Do you believe Tim Donaghy?

Former NBA referee, Tim Donaghy, will soon plead guilty to fixing basketball games for profit. Before he signs his name on the dotted line of purgatory he is making strong claims that he's not the only guilty member of the NBA. Donaghy asserts that other referees called games under ulterior motives, mainly that NBA front office officials instructed refs to call games certain ways. Donaghy argues that games were skewed and called certain ways to ensure that more popular teams and team owners won important playoff games.

My heart goes out to NBA fans. No fan should have to go through mental questions of whether or not your favorite sport is fixed. No fan wants to think that his or her sports heroes are rendered useless because they can't win unless the league allows them to. No fans should have to question his or her love and devotion to a player, team, or sport.

I hope these allegations are proved to be false. I also hope that this is a phenomenon pertaining solely to the NBA. I would hate to think the NFL also wants to fix games to allow more popular teams to win games. The one game that comes to mind in short memory would have to be the Ravens vs. Patriots on Monday Night Football, December 3, 2007. Obviously I am biased, but the calls at the end of the game were blatantly in the Patriots favor.