A couple hoops notes, because you care, you really do ...- Please go read Sports On My Mind's take if you're interested in the fallout from jailbird-to-be ex-NBA ref's Tim Donaghy's charges against the league. SOMM's argument is that many media accounts are ignoring the obvious -- court documents show it was Donaghy who, through his legal counsel, contacted the feds in the U.S. in 2007, before he was the target of any investigation.
It's convenient to believe this is just the case of someone's mouth being opened by the spectre of the hanging rope.
NBA commish David Stern has played it that way since Donaghy is just a month away from being sentenced.
The possibility this does go way deeper than Tim Donaghy -- is the historical analog to Donald Sergetti? -- is hard to get your mind wrapped around. As noted, serious hoops nuts probably aren't going to dissuaded from watching the NBA next season. It'll be a great parlour game trying to figure out if the game you're watching is on the level.
Meantime, keep in mind that all the holier-than-thous who will soon be saying "See! This is why I don't watch the NBA!" are probably unshakeable in their belief that this could, never ever happen in the NFL. Never mind that there's much more money wagered on pro football and that the NFL still doesn't have full-time officials.
(Kissing Suzy Kolber captured this in a parody earlier this week.) - No doubt a few tinfoil-hatters noticed that in the wake of Donaghy's charges, the free-throw attempts were about even between the Celtics and Lakers last night. (L.A. took 29 free throws, Boston shot 28.) That helped make it possible for the visiting team to make an epic comeback -- and the home team to have an epic collapse.
- Here's hoping that the nickname Eddie House was given by his teammates with the Phoenix Suns two years ago, Edward Shooter Hands, gets wider circulation. House, who hit a couple big threes in in the fourth-quarter Celtics comeback, typifies that guy every basketball team has, the one who never met a shot he didn't like and remains convinced of his ability even when others are dubious. Back in 2004-05, House was cut by the expansion Charlotte Bobcats and told, "We don't think you're a NBA player" Now he's one win from a championship ring.
(Jack McCallum's book on the Suns, 7 Seconds Or Less, is the source for the nickname and the quote.) - Talk about your "blind pig, acorn" moments:
"... the Celtics signing James Posey a couple days ago should be cause for concern among Raptors fans for this season. He gives the Celtics the glue guy they didn't have; Miami might not have won the title in 2006 without him; he can make some shots to help turn around a playoff game when nothing else is working.
-- Aug. 28, 2007Posey had 19 points off the bench last night.
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