NBA wants Donaghy to pay back shoe money

[Wassit3]

NEW YORK (AP) - The NBA is so angry at disgraced referee Tim Donaghy that it wants him to reimburse the league for the cost of his basketball shoes.

The NBA said in a court filing it spent $750 over three seasons to buy sneakers for Donaghy, who pleaded guilty last year to taking payoffs from gamblers.

Now, the league wants its money back. It also wants a court to force the referee to repay his salary, his airfare expenses and meal allowances, and cough up at least $4,500 for complimentary tickets he received over the years. All told, the league is seeking $1.4 million from Donaghy.

The written demand was filed Thursday at a federal court in Brooklyn.

Donaghy's attorney has called the league's demands an attempt to retaliate against his client for alleging widespread misconduct by NBA executives and employees.

Donaghy has admitted betting on about half the games he officiated for three seasons, beginning in 2003.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8268508?MSNHPHMA

[dannymac910]

Go Yankees!!!!

[asianinvasion]

For a big company like the NBA, a little under $2 million isnt alot of money. Why would you go after that. It would cost just as much for the court hearing. Just let him rot in prison.

[robinhoodnik]

You'd think that the smart thing to do would be to just let Donaghy's name drop from the papers asap.
The stupid thing to do would be to drag this scandal on in the papers for even longer.

Now that the NBA's had a revival of one of the best rivalries in basketball, are flush with new cash from that series, I think it'd wise to just let it go.

[Wassit3]

You'd think that the smart thing to do would be to just let Donaghy's name drop from the papers asap.
The stupid thing to do would be to drag this scandal on in the papers for even longer.

Now that the NBA's had a revival of one of the best rivalries in basketball, are flush with new cash from that series, I think it'd wise to just let it go.

egg-actly

[Arctic Blast]

Agreed...the NBA is not handling this well, at all. It seems like David Stern is more interested in some sort of 'revenge' than in clearing his league's name.

[CatKnight]

And one does have to wonder if it's revenge for letting the cat out of the bag.

[belial]

Stern's strategy of just saying there was a mistake, then moving on had been working. Why change now?

[YEAH DAAAAWG]

I hate David Stern. I've always thought he was one of the better commissioners in pro sports despite the fact that I hate him, but he is handling this really, really poorly. You would think they would want to sweep Donaghy, and everything concerning him as fast as possible, as fast as possible, but they keep bringing it back on their own.

[Reade]

They(NBA) probably don't even pay for the shoes in the first place

[boomboom]

I hate David Stern. I've always thought he was one of the better commissioners in pro sports despite the fact that I hate him, but he is handling this really, really poorly. You would think they would want to sweep Donaghy, and everything concerning him as fast as possible, as fast as possible, but they keep bringing it back on their own.

Look at the way that David Stern has handled the Seattle issue.....he is such an a$$

[jdiggin]

I hate David Stern. I've always thought he was one of the better commissioners in pro sports despite the fact that I hate him, but he is handling this really, really poorly. You would think they would want to sweep Donaghy, and everything concerning him as fast as possible, as fast as possible, but they keep bringing it back on their own.

It seems like its not good enough for him to be in jail, they also want to bury him for the rest of his life. (I'm not saying that he doesn't deserve it) but the NBA should just let it go and be forgotten so they can move on.

[dps]

Frankly, I find this a bit bizzare. It's similar to a situation in which a person is caught stealing from their employer. The employer would normally fire the person, might try to have them prosecuted, and might in some cases even sue them for damages, but seeking repayment of the employee's actual compensation as part of those damages I've never heard of before.