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Tim Donaghy, the disgraced former NBA referee and centerpiece of the league’s 2007 betting scandal, woke up Sunday off of probation and ready to move forward. He told The Linemakers on Sporting News that he plans to celebrate his release by taking in an NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden, when the New York Knicks host the Dallas Mavericks on Friday. Sporting News

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“I don’t think there is any reason why they’d remove me from the stadium,” Donaghy told The Linemakers via phone from his Sarasota, Fla. home. “I’m there to take in a game and look at some live action and do a bit of scouting. I’m not even too sure that anyone is really going to notice me, to be honest with you.” Sporting News

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A federal judge in New York refused to allow an early end to supervised release for Tim Donaghy, the former N.B.A. referee who took money from a professional gambler. Donaghy, whose sentence ends Nov. 3, argued that he should be released early because of good conduct and because it was difficult to find work while under court supervision, but Judge Carol Amon denied the request. New York Times

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Convicted former NBA referee Tim Donaghy wants a federal judge to end his probation early. Donaghy was sentenced to serve 15 months in prison on federal wire fraud and gambling charges after The Post revealed he was betting on NBA games. He served 11 months before he was released in November 2009. He’s asking Brooklyn federal Judge Carol Amon to cut him loose from probation after being under supervision for 33 of the 36 months required. New York Post

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Disgraced NBA ref Tim Donaghy wants a fast break from federal probation so he can resume working for a radio show that promotes sports gambling and is hosted by a convicted felon. Donaghy — who pleaded guilty to betting on games he officiated, triggering a betting scandal for the NBA — has requested the feds trim three months from his 36-month probation term. New York Daily News

Tim Donaghy 

The judge had ordered Donaghy to end his employment last month with the Philadelphia-based radio show “Sports Connection” upon disclosures that the show's host, “Danny Burelli,” wasn't who he said he was. Donaghy's probation officer discovered that the host was in fact Daniel Biancullo, who has a 2004 federal conviction in Florida for gambling and a 1991 conviction in New Jersey for cocaine possession. Donaghy claimed he was clueless about Biancullo's past, according to court papers. New York Daily News

Tim Donaghy 

Like a recovering alcoholic tending bar for his old drinking buddies, the ex-NBA referee has been breaking down game tape and analyzing point spreads for a shady sports handicapper in Allentown known as "Danny B," who uses the information to sell gambling tips to his clients. "Meet the man who generated millions of dollars betting on basketball, as seen on 60 Minutes and documented by the NBA and FBI," Danny B.'s website, sportsconnectionwins.com, says of Donaghy. "It's basically a consulting firm," said Donaghy, 45, who's still on probation for gambling on basketball games and providing picks to two co-defendants while he was an active referee. He resigned in 2007 after 13 years in the league and pleaded guilty to federal gambling and wire-fraud charges in New York. He served about 13 months in prison. Philadelphia Inquirer

Tim Donaghy 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Goldberg, who prosecuted Donaghy's case in Brooklyn, declined to comment on Donaghy's current activities. Donaghy said the job has been "good so far," and that he doesn't "have the urge to go back" to gambling, even when a game pans out exactly the way he'd predicted — which makes money for Biancullo's clients. "I still feel, at times, that I can predict these games," said Donaghy, who previously worked at a gambling treatment center before signing up with Biancullo. Philadelphia Inquirer

Tim Donaghy 

A Florida jury awarded a disgraced former NBA referee $1.3 million in a lawsuit against the company that published his memoir. Tim Donaghy sued Shawna Vercher and her company, VTi Group, in Pinellas County civil court, saying he hadn't been paid. The now-defunct company published Donaghy's 2010 book about referees and the NBA. Oklahoman

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After 5 rough years that included banishment from the NBA, gambling and wire-fraud convictions for betting on basketball games, and even 2 weeks spent in solitary confinement "like Charles Manson" while serving a 15-month prison term, Donaghy can finally put one in the win column. According to Donaghy and his lawyer, a St. Petersburg jury on Friday awarded Donaghy $1.3 million in his civil suit against Shawna Vercher and her now-defunct company VTi Group, which published Donaghy's tell-all book about the NBA and its referees. "The lady made my life a living hell and basically tortured me through the press by putting fictitious stories out there," Donaghy said Sunday. "I knew, at some point, my time would come. And my time was Friday." Philadelphia Inquirer

Tim Donaghy 

After chronicling his downfall in a book — which includes the quotations above — (Tim) Donaghy is now suing his Largo publisher, claiming she failed to turn over any of the estimated $200,000 in sales revenue from the book, Personal Foul. During his opening statement on Tuesday, Donaghy's attorney Nicholas Mooney said publisher Shawna Vercher "knew that she could exploit Mr. Donaghy because of his past issues." St. Petersburg Times

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But Khurrum Wahid, attorney for Vercher and her business, VTi Group, said profits were reduced because Donaghy asked for extras, such as asking the company to look into a movie deal, the possibility of selling the book in China, and help for a friend who wanted help setting up business. St. Petersburg Times

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In the wake of their Game 2 overtime loss to the Miami Heat, many Boston Celtics fans grew livid at several bad calls that helped decide the game. In particular, this Rajon Rondo missed lay-up involved a pretty clear foul by Dwyane Wade, but the Heat ended up converting at the other end to take a four-point lead. Those fans are still upset. So, to show displeasure at Friday night's Game 3, they're going to wear masks of Tim Donaghy, the referee who admitted to betting on games and acting as part of an illegal gambling ring. Yahoo! Sports

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Sam Amico: Same NBA GM: "Jeffrey Kessler is the worst thing that's happened to the NBA since Tim Donaghy. Except Donaghy was way less sneaky." Twitter

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But Donaghy, who underwent court-mandated treatment for his gambling addiction after serving most of a 15-month prison sentence, says he's toeing a fine line rather than going down a slippery slope. "It's different (than what I was convicted for) because I'm not placing bets now," Donaghy said. "I realize in the past that I couldn't gamble responsibly. It's something that caused a lot of damage in my life and the lives of my daughters. So, it's something I'm not going to go back to." Donaghy was making actual predictions for Berrelli and says he was nearly perfect late in the NBA season until his probation officer told him to stop. So now he just advises Berrelli on how he can advise his clients. "It's a situation where I can always look back and see the destruction (gambling) caused," Donaghy said, mentioning his damaged relationship with his four daughters. "So, I'm going to be very careful moving forward." WTSP.com

Tim Donaghy 

Donaghy admitted the new career wasn't his first choice, but it's been hard to make ends meet without a reliable source of income and four girls - ages 15, 13, 12, and 9 - to support. "There's bills that have to be paid every month and you don't want to come up short," he said. "I expected the book 'Personal Foul' to kind of pull me out of the hole a little bit, but unfortunately...the woman who was publishing the book hasn't paid me." WTSP.com

Tim Donaghy 

Donaghy recently republished the book himself and says it's now up to its fifth printing. He reports getting positive e-mails from all over the country after people read it, which mirrors the positive reception he gets around the Sarasota and Bradenton communities. But one of his biggest surprises is how little has changed in the NBA since he blew his whistle on the action off the court. "I thought there was going to be an enormous amount of change in the NBA," he said. "The NBA came out and said everyone plays under the same set of rules." WTSP.com

Tim Donaghy 

But Donaghy has published numerous video blogs about how refs give stars like LeBron James preferential treatment. Noticing those trends is what makes him valuable to an oddsmaker. And when his probation ends in late 2012, he says he may get more involved in the gambling industry. "I would say there's a strong possibility Danny B. and I will be somewhere making predictions." WTSP.com

Tim Donaghy 

Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy gained notoriety when he was infamously charged with betting on games in which he officiated. Almost four years after his resignation from the NBA, Donaghy is now questioning the credibility of today's refs. The referee recently released a video analyzing one of the final plays in Game Four of the Eastern Conference final between the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat. The particular play in question takes place with 30 seconds remaining in overtime with the Heat leading by four. LeBron James briefly drives before knocking down a shot over Luol Deng, practically giving Miami the win. Donaghy claims that Lebron moves his right pivot foot twice, which would constitute a travel. The play went uncalled, and the former ref questioned why TNT commentators Steve Kerr and Reggie Miller, along with the officials, did not notice anything. The Miami Heat would eventually win the game and the series. NESN.com

Tim Donaghy 

Some will say both came forward for fame and a way to promote their books, but it did take courage knowing that many would not believe them. Donaghy, unlike Canseco, came forward because he realized what he did was a mistake. As Donaghy told the Victor and Matt podcast show on RadioExiles.com, “I don’t have any doubt that my image has changed since I wrote my book. People believed what I had to say. I think there is a difference between Jose Canseco and myself because I don’t think Jose feels what he did was wrong, in regards to steroids. I certainly feel what I did, getting involved in gambling and gambling on NBA games, with the position I was in was certainly wrong.” Tucson Citizen

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