Not so much, it's just that when people expend extra energy just to hate you. Those people eventually get their way.
I think this entire thing is pretty silly. I listened to a report about the "violent NBA" on NPR this evening. There is a tremendous amount of handwringing and conspiracy theories about a 2 minute fight between a few athletes. I think the Zeke thing is totally ridiculous. I read an article today talking about his rough South Side of Chicago upbringing, and his Mafia tendencies. Please. This is a bunch of goofy melodrama to sell papers and keep people tuned in to ESPN. Even if Isaiah told Robinson: "go down there and stab Carmello in the heart", Robinson is a grown man in an adult world. Ridiculous. The only thing about this whole fiasco that is the least bit interesting is that, despite his recent "maturity" Carmello is obviously still a pretty immature and insecure kid. The way he suckerpunched that guy and ran off spoke volumes. He's a kid that plays basketball, not a hardcore street thug, despite the (childish) image he may wish to project.
EasyB, I thought all of this was deja vu. We played Knicks twice in Nov. Pop, Zeke and Bowen got techs. Well, Pop, Zeke and Bowen got in to it .Aware that New York guard Steve Francis sprained his left ankle after landing on Bowen's foot in the team's first meeting, Thomas became incensed when he thought Bowen stepped under Jamal Crawford while contesting a shot early in Saturday's game. "Next time he does that," Thomas told his players, "break his (expletive) foot!" Thomas started jawing at Bowen, who said he also heard the Knicks coach threaten to "break his neck." The referees gave them each a technical. That brought Popovich off the bench. He shouted at the officials to tell Thomas to "stop talking to my players!" Popovich then told Thomas himself, yelling at him after marching to midcourt. Thomas initially waved off Popovich before shouting back. Both coaches were restrained by their assistants as the officials tried to calm them But, no sucker punches. Also in game on 11/6 Spurs were ahead 20 pts most of game. Then suddenly in 4th, Knicks exploded and in the final 3 minutes we were only 1 pt ahead. So, knowing Knicks history of kicking up the game a notch in final minutes was reasonable(?) to put starters in. Maybe not.
The last time I checked and found that brawls were part of sport games which occurred every now and then everywher on this planet to have fans stay high, keep sport writers in busy and get all concerned parties excited. As long as every thing goes on their way inside the court, I'm Ok and got fun.
Great point brofmfa. It's our ESPN fast food media culture that makes each of these fairly regular events out to be much more than they really are.
It wouldn't be the first time that someone had done that, plant there foot under someone, especially Bowen.
Bowen's penchant for dirty play and causing sprained ankles. It entilted "Bowen's Foot" and is half way down the page HOOPSANALYST
Actually, media played one of the roles because they were also part of the scenario and . . . so somewhat do us.
This pretty much sums up my feelings. He has hurt himself tremendously and you can blow this year off for him. Time will help him out (unlike a Zach Randolph), and his best bet, when he comes back, is to keep his mouth shut, kick-up the community PR efforts, and win the scoring title. He is going to take a lot of abuse the rest of the year and if he handles this the right way, it should make him grow up fast and become a better ballplayer.
I can't understand this whole thing. All I can say about it is think for yourself and not what the media tells you to think. When I started watching bball these things happened a few times a year and no one thought anything of it. Suspensions ranged from 1-3 games, a small fine, maybe a public apology and that was about it. Thing that is different here is that Melo looked like a Wuss so perhaps they are trying to deflect attention as someone else wrote in this thread. I don't have a problem with Melo not knowing how to fight, why start one and then run away? Yea, it techincally carried over into the 1st row. No big deal, those seats are too close to the court and its not like any fan was targetted. If you sit that close then be prepared to get out of the way. Now que the drama.
The league should fine & suspend Karl for running his big mouth about Zeke. I think his accusations are unfounded and he has no proof.
McCosky's comments: I must say for once I actually totally agree with something he wrote. Oh, please! 'Brawl' was a lame spat - 12/19/06 - The Detroit News Online
Out of proportion - maybe, maybe not - fights happen with more frequency in baseball, football, hockey... but we're still talking about events that could have seriously injured or crippled the participants. Just ask Rudy. And these guys are a lot stronger than Kermit. "...--other than perhaps wholly altering the corporate culture of your typical NBA team. (What were they supposed to do--reverse the violent upbringings of so many kids? Not sign feisty players--including multiple title winners like Larry Bird, Maurice Lucas, and Bill Laimbeer--who intimidate with their fists?) And it's pretend, I believe, that basketball can be played year after year without the occasional fight." I agree with Cuban. This is an issue for corporate culture and it is the owners, GMs, and coachs who need to take some responsibility for what happens on the floor. Did Karl pour gasoline on the floor? Did Zeke toss a match on a floor? Yeah, they did, and neither of them takes any lumps from the league. That part stinks. I also don't buy that JO dropping chubby fans or Melo dashing in for a well timed sucker punch is anything even remotely like what Bird or Lucas or Laimbeer used to do. Neither of them, even Maurice, ever led with their fists. They played hard, they played dirty at times - holding, grabbing, shoving, the occasional well placed elbow, but they were hardly ever (never?) the first one to throw a punch. They knew how to play hard within the rules as they existed at the time. Robinson, Anthony et al are just punks with no adult supervision. They're responsible for this, but they aren't the only ones. They're just the only ones punished.
His comment "Nobody likes Thomas, true", says it all. That is was this whole thing has turned out to be about. Another chance for the main stream media to stick it to Zeke. What a bunch of a**holes.
Written By: Preacher Man On December 19, 2006 11:48 AM Fighting in the NBA is like unexpected Karaoke at a bar. Terrible at the time to my ears, but meaningless to the taste of my beer....
