Who Knows What Evil Lurks In The Hearts Of Officiating Men? Tim Donaghy, Perhaps?

Notice how you never see Tim Donaghy and Don Denkinger in the same place at the same time? Or Donaghy and the crew who worked the USA-USSR 1972 Olympic basketball game? Or Donaghy and the officials for the "Immaculate Reception" play in Pittsburgh? Or Donaghy and the ref who gave Tom Brady the benefit in the famous "tuck" game in the playoffs against Oakland? Or Donaghy and the ref during the famous "long count" boxing match between Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney?

Have we bothered to check more into Donaghy, the disgraced NBA ref who's under investigation for betting on games and possible affecting their outcomes? Do we know how old he REALLY is, for example? Is it possible that his physical body is just a contemporary vessel for the crooked officating spirits that have lurked in professional and college sports for over a century? How can we be sure that Donaghy isn't some sort of refereeing demon who cannot and will not be killed?

Hey, for that matter, has there been a sighting of Donaghy and Simon Cowell together?

I'm starting to wonder if there's now an explanation for some of sport's most suspicious calls and actions ever made by game officials in the past.

1. Denkinger was the first base umpire in Game 6 of the 1985 World Series. In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Royals trailing the Cardinals 1-0, and 3-2 in the Series, Jorge Orta tapped a ball to first baseman Jack Clark, who flipped the ball to pitcher Todd Worrell, who caught it and stabbed his foot at the bag. Denkinger (wrongly) ruled that Worrell's foot missed the base. The Royals, thanks to that leadoff "hit," were able to score two runs and win the game. They won the Series the next night. I doubt anyone was hoping for a Cardinals win in Game 7 more than Don Denkinger/Tim Donaghy, after replays of his blunder were shown around the world for 24 hrs. He's SAFE! (Please disregard the photographic evidence to the contrary)

2. The USA was robbed several times at the tail end of the gold medal basketball game in the 1972 Summer Olympics against the USSR. After Doug Collins (yes, the same one) hit two free throws to put USA up by one point, there were three seconds remaining. The Soviets inbounded the ball and failed to score. USA wins!! But the refs -- none of whom spoke English -- ruled that the Soviets called time out before the ball was inbounded. On the second try, the Soviets again failed to score. USA wins!! But the refs again intervened, trying to explain to USA coach Hank Iba that the clock hadn't been properly reset. On the third try, the ball was heaved all the way down the court, where a Soviet player blatantly fouled two USA players, muscled the ball away from them, and layed it in. USSR wins!! And it counts! The USA team was so disgusted with the actions of the officials/Donaghy that they refused their silver medal, which I always thought was cool as hell.

3. In a 1972 divisional playoff game, the Steelers were losing, 7-6, with 22 seconds remaining. Terry Bradshaw scrambled and chucked the ball downfield. Steelers running back Frenchy Fuqua and Raiders safety Jack Tatum convened at the same time as the pigskin arrived. There was a collision. The ball floated toward the turf. Franco Harris appeared out of nowhere and snagged it with his fingertips, inches from the ground. He galloped in for the winning touchdown. The officials conferred for what seemed like an eternity (in those days, two consecutive offensive players couldn't touch a forward pass, so the issue was, did Tatum touch the ball last, or did Fuqua?). According to Al LoCasale, a Raiders exec, the officials asked how much police protection they could get if they made the proper call, which was no touchdown? When told of the skimpy number of cops, the officials/Donaghy ruled TD, Pittsburgh. According to LoCasale -- who's hardly an unbiased informant.

Franco, Franco, the Steelers man -- took the football (and the game) and away he ran (thanks to Donaghy?)

4. On January 20, 2002, the Raiders were leading the Patriots by three points with under two minutes remaining in a snowstorm in Foxboro, Mass. Pats QB Tom Brady faded back to pass and just was he was hit by Chuck Woodson, he brought his arm forward, as if to tuck the ball in. But the ball slipped loose. The Raiders recovered it. But referee Walter Coleman/Tim Donaghy rules, after viewing the replay, that Brady's arm coming forward -- even though it was for a tuck -- categorizes the move as an attempted pass. No fumble -- incomplete pass instead. Given second life, Brady leads the Pats to a game-tying FG and a game-winning kick in OT. And, eventually, a Super Bowl victory over the Rams.

5. On September 22, 1927, heavyweight boxing champion Gene Tunney fought Jack Dempsey in a title match. In the seventh round, Dempsey caught Tunney good with a left to the chin. The champion fell. But before starting the count, referee Dave Barry/Donaghy spent precious seconds telling Dempsey to go to a neutral corner. By the time he started the count, witnesses estimate that Tunney had an extra 8-10 seconds to recover, which he did. Later, of course, Tunney won by unanimous decision and defended his belt.

Barry/Donaghy spends too much time getting Dempsey (left) to a neutral corner

It may not make any sense to you, but who's to say that Tim Donaghy hasn't been existing in the souls of officials and referees, past and present, for years??