MIKE & MIKE

The NBA had its dream finals until Tim Donaghy piped up. Is there an easy fix-er-solution? Mike & Mike have an idea.

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GOLIC: Fans of basketball have been screaming about conspir-acy theories forever, and we've been screaming back that they're wrong. All this Donaghy stuff is fueling the fire again, but simply put, the league wouldn't knowingly allow any fixing to happen. There is just too much to lose.

GREENY: We get a lot of e-mails from sports fans complaining about officiating in the NFL and MLB, but we get almost none who say they've stopped being a fan because of it. On the other hand, lots of people have told us they're no longer fans of the NBA because of the officiating.

GOLIC: You have to be skeptical of what Donaghy is alleging, because it's coming from a guy who is trying to save himself from extra jail time. Then again, we laughed at Canseco and McNamee, and a lot of what they said is proving to be true. Donaghy's revelations are going to change things, most of all how the general public thinks.

GREENY: That's why the NBA needs to take a long, hard look at the problem. If anyone can handle this it's David Stern, who is a smart, capable commis-sioner. But there is no easy solution. The NBA is essentially a monarchy, and when Stern's integrity is questioned he has nowhere to turn. So he needs to go outside the league right now, before Congress makes him, and commission a Mitchell-style investigation into his officials. There's a crisis of confidence among fans, and that would send a strong message.

GOLIC: With the timing of the Donaghy announcement, on the heels of the Mitchell Report and Spygate, fan trust is waning. It's no longer "innocent until proven guilty." Now, when something bad happens, fans assume guilt. Stern has to have someone look into his sport, and it's too close to home for him to do it himself.

Hockey's off-season

GREENY: The NHL just had a great postseason, with two of its most recognizable teams vying for the Cup. It needs to capitalize on that momentum, and that means spending the summer getting its players in the public eye. It should start with Sidney Crosby, and it probably will. But it can't end with him. Get the other stars out there. Send them to parties and movie premieres. Send them to appearances. Present them as stars.

GOLIC: And the league can't wait for the teams to do that. It has to start things up itself. In short, the NHL needs to make sure its players are being seen not only in ESPN The Magazine but in People magazine, too.

Predictions sure to go wrong

GREENY: The Jonas Brothers' Camp Rock will be the most-watched cable movie of all time.

GOLIC: And that will be when I learn who the Jonas Brothers are.

GREENY: I love you, Nick!!! I love you, Joe!!!

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