Another ref implicated in Donaghy scandal?

[Finkelskyhook]

Oh my...how many more refs will pop up as scandalous? I work with someone that says she knows the ref personally that had ejected Duncan year before last for laughing...supposedly a great guy, but I wouldn't be surprised to see his name pop up in all this mess. His calls all see to favor certain players.

I doubt that Crawford is involved.  But who knows?

Stern, with the endorsing of situational standards of officiating, leaves the door wide open for any official to be corrupt while hiding in plain sight.  How do you tell the difference between Donaghy and Bavetta and Palmer and Javie and Foster and Crawford with these standards?  The answer:  You can't.

[Roy Hobbs]

Has any word come forth officially from the NBA on this yet? You would figure that David Stern would have trotted out his toy soldier to have a word or two about it by now.

Yeah.  There statement was as follows:

"The government had complete access to Tim Donaghy's phone records and thoroughly investigated this matter, including conducting an interview of referee Scott Foster," the statement said. "The government has said that they have found no evidence of criminal conduct aside from that of Mr. Donaghy. Once again, the only criminal conduct is that of Mr. Donaghy."

This may be a stupid question, but I got to ask, and Roy, you'll probably know better than anyone.

It is illegal to fix games as a referee? Do they have an obligation to be fair and truthful in their calls, beyond whatever is in their employment contract?

Any chance anyone knows the charges on Donaghy?  If they are all related to gambling, than Foster could very well be 'clean'.

I think that game-fixing falls under RICO / racketeering statutes.  I believe that's how the convictions in the B.C. points shaving scandal came about.

Also, there's a specific statute about sports gambling, which provides:

Whoever carries into effect, attempts to carry into effect, or conspires with any other person to carry into effect any scheme in commerce to influence, in any way, by bribery and sporting contest, with knowledge that the purpose of such scheme is to influence by bribery that contest, shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.