Doing some poking around. Here is the copy of the actual letter:
http://assets.espn.go.com/media/pdf/080610/donaghy03.pdf
Things of note:
a) the timing of this is now explained -- the NBA apparently filed for $1million in compensation from Donaghy for the costs of their inevestigation, and this was Donaghy's retaliation. To make things worse apparently the sentencing guidelines have some provision whereby if Donaghy cannot pay the restitution (which he obviosuly can't) that it can mean additional prison time (which is odd), and a potential breakdown of the plea and shorter time he had negotiated with the feds. Hence a major revenge motive.
1) his source for the 2002 info is "Referee A". He claims that Referee A told him that Referee A and Referee F wanted to extend the series to 7 games. It would be very odd for a guy to come out and tell another ref, especially an unpopular one, that. But he does list a source rather than just the vague acusations. Of course also means that the feds should have easily had only three guys to directly question on the matter (who would of course all deny it).
2) he does not directly claim the NBA ordered the slant. Says the referees wanted the game 7. Does say the referees were "comapny men", hence suggeting they were working in the NBA's interests, but no direct allegation thta he knew it was the NBA directing things.
3) his claims of how the slant was accomplished -- phantom foul calls, ignoring fouls on the other end etc. -- certainly mesh wiht what many observers have always complained about int hat game. But its not clear where/how he would have learned about them, other than jsut watching as we all did. The claim seems to be that the ref spoke to him before the game happened, not after.
4) the "don't kick out a star" thing seems to apply to not throwing them out on technicals -- i..e why Duncan can whine on every single call and Kobe scream and wave his fists at refs wihtout reprecussion. Maybe also why when Joe threw Duncan out last year it was such a big deal to the NBA. Donaghy does not directly claim a preference in foul calling however.
5) interesting thing though, more interesting than the specific examples, are the claims of h9ow games would be manipulated. Other than the examples, not by somebody going muhahahaha, or clandestine backroom meetings with cuban cigars, but by the league sending out memos to watch for this foul call or that or similar subtle indications of the way they would like things to go. In Donaghy's world (both paranoid and vengeful slime throwing it should be noted) such things are picked up and correctly interpreted by a group of complicit refs seemingly all in on the general welfare of the league and willing to do their part. Throw in heaping does of nepotism, patronage, and cozy relationships between certain refs and certain team offocials and whatnot, and you have a fuzzy but plausible way that things happen. Not an explicit conspiracy (on a nightly basis) so much as a league where interpersonal relationships and interest influence basketball results.
. Come on, this is like the NBA giving the team they want to win a do-over until they finally win 1 on their own.
