the Scandal that Rocked the NBA," Donaghy concedes he wagered on NBA games but steadfastly maintains he never influenced game outcomes when his bets were at stake. He denies "fixing" any NBA games, a claim most serious sports bettors and close followers of the scandal find difficult to believe.
Here are my notes for tonight's interview with Tim Donaghy:
---Grew up in a suburb of Philadelphia
---Graduate of Cardinal O'Hara High School (1985) and Villanova University (1989)
---Father Gerry was a DI referee in the ACC and A10
---Ironically, Donaghy's father preached honesty, integrity and impartiality
---Divorced father of four daughters (Meghan, Shannon, Bridget and Molly)
---Currently undergoing treatment for a gambling addiction
---Sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for his part in the NBA gambling scandal
---Served from September 23, 2008 to November 4, 2009
---Known as Inmate Donaghy No. 755-377-053
---Was attacked in prison by "Big Paulie"
---First two words in Donaghy's book: I'm guilty
---NBA salary started at $69,000 in 1994 and grew to $260,000 in 2006
---"MJ had the glare, Kobe was in your ear and Shaq used humor to make his point."
---"The behavior of NBA referees was the opposite of what the league expected."
---"I always felt guilty but not guilty enough and not for long."
---Claims referees he dubbed "company men" rigged the 2002 Western Conference Finals
---Confrontation with Rasheed Wallace
---Steve Javie v Allen Iverson
---Officiating LeBron James
---Thoughts on the shortened season
---Best officials in the game today
---The Master List of Officials
---Officials in other sports and possible gambling scandals
---The topic of pointspreads in NBA circles
---Little known fact: Donaghy was one of three officials who called the Pacers-Pistons brawl on November 19, 2004 at the Palace of Auburn Hills
---Future goals
TUESDAY'S BEST BET.....Play 554 Oklahoma +6.5 over Baylor. The Bears lost to Kansas and Missouri by getting outrebounded and outhustled. The rigors of a long season and a 17-0 start to the campaign are taking a toll on Baylor, a team with small guards and a physically-thin frontline. Let's trust veteran coach Lon Kruger to devise a plan to keep OU competitive as a generous underdog at the Lloyd Noble Center.
COMING WEDNESDAY......An introduction to a Super Bowl prop contest guaranteed to offer positive expectancy.
Donaghy officiated 772 games and 20 playoff games in a career that spanned 13 NBA seasons, the last four tainted by a betting scandal that rocked the league.
Labeled a "rogue" referee by commissioner David Stern, Donaghy will address a variety of topics including his early years as a young official, the culture of fraud and favoritism rampant in the league and the manipulation of playoff results to improve the NBA's balance sheets, specifically the case of the 2002 Western Conference Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings.
In his book "Personal Foul: A First-Person Account of the Scandal that Rocked the NBA," Donaghy concedes he wagered on NBA games but steadfastly maintains he never influenced game outcomes when his bets were at stake. He denies "fixing" any NBA games, a claim most serious sports bettors and close followers of the scandal find difficult to believe.
Here are my notes for tonight's interview with Tim Donaghy:
---Grew up in a suburb of Philadelphia
---Graduate of Cardinal O'Hara High School (1985) and Villanova University (1989)
---Father Gerry was a DI referee in the ACC and A10
---Ironically, Donaghy's father preached honesty, integrity and impartiality
---Divorced father of four daughters (Meghan, Shannon, Bridget and Molly)
---Currently undergoing treatment for a gambling addiction
---Sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for his part in the NBA gambling scandal
---Served from September 23, 2008 to November 4, 2009
---Known as Inmate Donaghy No. 755-377-053
---Was attacked in prison by "Big Paulie"
---First two words in Donaghy's book: I'm guilty
---NBA salary started at $69,000 in 1994 and grew to $260,000 in 2006
---"MJ had the glare, Kobe was in your ear and Shaq used humor to make his point."
---"The behavior of NBA referees was the opposite of what the league expected."
---"I always felt guilty but not guilty enough and not for long."
---Claims referees he dubbed "company men" rigged the 2002 Western Conference Finals
---Confrontation with Rasheed Wallace
---Steve Javie v Allen Iverson
---Officiating LeBron James
---Thoughts on the shortened season
---Best officials in the game today
---The Master List of Officials
---Officials in other sports and possible gambling scandals
---The topic of pointspreads in NBA circles
---Little known fact: Donaghy was one of three officials who called the Pacers-Pistons brawl on November 19, 2004 at the Palace of Auburn Hills
---Future goals
TUESDAY'S BEST BET.....Play 554 Oklahoma +6.5 over Baylor. The Bears lost to Kansas and Missouri by getting outrebounded and outhustled. The rigors of a long season and a 17-0 start to the campaign are taking a toll on Baylor, a team with small guards and a physically-thin frontline. Let's trust veteran coach Lon Kruger to devise a plan to keep OU competitive as a generous underdog at the Lloyd Noble Center.
COMING WEDNESDAY......An introduction to a Super Bowl prop contest guaranteed to offer positive expectancy.
op:
