[burn_baby_burn]

ESPN story comparing the NFL's Spygate to the NBA's scandel.

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/hashmarks...-Spygate-.html

Until this point, NBA fans had to rely on their own conspiracy theories -- and they had plenty to choose from. Commissioner David Stern may be a genius in some areas, but he got off to a rough start 23 years ago when he double-clutched during the lottery that sent Patrick Ewing to the Knicks. In some ways, that laid the foundation for a perception that the league is still attempting to overcome. And as my esteemed colleague Henry Abbott points out, Stern's failure to embrace transparency has created an environment in which a convicted felon's testimony may carry more weight than it should.

In the NFL, one team was accused of breaking the rules. Of course, it just happened to be the best -- and most hated -- team of the decade. Goodell's decision to quickly destroy the tapes left a black eye on the league. But I think the league has the popularity and the financial clout to recover from this scandal.

Whether Stern wants to admit it, the integrity of his league is at stake. Fans have been saying the "fix was on" for years, but now they have more ammunition than ever.
As bad as Spygate may have been for the NFL, it pales in comparison to what the NBA is facing.