Quote:
Tim Donaghy, the former N.B.A. referee who pleaded guilty to conspiring with gamblers, said he never rigged basketball games. “The big question on everyone’s mind is, ‘Did Tim Donaghy fix games?’ ” he wrote in his book, “Personal Foul,” which will be released Friday. “The answer is no. I didn’t need to fix them. I usually knew which team was going to win based on which referees had been assigned to the game, their personalities, and the relationships they had with the players and coaches of the teams involved.” New York Times
Donaghy describes in detail how referees favored players they liked and penalized those they disliked, often influencing the outcome of games. Fewer fouls were called on marquee players because the league and fans wanted them in the game, not on the bench, he said. “We would never call these types of fouls on superstars, just on the average players who didn’t have star status,” Donaghy wrote, referring to small infractions. “It was important to keep the stars on the floor.” New York Times
Donaghy said he received thousands of dollars in cash at diners and airports, including the time he received $6,000 at the Philadelphia airport. “I started stuffing wads of cash into my socks and underwear and quietly passed by the T.S.A. agents with a grin on my face and a sigh of relief,” he wrote. New York Times
Since we are complaining about Refs might as well post a Donaghy quote. :2thumb2: