I thought I would never have to talk about him again.
And yet here I am, spending precious words in this empty box on Tim freakin’ Donaghy. I could be talking about Rajon Rondo’s ankle, Paul Pierce’s knee, Kevin Garnett’s allergy to the block or that cheerleader who used to cheer for Boston and now cheers for the Lakers.
Instead it’s Tim Donaghy.
The bombshell that was dropped yesterday was shocking. The news was brought to my attention by Stuart Scott at halftime of yesterday’s game. I’m not sure what I was more shocked by: Stuart Scott’s serious voice, Jeff Van Gundy’s awkward statement to try not to piss the league off or the allegations themselves. I could not believe that this was happening nor that Donaghy could still speak. Now that it has had time to soak in…allow me to say this.
The NBA is not rigged. David Stern does not play the role of Vince McMahon. You can’t rig basketball. I have enjoyed a good conspiracy theory in my lifetime and I know that superstars and home teams are going to get calls. It’s a fact of life. However under no circumstances do I believe the NBA is fixed or rigged. That brings me to my second point. If the NBA was rigged or fixed, then David Stern is the biggest idiot in this universe The #1 example is if the NBA was rigged or fixed then how on earth does San Antonio win 3 of the last 6 titles? Explain it to me. The nation doesn’t like the Spurs, yet there they were raising the trophy alternating years. How do the Pistons knock off the star-studded Lakers, with Malone and GP looking for their first rings? Explain it to me. How do we get Utah and San Antonio in last year’s Western Conference Finals, a series that made my friend’s girlfriend turn the TV off. Explain it to me. It makes no sense at all and even Donaghy knows that. This is arguably the first time in a decade the NBA has gotten the match-up they desire. And it wasn’t through funny business, the Pistons choked and the Lakers out-played the Spurs. These are going to be scattered examples but if the NBA is fixed then..
- In 2002, when Donaghy speaks of “rigging” going on between the Lakers and Kings…if the NBA was fixed how did we not get Lakers/Celtics then? The C’s had stolen home-court advantage in their ECF series against the Nets, made the greatest comeback in NBA history…..and then lost. To the Nets. Kerry Kittles is a draw.
- In that 02 Game 6 between the Lakers and Kings…it was Kobe and Shaq getting to the line an awful lot. 17 for Shaq, 11 for Kobe. Those guys never go to the free throw line. Also Shaq made 11 of his 17 free throws. Sorry, this may sound naive of me..but if you’re fixing a game, do you really send SHAQ to the line? Is that really going to work? Also I guess we should just forget the gag-job the Kings did in Game 7 and just go with the ‘Stern fixed it!’ line of BS.
- Why would Stern have let Dallas, Houston, Miami and the Lakers all get eliminated in the first round? Let me check, that’s Dirk, McGrady, Shaq, Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant. All guys who barely lasted a week in the playoffs. But it’s rigged. Because everyone knows that Golden State/Utah GETS RATINGS!
- How have the Suns not gotten to the Finals once? They have been the most entertaining team in the NBA, yet have always fallen in the playoffs. You’d think if the NBA was fixed they would want to showcase the most entertaining team. Instead of the Spurs.
- Why in 2000 were we an epic collapse I get sick thinking about it) away from an NBA Finals that featured the Indiana Pacers and the Portland Trail Blazers? If the NBA was rigged why didn’t we get the Knicks and Lakers that year? Why would the Pacers ever get to the Finals if the NBA was rigged?
- Why were the Celtics and Knicks so horrible last year? Why are the Knicks horrible ever? If the NBA is fixed, do you really think the New York Knicks, in that market would ever miss the playoffs? No. Mam.
- How on earth did we not see the Bulls face the Rockets in the 97 Finals? How did we not get MJ and company vs. Hakeem/Charles/Clyde? Instead it was John Stockton hitting a miracle three because the JAZZ PUT BUTTS IN THE SEATS.
- How does the NBA, in it’s first year with ABC in 2003 put out a Finals of San Antonio vs. New Jersey? Explain that one to me. Because trust me, that series nearly killed the NBA again. But it’s rigged right? Because in 03 the Lakers, the mighty, three-time champ Lakers….went down in the second round.
Listen, I never accept the word of David Stern as gospel. Rule number one is to try not to demonize someone and to not deify someone. So as sleazy as Tim Donaghy is, his words must be listened to. However it can not be shaken that what he has in fact, he lacks in credibility. This is a convicted felon. This is a man who altered basketball games himself. This is a man who did the game of basketball wrong. Just like I can’t stomach hearing Jeff Van Gundy tell a team to push the basketball’ when he never did it, I’m not sure I can stomach hearing a convicted felon try to snitch. The timing screams desperation. Maybe there is reason that I haven’t researched yet, but why did it take so long for this to come out? I’m far from a lawyer, but would it not seem as if he is a man attempting to make it look like he is cooperating with the federalis to lower his sentencing? If he really wanted to do this right, he would have come out himself and said all this when it initially went down. When the NBA had its knees wobbling, he could have come with the knockout blow. But almost a year later, this is what he comes with ….And how is it that he only has two concrete examples he can point to. If he had 10 examples then I’d say we have a serious problem. But two? Donaghy…trying to save his tail. But the facts go against him and it just seems like a weak argument. He’s always seemed like a desperate, bitter, petty man and these allegations make him seem no different. Are we supposed to trust that this man is telling the truth, that the NBA truly is crooked and we’ve been fools for so long…or are we supposed to believe he’s trying to save a little face, shave off his sentencing and get back at the league who left him hanging?
I wish I knew the answer. In my brain and my heart I know the answer, but none of us knows the answer.