As commissioners cope with point-shaving allegations against an NBA ref, the federal indictment of a marquee NFL quarterback and baseball's home run dilemma, it's the fans who are being cheated

	Stern can?t gloss over the Donaghy fiasco. Photo illustration by John Ueland

Sports fans have considerable forbearance. Year after year they endure escalating ticket prices, the abomination known as seat licensing and the implied mandate that taxpayers should foot the bill for the new stadium or arena that will absolutely revive downtown. They watch their favorite players come and go through free agency and trades, and see their managers and coaches get shuffled like playing cards. They cringe as the news crawl on their screen reports a heinous transgression committed by their son's hero, whose replica jersey just lightened their wallet considerably. But they come back, because the games matter to them, and because sports fosters a sense of hope.

Hope seemed in short supply last week, though, as a perfect storm of malfeasance rocked the worlds of baskets, blockers and bats. While pro sports have taken hits before, these were devastating blows, less to their solar plexus than to their very soul. And if you've long ago lost your capacity for outrage -- the O.J. Simpson trial, after all, was 12 years ago -- then put yourselves in the wingtips of the men who run the Big Three.

• As of Monday night, NBA commissioner David Stern, who preaches nothing so much as the integrity of his game and the excellence of his referees, was expected to step up to a podium in New York City on Tuesday morning and confirm one of his greatest nightmares: The league is cooperating with the FBI in the investigation of referee Tim Donaghy, who over the last two seasons allegedly was coerced by organized crime members into shaving points. Donaghy is also suspected of gambling on games he officiated and supplying inside information to gamblers. The 13-year-vet, who has resigned, will eventually surrender to federal authorities. Stern was also expected to say that no other refs were under investigation and that the NBA did not know the feds were looking at Donaghy until after the Finals in June. Donaghy refereed five postseason games this spring.

• NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, whose first year on the job has brought new meaning to the phrase "baptism by fire," was dealing with the federal indictment of one of the league's marquee players, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, on charges that he was involved in a multistate dogfighting operation run from a house Vick owned in Smithfield, Va. Goodell came under fire for not taking immediate action given the shocking revelations in the July 17 indictment, which alleges, among other transgressions, that Vick and two codefendants killed underperforming dogs by hanging, drowning or slamming them to the ground. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals picketed the league office last Friday, and 61% of those who responded to an SI.com poll said they thought Vick should be suspended from the NFL for life if he is convicted. On Monday, Goodell ordered Vick not to report to Falcons training camp pending the NFL's review of the indictment. While the more gruesome allegations have gotten most of the attention, sources say the league also wants to further probe the extent to which Vick was involved in gambling and consorting with known gamblers.