Rose, Donaghy, and Sports Betting

Okay, I was gonna go soft on Pete Rose. I had reconsidered my support for his ban from the Baseball Hall of Fame. I was going to write about it. And then--- this NBA ref thing came up.

The annual debate over whether baseball's hit king should be allowed into Cooperstown's shrine will swirl again--especially this weekend. It always does. It's induction week, and it's one of the most cherished events in sports.

I used to be a hard-line guy. Rose bet. He admitted it, and I felt there's no way he should be allowed induction. Recently though, my stance has softened. Time and age, I guess, does that.

But Tim Donaghy screwed it up. He's the NBA referee who's soon to be charged with betting on NBA games-- some he may have officiated. It has cast a huge, dark shadow of over the integrity of the league. Did you see the commissioner's press conference? David Stern looked like he was addressing the NBA's biggest crisis since, well, ever.

I can't condem Donaghy and forgive Rose. Sorry Pete, bad timing.