One, Two, Three, Kill the Referee

You've really got to hand it to NBA referee Bob Delaney. Guy's got balls. In the '70s, just a year and a half into his stint as a young state trooper in New Jersey, Delaney took up a special assignment to infiltrate the mob. The most shocking thing he did,...
Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

You’ve really got to hand it to NBA referee Bob Delaney. Guy’s got balls. In the ’70s, just a year and a half into his stint as a young state trooper in New Jersey, Delaney took up a special assignment to infiltrate the mob. The most shocking thing he did, though, was agree to use the name his superiors bestowed upon him: Bobby Covert. Yeah. The fact that this guy was in a covert mission for the cops, while using the name Covert, and the fact that he somehow wasn’t immediately pegged as a narc and killed, is simultaneously hilarious and mind-boggling. Almost as mind-boggling as the fact that, in the wake of NBA referee Tim Donaghy’s betting-on-games scandal, another NBA ref would so willingly go around the country boasting about his once-upon-a-time ties to the mob. Oh well, guess someone convinced Delaney that this would be a good idea—he went and wrote a book about it called Covert: My Life Infiltrating the Mob. Tonight at 7 p.m., Delaney will be in town reading an excerpt from, answering questions on and signing copies of his book from within the friendly confines of Barnes & Noble, 7700 W. Northwest Highway. Call 214-739-1124 for information.
Thu., March 6, 7 p.m., 2008

When news happens, Dallas Observer is there —
Your support strengthens our coverage.

We’re aiming to raise $30,000 by December 31, so we can continue covering what matters most to you. If the Dallas Observer matters to you, please take action and contribute today, so when news happens, our reporters can be there.

$30,000

GET MORE COVERAGE LIKE THIS

Sign up for the Arts & Culture newsletter to get the latest stories delivered to your inbox

Loading latest posts...