Shakedownsports.com

(Every week there are a number of stories slip through the cracks here at ShakedownSports. These are just a few of them.)

NBA referee Tim Donaghy is being investigated by the FBI for allegations that he bet on games he officiated. According to a law enforcement official, the bets were for thousands of dollars and were made on games during the last two seasons. In an attempt to show he’s tough on those who jeopardize the integrity of the game, Bud Selig has already banned Donaghy from the Baseball Hall of Fame.

NBC has announced that LeBron James will host this fall’s season premiere of Saturday Night Live. Normally the Cavs would frown upon a player engaging in an extracurricular activity so close to the season, but coach Mike Brown is hoping that legendary shooting guru Loren Michaels will be able to teach LeBron how to make a three pointer.

This week Nashville Predators fans held a rally to encourage the purchase of enough season tickets to convince the team not to move. To add an extra incentive, rally organizers took a page out of the the Major League playbook and removed a piece of clothing from a cardboard cutout of owner Craig Leopold every time a season ticket was purchased.

The NFL has fined Joey Porter $141,176 for punching Bengals tackle Levi Jones at a Las Vegas blackjack table last March. The fine is one of the biggest is the history of the NFL, but Roger Goodell explained that he needed to send a message to Porter because human violence is often a gateway to more destructive behavior—such as engaging in animal violence.

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