A referee has for the last two seasons been involved in betting on games and in making calls in games that affected point spreads, says The New York Post in an exclusive story that says the ref is part of an FBI organized-crime probe.  

   The FBI is reportedly set to arrest the ref and “a cadre of mobsters,’’ reports the paper, adding that the NBA is saying, “We have been asked by the FBI, with whom we are working closely, not to comment on this matter at this time.’’

   Chancellor Stern’s office is “working closely with the FBI’’? Oh-oh.

   Mavs owner Cuban has for years tossed out little hint-hint notions regarding stuff like this. We’ve always been skeptical. But step away from the Mavs for a moment. Step away from Cuban’s referee-centric actions.

   This is the biggest sports story of the year. ... at least. Some assorted thoughts as the NBA, the media, the public, and quite ominously, the FBI, collect facts:

   ITEM:  The NBA, maybe even all of sports, is going to be rocked to its foundation. We knew a single ref can effect the outcome of a game. And now, assuming the accusations are true, one obviously has. Forever more, if a team receives a bad call in a game (or even a perceived bad call), the anger and distrust rises to a whole new level.

   ITEM:  True Hoop is calling fixing games “the original sin’’ for a sports league. That’s a solid take.

   ITEM:  There is a perception that “the NBA was powerless to stop this.’’ Maybe. Unless they just didn’t care. Or maybe were complicit. … and see? We told you the distrust would rise to a whole new level.

   ITEM:  Which games were affected? Important games? Playoff games? Reader Jeff is the first to joke that, “If you’re trying to figure out the identity of the (unidentified) ref, just look at who worked the Dallas-Miami Finals series. He had to be one of them.’’

   ITEM:  Or maybe Jeff didn’t mean it as a joke.

   ITEM: Fans of “real’’ sports like to make fun of the WWF. We even make fun of the WNBA, because the coverage is “rigged.’’ But what if the NBA doesn’t represent a truly fair playing field?

   ITEM:  At this moment, as we write this, the story remains a mild curiosity. But this thing will have legs. Without the trust that it’s on the level, basketball as we know it ceases to exist. Seriously, it’s that huge.

   ITEM: Can the NBA and Chancellor Stern sit on this? Downplay it? Bury it? We like the “bury it’’ analogy, since it sounds so much like something done in Michael Vick’s backyard.

   ITEM:  Let’s go back to those specific rigged games. What if a championship – and billions of dollars – were lost? What if if was a Memphis-Milwaukee game that we’d bet on? Can I have my seven bucks refunded?

   ITEM:  We bet the NBA – and Stern – will make quite a show of dismissing this ref and of “conducting a vigorous in-house investigation.’’ (Can’t you just see him mouthing those exact words?) And we think it won’t be enough. This will require a major fix. … No, not that kind of fix.

   ITEM:  If there is one dirty ref. … and he’s close buddies with assorted other refs. … and they are a band of brothers. … and they room together, travel together, drink together. … is there ONLY one dirty ref?

   ITEM: Are you getting the magnitude of this yet? Baseball dumped Pete Rose for MAYBE betting on baseball. … This is bigger.

   ITEM:  Reader DirkySouth with another good line: Because the story uses the word “he,’’ we assume the dirty ref isn’t a chick.

   ITEM:  It’ll be fun to monitor ESPN’s coverage of this story, being a corporate partner of the league and all.

   ITEM:  Over the years, people like Cuban and Jeff Van Gundy and many others have been assessed huge financial penalties for even hinting that a ref might have a bias. Do they get their dough back? Or at least an apology?

   ITEM: Reader HakeemFan with another doozy: The NBA has always smelled this way, if only because it’s accepted practice to issue “superstar calls,’’ to make “rookies pay their dues,’’ “that’s a make-up call,’’ and the like.

   ITEM:  David Stern’s historic smugness on this issue now looks more galling than ever. At the All-Star Game in Las Vegas in Feb 2007, Stern said he is not at all worried about games being fixed and that the league is in full control of things. He said a team in Las Vegas doesn't bother the league. It was a very smug declaration. Doesn't this call into question his competence and wisdom?

   ITEM:  Do you just fire the ref? Or do you also fire the ref’s boss? And his boss? And his? This is happening on Stern's watch as commissioner. And he has repeatedly been quite flippant about ref performance and accountability while focusing on plastic basketballs and baggy jeans. Doesn’t he come across now as having served as "Commissioner of the Titanic"?

   ITEM: Cuban's persistent focus on ref performance (and his battles with Stern on that subject) is now amazingly insightful. The work Cuban has done has caused the NBA’s system to improve. Again, he knew SOMETHING all along. (If we heard correctly, he just told The Ticket, “I can’t comment. But you know what I think.’’) What Cuban has always believed is that Bad Refs = Bad Sport. So he’s tried to repair things. The irony here: The person most qualified, because of his history and passion, to lead the NBA into a clean era might just be. … Mark Cuban himself.

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