Stern was fiercely protective of his players and referees when he felt they were unfairly criticized, such as when members of the Pacers brawled with Pistons fans in 2004, or when an FBI investigation in 2007 found that Tim Donaghy had bet on games he officiated, throwing the entire referee-operations department into turmoil. With his voice rising and spit flying, Stern would publicly rebuke media outlets, even individual writers, if he felt they had taken cheap shots.