Eric Williams covered the Sonics' last season in Seattle. A Tacoma native, Eric graduated from Mount Tahoma High and the University of Puget Sound.
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The Tim Donaghy referee scandal has turned up a couple notches, with attorneys for Donaghy revealing in a federal court filing on Tuesday that Donaghy alleges the NBA fixed games in the playoffs to help alter the outcome of series in 2002 and 2005 postseasons. Read more about the story here.
In particular, the officiating in the 2002 Western Conference finals in Game 6 between the L.A. Lakers and the Sacramento Kings has come under scrutiny. The Lakers shot 26 free throws, compared to six for Sacramento in the final quarter.
Sacramento Bee columnist Ailene Voisin revisits the game. Kings fans believe that game was an opportunity to raise a championship banner at Arco Arena stolen by the league.
Arizona product Jerryd Bayless worked out in New York on Tuesday. According to Bayless, recently hired Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said the Wildcat combo guard could be the engine running the show, similar to Steve Nash in Phoenix, if New York selects the guard with the No. 6 overall draft pick. However, Bayless is not expected to slip past Seattle.
Jerry Colangelo, director of Team USA, said the group will select the final 12 for the roster headed to Beijing instead of having a tryout for the last two spots. An announcement of the final roster is expected soon after the NBA finals are completed.
COMMENTS:
Donaghy isn't just a crooked ref, he's the NBA's Jose Canseco. Listen attentively to what he has to say. He's revealing that the man behind the curtain is just a wizened old New York lawyer, not a wizard.
The challenge is that too much of the NBA's dealings have been accepted as normal. I hate when they show a replay of a great play, but the player traveled or pushed off. They will show it 3 times without mentioning the infraction. The Paul Pierce 4 point play in game 2 is a great example. He took 4 steps to make that jumpshot. He traveled well before he was fouled. But entertainment said let's go with the 4 point play, not the traveling.
I also hate the idea that there are calls that stars get and regular players do not. A foul is a foul or at least they should try their best to get it right regardless of who the player is. Riley's Knicks challenged the refs to call fouls on every play. The refs did not and now, it is much more difficult to tell what is and is not a foul from game to game and quarter to quarter.
I could go on and on. I am pretty close to turning in my NBA fanatic card.
Previously I have written about the city and community not putting up any money to support the building of the next sports arena – complex. In my mind, enough money has been spent on these projects with the Mariners and the Seahawks. However, in Denver and other city’s there has been a nice blend of private sponsorship in building a state of the art arena. My hope remains that the City can find an interested buyer – Steve Ballmer for one – to help save the day. Just as Paul Allen did for the Seahawks.
However, in my mind, the days of basketball in Seattle may be over. Should we be sad as it has come to light that the NBA has crooked referees watching over their games – in the NBA playoffs no less. Former NBA ref. Tim Donahey has alluded to the games being fixed – and he even pointed to specific games. In working out a plea deal with the FBI he has submitted information that referees altered their foul calling in NBA playoff games in 2002 and 2005.
Also, it seems to me the NBA has a lot to lose if Seattle loses the Sonics. They have already lost face in supporting Clay Bennett the wealthy Oklahoman who wants to pick up the team – break the lease that his team has entered into – and run to Oklahoma City. We will see what Marsha J. Pechman, Federal Judge in the Western District of WA has to say in two weeks in the trial between the city and the team.
So in my mind, by supporting the team ownership – hey that’s who pays David Stern’s salary – the NBA has two strikes against it in this town. First showing that it is a corrupt organization and secondly for supporting the OK ownership group.
Howard Schultz lawsuit may be the best thing for the city of Seattle to save NBA basketball – but he doesn’t have much time.
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