NBA FanHouse

Could Las Vegas Be the Next NBA City?

Tim Povtak — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:15:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, Bucks, Grizzlies, NBA Gambling

You have to give Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman an "A" for persistence. Neither the bad economy, nor the bad publicity from the All-Star Game in 2007 -- or even the stepped-up anti-gambling push after the snake-like Tim Donaghy raised his head -- has deterred Goodman from continuing his push for an NBA franchise.

He does make a lot of sense. Las Vegas really would be NBA heaven.

Goodman at his weekly press conference Thursday brought up the issue again of moving forward with plans for a new downtown arena in hopes of luring an NBA franchise to his city.

Considering Las Vegas has successfully hosted NBA exhibition games for many years, and it has been hosting the NBA-sanctioned Summer League, Vegas really would be a great place for the league to put a franchise.

Many NBA players spend time and money in town there during the off-season. Owners in Vegas would have no trouble luring free agents. And it sure beats Milwaukee or Toronto in January.

"I believe as soon as we have an arena -- this is my belief, I have nothing that is signed in blood, there's no contract -- but I believe we'll have a team,'' Goodman told reporters at his press conference Thursday.

Goodman wants his Las Vegas city council next week to give exclusive contract for the development of a downtown arena project to the Cordish Company, a Baltimore-based real estate developer.

The NBA has long been intrigued by the prospect of adding Las Vegas to its club, but there currently are no plans for expansion beyond the 30 teams it already has and the league keeps discouraging the movement of existing franchises.

Kansas City has been trying for years to get into the NBA mix and it already has a new arena waiting for a tenant. Seattle, which just lost its team to Oklahoma City, has made noise about wanting another team, and possibly building a new arena. Yet Las Vegas -- with a new arena -- would blow everyone else out of the water.

Teams all over the league are looking for ways to cuts costs now. Even commissioner David Stern has said he expects a significant drop in league revenues this season.

Yet Vegas wants to move forward in a bad economy, which really accentuates its desire for a team. Current teams in Charlotte and Memphis are struggling badly to sell tickets, and they likely would welcome a pitch from an arena-ready Las Vegas.

The 2007 All-Star Weekend in Vegas was filled with problems when fans went overboard in their enthusiasm, and the city police weren't ready to handle it. There were fights, shootings and other lawlessness from fans that flooded the city and caught everyone off guard. Yet those were easily correctable problems.

Goodman thinks the NBA would thrive in Las Vegas.

And he's ready to prove it with a new arena.

Could Las Vegas Be the Next NBA City? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: NBA Adjusts Officiating Policy

Matt Moore — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Gambling, NBA Referees

On Thursday, a memo from the NBA to all 30 teams was leaked and subsequently reported on by Chris Sheridan of ESPN and tweeted about by Chris Mannix of SI. The purpose of the memo was to reiterate a "no-tipping" policy regarding officials and arena or locker room personnel.

Long story short, backstage personnel have long done favors and personal errands for officials before and after games, and in the latest CBA negotiations, a policy was put in place to end it. The memo clearly states that the league does not feel the pre-existing actions have tampered with games, but a conclusion was reached to eliminate it regardless.

"This is an important change to the CBA," the memo states, as reported by ESPN. "While we do not believe that the pre-existing practice of tipping locker room attendants has affected the integrity of the officiating in any way, it could be perceived in a negative light, and it is therefore best to eliminate this practice."

Any other week, this would appear as an act of due diligence and a progressive move by the league to remove negative perceptions about the officials and get in front of any concerns. Unfortunately, this week it looks a little odd.

Earlier this week, Tim Donaghy's expose book on the alleged shady life and times of NBA officials was leaked to Deadspin. The book was pulled from planned publication by Random House following pressure from the league, although Donaghy is trying to find another publisher.

Many have dismissed the excerpts as the inflammatory, exaggerated ramblings of a dirty official trying to generate enough income to scrape a life back together after his stint in prison. The league has done very little to even acknowledge the book, and it is well on its way to fading into obscurity in the annals of league conspiracy theories.

One of the traditions mentioned in the excerpts was that the refs would play a game where the first official to give a technical to one of the league's "bad boys" wouldn't have to tip the ball boys that night. Since the refs use the ball boys as their personal runners prior to games -- fetching snacks and drinks, running errands -- the refs would usually tip the ball boys. That makes sense. Making bets during games with that tip being the payoff does not make sense. Anything that creates what legal code usually refers to as "consideration" in how they officiate would cross that line into where the simple bets influence the games.

The memo clearly states that this decision was reached during the CBA negotiations, which was before the book excerpts were leaked to Deadspin. So this isn't a direct response to those allegations, as we previously reported. However, in the harsh light of PR, this doesn't come across great.

The fact that this policy touches an issue directly that Donaghy mentions gives the impression that the two are directly related, even though the timeline shows that the policy was established before the book publicly leaked. Unfortunately, the appearance is that the league is adjusting a policy in light of the attempted rabble-rousing by their disgraced former employee. By all accounts this was less of a poorly executed cover-up and simply a case of poor timing. And that's if you believe Donaghy's claims at all.

You're going to have a hard time finding NBA league insiders who think that Donaghy's claims have any real sense of truth to them. They may be able to paint a certain image using strategically manipulated context, but they don't actually reveal any smoking guns. But if the league is planning on sending out any more memos on officiating behavior, they might want to wait a while until Donaghy has slipped back into the darkness of irrelevance, which should be in about, oh, 10 minutes or so.

Note: this post was edited to reflect the inclusion of the tipping policy in the referees' CBA with the league.

Report: NBA Adjusts Officiating Policy originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gamblers, and the NBA, Watching Replacement Officials Closely

Tim Povtak — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Gambling, NBA Referees

Much like the players and coaches are expected to do, the gamblers around the country are sure to try and use the replacement referees at NBA games to their advantage.

Although legalized betting on exhibition games -- that begin tonight with replacements -- is expected to be minimal, those in the gambling industry will be scrutinizing the new officials closely in hopes of seeing tendencies and trends that they can use in both wagering and setting point spreads for regular season games.

"The bettors may be a little leery of the new refs at the start, but they'll be out there analyzing, looking for patterns they can use,'' said Richard Gardner, sports book manager for BODOG, the on-line sports betting site. "It's like a chess game (with the gamblers). I'll be looking for trends myself. It's definitely something to keep an eye on.''

Joel Litvin, NBA president of league and basketball operations, said Thursday that he is moving forward with 62 new officials, leaving the regulars refs on the sideline until a new contract with their union can be negotiated. He also said there are no new talks with the union leaders scheduled.

The regular season begins Oct. 27, which is when the real gambling will begin. Even though the replacements likely will be working only a short period of time and will be paid like first-year regular officials, he said he was not worried about another Tim Donaghy situation erupting. Donaghy is the former NBA official who was found guilty of federal conspiracy charges in 2007 after admitting he provided gamblers with inside information on games he was working.

"It's no concern at all. We've got safeguards in place that apply to all our officials. There are strict policies when it comes to gambling. I don't view this as an added risk whatsoever,'' Litvin said. "We have a process for background checks. And we've done them.''

Since the Donaghy scandal, the NBA has increased its scrutiny of officials dramatically the last two seasons. That scrutiny will be increased even more with the replacements. The league will be watching closely to gauge which of its new officials are the best, hoping to use them the most and quickly weed out any that struggle.

"I don't like using the word `scrutiny,''' said Ron Johnson, the NBA's senior vice president for referee operations. "It's part of management and leadership. It would be irresponsible for me to not use our management staff to the fullest extent possible, to help our guys. Yes, there will be more management, but not scrutiny.''

Gardner said the risk of referee tampering is something he also watches closely because it could affect his business. The new referees will make him even more vigilant in the coming weeks.

"That's always a risk, but the NBA realizes it can't afford another situation like that. The last thing they need is another one of those,'' Gardner said. "From our end, you're always looking for people betting out of the norm, one guy who has six accounts all linked, or a guy who used to beat $20 is now betting thousands.''

R.J. Bell, who runs the sports betting news site Pregame.com in Las Vegas, said there are three things he expects to see as he watches the replacement officials. And it will effect the betting.

His predictions:

-- New officials who might be a little nervous will tend to make fewer calls because it creates less scrutiny and less focus on them. Less calls in general benefits the more physical teams and lead to fewer points. The lower scoring games will benefit the more physical teams.

-- The star players are going to get even more deference by the new officials because of an intimidation factor. Teams with real superstars will have a bigger advantage than normal with the replacement referees.

-- The home court advantage will be even more pronounced with the new officials because they will be more affected by the crowd.

"The sharp bettor will look at this (replacements) as an opportunity,'' Bell said. "Anytime there is a disruption from the norm, and it won't be so obvious what the results will be, it's an opportunity for some people.''

Gamblers, and the NBA, Watching Replacement Officials Closely originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Casino Spokesmen Deny Allen Iverson Was Ever Banned

Matt Watson — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 05:20:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, NBA Gambling, NBA Police Blotter

On Monday night, Chris McCosky of the Detroit News reported on his blog that Allen Iverson had been banned from two of Detroit's three downtown casinos after repeated warnings for "boorish behavior" such as "throwing his chips or cards at the dealer" when he loses.

The only problem? As reported in today's Detroit Free Press, spokesmen for both MGM Grand Detroit and Greektown Casino denied that Iverson was ever banned, or that there's any record that he ever created a disturbance in the first place.

Unfortunately, millions of pixels have already been devoted to the apparently false report -- the blogosphere (including FanHouse) jumped on McCosky's version of events. After all, chaos seems to follow Iverson wherever he goes, and considering his name was already in the papers once this year for being rowdy while gambling in Minneapolis, it wasn't a difficult story to believe.

Despite what the spokesmen are saying, the truth, as always, is likely somewhere in the middle, though assuming there's not some type of coordinated cover-up among two competing casinos, McCosky obviously fell for a bad tip. And, as it happens, so did we.

On another note, it's amusing how the Detroit Free Press introduced their clarification: "The Internet was ablaze Tuesday with a rumor claiming that Allen Iverson recently had been banned from MGM and Greektown casinos."

No mention of McCosky, and no mention of the Detroit News -- just the nameless, faceless, capitalized "Internet," as if the rumor appeared out of nowhere and spread from computer to computer like the Conficker virus. Mainstream media doesn't make mistakes! Gossipy bloggers on MyFace and Tweeter do!

Casino Spokesmen Deny Allen Iverson Was Ever Banned originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 15 Apr 2009 05:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iverson Banned From 2 Detroit Casinos

Will Brinson — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, NBA Gambling, NBA Police Blotter

Update: This report has since been denied by both casinos referenced.

Original post: Allen Iverson's time in Detroit has not been, um, excellent. The Pistons have had an extremely sub-par season by their standards, and recently Iverson stated that he would never serve in a backup role again. Iverson's "back injury" immediately shut him down for the season.

But what's an "injured" professional basketball player to do with all that free time? Gamble, duh. Iverson hit the casinos in Detroit hard; a little too hard, actually, because he's been banned by both the MGM and Greektown casinos. And, amazingly, it doesn't relate to the fight his bodyguard was allegedly involved in recently.

Iverson, though, has been banned mostly for his boorish behavior. He is a bad loser, and he loses a lot, often throwing his chips or cards at the dealer. He has been warned about improper behavior at the tables repeatedly. He is often loud and disruptive, according to witnesses, rude to dealers, other players and the wait staff.

Well, goodness; it takes a lot to get banned by two different casinos just for being a filthy rich, sore loser. Especially considering, you know, that's the type of person that casinos want to fill up their tables. (Yes, being a sore loser is annoying, but it generally results in the player only becoming more frustrated which results in more losing, which casinos enjoy.)

The bigger story, here, is of course: Detroit + Iverson = Fail. He's obviously gone next year and, contrary to how a lot of folks might feel, I just want him to land in a spot that helps us all forget about this sad chapter of his career before he hangs up his sneakers.

Iverson Banned From 2 Detroit Casinos originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 23:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Clipper Darrell Loses Bet, Will Sport Lakers Jersey Tonight

Nate Jones — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 20:40:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, Lakers, NBA Fans, NBA Gambling

Clipper Darrell is probably the biggest Clippers fan in the world. He attends every Clippers game at Staples Center, has a BMW painted in Clipper colors, and sports Clipper colors on the daily. He also can be found leading cheers at the Staples Center and talking trash to opposing players when they are at the free throw line.

Darrell's passion is wonderful, but this time, it might have led him to a little bit of trouble.

You see, prior to this season, Clipper Darrell made a wager with Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw over the head-to-head match up between the Lakers and Clippers this season. If the Clippers finished with a winning record against the Lakers this season, then Shaw would be forced to wear a Clipper colored suit similar to what Clipper Darrell wears at all the Clippers games. On on the other hand, if the Lakers finished with the better head-to-head record, then Darrell would be forced to become Laker Darrell for a night and replace his Clipper themed suit with some purple and gold threads. Fair bet, right?

Predictably, the Lakers have already clinched the season series against the Clippers, so now Darrell must pay the piper and sport Laker colors to tonight's Clippers Lakers match up. Darrell is getting out off a little easy, as Shaw told KABC-TV in Los Angeles that he is only going to force Darrell to sport a Brian Shaw Lakers Jersey to the game. Darrell said he was thankful, as it would be a waste for him to pay for a suit that he would likely end up burning after the game.

Clipper Darrell Loses Bet, Will Sport Lakers Jersey Tonight originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sun, 05 Apr 2009 20:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acie Law Bet $10,000 on Cowboys to Win 2010 Super Bowl

Will Brinson — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Hawks, NBA Gambling, NBA Media Watch

Ten-thousand dollars. That's a lot of money. You don't want to bet that amount either, unless you've got a really, really, really sure thing/stone-cold lock type of bet going. Or you're an NBA superstar who enjoys following the Cowboys. Acie Law IV is the latter. And, based on his Yardbarker blog, he just bet one of his boys 10 large that Dallas is going to the Super Bowl next year.

Now, since I'm obviously a master gambler, I should probably point out to Acie that the smart thing to do here would be to just give his boy $5,000 right now and cut his losses. Then maybe he could donate another grand to YB so they can stop showing house ads on my website. Or use it to pay Bill Cowher's salary. Whatever. The point being is that there are smarter ways to spend his money than on a Cowboys Super Bowl bet with straight-up odds.

Acie Law Bet $10,000 on Cowboys to Win 2010 Super Bowl originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LeBron to the Knicks in 2010? Don't Bet on It

Brett Pollakoff — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:45:00 EST

Filed under: Cavaliers, Knicks, NBA Fans, NBA Gambling, NBA Gossip

There's been plenty of talk lately about the possibility of LeBron James signing with the Knicks when he's an unrestricted free agent in 2010. With New York's recent trades that left them with little talent but a lot of salary cap space, it's a logical (albeit annoying) conclusion that the team will do everything they can to lure King James to NYC.

There are some out there though that refuse to believe the hype, and they're the type that make their living off of making these types of predictions.

I'm talking about the odds makers here, and the ones at BetOnline.com don't think that LeBron is going anywhere. In fact, they have lines posted on where LeBron will end up when it's all said and done, and based on the payouts, their guess is that he'll remain in Cleveland.

Here's a sampling:

Cleveland -150
Knicks +250
Greece +300
Nets +500
Pistons +800

For all the non-degenerates out there, let me translate for you. What this means is that for every $100 you want to win (if you believe LeBron stays a Cavalier), you need to put down $150. And if you think he will jump ship and end up a Knick, for every $100 you put down, you'll get $250 in return. The other thing I found to be of major interest is the fact that the Vegas cognoscenti believe that there's virtually as much chance of Lebron playing overseas as there is of him becoming a Knick.

The bookmakers are willing to make a fairly strong bet that LeBron isn't going anywhere in 2010. And since they're not in the business of losing money, I'd go with the house on this one.

[via NBC LA]

LeBron to the Knicks in 2010? Don't Bet on It originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fresh Off the Donaghy Scandal, NBA Going on the Book at the Maloofs' Casino

Tom Ziller — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:18:00 EST

Filed under: Celtics, Kings, NBA Gambling, NBA Referees

Perhaps more than any other pro major league, the NBA has flirted with Las Vegas in recent years. The Maloofs, controlling owners of the Kings, are a big part of that. The family's notoriety, fortune and fame come from the Palms Casino. Ever-mindful of the potential or appearance of point shaving or game fixing, the NBA has barred the Palms from offering bets on NBA games in its book. That changed today, when (at the request of the Maloofs) the NBA board of governors voted to allow the league's games on the books at the Palms.

The Maloofs' argument, according to quotes collected by the Associated Press, is that a minority owner of the Celtics runs Harrah's, a casino chain. Harrah's takes bets on all NBA game not involving the C's. There have no problems which game-fixing accusations or whatnot, so the Maloofs feel it's only fair to give the Palms a chance.

Weird timing, yeah? The league is just now burying the Tim Donaghy headlines. The independent Pedowitz report recommended the NBA crack down on player card games on team planes, for crying out loud. I can't imagine even an investigation as amiable as the Pedowitz report would think opening up the book at the Palms to NBA games could possibly be a good idea, given eternal suspicions about the league. And the fairness argument is a non-starter: the Harrah's CEO (Gary Loveman) owns 2.4% of the Celtics, while the Maloofs own something like 80% of the Kings franchise.

David Stern -- who could have stopped this at any point -- really doesn't care about the league's image when it comes to the Donaghy scandal or the gambling issue. This is a particularly egregious reminder of that fact.

Fresh Off the Donaghy Scandal, NBA Going on the Book at the Maloofs' Casino originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Putting Greg Oden on a Poster Pays Well

Matt Watson — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:16:00 EST

Filed under: Kings, Trail Blazers, Western, NBA Gambling, NBA Videos

At first glance, you might think that's Kevin Martin crossing over Rudy Fernandez and dunking on Greg Oden and LaMarcus Aldridge. Okay, yeah, that's exactly what it is. But it's also Martin crossing over Fernandez and collecting a cool grand from teammate Mikki Moore. Melody Gutirrez of the Sacramento Bee (via Sactown Royalty, natch) explains:

Martin also won a $1,000 bet with teammate Mikki Moore on who would be the first to dunk on Oden. "I had to go get my money," Martin said.

Asked if he knew Oden and Aldridge would be there when he crossed over Fernandez, Martin laughed. "Them guys have 7-(foot)-5 wingspans, so even if you don't think they are going to be there, they are going to be there," Martin said. "I'm glad they were there. I got a little richer today."

Is it me, or should more players put a bounty on posterizing the opposition? That's the kind of subplot that will keep fans watching even the most vanilla matchups in the middle of January.

Grizzlies versus Clippers? Yawn. O.J. Mayo and Rudy Gay putting five grand on the line to see who can get the most dunks on Chris Kaman? Now we're talking! I'll give this idea for free, Mr. Stern, but the next one will cost you.

Putting Greg Oden on a Poster Pays Well originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:16:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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David Stern Discusses the Independent Report on the NBA's Referee Program

Brett Pollakoff — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:31:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Gambling, NBA Referees

Today's release of the Pedowitz Report -- which, among other things, backed up the league's assertion that Tim Donaghy was the only one doing what he was doing -- prompted David Stern to take questions from the media via conference call. Here were some of the hightlights:

- The question was asked that if the report found that referees were not manipulating the outcomes of games, how were they able to win between 60 and 70% of their wagers? Stern answered simply, "I don't know," then questioned the reporter on that statistic. He added that he hadn't seen those numbers and that he didn't know if that was accurate. But he guessed that if you start by guessing and you're at 50-50, any additional piece of inside information would be likely to increase your odds of guessing correctly.

- Speaking of inside information, that was the reason the commissioner gave for implementing the game-day release of the names of which officials would be working which games. He said that the more information that's available publicly, the less of a gambler's advantage there is, because there would be almost no inside information anymore. Stern stated that the "gambler's edge would be blunted" by the release of more public information.

- The commissioner was asked whether he planned to make the referees available to the media on a game by game basis, similar to the way coaches are available before and after the games now. If they were available, it would be to discuss rule interpretations, not specific calls within the game. Stern said there are no plans to do that necessarily, but as rule interpretation issues come up, he would be willing to make the referees available. He also mentioned that, like coaches who have learned to speak with the media over the years, he would like to make sure the referees have training or are comfortable in doing so before that happens.

- When asked if he believes the league has an image problem regarding this, Stern mentioned all of the ways that the league is thriving: attendance, television ratings, media coverage, etc. He said that it's difficult to measure "fan burn" when every indicator that they have is up. He did say that he feels that the referee-working that goes on during games, as well as the players and coaches complaining about a particular call, tends to give the fans something to grasp onto to explain away a loss.

- So will the league become less tolerant of complaining by the players and coaches? Not necessarily. Stern said that he sees members of the NBA family (players, coaches, and officials) coming together to realize the impact that these things have on the game, and coming to sort of an awakening that overall it's something that needs to decrease. Sure. Tell that to Gregg Popovich during next season's playoffs.

Previously on FanHouse:

Independent Report Bolsters NBA's Case That Donaghy Was a 'Rogue'
Report: Donaghy's Suspicious Calls to Fellow NBA Ref Were Phone Tag
A Glimpse Into the Lonely Life of an NBA Ref

David Stern Discusses the Independent Report on the NBA's Referee Program originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Glimpse Into the Lonely Life of an NBA Ref

Tom Ziller — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:52:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Gambling, NBA Referees

Something we touched on briefly in discussing the explanation for the 130 phone calls between NBA referees Tim Donaghy and Scott Foster was the boredom of life on the road. In the independent report on the NBA's referee program, Lawrence Pedowitz goes into a fair bit of detail about the lonely nature of the job.

[M]uch of a referee's life involves travel, and travel involves a great deal of waiting time, so Foster often makes calls to "kill time." Foster is a creature of habit and a basketball and sports junkie. When he is on the road, he works out every morning at 10:00 a.m. He is also an early riser, which means that he has several hours to kill every morning. [...]

Referees have more time on their hands in the afternoon before a night game. Foster described this time as often boring and lonely, because referees rarely spend it together. Therefore, Foster usually returns to his hotel room after lunch and makes more calls to fellow referees. [...] The excitement of officiating an NBA game in the evening typically leaves him "wired" and unable to sleep right away when he gets back to his hotel room after the game, often after midnight. Because it is often too late at night to call his family, Foster calls his fellow referees to discuss the games they have just officiated.

Scott Foster needs a hobby he can take on the road. Online poker? Erm ... maybe not. The league should include some fix for this problem in its restructuring of the referee program. Why not hire a little buddy to hang out with and entertain each ref? Or give the refs supplemental jobs, like transcribing Gilbert Arenas' blog posts. Keep these guys busy. We all know an idle mind is the devil's playground.

A Glimpse Into the Lonely Life of an NBA Ref originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Donaghy's Suspicious Calls to Fellow NBA Ref Were Phone Tag, Not Betting Tips

Tom Ziller — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:43:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Gambling, NBA Referees

In echoing the NBA's stance that Tim Donaghy was a "rogue, isolated criminal," Lawrence Pedowitz's team was forced to explain away some rather suspicious findings from a summer investigation of referee Scott Foster's call records.

The report from FOX Sports found that Donaghy called Foster more than 130 times over a six-month period, 10 times more than he had phoned any other co-worker. Worse, most of the calls lasted less than two minutes, and many of them preceded calls to Donaghy's betting buddies.

How did Pedowitz explain the odd behavior? By noting the long friendship between Foster and Donaghy and detailing how so many short calls could show up in records:

Foster told us that he frequently calls other referees and either hangs up when the call goes to voicemail or leaves a short voicemail message, and that other referees do the same when calling Foster. Foster's cell phone service agreement, which appears to be typical for cell phone carriers, provides that a call begins as soon as the phone being called rings, and a call as short as one second is recorded as a one-minute call. If the phone rings five or six times and the caller then leaves a message, it is likely that the call will last over one minute and will be recorded as a two-minute call. Therefore, it seems likely that many of Donaghy's short calls to Foster were in fact instances in which Donaghy and Foster did not speak to each other.

So basically, Foster never answers his phone. The report also discusses how lonely life as a referee can be, and notes that talking with other refs is a way to relieve boredom.

The lack of interest in Foster's involvement by the league, the FBI, federal prosecutors, and basically every media entity save for FOX ... that has also served to strengthen the skepticism of Foster's involvement. And while little the league has come up with in its defense has gained much public traction, it seems like this particular explanation could stick.

Report: Donaghy's Suspicious Calls to Fellow NBA Ref Were Phone Tag, Not Betting Tips originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:43:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Independent Report Bolsters NBA's Case That Donaghy Was a 'Rogue'

Tom Ziller — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 11:04:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Gambling, NBA Referees

Everyone's been waiting for the independent report on the NBA's referee program from former federal prosecutor Lawrence Pedowitz. It's out -- big ol' PDF file here, NBA press release here. The major hook Pedowitz offers: Tim Donaghy's allegations that other referees and the league conspired to "fix" games to extend playoff series are without merit. From the report:

We have discovered no information suggesting that any NBA referee other than Tim Donaghy has bet on NBA games or leaked confidential NBA information to gamblers. In this connection, we reviewed a suggestion that referee Scott Foster was somehow involved in Donaghy's conspiracy (a suggestion raised in a press report about Donaghy's phone records) and found it to be meritless.

If you'll recall, a FOX Sports report over the summer raised suspicion of Foster when phone records revealed how often he and Donaghy spoke on game days ... and how often those calls were followed by calls between Donaghy and his gambling connections. An analysis of Foster's called games also indicated funny business.

Pedowitz also finds no evidence that Donaghy made calls to affect games he bet on, a claim backed up by federal prosecutors who pinched the ref. The report does offer recommendations to improve the NBA ref program, but to be honest they aren't very strong and have little in the way of public outreach or transparency for the fans.

Basically, the report backs the NBA's line that the hiring of a new oversight guy will fix everything, and that really folks, there's nothing to see here. I have a hard time believing the paying public will buy it.

Independent Report Bolsters NBA's Case That Donaghy Was a 'Rogue' originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 02 Oct 2008 11:04:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Barkley, Fresh Off Not Gambling, Can Afford to Send a Busboy to College

Will Brinson — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Gambling, NBA Media Watch

We all are fully aware that Charles Barkley is completely unafraid to throw his money away. Don't get me wrong -- I am of the opinion that it is his money that he earned, so he can spend it in whatever manner he wants, but it is certainly established that Chuck lacks substantial gambling prowess.

Wild Life of Sir Charles'

Watching Charles Barkley walk the line between controversy and humor has become one of sports' most entertaining pastimes. Check out some of the former NBA star and current TNT analyst's most memorable incidents.

Barry Gossage, NBAE/Getty Images

On the court, Barkley was frequently fined for fights with other players. In 1990, Barkley and Bill Laimbeer were each fined $20,000 (a record amount for the NBA at the time) for a fracas during a playoff game.

Nathaniel S. Butler, NBAE via Getty Images

While Barkley was beloved by fans, he gained fame for his anti-role model stance. "A million guys can dunk a basketball in jail; should they be role models?" Barkley said in 1993, which launched his famous "I am not a role model" Nike ad campaign.

Andrew D. Bernstein, NBAE/Getty Images

As a player, the fiery Barkley had a few run-ins with the law. He was once arrested for breaking a man's nose during a fight after a game with the Bucks, and he once famously threw a man through a plate-glass window after being hit with a glass of ice at a bar.

Orange County Sheriff's Office / AP

After retiring as a player, Barkley joined TNT's "Inside the NBA," where he has become the "butt" of many a joke. Literally. In one skit, Barkley was forced to kiss a donkey's posterior after losing a bet with Kenny Smith.

YouTube

During the 2007 All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas, Barkley famously took part in a foot race against 67-year-old referee Dick Bavetta. Barkley won the race, while Bavetta dove at the finish line and wound up bloodying his knee.

Nathaniel S. Butler, NBAE/Getty Images

Politics? Why not? In February 2008, Barkley announced he would run for Governor of Alabama in 2014. "I don't like the way the Republicans are taking this country. Every time I hear the word 'conservative,' it makes me sick to my stomach," he explained.

Nathaniel S. Butler, NBAE via Getty Images

Barkley recently made headlines after a Las Vegas district attorney said he could face criminal charges if he didn't repay a $400,000 debt owed to the Wynn casino. Sir Charles has since repaid the debt and stated he will quit gambling in the future.

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

Moving forward, the Round Mound of Sound is sure to keep right on rolling. For instance, "Inside the NBA" host Ernie Johnson recently got Barkley to read the words "I'm a dumbass" off a teleprompter while he was filming a fake promo.

Andrew D. Bernstein, NBAE/Getty Images

And all of the national discussion about Barkley's gambling makes it easy to forget that he puts a lot of that money towards worthy humanitarian causes as well. Like, for instance, busboy Christian Abate who has worked at Saloon, a restaurant frequented by Sir Charles, over the last eight years, including full time status since he quit attending Temple University.

During a visit to Saloon last summer, Charles Barkley asked Abate how he was enjoying teaching, and was disappointed to learn that Abate had still not returned to Temple because of problems securing financial aid. Abate, 28, of South Philly, started at Temple in 1997, months after graduating from St. John Neumann High.

Sir Charles told Abate he would like to help him with his tuition, and Abate wasn't sure how to respond. Barkley didn't give him much time, telling Abate that he had the length of Barkley's meal to decide. Abate wisely accepted.

"He's a nice kid," Barkley said of Abate on Friday. "He was working with kids, I loved that he wanted to be a teacher, and I wanted to help him," Barkley told us by phone between stops on a flight to Reno where he was making a speech.

(And insert "What a tip!" joke here.) By the way, can I say here and now that I am legitimately worried for the darker side of athletics at this point? Terrell Owens is "saving lives", Adam Jones appears rehabilitated, the Bengals won't take Chris Henry back and now Charles Barkley is spending his gambling money on someone else's tuition.

What's next? Dusty Baker chatting about OBP? ... Oh dear God. Take cover everyone.

Barkley, Fresh Off Not Gambling, Can Afford to Send a Busboy to College originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Gambling Evidence Does Not Look Great for Scott Foster or the NBA

Will Brinson — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 02:30:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Gambling, NBA Referees

Circumstantial, as it may be, there is a lot to be uncovered in these NBA referee scandals when it comes to the action that Las Vegas receives on particular games. Obviously, the 130 phone calls from Tim Donaghy to Scott Foster are in and of themselves very bad news. Donaghy = guilty, and those swell-piece hits define "by association".

As R.J. Bell of Pregame points out, there might be a lot more to the Foster business than just the phone calls too.

During the 2006-07 period under investigation, seven games refereed by Scott Foster had lopsided enough betting on one team to move the point spread by at least 2 points; those seven teams were undefeated against Vegas - meaning that the big-money gamblers won a 7 of 7 times on Foster's games; the odds of that happening randomly are less than 1%.

Statistics alone cannot convict, but it's certainly noteworthy that seven times in Foster's games one team was bet extremely heavily, and all seven times that team won," said RJ Bell of Pregame.com.

Two of those seven games stand out:

On January 19, 2007 the Kings opened as a 1.5 favorites at Boston; betting on Sacramento moved the line to -4.5. Kings won by 5, shooting 25 free throws, versus only 14 free throws for the home team Celtics. On March 20, 2007 the Nuggets opened as 2.5 point underdogs at New Jersey. Denver was bet so heavily, they closed as 1 point favorites. Denver won by 4, shooting 32 free throws versus only 22 for the home team Nets.

The point that RJ is making here is pretty simple -- generally speaking, lines can shift, but when a certain set of games shift heavily and Vegas loses all of those games, well, something ain't stirring the Kool-Aid.

Again, statistics can't convict. Nothing short of testimony from the referees and gamblers involved can actually prove anything; conviction is in reality an entirely different issue if we're speaking in legalese.

And furthermore, none of these do anything to prove that the NBA is is fixed, in the sense of a conspiracy from top to bottom. (Although the NBA scrambling to deny the ridiculous number of phone calls doesn't help.)

Yes, it would be absolutely horrible news for the L (obviously) because it means that more than one referee's games were compromised and suddenly, things from that period look much darker.

Again, there's a long way to go on this investigation, particularly considering we are working on circumstantial evidence at this point, but it's a pretty safe bet you can count on some subpoenas and other less friendly legally-related documents heading Foster's way.

At least we know Donaghy won't mind talking! Sigh.

The Gambling Evidence Does Not Look Great for Scott Foster or the NBA originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 16 Jul 2008 02:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA: Foster Not Involved With Donaghy

Tom Ziller — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:42:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Gambling, NBA Referees

The NBA addressed Monday's Fox News report that disgraced referee Tim Donaghy called fellow official Scott Foster a suspicious amount of times during the period in which Donaghy has admitted to betting on games he worked.

"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 league said. "The government has said that they have found no evidence of criminal conduct aside from that of Mr. Donaghy."

The Foster story failed to pick up steam Monday, which is either an indication the connection (based on 134 brief calls over six months directly before or after games Donaghy or Foster worked, often interspersed with calls to Donaghy's middleman) isn't as strong as it looks to the naive eye, or it's an indication reporters and pundits are too hesitant to pass judgment following that Game 6 debacle ... which ended up embarrassing everyone.

Still, isn't there a bit more meat here? Is anyone involved going to explain the calls?

NBA: Foster Not Involved With Donaghy originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:42:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Donaghy Made Suspicious Calls to Fellow NBA Ref

Tom Ziller — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:38:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Gambling, NBA Referees

Fox News has a rather incendiary report by Jana Winter digging into disgraced NBA referee Tim Donaghy's phone records. Winter reports Donaghy made 134 phone calls to fellow ref Scott Foster over a six-month spread during which Donaghy has admitted betting on games. Donaghy made no more than 13 calls to any other ref, and only phoned betting middleman Thomas Martino more frequently.

Based solely on Winter's account, it's hard to imagine there isn't something here. The bulk of the calls were shorter than two minutes in length and came directly before or after either Donaghy or Foster worked a game. Some of them are bookended by calls to Martino. The calls "stopped abruptly in mid March 2007, when Donaghy is believed to have stopped his gambling," Winter writes.

Foster worked two games in the NBA Finals (Games 1 and 5), and has reffed in the NBA since at least 1996-97. He's not one of the referees from Donaghy's hometown of Philadelphia.

Report: Donaghy Made Suspicious Calls to Fellow NBA Ref originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Ref Donaghy Getting Penalty Reduced for 'Honest Services'

Will Brinson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Gambling, NBA Media Watch

Looks like Tim Donaghy is catching some sort of break after all, as the fedarales announced today that they believe Donaghy should not have to pay back the $1.4 million the NBA claims he owes the league. That figure was calculated based on his salary from 2003 to 2006 for 'honest services' (read: not fixing games) plus the costs of investigating the alleged improprieties.

In a letter filed Tuesday in Brooklyn federal court, assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Goldberg said the government believes Donaghy shouldn't have to pay more than $500,000 in salary and benefits to the league. That amount represents the value of Donaghy's "honest services" for the years 2003 to part of 2006, money the NBA isn't entitled to recoup under federal law, Goldberg said.

The only amount of salary the NBA can get back as restitution would be for part of 2006 to 2007, the period during which Donaghy admitted being part of gambling conspiracy to which he plead guilty last year, Goldberg said.

See, this is a tough legal line to actually figure out. Donaghy has only admitted to cheating during those two years, so yeah, I suppose those are the only improperly compensated time frames.

On the other hand, if the guy was willing to sell out his employer to pay back gambling debts ... well, let's just say I'm not totally confident that he was clean the entire time.

Still, 500k is a lot of cheddar for a guy to pull on what I would assume is a witness protection plan salary (elementary school janitor perhaps?) and with the NBA raking in straight cash, I really don't feel that bad.

The issue is going to be heard Wednesday in front of a judge though, but since she has previously leaned against the NBA on this figure, I would anticipate Donaghy's camp getting a 500k cap slapped on the penalty he has to pay.

NBA Ref Donaghy Getting Penalty Reduced for 'Honest Services' originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In Which Charles Barkley Calls the Media 'Jackasses' Because He Cannot Gamble

Will Brinson — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Gambling, NBA Media Watch, NBA Videos

You can tell how white-knuckled Charles Barkley is while discussing his gambling during the following interview; clearly he has been abstaining from hitting the tables. (If it's for a charity, it's called "donating".) He blames the media for it, because, goshdarnit, if we/they/us weren't reporting on him telling television cameras that he routinely loses hundreds of thousands of dollars, then it wouldn't be a problem.

Now, personally, I'm all for gambling whatever you want. As long as you're not destroying anyone else's life or becoming a danger to society, roll the dice all day. But Charles is only making himself look worse when he tries to blame other people for his gambling issue. The easy way out is to suck it up, let everyone know you're a millionaire, and spend your money however you want.

Wicked Chops via Deadspin

Wild Life of Sir Charles'

Barry Gossage, NBAE/Getty Images

Nathaniel S. Butler, NBAE via Getty Images

Andrew D. Bernstein, NBAE/Getty Images

Orange County Sheriff's Office / AP

YouTube

Nathaniel S. Butler, NBAE/Getty Images

Nathaniel S. Butler, NBAE via Getty Images

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

Andrew D. Bernstein, NBAE/Getty Images

In Which Charles Barkley Calls the Media 'Jackasses' Because He Cannot Gamble originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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