Bad Ref? Bet On It

So one NBA referee has been caught betting on games and giving "confidential information" (what, like Tim Duncan's jock size?) to other gamblers. David Stern, commissioner of the NBA, is shocked. Shocked, I tells ya.

Recall that I have long maintained that NBA games are fixed--at the league level. This referee, in my opinion, didn't just decide that betting on games was a smart move; he can plausibly fit into the league-wide pattern of predetermined outcomes. Essentially, the fix is an open secret. Announcers will often declare a winner before opening tipoff. Exceptions do occur, but rarely. Now, a referee who likes to gamble--and who knows some of the NBA's master script--can benefit from both that information and the delusional fans and sportswriters who keep trying to convince themselves that pro basketball is legit despite evidence to the contrary.

Call the 9/11 conspiracy guys.