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12th man to Cricket legend. It's a cricket book for cricket lovers only.
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***
On Monday, July 23, 2007, a New York Post columnist suddenly reported on an FBI investigation into allegations of NBA referees betting on games and manipulating point spreads.
The article pointed the finger at referee Tim Donaghy, claiming with certainty that he had been in contact with low-level gang associates to formulate gambling schemes.
Not only during the 2006-07 season, but Tim Donaghy was also revealed to have been betting for many years, and even more alarmingly, he was not the only one involved in the gambling.
The relevant articles appeared in the newspapers in the morning, and by less than 10 AM, the Referees' Union and the NBA Board of Governors had both issued statements, with David Stern being the first to release a public statement:
"We want to assure our fans that the league is working tirelessly to assist in this investigation."
"We will bring to justice those who betray the most sacred trust in professional sports and take necessary measures to prevent this from happening again."
Regarding this statement, major sports media outlets were in an uproar, and relevant sports commentators were also surprised.
David Stern did not deny it, as the FBI had indeed provided conclusive evidence.
Suddenly, another reason for the decline of the NBA appeared: no wonder the vast majority of current players were underperforming.
The basketball environment had problems!
ESPN's programs also followed up with reports immediately.
The Referees' Union did not come out to deny it, and the NBA admitted that someone had placed bets, which was undoubtedly fatal for professional sports.
At noon, on New York's radio program WEPN, Stephen A. Smith became the first commentator to speak out, and he also invited a well-known sports radio personality from neighboring Philadelphia to comment together.
From 12 PM to 2 PM on weekdays, New York fans who enjoyed sports would not miss this old entertainment program.
And today's content did not disappoint; as soon as the program began, Stephen A. Smith made a grand statement.
He did not deny the "referee scandal" but rather commented meaningfully:
"When I saw the New York Post this morning, I was very shocked."
"Afterward, when I saw that Mr. David Stern did not deny it, I began to think deeply, and then I felt incredibly fortunate."
"If the referees really manipulated games, then this situation could never happen to the New York Knicks!"
Stephen A. Smith, who suddenly emphasized his tone, paused, and then passionately shouted:
"The reason is simpleâGod Lee! These years, we don't need the referees' care. The New York Knicks have already proven their dominance."
"Think about the playoffs these past few years. We would have more revenue if we played more games, and we longed to see the awards ceremony at Madison Square Garden, but the result was still 16:0."
"The New York Knicks have dominated the Eastern Conference. In the face of absolute strength, even referees trying to manipulate games have no power!"
"28-foot three-pointer! Near 2go, BANG! Clay Lee hits the shot again, and the game is over!"
"âŚ"
Inside the studio, 52-year-old Mike Misnanelli helplessly watched his partner's passionate speech.
He had always been responsible for ESPN's broadcasts in Philadelphia, and whenever these three-pointers were mentioned, he would recall painful games.
Wearing headphones, Misnanelli tidied his somewhat graying brown short hair and nudged Stephen A. Smith, who was starting to stray from the topic.
The latter then stopped bragging, still not having had enough.
"Stephen is right. Although there are some things I don't want to say, the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference playoffs these past few years truly didn't need any favors."
"As for point spreads and score control, I can't comment on those. Most of the games we've seen are fair and just."
"As a fan, I am very angry to see such a scandal! Among the four major sports leagues, the NBA is declining. This isn't because Clay Lee wins too much, but because the environment has problems."
"I have great respect for the Lakers, but now I'm starting to doubt the Finals back then. Sacramento fans have always complained, and perhaps in the future, we will see the truth."
Misnanelli pointed the finger at the Western Conference, and Stephen A. Smith also began to speak sarcastically, saying what New York fans loved to hear:
"For the past few years, people have been slandering our championship. They call their incompetence purity and love."
"And the facts prove that only New York basketball is the purest!"
"In a basketball mecca like Madison Square Garden, we can enjoy the performance brought by Clay Lee, who possesses the highest basketball skills on Earth!"
"Those losers should thank Lee. They might not even know who fans buy tickets to see!"
Misnanelli's eyes twitched slightly.
The 76ers' box office decline was all thanks to Clay Lee.
Everyone had no interest in watching Allen Iverson miss shots.
Now he only hoped that Joakim Noah, whom the team drafted this year, could realize his talent.
After the radio program aired, it once again caused a strong reaction.
That evening, sports reporters from Los Angeles accused Stephen A. Smith of slander.
However, when New York fans saw the reaction from Los Angeles, they were delighted.
Reddit once again became a cloud battlefield for fans to argue remotely, and ESPN and Yahoo Sports' follow-up reports also fanned the flames.
By the next day, New York commentators had already stripped the Lakers of their only championship, and the name "thieves" was completely confirmed in the eyes of the fans.
On Wednesday, July 25, in less than two days, the scandal successfully broke out of the usual circles.
Congressman Bobby Rush of Illinois, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, requested David Stern to meet with him publicly.
At the same time, the Black congressman also issued an open letter, the content of which was particularly stern, calling this big news "one of the most damaging scandals in American sports history."
The next day, the New York Daily News immediately reported that Tim Donaghy had surrendered to the FBI and confessed to the gambling charges.
The gambling company in the scandal involved two of Donaghy's classmates and a low-level gang organization.
Soon, the Associated Press also revealed that the lawyer of one of them had informed them that his client would definitely be prosecuted.
Some NBA players also immediately gloated.
Rasheed Wallace actively accepted an interview with a Detroit sports reporter:
"I've said it before, this guy has problems! He's always trying to interfere with the game!"
"In '03, I did insult him, but I never said anything to threaten him. I'm a basketball player. I know what I should be doing on the court."
"At that time, I was suspended for 7 games, damn it! This was the league's heaviest penalty. Many people thought I was penalized for drug and violence involvement, but that was all Donaghy's slander."
After the first shot was fired, many players who had suffered losses came forward to speak out, and an academic report even showed that referees had biases against non-white players.
As for what constitutes "non-white"?
For white referees, anyone not white is considered "non-white."
By Thursday, the situation escalated, and the real reason for the NBA's decline seemed to have been found.
The head of the Referees' Union, Lamell McMorris, had to step forward and speak out:
"We must unite. The league's brand is being damaged."
When news broke that more than half of the league officials were involved in betting, President David Stern was once again questioned.
With league officials all being gambling addicts, fans who liked to bet were furious.
Such behavior was clearly blatant exploitation!
That evening, TNT's program naturally followed the hot topic.
Compared to "Lee fan" Stephen A. Smith, Charles Barkley continued to refine his "star quality theory":
"I believe anyone who loves basketball is very disappointed to see this news!"
"Superstars get preferential treatment from the referees. No one denies that, but trying to manipulate games is truly unacceptable to me."
"Right now, I don't want to discuss the NBA's work. The reason for this situation is still the players' lack of ability. They can't deliver exciting games for the fans."
"Facts prove once again that even with extra help, basketball doesn't lie. Clay Lee's dominance is far beyond our imagination!"
Charles Barkley was grinning widely, boasting.
His words implied that Clay Lee often played 5-on-8 and still managed to win.
Sometimes, the NBA would extend a series for ratings, but this never worked with the New York Knicks.
Their victories were always overwhelming.
The only thing that could be questioned was the point spread, as Lee often checked out by the third quarter, which was the only aspect the referees could manipulate.
Ernie Johnson found it difficult to comment on his old partner's words.
The environment was indeed problematic, but at this point, their task was to "protect the brand."
"In early August, the Brooklyn Federal Court will issue a verdict on the betting scandal. Without more information, we shouldn't make blind judgments."
"As for past Finals, I believe there were no issues with the officiating. Clay Lee's performance was enough to render any intentional officiating useless."
"This year, in his four Finals games, his true shooting percentage was 79%. Against such a performance, no team in the NBA could stand a chance against the New York Knicks."
With a 70% two-point field goal percentage and a 50% three-point field goal percentage, even with referees adding drama, most players couldn't achieve such absurd statistics.
"This incident makes me think of many issues. The NBA is the world's largest basketball business league."
"I don't want to see news shouting about purity and passion. Let's all be more professional and do our jobs well!"
"Referees should no longer interfere excessively in games. Players should focus on their on-court performance. Clay Lee is indeed a role model for young players. He represents pure basketball."
After saying this, Kenny Smith sighed helplessly.
In a few days, fans would dig up "evidence of the New York Knicks playing 5-on-8," so he could only "save face" in advance.
The betting scandal exposed the NBA's manipulation of series, which was a disaster for many sports commentators.
Just as San Antonio Spurs fans cried out that they represented pure basketball, they received extra help in the Finals, which was a huge irony.
On Friday, July 27th, Lee saw off David Gill and the Manchester United delegation.
The plan to issue bonds would be formally proposed at the shareholders' meeting at the end of the month.
At 10 AM, Lee arrived punctually at the Barnes & Noble flagship store in Manhattan's Union Square to complete his first book signing of the month.
Many children bought books, often with their families coming to join the fun.
The rest were avid fans, who, though they didn't play basketball, were staunch online fans.
Based on current sales, the new book is highly likely to make it onto the bestseller list, earning a good amount of "milk money."
Dredrick Irving was also in line with his good son.
With Lee's help, Kyrie Irving eventually came to New York to attend high school and play under Head Coach Bob Hurley.
There are many high school competitions in the United States, and prestigious schools receive more attention.
Of course, if a player is an absolute genius, high schools usually invite them.
At this year's Nike Summit, Derrick Rose from Chicago became the focus.
His visible talent made him another "combo guard."
"I hope you take care of yourself, don't get involved with gangs, don't touch drugs, and become a true professional player, just like it says in the book."
"This is a job, just like my job on Wall Street. Get your mindset right."
Since the scandal broke in the NBA, Irving felt his father had become increasingly nagging.
Gangs, match-fixingâthese elements didn't have a concrete impact on young people.
Hearing his father's quiet admonition, Irving, clutching his book, could only reluctantly agree:
"I know, it's not like all teams are fixing games. Even if a team has problems, I can change the environment myself."
As the father and son conversed, many onlookers recognized them.
Head Coach Bob Hurley had praised Irving's talent, and anyone who followed high school basketball knew about this talented teenager.
Soon, Irving appeared before Lee, handing over his book and excitedly asking:
"Uncle Lee! Is there another training camp this year? This time I can dominate those big guys."
"Sorry, little guy, we have large training camps in the UK and France later, and then we'll go to Spain. My vacation time is almost up. Next time, I'll definitely hold one in New York."
Lee, dressed in a black casual suit, finished signing and comforted the somewhat dejected Irving, then stood up and briefly embraced Dredrick as a greeting:
"Head Coach Hurley told me Kyrie could be selected as the first pick. Congratulations to you all! Keep up this momentum."
"Thank you so much, Clay! I don't know how to express my gratitude."
Dredrick Irving was overjoyed.
A renowned coach was indeed different from an ordinary one.
He knew his son had already largely succeeded.
The book signing continued until noon.
Irving and a crowd of fans wanted to stay and watch, but soon a large group of New York Times reporters surrounded them.
The scandal was still brewing, and this was a prime opportunity for gossip.
"I know what you want to understand, but I assure the fans that the Referees Union has been fair and just in most games."
"As for miscalls and missed calls, don't forget they are also human and can be affected by emotions and focus. Mutual respect is the most important thing."
Most referees were very considerate of the New York Knicks.
This guaranteed traffic and was also related to their geographical location.
As soon as Lee finished speaking, a young reporter quickly asked again, hinting at something:
"Lee, do referees like Tim Donaghy affect the championship? You know, our opponents sometimes suddenly get free throws."
In recent days, a large number of amateur sports commentators have appeared on YouTube.
These videos analyzing officiating and games have gained massive attention, with fan numbers skyrocketing in just a few days.
Lee also saw the related news, though most of it was praising his return shots.
Seeing the inquisitive looks of several people, he raised an eyebrow slightly and teased:
"I remember the New York Knicks have won nine championships in recent years. In the face of absolute strength, external factors are irrelevant."
"..."
On sunday, July 29th, the San Antonio Spurs were stripped of their title of "pure basketball" by the New York Media.
They couldn't even win a single game with the help of referees, and Tim Duncan's reputation further declined.
While the scandal continued to unfold, Kobe's team also bowed to General Manager Kupchak, issuing a "sincere" apology at a press conference held at Loyola Marymount:
"I'm frustrated, I'm venting! I brought my emotions into my work."
"As a man, I shouldn't have done that. To Mr. Kupchak, I'm sorry things happened this way."
"..."
The New York Knicks re-signed their championship members, the Celtics formed a "Four Giants," and the Lakers, while sidelining Kobe, gave Luke Walton a large contract.
A six-year, thirty-million-dollar deal, tripling his salaryâthis was the Lakers' response to Kobe: a strong helper for him.
When the press conference ended, Kobe left with his team members, head bowed, feeling incredibly frustrated.
This was completely different from Rob Pelinka's plan:
"I need more honors."
....
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