Tim Donaghy Attacks Dan Patrick, Hilarious Radio Ensues
What starts with an e-mail from Tim Donaghy requesting to come back on the Dan Patrick radio show almost breaks out into a war...
Patrick agrees to have Donaghy back on his show and the fun happens shortly thereafter:
Donaghy: I saw the blueprint for what I discuss in the book. I just was hoping to again talk with you and kind of reverse the roles a little bit and ask you a question. What's a logical explanation in this situation for what goes on in these games, in these situations, when you have a bottom line of an organization that loses $400 million and each series that gets extended means several million dollars to the organization?
And I just find that it's strange that this is allowed to continue to occur.
Patrick asks if officials are instructed to favor a certain team.
Donaghy: I'm not saying "instructed" but I'm saying they're programmed and trained to look for certain things and that's what puts these teams at an advantage or disadvantage and I think it's very obvious in these last two games that this has taken place. And I think that you can see the frustration on Phil Jackson's face because he knows its taken place. And you can see the frustration on Rasheed Wallace's face and the Boston Celtics that whenever there's a call that's marginal or flat out wrong, it's going in favor of the team that's down in the series.
Patrick: So Phoenix wins tonight, right?
Donaghy: I'm not saying it's a definite thing but when they're down 2-0 or 3-1, they're going to get the benefit of the calls. And I will say, yes, I will see Phoenix getting the benefit of the calls tonight in that game. Absolutely I will. And that's what happened last night.
Okay, okay, you've likely heard all of this before out of Donaghy. Referees have pregame meetings where they're instructed to look for things that would favor the team who is currently at a disadvantage in the series.
But, coming up next, things get personal.
Donaghy: You look at Jameer Nelson who is just totally out of control and falls down and is getting the benefit of calls and it's just, to me, comical that somebody like yourself seems not to see this and seems to protect the NBA.
Patrick: Tim, why are you coming back at me? I gave you an opportunity last time you were on. Did you regroup or have somebody say, 'You know what? He was ripping you,' or something?
Donaghy: I did. I did and I'm going to be honest with you, I did have some people come to me and say you kind of came after me and ripped me a little bit. And I want to apologize if I come across as disrespectful but it just seemed like you kind of shied toward protecting the NBA a little bit.
Then both sides decide to "pull back the curtain" on their dealings with each other behind the scenes.
Patrick: Tim, full disclosure, did you say I treated you fairly when you hung up the phone with me when you called back?
Donaghy: Absolutely, I did.
Patrick: Okay then don't listen to somebody else. I treated you fairly. I gave you an opportunity to explain your book. I have questions about the book, Tim. If I'm protecting the league, why would I have you on in the first place?
Donaghy: Dan, you told me you didn't read the whole book.
Patrick: I told you that! I asked you questions for you to tell me what was in the book.
Donaghy: So you didn't read the whole thing.
Patrick: I just said I didn't.
The circular arguing continues until Patrick runs out of time and decides to carry it over to the next segment. But not before taking a shot at Donaghy's man region.
Patrick: If you want to talk to whoever your friends are who said I ganged up on you, go ahead.
Donaghy: I don't need any help, Dan, but I appreciate the thought.
Patrick brings Donaghy back. Points made during the previous segment are largely regurgitated. Eventually the segment descends into an argument over why it took Donaghy so long to come on the show during his initial book selling media tour. Patrick claims its because Donaghy was afraid he wasn't going to be treated fairly. Donaghy claims it was months before he finally received word that Patrick would have him on... and so on and so forth.
The only aspect of the interview that isn't properly resolved is Donaghy's assertion that Patrick was "covering up for the league." When challenging an interview subject on their particular point of view, the job of a good interviewer, it can sometimes come across that the interviewer is an advocate for the other side. Which is not always the case. And likely not the case with Patrick.
That's how Patrick should have responded. Instead he says that if he was "covering up for the league" he wouldn't have Donaghy on in the first place. A very weak retort.
If he's theoretically a skilled "NBA advocate" he'd be more effective at doing the league's "bidding" by confronting and diminishing Donaghy's point of view rather than just ignoring him.
Either way, they eventually kiss and make up at the end.
Classic radio.
You'll also like: