“Alamo Trucking.” NBA referee Bob Delaney froze. Someone shouting at him in a Phoenix arena nearly 25 years and 2,400 miles away from his days as an undercover New Jersey State Trooper was a potential threat. After spending three years as trucking company owner Bobby Covert to gather evidence that sent dozens of mobsters to prison, Delaney always lives in a personal “code orange.”
The courtside voice was an undercover collaborator who went into the witness protection program afterwards. Delaney wasn’t too worried anyway. He came forward long ago to testify and nothing has ever happened despite death threats. That’s why Delaney isn’t afraid to tell his story in “COVERT — My Years Infiltrating the Mob” (Union Square Press, $19.95) with co-author Dave Schreiber. Delaney will celebrate the book’s national release at 7:30 tonight at the Georgetown Barnes & Noble (3040 M St.).
“Any police officer who arrests someone never knows what the retribution will be,” Delaney said. “I understand why people worry there would be retribution, but that’s what happens to informants. I’m in law enforcement. This isn’t like some ‘Sammy the Bull’ off on the side looking to save himself.”
“Covert” is a gripping recollection of everyday workings by the New Jersey mob infiltrated by a young second-generation policeman who led Project Alpha in 1975. Delaney couldn’t even tell his parents, suffered chest pains from anxiety and gained 30 pounds to look the part.
And it was worth it.
“I’m proud of what we all accomplish,” he said. “That experience made me what I am.”
Delaney returned to his childhood love of basketball to relieve stress. It led to another career — NBA referee. You’ve seen Delaney at Verizon Center now and then. He was the one who told Detroit and Indiana captains, shortly before their 2004 Christmas rematch following a brawl the previous month, of a line from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on how men are measured in moments of challenge and controversy.
Delaney started a fundraiser to help relatives of the Oklahoma City bombing victimstravel to Timothy McVeigh’s trial. He lectures law enforcement groups over undercover tactics and dealing with stress. Surprisingly, the book resurfaced many of the emotions Delaney thought were gone.
“I realized when we were into the book that I was getting some of the same feelings back, the emotional roller coaster rides,” he said, “not as in depth, but you go back in and start reliving and realizing those emotions are still inside you.”
Delaney kept his police pension open for 1 1/2 years in case the NBA career didn’t work. The thrill of enforcing laws on the court proved just as intoxicating as the streets, though.
“Once I got out on the NBA floor, I knew it was something I was always going to want to do,” he said.
Who’s more unappreciated — police or NBA refs?
“You could toss a coin on that one,” Delaney said. “I would go with the police department. What law enforcement does on a daily basis … allows this to be as sane a world as it can be.”
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Contact him at [email protected].
