Biogenesis Scandal Expands to Other Major Sports

Biogenesis, the Miami anti-aging clinic tied to performance enhancing drug (PED) use by baseball players has wider list of professional athletes tied to them than first believed. Initially thought to be tied to just MLB players, now reports from SB Nation and others are linking NBA, MMA, boxing and tennis players. Former Biogenesis employee Porter Fischer divulged the information about the companies owner Tony Bosch and who they provided PED's to in an interview with ESPN's "Outside the Lines". Ryan Braun in baseball has already accepted a season ending 65 game suspension from MLB. So who will be next and from which sport?

Mark Cuban to Fund Basketball Flopping Study

We have all seen it countless times in the NBA when a player is barely touched and sometimes not touched at all flop to the floor to entice a foul call from referees. Although I believe the players and referees are both responsible for this act and often times these extra phantom calls have an impact on the final score of a game or even the point spread. Well now Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is funding a $100,000 bio mechanics study on flopping in basketball. Southern Methodist University (SMU) will carry out the 18-month long study to determine if video and other records can differentiate between a true collision or if it was a flop. Former NBA coach and current analyst Stan Van Gundy recently said the NBA could end flopping and stated in the June 10, 2013 issue of Sports Illustrated, "If left to their own, veteran referees would simply quit giving those guys calls even if they did get fouled....The problem is the league wants the foul called." And what purpose would the league want with ridiculous foul calls that slow up the action other than control of the game. Control that could potentially fix outcomes. Although we will have to wait another 18 months, this study should bring to light some interesting findings. I think Soccer should do a similar study if the findings are worthwhile.

Are Major Sponsors in on the Fix too?

I am a little early with my weekly feature this week but this news just dropped today and ties into the NBA finals going on now which could be closed out tonight with a win by the San Antonio Spurs. CBS Sports found some interesting news about Nike, the Miami Heat and the 2012-2013 NBA champions. Apparently Nike has already crowned the Miami Heat 2012-2013 NBA champions even though they are down three games to two going into game six tonight. Pictures released by NikeTalk.com show the new low-top LeBron X shoes have inscribed '2-Time Champion' inside one shoe and '11-12, 12-13' inside the other shoe. So what happens if the Spurs win? Would Nike really waste all that money on pre-production or a possible recall? It's not like those cheap championship shirts and hats that get printed for both finalists of major sports, these are expensive basketball shoes that can be produced anytime after the finals are over. So back to my title, are major sponsors in on the fix too and know the outcomes of major sporting events? Let's go Spurs!

Tim Donaghy The Sports Handicapper

Ex-NBA referee Tim Donaghy has now teamed up with sports handicapping website Sportsconnectionwins.com to offer his insights on the fix in NBA. What more do people need to see and hear to realize how crooked this sport is.

Is The NBA Milking It?

Just some thoughts on the current NBA finals.  With the possible lockout looming I can just see it now, the finals will go to seven games to milk every possible amount of exposure possible from television, to tickets and stadium sales and everything in between.  As the years go by I get less interested in this sport as it is so easily manipulated.  Don't be fooled by another brick shot in the NBA.

Cavs Get First Pick

The Cleveland Cavaliers lost Lebron James and fall into the abyss this year and now they get the first pick in the 2011 NBA draft.  Something sounds fishy here.  The Cavs had a 2.8% chance of winning the top pick in the draft but it sounds more like they got the fix as compensation for losing Lebron.  Is the NBA trying to equal out revenues since the Cavs hit the skids?

O.J. Mayo Banned for Ten Games

Here is another laugher in the excuses athletes come up with when caught using illegal substances.  Memphis Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo recently tested positive for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) which is banned by the NBA.  His actions cost him a 10-game suspension.  His excuse was that he believes and energy drink he bought at a gas station contained the illegal substance.  Really O.J.?

Running of the Bulls

Can an average Chicago Bulls team below .500 go on the road and win 5 straight in one trip?  I guess any team can get hot but you have to question the quality of these teams.  Going into the January 22, 2010 game the Bulls were a pathetic 4-15 on the road.  First victim the Phoenix Suns on January 22nd who had a 16-4 home record.  Second victory at the Houston Rockets who were 13-5 at home, the next night in which the Bulls arrived after midnight.  Next shocker at the San Antonio Spurs on January 25th who owned a 17-8 home record at the time.  The Bulls fourth straight road victory came on January 27th at the 12-9 home record of the Oklahoma City Thunder.  The final victim was the New Orleans Hornets on January 29th who possess a 16-4 home record.  The Bulls were point spread dogs in each game and won outright in each game.  The Chicago Tribune determined the odds of winning all five of these games based on Las Vegas money lines to be 486-1 or a 0.2% chance of occurring per their sports section article on January 30, 2010.  The Bulls have not won 5 straight on the road in one trip since early 1997 or a more believable Michael Jordan era.  Further research finds that no team in NBA history has beat five straight teams with winning records on the road during the same trip.  Was the FixBA getting too much money line action in Las Vegas against the Bulls who are notoriously bad on the road?

Donaghy Claims Mob Threatened Family

Ex-NBA referee Tim Donaghy is back in the news and will be featured on 60 Minutes on Sunday, December 6th. Donaghy tells his story about the mob threatening his family to ensure he dispensed his insider picks. He bet on these games based off his knowledge of other officials' biasis for and against certain teams and players.