http://www.sacbee.com/100/story/290617.html
Ailene Voisin: Cutting ties with Vegas is a must
By Ailene Voisin - Bee Columnist
Published 12:00 am PDT Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C3
David Stern told us much of what we already knew. We already knew the NBA commissioner was shaken, that his league was mired in the worst crisis of his 23-year stewardship thanks to a rogue referee who gambled away his fortune and his future, along with the integrity of the NBA. Stern also conceded the obvious: that there is no quick fix.
How does one regain trust in a cheating spouse? Convince the public that the game's competitive fabric can be repaired?
Stern's leadership abilities are being challenged as never before, and depending upon the degree of damage and length of recovery process, his legacy as one of the most effective professional sports commissioners either will be erased or etched in cement.
But the details can wait.
Stern needs to act now.
While the FBI continues its investigation into Tim Donaghy's betting habits, specifically whether the veteran referee gambled on NBA games and shared information with others for the purpose of improving their odds, Stern should respond with a forceful, symbolic gesture. Strike at the heart of the matter, at the very mecca of gaming. Divorce his league from Las Vegas, placing an immediate chill on what has become an increasingly warm, cozy relationship.
No more exhibition games. No more Olympic-qualifying tournaments. No more summer-league competitions. No more selling franchises to casino owners -- the Maloofs and other owners with existing casino ties are exempt -- and absolutely no more conversations with Mayor Oscar Goodman about the possibility of locating a franchise in southern Nevada.
Further, while NBA referees are banned from casinos, during the season the same rule should apply to coaches, players and team personnel. (The NCAA might think about this as well; its highest-profile coaches are frequent visitors to the craps tables.)
Just applying a little logic here. (A) Las Vegas exists because of gaming. (B) The NBA exists because of the games. Pairing these elements in the same city is an insanely dangerous, potentially fatal liaison. The combination essentially projects the league and the gambling industry as a nurturing couple -- a crippling perception at a time when the league must be obsessed with repairing its image and reputation.
True, Nevada expertly regulates its gaming industry. And true, this current mess involves illegal betting that took place far from Las Vegas.
Nor is this an indictment of a cultural shift that acknowledges gambling as an insidious, yet socially acceptable form of entertainment. High-stakes poker games are televised on ESPN. The NCAA Tournament pools appeal to sports fans and non-sports fans alike.
Rather, the problem is one of guilt by association: You spend time in Las Vegas, therefore you gamble, or are exposed to gambling and all its entrapments. The concern is that those involved in a sport, say from Pete Rose, to the culprits nabbed in the recent Italian soccer scandal, and now, to at least one NBA referee who allegedly functioned covertly for a number of years, are afforded inside information and the accompanying temptation to corrupt.
Stern's longstanding reservations about Las Vegas suddenly appear prescient. As he related during a 70-minute TV news conference Tuesday, his demeanor understandably somber, his words and delivery more deliberate than usual, he was a young lawyer working with the New York District Attorney's prosecution of Jack Molinas for fixing NBA games in the late 1950s. "This is something that is the worst thing that could happen to a professional sports league," Stern acknowledged.
Asked the impact of the Donaghy incident on prospects for a franchise in Las Vegas, Stern said: "I don't know. A meeting of our committee on that subject which was scheduled for Monday ... and I canceled the meeting, not out of any rational response, but my feeling about it was, it was not something I wanted to juxtapose, and I think in the course of the summer, we'll think about that as well."
Think hard. Think long about Las Vegas. The league can't approve wiretaps and 24-hour surveillance. There are limits on intrusiveness, even for billionaire owners and their boss. Stern noted that the league annually hires former FBI, CIA and New York City detectives to conduct annual background checks on its referees, the queries delving into credit reports, bank accounts, civil and criminal histories and property interests. Frighteningly, a previous investigation prompted by Donaghy's legal history failed to substantiate reports of his gambling practices in Atlantic City.
"What we have said to our players is what we have said to our fans," Stern said. "We're going to do the right thing here by a combination of disclosure, self-analysis and determination ... and it's not about fear. The only fear I have is not making good on the covenant to do whatever is necessary."
About the writer: Reach Ailene Voisin at (916) 321-1208 or avoisin@sacbee.com.
Ailene Voisin: Cutting ties with Vegas is a must
By Ailene Voisin - Bee Columnist
Published 12:00 am PDT Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C3
David Stern told us much of what we already knew. We already knew the NBA commissioner was shaken, that his league was mired in the worst crisis of his 23-year stewardship thanks to a rogue referee who gambled away his fortune and his future, along with the integrity of the NBA. Stern also conceded the obvious: that there is no quick fix.
How does one regain trust in a cheating spouse? Convince the public that the game's competitive fabric can be repaired?
Stern's leadership abilities are being challenged as never before, and depending upon the degree of damage and length of recovery process, his legacy as one of the most effective professional sports commissioners either will be erased or etched in cement.
But the details can wait.
Stern needs to act now.
While the FBI continues its investigation into Tim Donaghy's betting habits, specifically whether the veteran referee gambled on NBA games and shared information with others for the purpose of improving their odds, Stern should respond with a forceful, symbolic gesture. Strike at the heart of the matter, at the very mecca of gaming. Divorce his league from Las Vegas, placing an immediate chill on what has become an increasingly warm, cozy relationship.
No more exhibition games. No more Olympic-qualifying tournaments. No more summer-league competitions. No more selling franchises to casino owners -- the Maloofs and other owners with existing casino ties are exempt -- and absolutely no more conversations with Mayor Oscar Goodman about the possibility of locating a franchise in southern Nevada.
Further, while NBA referees are banned from casinos, during the season the same rule should apply to coaches, players and team personnel. (The NCAA might think about this as well; its highest-profile coaches are frequent visitors to the craps tables.)
Just applying a little logic here. (A) Las Vegas exists because of gaming. (B) The NBA exists because of the games. Pairing these elements in the same city is an insanely dangerous, potentially fatal liaison. The combination essentially projects the league and the gambling industry as a nurturing couple -- a crippling perception at a time when the league must be obsessed with repairing its image and reputation.
True, Nevada expertly regulates its gaming industry. And true, this current mess involves illegal betting that took place far from Las Vegas.
Nor is this an indictment of a cultural shift that acknowledges gambling as an insidious, yet socially acceptable form of entertainment. High-stakes poker games are televised on ESPN. The NCAA Tournament pools appeal to sports fans and non-sports fans alike.
Rather, the problem is one of guilt by association: You spend time in Las Vegas, therefore you gamble, or are exposed to gambling and all its entrapments. The concern is that those involved in a sport, say from Pete Rose, to the culprits nabbed in the recent Italian soccer scandal, and now, to at least one NBA referee who allegedly functioned covertly for a number of years, are afforded inside information and the accompanying temptation to corrupt.
Stern's longstanding reservations about Las Vegas suddenly appear prescient. As he related during a 70-minute TV news conference Tuesday, his demeanor understandably somber, his words and delivery more deliberate than usual, he was a young lawyer working with the New York District Attorney's prosecution of Jack Molinas for fixing NBA games in the late 1950s. "This is something that is the worst thing that could happen to a professional sports league," Stern acknowledged.
Asked the impact of the Donaghy incident on prospects for a franchise in Las Vegas, Stern said: "I don't know. A meeting of our committee on that subject which was scheduled for Monday ... and I canceled the meeting, not out of any rational response, but my feeling about it was, it was not something I wanted to juxtapose, and I think in the course of the summer, we'll think about that as well."
Think hard. Think long about Las Vegas. The league can't approve wiretaps and 24-hour surveillance. There are limits on intrusiveness, even for billionaire owners and their boss. Stern noted that the league annually hires former FBI, CIA and New York City detectives to conduct annual background checks on its referees, the queries delving into credit reports, bank accounts, civil and criminal histories and property interests. Frighteningly, a previous investigation prompted by Donaghy's legal history failed to substantiate reports of his gambling practices in Atlantic City.
"What we have said to our players is what we have said to our fans," Stern said. "We're going to do the right thing here by a combination of disclosure, self-analysis and determination ... and it's not about fear. The only fear I have is not making good on the covenant to do whatever is necessary."
About the writer: Reach Ailene Voisin at (916) 321-1208 or avoisin@sacbee.com.
