This Sunday's 60 Minutes episode on CBS featured a long interview with NBA-banned and disgraced referee Tim Donaghy. As you would expect from a 60 Minutes interview it's extremely high quality and incredibly intriguing. Particularly striking was the bit about the refs conspiring against Allen Iverson.
The entire video segment after the jump.
Part 1
Part II
Web Extra
Special Treatment- Former NBA player Doug Christie had to be careful when he played against Kobe Bryant!
Thanks to our man Peter Bean for the heads up on SBNation.com's NBA section (seriously bookmark and check it on the regular).
Let's put aside Donaghy's personal drama and broaden the scope here (not that his story isn't pretty jaw dropping). Whether it's right or not there's no other major sports officiating that gets the widespread and constant censure that the NBA does. Part of me is willing to give NBA refs the benefit of the doubt. It's a fast paced game and to put it simply- refin' ain't easy. What looks so obvious in the replays isn't always obvious in real time.
But then part of me just can't forget that Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals between the LA Lakers and Sacramento Kings. There's just something funny about that game that will always leave a funny trace in my memory. Even Ralph Nader thought so. Come to think of it Game 7 of that series felt a little funny too.
What are your thoughts on officiating the NBA? Is it unfairly getting a bad rap? Or is there something shady happening around the association beyond just Donaghy?