If you're like me, you have no doubt received endless spam emails from Idawatu Benwato with the subject header of "Dear friend, greetings" or "Please lovely woman, I need your help."
Can we all let out a collective sigh here?
The scam is obvious, yet we continue to get these emails. Obviously, some poor, ignorant souls have responded to these emails with their social security and bank account numbers and made these scammers rich beyond their dreams.
So the scam continues, until the entire nation realizes there really is no long-lost relative in Benin that left an inheritance to us.
So far, that light bulb has not been lit. The spam emails continue.
It's kind of like the Donaghy scandal in the NBA.
Apparently, exiled former referee Tim Donaghy has made 134 (count 'em!) calls to one one particular referee both before and after games that Donaghy has admitted to wagering on.
Let's make this perfectly clear. According to a FOXSports.com report, "the majority of the phone calls lasted no more than two minutes and occurred before and after games Donaghy officiated and on which he admits wagering."
Now, you would think the NBA, in its attempt to quell all rumors of collusion, would have at least checked into this stunning revelation. Any chance that this newly-named referee, Scott Foster, was simply trading gardening tips with Donaghy? The timing—between October 2006 and April 2007—suggests a rather odd time to plant tomatoes. I have a black thumb and even I know that.
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According to Foster, he has not been under any scrutiny and when asked specifically if he had been the subject of any investigation, ominously responded, "Not that I know of."
Well, alrighty then. I suppose if the FBI or any bored Senator was crawling up his rear end with a microscope, he would know about it, wouldn't he?
Should I believe this "rogue, isolated criminal" was just checking with co-worker Foster to see what shoes he was wearing to the games—shoes that apparently the NBA has decided are worth enough coin to pursue as something recoverable in damages? (Thank goodness they have their priorities straight!)
Sure, they may have been talking shop. But the fact remains that, according to FOXSports.com, "the only person Donaghy called more often (150 times) was Thomas Martino, to whom Donaghy has said he provided picks to win games and who was the middleman between the former ref and a bookie named James Battista."
Is anyone buying the one-person criminal ring Stern has thrown at us?
Does anyone honestly believe that gambling at this level isn't backed by some sort of criminal organization?
Does Donaghy really look like the kind of guy who's smart enough to pull this off by himself?
Having witnessed countless badly-officiated games myself, does any sane fan not think that maybe, just maybe, the fix is in and Stern doesn't want to lose more fans? That he is trying to steer this Titanic clear of huge icebergs that are mysteriously, and suddenly, popping up in these treacherous waters while he claimes they don't exist?
I feel cheated. I feel violated.
Did my Celtics win the title legitimately?
Did the cockroaches finally start wandering out of their hiding places once the proverbial lights were turned off by our esteemed Commish?
Did Stern not turn off the lights the minute he proclaimed Donaghy as a "rogue, isolated criminal'? Isn't that really saying—intentionally or not—"the coast is clear, critters!"?
Is Stern the one, lone, Pollyanna in this country who keeps responding to these spam emails from Benin?
Stern, for all intents and purposes, hears no evil and sees no evil.
Ignorance must be bliss.
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about 1 month ago
This is an unbelievable situation. I think it started with the Michael Jordan era and is actually ENCOURAGED by the commissioner. I admit that superstar personalities sell the league, but some credibility must remain with concern to referee objectivity. David Stern is to fixed NBA games as George Bush is to high gas prices.
from about 1 month ago
J-
Nothing shocks me anymore. The cheaters have taken over sports. It's one of the reasons why I am not a huge professional sports fan (although I do have some teams I love) , although college-level sports are starting to become like professional sports. UGH.
about 1 month ago
Great piece, Lisa! This articles sums up my feelings about the NBA to a tee.
about 1 month ago
Efrem-
My Celtics won and I am ticked! Was it legit? Were any teams' NC's in the last 15 years legit? I guess if everyone cheats, then they are...it's a level playing field when everybody cheats. How sad.
Thanks!
from about 1 month ago
I would call it legit from this point of view, David Stern and the NBA marketing division wanted Kobe to win and had to settle for Pierce, Garnett, and the boys.
about 1 month ago
Phog Allen responded to the 1950 CCNY basketball scandal by saying "you don't have to worry about who the players are seeing off campus as much as you have to worry about the men in the striped shirts". Why wouldn't it apply to the pro game?
about 1 month ago
Great read Lise... and as for the story... I'm not really shocked. If more comes out on this one, that's another big hit to the NBA. Gotta go, just saw another cockroach come out from its hiding place.
about 1 month ago
Looks like the MLB has a few roaches too.
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