Don't Blame Stern for Helping the Feds

by DNL

Here's the gist of the argument du jour of how incompetent David Stern is:

One: The FBI was investigating Tim Donaghy.

Two: The FBI told the NBA this.

Three: The NBA, therefore, knew that every game Donaghy officiated was at risk.

Four: The NBA did not suspend Donaghy, even given this suspicion.

Five: Therefore, David Stern is a moron.

Part five is a common reaction. And it's wrong. Why? Because suspending Donaghy -- or even limiting his games -- could have soured the investigation. While NBA fans are, rightfully, upset that a crooked ref could have affected their team's chances, imagine how upset the FBI would have been if their trial went cold; or worse, if that ref "disappeared".

Blame the NBA for allowing this to get to the point that it got to, but don't blame the league -- or its commmissioner -- for letting the FBI do its job.

IbeargRed-Shirting

361 days ago

Score 1

assuming stern knew it was Donaghy being investigated at the time, and legally he would not have run into trouble by not putting him on playoff games (which i assume both are the case but we don't know for sure). then what is sterns priority, helping the FBI investigation or protecting the integrity of the league and the playoffs? Last i checked he was NBA commissioner, not an FBI agent, as long as his acts do not directly obstruct justice his duty should be to protect the integrity of the NBA

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DNLLegend

361 days ago

Score 1

"legally he would not have run into trouble by not putting him on playoff games" is, probably, not true. The FBI wouldn't have told Stern about the investigation unless they required his cooperation, and "required" (not "cooperation") is the key word there.

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JuTMSY4Hall of Famer

361 days ago

Score 0

Well, the timing of each incident is crucial...

if stern suspends Donaghy at some point while "cooperating" then its obstuction of justice....Donaghy is just the "trigger man" and the FBI, most likely, is looking to grab the boys at the top and not so poor idiot ref...

So, if the FBI in, say october, told the NBA they were investigating Donaghy and stern suspends him...what happens?

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