Michael Ventre

According to David Stern, Tim Donaghy is a “rogue, isolated criminal,” and I have to assume that he’s limiting his opinion on that matter to NBA officials and not players. If he’s just talking about refs, there’s at least a debate. If he’s also including players, there’s no debate.

Fans of the Association hope and pray that Stern is correct, and that he’s not just spouting the talking points du jour. Donaghy may indeed be a creep with a lust for action who also has poor taste in friends. I still contend that someone like Donaghy, whose associates and neighbors have said is a disagreeable sort who alienated far more humans than he attracted, would have a hard time convincing other striped shirts to consort with him in his wicked endeavors.

But after the smoke fades, with Donaghy having pleaded guilty in federal court, he’s another sad sack in life who had a terrific situation but was too self-destructive to let it last.

And then the spotlight will focus on Stern, the lonely keeper of the NBA flame, who will have to explain how the perimeter of his fortress of integrity was breached by one knucklehead.

The following has been mentioned frequently in media circles, but it bears repeating. Back in February, Stern was asked during All-Star weekend in Las Vegas if it was a fear of point shaving that made him reluctant to support an NBA franchise in that city. Stern’s response: “I am not worried about games being fixed, and I’m surprised you asked the question.”

I guess my question to Stern now, as Donaghy is submitting his guilty plea, is this: What about now? Are you worried about games being fixed now?

He should be.

Games may not have been fixed by Donaghy; it’s rather unclear exactly what he did, other than work games that he gambled on, which means he could have done just about anything.

The issue now is Stern’s hubris, and whether Tim Donaghy will make David Stern a better commissioner.

NBA gambling scandal Thrill of gambling led to Donaghy's downfall Refs union maintains Donaghy acted alone Donaghy probed for influencing Suns games Some describe Jekyll and Hyde personality Ventre: Stern's legacy, NBA's future at stake Celizic: Why should we trust league again? Live vote: What is worst sports scandal?   Weigh in on NBA discussion boards

Basketball is a beautiful game, and the NBA has thrived under Stern’s stewardship. But this is an ugly stain that will probably linger for a while. It’s not a devastating blow. It won’t send fans home in droves. It won’t drive television ratings down (that’s happening quite naturally already, thank you).

It will serve as a reminder that a commissioner who can sometimes be sarcastic and condescending can have his legacy tarnished by one incident that belies everything he claims is secure.

From the moment the Donaghy scandal broke, Stern entered a new era of his tenure. The innocence is gone. The unthinkable has occurred. It reminds me of the moment when FBI agent Robert Hanssen was discovered to have been working as a spy for the Russians. The space between “How could this happen?” and “How can we make sure it never happens again?” was a matter of seconds. The FBI immediately instituted a new policy requiring random polygraph tests to all its employees. In a symbolic gesture, the FBI director at the time, Louis Freeh, took the first one.