“Man, did I f*** my life up!”
You said it, Tim.
One week after Netflix’s UNTOLD sports documentary series gave us ‘The Rise and Fall of AND1’, we now get to see the NBA’s other black eye, next to the history of the ‘Malice at the Palace‘.
‘Operation Flagrant Foul’, named after the FBI investigation into former NBA referee Tim Donaghy and his co-conspirators betting on games he officiated, will throw you through a loop.
And it may just rock the hoops world, again.
This is the one doc the NBA doesn’t want you to see. Not wanting to reopen old wounds when it comes to this scandal, they offered a simple statement in response, to tell UNTOLD like it is.
“Tim Donaghy is a conflicted felon.”
But the show is not over, as this episode blows the whistle on this dark chapter on court…with the actual ref himself.
An official who at capacity was making 400k a year in basketball. Driving sports cars and living large in a house he paid for. His nest egg could have provided for his children’s children, down the road. But then it all cracked. Under the pressure of one man’s greed.
Tim Donaghy liked to gamble. Hey, even the GOAT did. But when Donaghy left it all out on the floor he was supposed to control beyond the baseline, he crossed the line. The very man who was in charge of laying down the law on the hardwood broke all the rules.
In Donaghy’s debut game in the association, he made a controversial call against Indiana Pacers legend Reggie Miller. Saying he fouled Houston Rockets great Hakeem Olajuwon on an offensive play. The court turned into an ice hockey rink. Many thought that ruling would already be his job. Until they reviewed the tape. Good call. He was exactly right.
That sort of integrity should have carried over. But after giving some tips to betting friends based on players or other referees tells and traits, this foul became personal. Especially when Tim claims some put the squeeze on him. Threatening to rat him out to the league, or pay his family a visit in Florida.
Soon, Donaghy would actually be in control of the game he put cash on. Betting on over 100 games with friends and who knows who else. Whatever he made won’t be enough to pay back all that he’s done. That’s for sure.
Those in his gambling syndicate nicknamed him Elvis. Because he was “the King of fixing games.”. But when this referee Presley left the building, he got fatter than cats in Vegas. All until his bubble burst. And now you’ll never see Tim Donaghy in another NBA arena, ever again. Although, he does give video tips on games and talks about his mistakes like a ‘Wolf Of Wall Street’.
Tim Donaghy has also refereed pro-wresting. How fitting.
But this disgraced official is willing to admit most of his mistakes in a reflective and compelling narrative that never quite reaches redemption.
But what of the NBA?
The league recently signed a sports betting deal with MGM, wanting to put their dark days behind them, permanently and legally. They were more than happy for Donaghy to fall on his whistle. But the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s playbook tells us they were drawing up a case that went all the way to the top, too.
Right before, someone leaked the story to the press and the case was a bust.
With that being said, and with respect to the late David Stern. The former commissioner can not defend himself. Even though the league has issued a statement of denial.
Not throwing in the towel and sticking to his story, Tim insists in his own innocence that he didn’t throw any games. Even though, lawyers maintain his judgment would have at the very least been impaired when it came to calling games he had money riding on.
His ex-wife says he’ll take that secret, or lie to the grave.
The poster for this documentary shows Donaghy with a whistle in his mouth, looking like babies dummy. Intentional? Was Tim’s gambling and officiating going hand-in-hand?
No matter what the operation, we call foul play. And there’s still plenty more to be told when it comes to this flagrant offence.
But who will go on record, and who will swallow their whistle?
