"GOING...GOING...GONE!!!" 3-WAY TRADE IS OFFICIAL

Manny Ramirez's stormy relationship with the Boston Red Sox appears to be over.

A baseball source has confirmed Ramirez has been traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, ESPN.com has learned.

Jason Bay is going to Boston as part of the deal, Jayson Stark reported. And the Pittsburgh
Pirates get four minor leaguers as part of the three-way deal.

Third baseman Andy LaRoche and right-handed pitcher Bryan Morris will go to the Pirates from the Dodgers. Outfielder Brandon Moss and right-handed pitcher Craig Hansen will leave the Red Sox orgianization for Pittsburgh, ESPN.com has learned.

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"THE KID" ON HIS WAY TO THE WINDY CITY???

The Cincinnati Reds are awaiting word from Ken Griffey Jr. on whether he'll accept a tentative trade to the Chicago White Sox.

The Reds approached Griffey on Wednesday night in Houston and asked if he would waive his contractual rights to accept a deal to the White Sox, said a baseball source. Griffey has the right to veto any trade because he has 10 years of major league service time and five years with the Reds.

The tentative trade was first reported by FOXSports.com. It is unknown what other player or players are involved in the deal.

Griffey, 38, is hitting .245 with 15 home runs for Cincinnati this season. On June 9, he joined Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Sammy Sosa as the sixth player in history to hit 600 homers.

While the Reds (51-58) languish in their division, the White Sox (60-46) lead the AL Central by 1½ games over the Minnesota Twins and 5½ over the Detroit Tigers.

Griffey hit his 15th home run of the season in Wednesday night's 9-5 win over Houston. It was the 608th of his career, moving him within one of Sosa for fifth on all-time list. Griffey extended his hitting streak to 12 games and has 1,139 extra-base hits, one behind Ty Cobb for 10th all-time.

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ADDITION OF ARTEST ENOUGH TO BEEF UP ROCKETS PAST IN WEST?

NBA front-office sources confirmed to ESPN.com that Artest will be dealt to the Rockets in exchange for Houston's first-round draft pick in 2009, ex-King Bobby Jackson (who arrives with a $6.1 million expiring contract) and the draft rights to Donte Greene. The Kings will also receive more than $1 million in cash, according to The Houston Chronicle, but the deal can't be announced before Aug. 14 because Greene is not eligible to be traded before then.

The trade -- which will reunite Artest with Rick Adelman, one of his favorite coaches -- was first reported by the Chronicle.

"Yes, it has been tentatively agreed upon," said Artest's agent, Mark Stevens, according to KRIV television in Houston. "Now it has to be confirmed by the league office and until that is done, it's not official."

Two weeks ago, Artest told ESPN.com that he was unhappy with himself for not opting out of his deal and becoming a free agent before the July 1 deadline. He hoped to be traded to "a team out there that can be more committed than Sacramento to me."

In Houston, Artest would team with Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming to form one of the toughest trios in the NBA. With Yao injured much of the season, the Rockets finished 55-27 last season, good for third in the Southwest Division. They lost in the first round to the Utah Jazz in six games.

When told of the deal, McGrady was ecstatic.

"I couldn't be more happy," McGrady said, according to KRIV. "Pleased at how the organization is trying to improve this team, get the help that Yao and myself really need to really get to where we want to be and that's one of the elite teams in this league.

"If this is true, this is definitely what I have been waiting on for 11 years in my career, for a team to really improve and put the talent [on the floor] that I feel that we can compete with the best."

Injuries held Artest to only 57 games last season, but he averaged 20.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game for the 38-44 Kings. Sacramento traded point guard Mike Bibby during the season last year and dealing Artest shows that the team is in full rebuilding mode under second-year coach Reggie Theus.

"He brings a mental and physical toughness" McGrady said, according to KRIV. "He brings a guy that competes at a high level on the basketball court. Defensively, he's tough. Offensively, he is a force to be reckoned with. He's probably one of the most difficult guys to guard on the perimeter because of his size, because of his strength."

The 28-year-old Artest is as well known for his volatile personality as his basketball skills. While playing for the Indiana Pacers, he was the central figure in the 2004-05 brawl with fans at The Palace of Auburn Hills during a road game against the Detroit Pistons.

He was suspended for 73 games, the NBA's harshest punishment for a fight. In December, two civil lawsuits against Artest that stemmed from the fight were dismissed.

Artest had surgery on his left thumb in April and was expected to take 8-to-10 weeks to recover. His summer has been just as turbulent as most of his NBA career.

After wavering for more than two months, Artest elected not to opt out of the final year of his contract for $7.4 million by July 1. But the forward immediately announced he regretted his decision, saying the Kings had misled him on their interest in a long-term contract extension. Artest also said he couldn't see himself playing in Sacramento beyond next season.

Artest apologized to the Kings a few days later but one week after that, Artest demanded a trade, claiming he had been blinded to his career well-being by his friendship with the Maloof family, which owns the Kings.

Joe Maloof responded sharply to Artest, warning the forward to muzzle himself. Two weeks later, the Kings apparently found a taker for Artest's defensive skills and high-maintenance personality.

Artest played 40 games for Adelman and averaged 16.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and a career-high 4.2 assists. He was also named to the NBA All-Defensive first team.

The Kings, meanwhile, would be thrilled to get their hands on Greene, a 6-foot-11 forward from Syracuse who impressed the club in pre-draft workouts. Greene was drafted by Memphis with the 28th overall pick and traded to Houston in a three-team deal on draft night.

Although Greene played just one college season, he proved to be a versatile scorer who could fit well into Theus' uptempo game plans.

Jackson, who split his time between New Orleans and Houston last season, averaged 7.7 points per game. This would be his second stint with the Kings where he had his most productive years of his career from 2000 to 2005.

Information from ESPN.com's Marc Stein and The Associated Press was used in this report.

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DONAGHY SENTENCED TO 15 MONTHS...HIS LAWYER SAYS "THIS STORY ISN'T OVER"

NEW YORK -- Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy was sentenced to 15 months in prison Tuesday for setting off a gambling scandal that tarnished the league's reputation and raised questions about the integrity of its officiating.

The sentencing in Brooklyn federal court capped a case that hung over the league throughout the season and even into the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. League commissioner David Stern has repeatedly denied
Donaghy's claim that corruption among referees goes beyond Donaghy.
Donaghy's lawyer had asked U.S. District Judge Carol Amon to give his client probation, arguing Donaghy is a pathological gambler. Amon, who could have imposed a sentence of 33 months, gave the former referee credit for cooperating with investigators, but scolded him for disgracing the sport.

"The NBA, the players and the fans relied on him to perform his job in an honest manner," she said.

In addition to the prison time, the judge ordered Donaghy to serve three years of supervised release.

Donaghy actually received a 15-month prison sentence for each count, but Amon ruled the terms would be served concurrently.

Folding his arms but showing no other emotion, the 41-year-old Donaghy apologized to the court. "I brought shame on myself and my family," he said.
Donaghy pleaded guilty last August to conspiracy to engage in wire fraud and transmitting betting information through interstate commerce for taking payoffs from a professional gambler for inside tips on games.

"By having this nonpublic information, I was in a unique position to predict the outcome of NBA games," he told a judge at the time.
Donaghy didn't stop there: In June, he marred the NBA Finals by making fresh accusations that the league routinely encouraged refs to ring up bogus fouls to manipulate results but discouraged them from calling technical fouls on star players to keep them in games and protect television ratings.

The allegations -- contained in court papers arguing that Donaghy deserved leniency for voluntarily disclosing the alleged corruption -- included one instance claiming referees rigged a 2002 playoff series to force it to a revenue-boosting seventh game.

Though the papers didn't name the teams involved, only the Los Angeles Lakers-Sacramento Kings series went to seven games during those playoffs. The Lakers went on to win the championship.

Both Stern and the league's officials have said Donaghy made the claims to get a lighter sentence.

"We anticipate that the judge's sentencing decision, together with the changes we have made to our referee operations staff, will enable us to continue with the improvements we are making to our anti-gambling rules, policies and procedures," Stern said Tuesday.

"There is little comfort to be gained from the mandatory prison sentence, especially as it affects Mr. Donaghy's children and their mother, but hopefully the healing process can begin in earnest for all."

The NBA has made a number of changes to its officiating program in the wake of the scandal. Former Army Gen. Ron Johnson was hired as senior vice president of referee operations, Bernie Fryer and Joe Borgia were promoted to new management positions and the league reassigned Ronnie Nunn, who had been the director of officials for five years.

Still pending is a report from the league into the Donaghy scandal and betting among officials. The NBA has promised to release the report, though it did not set a date for that Tuesday.

Last week, two of Donaghy's former high school classmates were sentenced to over a year in prison for their roles in the scheme.

James Battista, a professional gambler and admitted drug addict, got 15 months in prison for making bets based on inside tips. Thomas Martino, the scheme's middleman, was sentenced to a year and one day for paying the referee thousands of dollars for the tips. The three men attended school together in Springfield, Pa.

The league had demanded nearly $1.4 million in restitution. But the judge last week set the restitution at $217,266, to be paid jointly by the three defendants.

"Though we believe no sentence would ever be able to repair or justify the damage caused by this criminal and scoundrel, we are glad to finally put this behind us," said Lamell McMorris, spokesperson for the National Basketball Referees Association.

"Tim acted in a completely selfish and unforgivable way, and has forever compromised the way people look at sports and officiating. However, NBA referees will continue to officiate with the highest level of integrity and professionalism."

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

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RED SOX BETTER OFF WITHOUT MANNY?

Manny Ramirez is willing to help the Boston Red Sox if the team decides they are better off without him.

"If the Red Sox are a better team without Manny Ramirez, they should trade me; I will not object," said Ramirez in a telephone interview with ESPNdeportes.com on Sunday.

"I don't have any preferences: I could choose a team that offers me the best conditions or one in the chase for the postseason. I don't care where I play, I can even play in Iraq if need be. My job is to play baseball," added Ramirez.
Ramirez, .298, with 16 home runs and 63 RBIs this season, returned to the Red Sox lineup on Saturday to face the New York Yankees after missing the two previous games due to pain in his right knee.
Manager Terry Francona and Red Sox officers spoke with Ramirez on Friday after the results to test of both his knees revealed no injuries.

There were reports in the Boston media that the team was planning to take disciplinary action against Ramirez if he did not return to the lineup for the last two games of the series against the Yankees.
It was also suggested during the weekend that the Red Sox management could evaluate the idea of trading Ramirez before Thursday's deadline.
Ramirez, 36, is playing the last season of the eight-year, $168 million contract he signed with Boston in December 2000. The club keeps two options of $20 million each.
"If they can get a trade, I'd approve it. If they can't trade me, then they will simply have to inform me by the end of the season that they won't use the options and we'll go separate ways," said Ramirez, who must approve any trade to a different team because of his 10-5 condition (10 years in the Major Leagues and the last five with the same team).

"I don't want to be a problem and a distraction to the Red Sox in such a critical moment of the season. I want to help the team, even if that means I have to go," said Ramirez.

As regards his knee problems, Ramirez said he thinks he's dealing with tendinitis and denied he could be faking injuries.

"I'm a ballplayer with more than 500 home runs and almost 2,000 RBIs. I'm a professional. I don't know how anybody can say I could be making it all up," said Ramirez, who has hit .312 with 509 home runs and 1,667 RBIs in 16 seasons.
Ramirez is convinced that all the fuss surrounding his injury and his contractual situation is part of a Red Sox campaign to portray him as the "bad guy."

"The Yankees are getting closer and getting stronger, while we haven't done much," said Ramirez. "I could say that right now there's a strange atmosphere in our team," he added.

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CAN USA'S BIG 3 BRING HOME THE GOLD???

LAS VEGAS -- Mike Krzyzewski wanted Dwyane Wade on the U.S. team, just in case something ever happened to Kobe Bryant or LeBron James.

With James out Friday night, Wade proved he is definitely back.

Wade stepped into the starting lineup and scored 20 points in his first action in more than four months, and the United States beat Canada 120-65 in the opener of its exhibition schedule.

"D-Wade is a warrior to anybody who knows him. He's been rehabbing and he's been working out probably more than anybody, just trying to get back in shape," point guard Chris Paul said. "That's D-Wade. We see it every day in practice and you saw it tonight, that he's back. When he's aggressive like that, we're a dangerous team."

James, the NBA's leading scorer, missed the game because of a mildly sprained right ankle, but the Americans have plenty of offense without him. Carmelo Anthony and Michael Redd also finished with 20 points, and Bryant added 15.
The Americans made 16 of their first 20 shots and ended at 65.7 percent (44-of-67), getting plenty of layups and dunks at a sold out Thomas & Mack Center in their lone game on home soil before completing their Olympic preparations in China.

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CUBAN'S ANTICS GOOD FOR BASEBALL?

NEW YORK -- Tribune Co. is inviting at least three potential buyers who each submitted bids for the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field near or above $1 billion to participate in a second round of proposals, according to a person involved in the process.

Several bidders offering between $700 million and $900 million for all the properties have been excluded from the second round, according to the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of nondisclosure agreements governing all talk about the bids.

A Tribune spokeswoman said the baseball team would not have any comment on the status of the sale, which also includes the team's minority stake in a Chicago regional sports TV network.

Included in the second round are Internet billionaire and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban; the Ricketts family, which founded the brokerage that is now TD Ameritrade Holding Corp.; and a group led by Sports Acquisition Holding Corp. that includes former baseball home run king Henry Aaron and former Republican Congressman Jack Kemp. The last group is believed to be teaming with another bidder who submitted an offer in the initial round.

All three of the reported potential buyers refused Thursday to comment publicly. However, the person involved in the bidding provided to The Associated Press an outline of the conditions for the second round.

John Canning, the chairman of private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners LLC, which had been treated as the front-runner, did not make the initial cut, according to the person, who said Tribune is not letting any bidder eliminated after the first round submit a new higher proposal in the second round.
Canning is a minority owner of the Milwaukee Brewers and close friends with Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig. Any successful sale must be approved by three-quarters of the owners of other major league teams.

Canning did not return calls seeking comment.

The bidders still in the running will get more detailed financial information on the Cubs, Wrigley and the sports network before they are required to submit a new proposal.

A person familiar with the Ricketts family bid confirmed that it is one of those invited back.

The Cubs -- lovable losers who haven't won a World Series in 100 years -- are expected to fetch more than the record $660 million paid for the Boston Red Sox, their ballpark and 80 percent of their TV network in 2002 by a group headed by Florida commodities trader John Henry.

Tribune paid $20.5 million for the team in 1981. It is now seeking to sell the team and its stadium to help pay off the $8.2 billion cost of going private last year.

The value of Wrigley Field has apparently been harder to quantify, since it may require hundreds of millions of dollars in renovations.

The state-run Illinois Sports Facilities Authority offered about $400 million to buy Wrigley using taxable bonds that would be repaid with lease revenue. Those talks broke down in May over how the ISFA would finance renovations and improvements at Wrigley, the second-oldest ballpark in the country behind Boston's Fenway Park.

Former Gov. Jim Thompson, who is chairman of ISFA, said his agency estimated the cost of improving the stadium structure and the player and fan amenities between $400 million and $600 million.

Tribune has said it is willing to sell the properties individually.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

CALEB CAMPBELL'S CHILDHOOD DREAM BECOMES A NIGHTMARE?

DETROIT -- Caleb Campbell will not get a chance to play for the Detroit Lions because of a change in military policy.

"When I got drafted, I told people that I was going to have the best of both worlds," Campbell said. "I was going to be in the United States Army and I was going to have a chance to play professional football. Now, I have the best of one world and I'm very positive about that. It's all going to work out.

"I'm in great shape and I'm going to stay in great shape. I'm going to fulfil my duty to the United States Army and do what I've got to do. One day, hopefully I'll get another opportunty to play in the NFL."

Campbell was a seventh-round draft pick for the Lions in April. At the time, Army policy would have allowed the West Point graduate to serve as a recruiter if he made the team.

But a subsequent Department of Defense policy has superseded the 2005 Army policy.

In a letter to Lions president Matt Millen dated Wednesday, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jonathan P. Liba wrote that Campbell has been ordered to give up professional football for "full-time traditional military duties."

The Lions will retain Campbell's rights until the 2009 draft. Unless another team drafts him at that point, Campbell would be considered a "street free agent" and free to sign with any team after completing his military obligations.

Liba wrote that 2nd Lt. Campbell may ask to be released from his active duty obligations in May 2010. Liba said Campbell was allowed to enter the draft "in good faith."

SHOCKEY OUT IN NEW YORK? NOT SO SHOCKING...

Sean Payton's persistence finally won out. The New Orleans Saints acquired Jeremy Shockey for a second- and a fifth-round draft pick in 2009. The deal was first reported by FoxSports.com.

"Jeremy is a player that we are excited to have on our roster. He is someone I am familiar with as a player," Payton said. "He brings a skill set to the position that I feel will be a tremendous benefit to our offense."

The Saints had been trying since February to acquire the disgruntled New York Giants tight end. First, they offered a second-round pick. Before the draft, they increased the offer to a second- and a fifth-round draft choice, but until a few days before the start of their training camp, the Giants felt he was too valuable to lose.

As Payton and Saints general manager Mickey Loomis did their last few minutes of office work before heading to Jackson, Miss., for Wednesday's start of training camp, they received a call from the Giants saying Shockey was theirs.

"Jeremy brought great energy to the game every time he stepped on the field," Giants team president John Mara said. "He had a close relationship with my father from the time we drafted him, and I had a couple of long conversations with Jeremy this spring and summer. From those conversations, it was apparent to me that a fresh start was the best thing for us and for Jeremy."

SAY LA VE J.T.!!!

The Redskins acquired Jason Taylor from the Miami Dolphins.

The Dolphins will receive a second-round pick in 2009 and a sixth-rounder in 2010.

According to ESPN.com's John Clayton, Taylor told the Redskins he did not need to renegotiate and was willing to play for the final two years of his contract. He is scheduled to make $8.1 million this season. With around $9 million of cap room, the
Redskins were able to work the trade quickly.
The Dolphins had been waiting for an opportunity to trade Taylor, who asked to be moved to a playoff contender at the beginning of the offseason. Before the draft, the Dolphins were asking for a first-round draft choice. They lowered the demand later to a second-rounder.

Taylor didn't win over Miami executive vice president of football operations Bill Parcells by missing all of the team's offseason work while competing in ABC's "Dancing With The Stars."

"We're fortunate there was a guy that caliber on the market when somebody got hurt," Washington executive vice president Vinny Cerrato said. "Normally, in most years, there's not a guy of that caliber on the market."

The 33-year-old Taylor has played 11 NFL seasons and he's started every game each of the past eight years. He had 11 sacks during the 2007 season, giving him 117 over his career.

"His play speaks for itself. I think it's easy to talk about Jason Taylor. He's got statistics and everything else to back up everything that he's done," Cerrato said.

THUMBS UP TO BONDS WEARING PINSTRIPES

Embattled former Giants slugger Barry Bonds has entered into formal contract negotiations with the Yankees, and a consummation of the deal is anticipated forthwith, a confidential clubhouse source told MLBNewsOnline.com.

The incentive-laden deal, being hammered out between Bonds' agent Jeff Borris and general manager Brian Cashman, will well exceed the major league $200,000 minimum but has a number of protective clauses to isolate the Yankees' exposure to the possibility of Bonds missing time due to legal distractions or recurring injury, the source said. (And until he reports that Barry Bonds is climbing the Empire State Building and the Navy is dispatching biplances, I'm sticking with my source.)

Cashman was reported to have arrived at the decision to sign Bonds during the All-Star break when he determined that the all-time home run leader would be needed to replace injured left fielder Hideki Matsui, who is out indefinely with a knee injury. Cashman was persuaded largely because the team will not have to sacrifice any coveted prospects who had been targeted by various other potential trading partners.

Bonds faces a perjury indictment but is not schedule for trial until March and Borris has assured the team that barring other unforeseen entanglements his client is unencumbered and ready to play.

DOLPHINS FANS HAVE HEARD THIS ONE TOO MANY TIMES...

Four years after running back Ricky Williams shocked the football-following world by retiring after only five NFL seasons, could Ricky be ready to re-emerge as the best player on the team?

Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald raises the question, and based on Ricky’s offseason practice performances it’s not as ridiculous as it sounds.

“I have to say, watching him practice, I was very impressed with his quickness, his explosion, his effort,” former Redskins and Texans G.M. Charley Casserly told Salguero.

“The guy jumped out at you, watching him out there.”
First-year head coach Tony Sparano seems to agree.

”I see the potential in him. I sure do,” Sparano said. “When I watch him, I see him being explosive in and out of the line of scrimmage. He’s explosive with what he does in the second level and his ball skills when he catches the ball. All those things that were there when I [coached] against him and he ran all over the place against us are still there.”

Casserly also compared Williams to John Riggins, who had a late-career resurgence with the Redskins in the early 1980s.

So maybe Ricky will displace Ronnie Brown as the go-to option at tailback this year.
Or maybe this is all part of a ruse by Fins V.P. of football operations Bill Parcells to create a trade market for Williams.

Posted by Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com on July 17, 2008, 8:58 a.m.

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"THE ITCH IS BACK", FAVRE'S LATTEST RANT ON RETURNING TO NFL

LOOKING TO MAKE A FEW $$$ ON THE HR DERBY?

If you’re an action junky and you can't resist taking a night off PayneInsider will help to guide you in the right direction.

Looking to make a few dollars on the HR Derby this evening? Well here are some wagers that we find most appealing. If your wanting to find a winner for the overall contest first start by eliminating all the right-handed sluggers. As we have known for years Yankee Stadium is extremely favorable to the Lefties. That would leave you with Lance Berkman, Josh Hamilton Chase Utley, Justin Morneau, and Grady Sizemore. The odds for these left-handed sluggers are below...

Lance Berkman +350
Josh Hamilton +350
Chase Utley +400
Grady Sizemore +500
Justin Morneau +800

From this group we like guys that are true power hitters when need be. We just don't see Justin Morneau as a true HR guy, so we will eliminate him from contention. After that the other four you could flip a coin on. If you’re looking to get the best odds Grady Sizemore would fit that need. They are all great hitters that hit for average and power. You can't go wrong picking any of the four, however our gut feeling is it will come down to Lance Berkman or Josh Hamilton. The way these guys have been tearing the cover off the ball this season is at another level. The Cinderella story that has been so far this year may continue tonight with Josh Hamilton. I hope this has narrowed down your choices and earns you a few extra dollars on the side.

Some great prop bets that we love that are offered on http://bodoglife.com/ are head to head bets between certain players. Who will have the most total HR's after the 1st round of the derby. Again, we are going with the lefties in this category. Two of the head to head bets we love is Lance Berkman (-155) Vs. Dan Uggla and Lance Berkman Vs.(-155) Vs. Evan Longoria. As we have discussed a 100x in this article we love the lefties. Add that with the fact it's Uggla's first HR Derby ever, and he is still seriously favoring that ankle. On the other side you have a Rookie in Longoria who will just be enamored to be in Yankee stadium. Those factors make these plays very profitable ones in our opinion.

PayneInsider hopes this has helped you action junkies out there that just can't get enough...

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COULD THERE BE MORE INVOLVED IN THE NBA SCANDAL?

EXCLUSIVE: NEW YORK — NBA referee Tim Donaghy made repeated phone calls to a second referee at the same time he provided inside information to professional gamblers during the course of the 2006-2007 season, according to court documents and phone records obtained by FOXNews.com.

The records show Donaghy placed 134 calls to referee Scott Foster — more than the 126 calls Donaghy made to his bookie — between October 2006 and April 2007, the period during which he has confessed to either betting on games or passing on game information to gamblers. The majority of the phone calls lasted no more than two minutes and occurred prior to and after games Donaghy officiated and on which he admits wagering.

With the exception of 150 calls Donaghy placed to Thomas Martino, to whom he says he provided “picks” to win games and who was the middleman between the disgraced referee and a bookie named James Battista, the ex-ref phoned no one more than he called Foster. During this period, the most calls Donaghy made to any other referee were 13.

It’s unclear what information was exchanged during the calls between Foster and Donaghy, who is awaiting sentencing later this month in federal court after reaching a plea deal in the case. Federal prosecutors in the case declined to comment on this report. But former federal prosecutors not involved in the investigation say the frequency and duration of the calls, as well as the days they took place, are suspicious.

ONE SOUR GRAPE TRYS TO RUIN IMAGE OF NBA AND GAMING INDUSTRY

Ex-NBA referee Tim Donaghy told the feds two officials fixed the outcome of a playoff series - and that refs were told not to eject star players from games for fear of hurting ticket sales.

Donaghy has pleaded guilty in Brooklyn Federal Court to betting on games he worked.

According to the document, he told FBI agents, "League officials would tell referees they should withhold calling technical fouls on certain star players because doing so hurt ticket sales and television ratings."

Donaghy claims he was told two refs who were "company men" acting in the interest of the NBA conspired to extend a playoff series in 2002 to a seventh game. The referees allegedly ignored flagrant fouls committed by one team and "made up fouls" against the other team, which led to two of its players fouling out. The team favored by the refs won that game and the next to win the series.

The document does not name the teams, but the only series that went seven games that year was between the Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Kings, leading the series 3 games to 2, were whistled for 31 fouls and the Lakers were called for 24. The Lakers outscored the Kings 34-18 at the foul line, winning that game and the next to take the series. The Lakers went on to sweep the Nets in the finals.

NBA Vice President Richard Buchanan said Donaghy's allegations are "part of his desperate attempt to lighten the sentence that will be imposed for his criminal conduct. The NBA remains vigilant in protecting the integrity of our game. . . . The only criminal activity uncovered is Mr. Donaghy's."

Donaghy also claimed that a supervising referee told refs than an unidentified NBA executive did not want them to call technical fouls on star players or boot them from the game.
Donaghy told the feds the league reprimanded a ref who disobeyed that edict in January 2000 by ejecting an unnamed star player from a game in the first quarter.

Lawyer John Lauro filed the four-page letter to Federal Judge Carol Amon because none of the information was included in the government's letter to the judge seeking leniency for Donaghy when he is sentenced next month.

Lauro has gone to war against Brooklyn federal prosecutors. He's angry that the feds offered plea deals to Donaghy's betting accomplices that give them less jail time than the disgraced ex-ref, despite his extensive cooperation.

Donaghy claims referees have accepted autographs, merchandise and meals from team coaches and managers. He told probers one referee used a team's practice facility to exercise and another played tennis regularly with an NBA coach.