Betting Odds - Graffiti - Podcast

Milwaukee, WI - Ryan Braun homered and drove in three runs, as the Milwaukee Brewers edged the San Francisco Giants, 7-5, in the conclusion of a three-game series at Miller Park.

Barry Bonds, sitting two home runs shy of Hank Aaron’s all-time record at 753, got the day off. He now has a good chance to break the record at home, as the Giants play the next seven games at AT&T Park, starting with a four-game set with Aaron’s Braves.

Corey Hart hit a two-run homer and J.J. Hardy knocked in two for Milwaukee, which avoided the sweep. Claudio Vargas (8-2) allowed three runs on five hits over six innings in a winning effort.

Opposing starter Barry Zito (7-10) yielded seven runs in 5 1/3 innings of work for the Giants, who have lost eight of 11. Omar Vizquel finished 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored, and Pedro Feliz homered.

A pair of homers in the first staked the Brewers to a 4-0 lead. Rickie Weeks doubled to lead off the inning, and was driven in a batter later when Braun belted Zito’s offering over the wall in left-center.

The sequence repeated itself, as Prince Fielder followed with a double before Hart stepped in a batter later and hit his 14th homer of the year.

The Giants got on the board in the third thanks to a defensive miscue. Vizquel’s hit was misplayed in the outfield, allowing Dave Roberts to score all the way from first with two outs.

Roberts and Vizquel added RBI singles in the fifth to slice the Brewers lead to 4-3.

Milwaukee, though, responded with three runs in the sixth to reclaim command. With the bases loaded and two out, Hardy singled to center to bring a pair home. Braun followed with a base hit that scored Craig Counsell for a 7-3 advantage.

Feliz’s leadoff homer in the seventh made it a three-run game, and Aurilia’s RBI groundout in the eighth brought the Giants within two. Francisco Cordero shut the door in the ninth, however, for his 31st save of the season.

Game Notes

With the long ball, Braun became the fastest Brewer in team history to reach 15 homers — needing just 50 at-bats…Hart entered the game in a 1-for-19 skid…Attendance was 42,554.

Washington, DC - Austin Kearns broke open a scoreless game with a three-run homer in the eighth and four Washington pitchers combined on a second consecutive shutout of the Colorado Rockies in the Nationals’ 3-0 win in the final contest of a four-game series at RFK Stadium.

The Nationals finally got on the board in the bottom of the eighth off Rockies reliever Jorge Julio (0-3). D’Angelo Jimenez singled to right and advanced to second on a passed ball. Julio then intentionally walked Ryan Zimmerman to get to Kearns, who drilled his sixth homer of the year, a shot over the left field wall.

Jon Rauch (5-2) earned the win pitching a scoreless eighth. Washington starter Tim Redding tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just five hits with two walks and one strikeout. Chad Cordero worked the ninth for his 19th save.

“They have a great lineup but we were able to keep them humble over a four- game series,” said Redding. “That’s pretty impressive.”

Kearns’ homer was his first in 53 games for the Nationals, who have won four of five and also posted a 3-0 win on Saturday.

“It was an upper-deck shot which means the power is still there,” said Washington manager Manny Acta. “We have to work on his hands but I think he is going to hit a few more homers this year.”

Josh Fogg pitched six scoreless frames, surrendering just three hits with three walks and one strikeout, for Colorado, which has lost three of four.

Todd Helton had two hits for the Rockies, who threatened in the fifth, seventh and eighth.

Brad Hawpe and Troy Tulowitzki began the fifth with back-to-back singles to right. After Yorvit Torrealba grounded into a fielder’s choice, Fogg laid down a sacrifice bunt, putting runners on second and third for Willy Taveras, who grounded out to end the frame

In the seventh, Garrett Atkins doubled to left and advanced to third on a passed ball. After Hawpe popped out and Tulowitzki grounded out, Torrealba walked, putting runners on first and third. Chris Booker, however, entered in relief and got pinch-hitter Ryan Spilborghs to strike out swinging to retire the side.

Rauch got out of a two-on, two-out jam in the top of the eighth. He walked Matt Holliday before Helton singled to right to put runners on the corners for Atkins. Rauch, though, induced Atkins to ground out to second, ending the threat.

Game Notes

Colorado has not scored in 20 innings and went 0-for-26 with runners in scoring position in the series…The back-to-back shutouts were the first for Washington since April 2-3 at Atlanta…The Rockies left 10 runners on base…Cordero recorded his 110th save with Washington which moved him past Mel Rojas for third in franchise history…Attendance was 21,793.

Detroit, MI - Brian Bannister allowed just four hits and one run in seven innings, leading Kansas City past Detroit, 5-2, in the rubber match of a three-game series at Comerica Park.

Bannister (6-6) fanned three and walked just one for his first win in his last three starts. Mark Grudzielanek went 4-for-5 with a double for the Royals, who have won four of five. Esteban German homered and had two hits, David DeJesus collected a pair of hits and drove in a run, while Reggie Sanders, Tony Pena and Emil Brown also knocked in a run each.

Nate Robertson (6-7) was battered on 11 hits and five runs — four earned — with five strikeouts and one walk over six-plus innings.

Craig Monroe belted his 11th home run for the AL Central-leading Tigers, who dropped two of three in the series. Magglio Ordonez accounted for the other run with an RBI double.

Down by four and with Octavio Dotel on to close out the game, Detroit finally showed some life, cutting their deficit to 5-2 in the ninth on a double by Ordonez to score Gary Sheffield, who led off with a walk. Although Carlos Guillen walked, Sean Casey popped out and Monroe struck out swinging, then pinch-hitter Ivan Rodriguez struck out swinging to end the game.

The Royals had three hits in the third but failed to score a run, which would haunt the visitors when Monroe broke the scoreless tie in the home half with a one-out solo homer to put the Tigers up 1-0.

Kansas City struck for two in the fourth to take the lead on Sanders’ RBI infield single and Pena’s one-out sacrifice fly.

It was 3-1 for the visitors in the sixth. Sanders led off with a walk, and went to third on a DeJesus double. Brown followed with a sac fly to plate Sanders.

German stretched the lead to 4-1 with a lead-off homer in the seventh, his first since May 5, and DeJesus put the Royals up by four later in the frame with an RBI single.

Game Notes

Despite the loss, the Tigers have won eight of the 12 meetings this season…The Royals took 4-of-6 on the road against division-leading Boston and Detroit, finishing their nine-game road trip 5-4…Grudzielanek was 9- for-15 in the series with two RBI…The Tigers have had at least one extra- base hit in 57 consecutive games…Detroit begins a five-game series with the White Sox in Chicago on Monday, while Kansas City opens a four-game home set with the Yankees also on Monday…Attendance 42,201.

New Kent, VA - Long-shot Red Giant caught Strike the Deal at the wire to capture Saturday’s 10th edition of the $1 million Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs. The time for the 1 1/4 miles on the turf was 1:59.62, a new track record.

Red Giant, ridden by Horacio Karamanos, was sent off as a 37-1 long-shot in the 10 horse field. The favorite was Louisiana Derby winner Circular Quay at 9-5. Strike a Deal, second here in the Colonial Cup, was the 9-2 third choice.

Setting the pace in the Virginia Derby was Inca King followed by Strike a Deal, Blazing Dynamo and Red Giant. Circular Quay was running ninth followed by the 4-1 second pick Duveen.

Around the turn for home Strike a Deal took the lead from Inca King and appeared to be safely in front. At the top of the stretch Strike a Deal, with jockey Ramon Dominguez, opened a two-length margin over the field.

Inside the furlong pole Red Giant began his move to the leader. The long-shot caught Strike a Deal with a 100 yards to run. The two colts battled to the wire and could not be separated at the finish.

The photo revealed that Red Giant won by a nose over Strike a Deal. Soldier’s Dancer was third with Colonial Cup champ Summer Doldrums fourth. Rounding out the order of finish was Blazing Dynamo, Circular Quay, Duveen, Love Dubai, Inca King and Top Cross.

The win by Red Giant gives trainer Todd Pletcher his second in this race. Pletcher saddled English Channel to victory two years ago. Pletcher also had Circular Quay and Top Cross in this year’s race.

The win was worth $600,000 to bring Red Giant’s career earnings to $712,410. The chestnut colt has won four of eight lifetime starts, the last five on the turf. He has won his last three starts including the Restoration Stakes last month at Monmouth Park.

Owned by Peachtree Stable, Red Giant broke the course and stakes record of 1:59.74 set last year by Go Between.

Red Giant returned $76.00, $28.00 and $10.20. Strike a Deal paid $5.60 and $3.40, and Soldier’s Dancer paid $9.20 to show.

In the companion Virginia Oaks, Eclipse Award winner Dreaming of Anna went wire-to-wire in winning the 1 1/8 mile turf race. Ridden by Eddie Baird, the three-year-old filly covered the distance in 1:47.38.

Sent off as the 3-1 third choice, the 2006 champion two-year-old filly paid $8.40 to win. New Edition was second followed by the 5-2 second pick Christmas Kid with the 2-1 favorite Bit of Whimsy finishing fourth in the 12 horse field.

Nurburg, Germany - Fernando Alonso out-drove Felipe Massa over the final laps and captured Sunday’s Grand Prix of Europe at the Nurburgring in Germany. The two-time World Champion crossed the finish line 8.1 seconds ahead of Massa.

The victory was Alonso’s third of the season and 13th of his Formula One career.

“The race was so exciting to drive and to watch,” said Alonso. “The rain helped us a lot, our car seems to perform in wet conditions.”

Winner of the last two events, Kimi Raikkonen, led the field into the first turn after winning the pole position on Saturday. But just as the green flag waved, rain drops began to fall and it caused havoc everywhere.

After the first lap all the cars pitted except for Raikkonen who slid past pit road and had to make a second lap. All other cars got their rain tires and by the time Raikkonen limped around to make his stop he had fallen all the way to seventh place.

Meanwhile, rookie Marcus Winkelhock, who got his bad weather tires before anyone else, was somehow the race leader.

On lap three six cars spun off the track including points leader Lewis Hamilton, and the safety car was sent out. Winkelhock had a 33.5-second lead but the cleanup was too much to do under race conditions and the red flag was brought out to suspend the race.

While the clean up was underway the rain stopped and the sun began to shine, though more rain was still possible.

Out of the race were Jenson Button, Adrian Sutil, Nico Rosberg, Scott Speed and Vitantonio Liuzzi, but Hamilton was able to restart his car and was still in the race.

After almost 25 minutes the safety car led the field around the circuit and two laps later the race went back to green.

As the green flag dropped, reality struck Winkelhock and both Massa and Alonso quickly passed him. Hamilton’s crew decided to “roll the dice” and went to dry tires, but he struggled over the still partially wet track.

Massa and Alonso began to pull away from third place Mark Webber as Winkelhock fell all the way to 16th place. By lap 11 the track had sufficiently dried and the teams all began to change over to dry tires.

Meanwhile, Hamilton set the fastest lap of the race and while everyone was on pit lane he made up the lap he lost during his spin off the track on lap three. Raikkonen was flying and slid into third place behind Massa and Alonso.

Massa opened up a 2.5-second lead on Alonso who was being challenged by Raikkonen. On lap 20 Hamilton set another fastest lap of the race, but he was still more than 80 seconds behind the leaders and 50 seconds out of a points position.

Massa continued to extend his lead. On lap 25 it was 4.8 seconds and at the halfway point the margin was 7.1 seconds. Third-place Raikkonen suddenly slowed on lap 34 and his day was done. The leader pitted for the final time with 24 laps remaining to be run.

Massa’s stop was a clean one and off he went as Alonso was still 7.6 seconds back. Still, Alonso didn’t quit and he slowly began to cut into the Brazilian’s big lead. It was just under six seconds with 15 laps to go. The margin was under five seconds (4.9) with 13 laps to go, but catching a driver and passing him are two entirely different things.

Nine laps still to run and it appeared that another rain storm was about to open up. In advance of this, Renault put Heikki Kovalainen on rain tires. If it would rain hard enough, the rookie would have a huge advantage over everyone else who were still on dry tires.

One lap later the rains came and the leaders pitted for new tires. Massa beat Alonso off pit road and was still the leader, but the gap was under two seconds. Alonso was right on Massa’s tail and with five laps to go he moved alongside Massa. Massa fought him off, but Alonso came back a second time and a third time and with five laps to go Alonso made a bold move for the lead. They touched slightly, but neither car was damaged as Alonso finally got around the Ferrari.

After the pass, Alonso simply pulled away from Massa and the race for the win was over.

“I like the rain, when it happens I am happy,” said Alonso.

Webber, Alex Wurz, David Coulthard, Nick Heidfeld, Robert Kubica and Kovalainen completed the points-scoring positions.

Alonso’s win pulled him to within two points of his McLaren teammate Hamilton (70-68), who finished ninth. Massa is in third place, 11 points behind Hamilton.

The next race is scheduled for Sunday, August 5th in Budapest, Hungary.

Carson, CA - The David Beckham era in the United States officially began on Saturday night as the midfielder walked onto the field of The Home Depot Center in the 78th minute of an international friendly between the Los Angeles Galaxy and Chelsea.

Beckham’s Galaxy fell to the English Premiership power, 1-0, but the sold-out crowd was just happy that it saw the international superstar make his Los Angeles debut.

Beckham, who was a game-time decision, did not start for Los Angeles because he was nursing an injured left ankle all week. He arrived to the stadium about 90 minutes before the game, and did not come out of the locker room until minutes before kickoff when he was swarmed by cameras on the bench.

With the Galaxy down 1-0, Beckham started warming up on the sidelines in the 65th minute. After getting loose and getting his ankle looked at by trainers, the flashbulbs went off as Beckham entered the match for Alan Gordon. Beckham played the final 13-plus minutes and had eight touches, including a corner kick in the last few seconds.

“I’m not fit,” said Beckham. “I haven’t trained since I got here, but it’s nice to be out there.”

Beckham’s ankle was swollen Monday, but the injury had improved slightly in the last few days since the it worsened when Beckham flew from England to the United States last week.

Beckham first injured the ankle playing for England in a Euro 2008 qualifying match on June 6. He aggravated the injury in his final game for Read Madrid.

Los Angeles needs a healthy Beckham before it returns to its Major League Soccer schedule on August 5, at Toronto FC. The Galaxy are fifth in the Western Conference - ahead of only Real Salt Lake.

He signed a five-year deal with L.A. worth $32.5 million, which will total nearly $250 million with endorsements.

Included in the crowd which came to see Beckham’s first game in a Galaxy uniform were Katie Holmes, Kevin Garnett, Eva Longoria, Sharon Stone, Drew Carey and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The sole goal of the game came in the 49th minute when John Terry blasted a one-timer from the top of the box down low.

Stuttgart, Germany - Rafael Nadal continued his amazing success on clay with a straight-set victory over Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka in the final of the Mercedes Cup.

The top-seeded Nadal was pushed by the unseeded Wawrinka, but still had enough to pull out a 6-4, 7-5 triumph for his sixth title of 2007 and the 23rd of his brilliant career. He also won this tournament in 2005.

Despite the straight-set scores, Wawrinka was ahead in both sets. Nadal had to win the last three games of the first set, then trailed 2-5 in the second before rallying to win the final five games.

Nadal has now won 93 of his last 94 matches on clay, with his only loss in that span a setback to world No. 1 Roger Federer in a final at Hamburg in May. Of course, Nadal avenged that setback a few weeks later by beating Federer in the French Open final for his third straight championship at Roland Garros.

This was the Spanish sensation’s first tournament since losing to Federer in the final at Wimbledon. Nadal improved to 18-1 lifetime in clay finals and 23-5 in finals on all surfaces.

Wawrinka was trying for his second career ATP title and first since capturing last year’s tournament in Umag. He was also a runner-up two years ago in Gstaad.

This was just the second meeting between the two, with Nadal also winning at this year’s Australian Open.

Carnoustie, Scotland - Padraig Harrington got a second chance and defeated Sergio Garcia in a playoff on Sunday to earn his first major at the British Open Championship at Carnoustie.

Harrington took the aggregate, four-hole playoff 15-16.

This was the first major championship for Harrington, who became the first European to win a major since Paul Lawrie titled here in 1999.

“That’s going to take a long time to sink in,” said Harrington. “I’ve come a long way. I haven’t proved anything, but I came a long way. I’m going to enjoy it.”

Harrington made a disastrous double-bogey on the 72nd hole in regulation, but Garcia followed him with a bogey at 18 to force the four-hole playoff to decide the title.

“I felt like I had a second chance when I went to the playoff,” acknowledged Harrington. “I really felt I’d have a good chance.”

Harrington took a commanding lead right away in the playoff. At the first, he hit his approach to eight feet, while Garcia drove into the right rough, then found the front bunker.

Garcia blasted out to 12 feet and missed the putt. Harrington sank his birdie try to lead, 3-5. Both parred the par-three 16th to allow Harrington to maintain his two-shot lead.

Harrington continued his fine form at the 17th. He found the fairway off the tee then hit a sensational approach to six feet. Garcia also landed in the short grass, but his second stopped 30 feet left of the stick.

Garcia narrowly missed his birdie effort, opening the door for Harrington to take a huge lead. But the Irishman came up short with his birdie try and the lead was still two shots on the 18th tee.

Harrington, who hit a driver into the burn en route to a double-bogey at 18 in regulation, pulled out a hybrid-club in the playoff and found the fairway. His ball did not get much roll, leaving him a long second shot.

Garcia hit driver and ended up in the left rough. Harrington laid up before Garcia’s second rolled to 28 feet. Harrington’s third fell outside of Garcia to about 30 feet, giving the Spaniard some hope.

Garcia just missed his birdie putt, and his par chance was farther than Harrington’s bogey putt. Garcia made his, then Harrington followed him for the claret jug.

“I’m thrilled,” said Harrington, who became the first Irishman from either side of the border to win this event since Northern Ireland’s Fred Daly in 1947. “I know a major means so much to Sergio. His time will come.”

For Garcia, his first major title eluded him again. He held sole possession of the lead after the first three rounds, and for the second year in a row, played in the final pairing on Sunday.

But Garcia extended his majorless streak in perhaps his best chance to date.

“I hit some good shots coming in,” said Garcia. “It is what it is.”

The conclusion to regulation conjured up the ghost of Jean van de Velde from 1999.

The last time Carnoustie hosted the Open Championship, Van de Velde squandered a three-shot lead on the 18th hole. He lost to Paul Lawrie in a playoff — and both competitors in this year’s extra session made a mess of 18 as well.

Harrington came to the 18th hole with a one-shot lead over Garcia, but his drive bounced twice on a bridge and fell into the burn. After a drop, Harrington hit his third into the burn short of the green on the left to drop another shot.

Harrington hit his fifth shot four feet past the hole and sank the double- bogey putt to post a seven-under-par total.

Garcia, now with a one-shot lead, hit an iron down the fairway at 18 after a long delay from Harrington’s miscues two groups ahead. He waited several more minutes as the raker tended to the traps that both Chris DiMarco and Paul McGinley found in the group ahead.

“I had to wait 15 minutes in the fairway, which doesn’t help when you’re trying to win the British Open,” admitted Garcia.

Garcia’s second found a bunker short and left. He blasted out to six feet and had that putt to win his first major championship.

Garcia missed the putt and then headed with Harrington to the four-hole playoff, tied at seven-under-par 277.

Harrington fired a four-under 67 on Sunday, while Garcia managed a two-over 73.

Harrington earned his 12th European Tour win and his third PGA Tour victory.

Andres Romero held a two-shot lead on the back nine Sunday, but double-bogeyed 17 and bogeyed 18. Over his final 11 holes, Romero collected seven birdies, two double-bogeys, and two bogeys and finished alone in third place in only his third major at minus-six.

Richard Green matched the Open Championship record at Carnoustie with a seven- under 64 on Sunday. He tied for fourth with 2002 winner Ernie Els, who shot a two-under 69, at five-under-par 279.

Tiger Woods never mounted a charge on Sunday. He shot a one-under 70 and tied for 12th place in his bid to become the first player to win three straight claret jugs since Peter Thomson from 1954-56.

“The golf course, it kicked my butt this week,” said Woods. “I wasn’t as sharp as I needed to be all week. I thought I was putting great, but I couldn’t get myself close enough all week.”

The back nine on Sunday was a wild scene. Three different players traded the lead, and on some holes there were four-shot swings.

Garcia began the final round with a three-shot lead over Steve Stricker.

Garcia let everyone back into the mix, though, starting with a bogey at the fifth. He had a five-foot birdie look at the sixth, but blew that putt four feet past. Garcia made that putt, but Stricker missed a birdie try from three feet to try and close the gap. That failed attempt was similar to the third when Stricker failed to capitalize from a similar length.

Garcia’s second at seven went through the green, and the Spaniard did not hit his chip hard enough. He left himself with 12 feet for par and missed that putt to drop to minus-eight for the championship.

Romero holed out from a bunker at 11 to get to minus-seven. Garcia’s tee ball at the par-three eighth missed right and he chipped to eight feet. The leader after each of the first three rounds, Garcia missed that putt to fall into a tie with Romero at seven-under par.

Romero might have felt some pressure being in a tie for the lead at that point. His second at the 12th went well right of target and landed in a gorse bush. Romero took an unplayable and made double-bogey to fall two back.

Harrington only trailed by two at that point and rolled in a 12-foot birdie putt at nine to get to minus-six. He stuffed his approach to three feet to set up a birdie at 11 that tied him with Garcia at seven-under par.

Romero atoned for his error at 12 with a 10-foot birdie putt at the 13th and was within one of the lead. Garcia knocked his approach to four feet to set up birdie at 10, but left the putt short.

Romero continued his rebound with a seven-foot birdie putt at 14 to join Harrington and Garcia in the lead.

Harrington’s 25-foot birdie try for the lead at 12 horseshoed out of the hole.

The amazing run of Romero continued at 15, where he drained a 15-foot birdie putt to take the lead at minus-eight. At the par-three 16th, Romero hit a spectacular three-iron 20 feet short of the stick and converted that birdie putt to reach nine-under par and go two clear.

The next turn of events in the crazy final round came when Romero made a horrible decision to hit a two-iron out of the rough on 16. His ball went out of bounds, and he walked off with a double-bogey to drop to minus-seven.

Harrington’s second at 14 headed left, but bounced to 20 feet. He sank the eagle putt to move to nine-under par, one clear of Garcia. The Spaniard answered with a nine-footer for birdie at 14 and the pair was knotted at minus-nine.

Romero fell out of the race with a double-bogey at 17 and a bogey at 18, essentially making it a two-player race.

Harrington hit a spectacular tee shot to the 250-yard, par-three 16th, however his six-footer stayed above ground. Garcia could not save par at the 15th when he hit an iron off the tee and left himself 268 yards to the flag at the par- four hole.

Garcia fell one back and hit an indifferent shot into the 16th green. His ball stopped short and left and he putted up to two feet. Garcia made par, but had a stroke to make up on the final two holes.

That’s when both fell apart on 18.

“I don’t think I was the player destined to win,” said Harrington. “I’m a worker. I never had the emotional high of winning until I holed that (last) putt.”

Stewart Cink (70) and Hunter Mahan (65) shared sixth at minus-four.

Ben Curtis, the 2003 champion, posted a six-under 65 and tied for eighth place with Mike Weir (70), K.J. Choi (71) and the player who began the final round in second, Steve Stricker (74). That group came in at minus-three.

New York, NY - Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy is under investigation by the FBI for allegedly betting on and fixing games that he worked during the past two seasons, in a gambling scam that reportedly involved members of the organized crime community in New York.

The New York Post broke the potentially earth-shattering story on Friday, saying that the year-long investigation included one NBA referee who allegedly was making calls to affect the outcome of the games he worked — ensuring that the referee and those involved with the scam profited from the result.

Later Friday afternoon, numerous media sources reported Donaghy as the referee in question.

The Philadelphia area native allegedly had a gambling problem, and fell into debt with bookies that had mob ties. Games were allegedly fixed during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons, the Post said. The story also reported that the number of games affected are in the double digits.

After Donaghy’s name surfaced, NBA commissioner David Stern issued a brief statement.

“As we previously stated, we have been cooperating with the FBI in their investigation of allegations that a single NBA referee bet on NBA games that he officiated,” Stern said. “As part of that cooperation, we were asked by the Government not to comment about the investigation, but in light of the widespread press coverage and the naming of the referee, Tim Donaghy, we consider it appropriate to make a fuller statement.

“We would like to assure our fans that no amount of effort, time or personnel is being spared to assist in this investigation, to bring to justice an individual who has betrayed the most sacred trust in professional sports, and to take the necessary steps to protect against this ever happening again. We will have more to say at a press conference that will be scheduled for next week.”

By Warren Blatt, NBA Editor

It doesn’t get much worse than this. Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy is under investigation by the FBI for allegedly betting on and fixing games that he worked during the past two seasons.

The FBI is looking into whether Donaghy, reportedly as part of a gambling scam involving organized crime members in New York, made game-changing or score- altering calls. Wow! This is just bad for the league and professional sports.

Commissioner David Stern has had to deal with plenty of difficult situations, but this is completely different. He has handed down harsh suspensions to players for not obeying the rules on the court, including the infamous brawls between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers on November 19, 2004 at The Palace of Auburn Hills, and the spat that broke out between the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks this past season at Madison Square Garden.

And let’s not forget the suspensions handed down to Boris Diaw and Amare Stoudemire of the Phoenix Suns during their conference semifinal series against the San Antonio Spurs during this year’s playoffs.

These incidents involved players losing their cool during games and behaving inappropriately. There is no excuse for going into the stands and confronting fans or for leaving the bench when something happens on the court.

Players need to control their emotions no matter what the circumstances are. They are expected to act in a respectful manner and project a positive image of the franchise and league that they represent. That doesn’t always happen, of course.

While fights on the court are embarrassing to the league’s image and show an ugly side of the NBA’s players, Stern is able to deal with these situations and puts out the fire by handing down harsh suspensions and fines.

Fans want to see the best players in the league do their thing on the court, and decide the outcome of a contest because of the natural ability. They eventually forgive the fighting or derogatory quotes after a heated contest. After all, athletes are humans and sometimes they lose their cool in a heated moment.

Stern and the league are now involved in a different kind of mess. Where there’s smoke there is usually fire. If the alleged accusations against Donaghy prove to be true, the NBA’s integrity will be ruined. Recovering from a scandal like this would take a very long time. The lasting effects will almost certainly prove to be devastating.

Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are some of the superstars fans will pay to see. Fans want someone on their favorite team to hit a game-winning three at the buzzer or to block a possible game- winning shot by the other team’s best player in the final seconds. No one wants to see a referee make a call that costs a team a game or changes the score of a game, especially an official that has an ulterior motive.

Officials make errors as well. They miss calls because, quite frankly, they are not perfect — but to make a bad call to protect one’s outside interests? That is corruption and there is no place for it in any kind of sports.

This investigation is devastating. There is no other way to describe it. Some of the most talented athletes in the world play in the NBA, and it could be a former referee who tarnishes the league for a long, long time.