Sports forums across America are buzzing; and Rasheed Wallace, Marc Cuban, and numerous other victims of NBA officiating finally get some redemption. NBA Referee Tim Donaghy is currently under federal investigation for allegations that he bet on NBA Basketball games, including NBA games that he officiated. This comes shortly after veteran NBA referee Joey Crawford was suspended indefinitely by the league for his conduct during a game where he challenged All Star PF Tim Duncan to a fist fight.

Although you may not have heard of Tim Donaghy before news of the Federal Investigation, recent reports indicate that Donaghy's name had been receiving high mileage as the subject of NBA innuendo and suspicion for the last four to five years. As the head of the five man crew that officiated the Detroit-Indiana Brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Donaghy recieved much of the blame for what took place; and, a closer inspection of game film shows Donaghy passively watching the fight unfold much like an extra on the set of a Hollywood movie.

And contrary to the wisdom delivered by the age-old mantra, the NBA has finally proven that ALL PRESS is not GOOD PRESS. The NBA All Star game seemed to put the league at a new low; but thanks to Donaghy and his ties to organized crime, the NBA has now reached rock bottom. And ironically, the biggest sports story of the new millineum did not make very much noise in the general public only because of America's total lack of interest for the National Basketbal Association in the first place - a nail in the coffin if you will. And if the news gets worse for the NBA, we will all witness the death of one of the most exciting leagues in the history of sports. And contrary to popular opinion, all indications are that it will end not with a bang, but a whimper.

Last year, President Bush made waves in the gambling community when he signed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act in the Summer of 2006. The new law cleared up a lot of the ambiquity in the antiquated wording of the Wire Act of 1967; and, finally made it clearly illegal for offshore casinos to take online wagers from U.S. citizens. And moreover, the arrest of former BetOnSports.com CEO Peter Carruthers made it absolutely clear that the United States was enforcing a no-tolerance policy on online sportsbooks who chose to ignore the new legislation.

But, when word came out that Online Poker sites would also suffer the same fate; the issue became the subject of intense debate among noteworthy politicians and congressional lobbyists. According to the Poker Players of America, Poker is not a "game of chance" and should be protected from the wrath of the Internet Gambling Act, which was orignally intended to target rogue terrorists groups and tighten Port Security. However, debate rages on between poker players and Congress. And for the time being, online poker sites can continue to take wagers; but only at their own risk.

Fortunately for Kentucky Derby fans, horseracing has continued to receive an exemption by the United States government with regard to all forms of gambling legislation; both online and offline. And believe me, many people have been taking advantage. There are a number of horse racing sites on the net where you can bet on races all over the world; and, still others that allow you to race and breed virtual horses and win thousands of dollars in real cash in the process.

One of the most popular virtual horse racing sites on the Internet is HorseRacingPark.com. At Horse Racing Park, you start off by purchasing a virtual horse. It is your responsiblity to train your horse in order to qualify for virtual horseraces that take place every day. The cool thing is that at HorseRacingPark.com, you can race your horses on all the real tracks, and win real prize money as well. In addition, I know of stable owners who have sold their entire stable of horses for over $4,000 dollars. So check out HorseRacingPark.com when you get a free moment. I'm sure I'll see you over there!