Tim Donaghy’s Tale of How He Disgraced the Game of Basketball
December 8, 2009 – 11:05 am by timgunterIn between 2005-2007, disgraced former NBA referee Tim Donaghy placed bets on NBA games including those in which he officiated. He was a compulsive gambler who couldn’t stop himself from making lots of money because he says it was too easy. Donaghy insists although he did bet on games in which he officiated that he would always call an honest game. He has stated that he knew there were certain relationships between the referees and players that influenced the point spreads in games. The FBI’s investigation concluded his bets won 75% of the time and that he made close to $100,000 in the two-year period.
Since Donaghy was a young kid he wanted to be a NBA referee. It was his dream job because he would be able to run up and down the court with some of the world’s greatest athletes. After graduating college, Donaghy started to referee high school basketball games in Pennsylvania for a couple of years which then led to CBA games and then to the NBA. It was his addiction to gambling that interfered with his professional career. His addiction started while playing high-stakes golf matches and playing cards at country clubs. It was then his addiction led him to start betting on college and NFL football games and then later onto NBA games. Donaghy used his good friend as a middle man to a bookie to place his bets on NBA games. His friend somehow revealed to the bookie that he was gambling with a NBA referee and that spread to the Gambino crime family. That was the beginning of the end for Donaghy. Shortly after he started with the mafia, the FBI overheard through wiretaps that the mafia was betting on games chosen by Donaghy. Donaghy later turned himself in and spent two years in prison.
Fresh off of the exclusive 60 Minutes interview Tim Donaghy made his rounds today on the sports talk radio circuit and talked about how his gambling addiction took him down the wrong path.
Tim Donaghy on with Mayhem in the AM on 790 The Zone in Atlanta
On calling an honest game while refereeing games he bet on:
“No I mean again it is a situation where you are running up and down a NBA floor trying to be the best referee on the staff. If you are out there making calls there going to affect the point spread you are throwing up red flags that are either going to be detected by the NBA office or the FBI. Of course when you are doing something that is illegal or wrong the last thing you want to do is be detected.”
On refereeing a game in which he bet on and losing that bet because the system he uses would trump that game he lost:
“Well I mean I can give you an example. I was refereeing a game in San Antonio where I told the people that I was dealing with to bet San Antonio and I ended up throwing out the coach of San Antonio in the first quarter. So I tried to put the bets out of my mind and do the best job that I could do.”
On what Allen Iverson said to the official he threatened:
“He physically threatened one of the referees that (Host: What does that mean? I am going to beat your ass after the game?) Yes. Exactly or have someone else do it.”
On the referees felt like he should have been suspended:
“Yes as a group we felt like he should have been suspended rather than just fined.”
On the meeting that took place between referees stating that Allen Iverson is going to get his:
“It wasn’t if that the NBA isn’t going to do it we are going to do it. We expected him to be suspended and when he wasn’t there were a lot of guys that were up in arms about it. Therefore there were a few of us that discussed it and we decided to take justice into our own hands.”
Whether Allen Iverson knew what was going on during that game:
“He does because he approached me with a couple of minutes to go during a free throw and flat out asked me how long he was going to be punished over the previous situation he was involved in. I looked him right into the eye and told him that I didn’t know what he was talking about and he just kind of rolled his eyes at me: You know what I am talking about.”
Tim Donaghy on KBME in Houston with Matt and Adam
On the notion that the NBA sent out league-wide memos on how to fix games and promote more lengthy series in the playoffs:
“I am not saying that they are fixed. I am basically saying that they are manipulated in some form and obviously bringing these issues to light the NBA needs to address them. The FBI did a full investigation of all the allegations that are in the book. They confirmed that I was truthful and even former agent Bill Scala agreed to write the book on several conditions and one of those conditions were that he read it and felt that the book was truthful and honest.”
On Jeff Van Gundy alleging that the NBA back in 2004 was looking into moving screens and specifically targeting Yao Ming and calling more fouls on him:
“I think that there was not only smoke but a little bit of a blaze and I openly discussed that in the book. I believe the true fans of Houston will have all of their suspicions confirmed when they actually read what went on in that series.”
On what was exactly said to the officials in that regard:
“I openly discussed it in the book and it was a situation where they were given instructions on to concentrate on Yao Ming and his illegal screens.”
Tim Donaghy on WEEI in Boston with Dennis & Callahan
On the integrity of the NBA going out of the window if indeed Dick Bavetta is the NBA’s manipulation referee:
“I would agree with you. I would tell you that I wrote about it in the book. I had many conversations with Dick Bavetta and he claimed that he was the NBA’s go-to guy and he was put on certain games to make sure a certain team win.”
Whether he thinks any NBA players bet on games:
“That’s a tough question. Players make a lot of money. I was asked that [Monday]. They also spend a lot of money and they’re also involved with heavy card games, so, you know, if I was to make a prediction, I would say yes. I would think that along the lines of passing inside information to people they’re associated with, I would say yes, that some players gamble on game.”
Tim Donaghy on with Boomer and Carton on WFAN in New York:
On his credibility issues:
“That is something that obviously I am going to have to deal with because there are credibility issues surrounding me based on what I did. I certainly made some terrible choices but if my credibility was so wrong because of the fact that I am a convicted felon I would throw that back at the NBA and Mr. Stern by why he has allowed eight convicted felons to refereeing the NBA Finals over the last ten years.”
Whether he is worried about his personal safety:
“I think it is always going to be in the back of my mind but I stay in good conatact with the FBI agents. They are constantly telling me that they have people in place within these organizations and if anything surfaces they would be able to get to me very quickly and prepare me for that.”
On what he thinks about David Stern:
“I think David Stern needs to step up to the plate and issues some type of statement about these allegations because just sweeping them under the rug and hoping it goes away quickly I don’t think the fans, the players and the coaches are going to accept that.”
Tim Donaghy on 790 The Zone in Atlanta with Mayhem in the AM
Tim Donaghy on KBME in Houston with Matt and Adam in the Morning
Tim Donaghy on WEEI in Boston with Dennis & Callahan
Tim Donaghy on WFAN in NY with Boomer and Carton
Tags: David Stern denies any other involvement, FBI investigation, fear for his life, fixing NBA games, fixing playff games, Gambino Crime Family, gambling addiction, Is Tim Daonghy the only "rogue" referee?, manipulating games, manipulation, NBA referees, Tim Donaghy bet on NBA games
