After being assessed a technical foul during a game against the Spurs Tuesday night Kobe Bryant was caught on camera mouthing “fucking faggot” at referee Bennie Adams. I won’t take the sting out of it by replacing those words with “homophobic slur,” or censoring video of the incident as many news sources have done. Kobe’s comment was ignorant, malicious and deplorable.
Throughout the 20th century sports were at the forefront of social change in this country. Athletes like Joe Louis, Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente dispelled racial stereotypes and broke barriers. Billie Jean King and other female athletes pushed for Title IX legislation, which led to equal opportunity and pay between the sexes. However, when it comes to the rights of homosexuals, the sports world lags far behind.
Locker rooms are a world unto themselves. The competitive environment fosters a kill or be killed mentality in which athletes’ “manhood” is regularly tested and often questioned. Homophobic slurs such as faggot and homo are commonplace. Kobe’s comment wasn’t an aberration, he just happened to get caught on camera.
Michael Jordan was notorious for using words like faggot to chide his teammates during practice. Others have been more public with their anti-homosexual sentiments. Allen Iverson released a rap album rife with homophobic lyrics. Tim Hardaway was suspended from All-Star festivities a few years ago for saying on a radio show that he “hated gay people” and LeBron James once stated that he wouldn’t be able to trust a teammate who came out of the closet.
Of course, homophobia isn’t restricted to basketball. Former San Francisco 49er Garrison Hearst once said, “I don’t want any faggots on my team!” Jeremy Shockey is among several other football players who expressed that they wouldn’t feel comfortable playing with a gay teammate. Former relief pitcher Todd Jones went on the record that he wouldn’t “want a gay guy around me.” One can only imagine what’s said behind closed doors. Is it any wonder that not one male professional athlete in a team sport has come out during his career?
I don’t mean to portray sports as the last bastion of homophobia in this country. Homosexuals are denied rights in most states that we take for granted, like visiting a loved one in the ICU, and are routinely victims of hate crimes and vitriolic slurs. It’s customary in certain social circles for males to insult friends and foes alike with words like “faggot” and “homo” and to refer to something that isn’t popular or tough as “gay.” However, the collective mentality in sports appears to be especially antiquated, which is particularly disturbing because professional athletes are role models for so many of our youth.
Ideally, a martyr in the mold of Jackie Robinson will begin to change the culture from within. The NBA and other leagues aren’t going to address the issue unless homophobia begins to impact their revenue. NBA Commissioner David Stern issued a swift response to Kobe’s remarks stating, “Kobe Bryant’s comment during last night’s game was offensive and inexcusable,” Stern said. “While I’m fully aware that basketball is an emotional game, such a distasteful term should never be tolerated. Kobe and everyone associated with the N.B.A. know that insensitive or derogatory comments are not acceptable and have no place in our game or society.”
Yet the punishment the league meted out was not commensurate with the Commish’s words. Kobe was fined $100,000, a hefty sum for most of us, but pocket change for a player earning $27 million this season. If Stern wanted to send a message that such language is truly intolerable he would have suspended Kobe for at least one playoff game, regardless of the impact on TV ratings.
If leagues and their players aren’t willing to change then it’s incumbent upon us as a society to push them to do so. That’s easier said than done. The lack of consensus on gay rights is further complicated by the reality that unlike women, African-Americans and Latinos, it’s within the power of each individual homosexual to hide or reveal his minority status. Homophobia also isn’t as blatantly institutionalized as other forms of discrimination. There’s no de facto barrier as was the case with African-Americans or differing pay scale, like women had to confront.
Consequently, in the absence of players or coaches publicly condemning homophobia in the locker room, it’s difficult to prove that discrimination exists, no matter how prevalent it is. That is, until somebody like Kobe Bryant or Tim Hardaway state their feelings publicly or are caught on camera making a homophobic slur. Then the gay rights and human rights organizations and the rest of society can spring into action.
GLAAD and The Human Rights Campaign were two of several organizations that condemned Bryant’s behavior. The Lakers and GLAAD have since announced a joint initiative to curb anti-gay comments during Lakers home games and the NBA has indicated that it intends to work with GLAAD to come up with ways to discourage homophobia among fans. As GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios said, “In light of this slur, there is a real opportunity to build support for our community and educate fans of Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the NBA about the use of such words.”
Bryant’s slur didn’t just open the door for human rights organizations; the media and public have seized the opportunity to discuss homophobia as well. William Rhoden of the New York Times is one of many writers who have criticized the NBA for not punishing Bryant more severely and used the opportunity to denounce the homophobia that exists within sports. Openly gay ex-basketball player John Amaechi wrote an op-ed piece for the New York Times in response to Kobe’s remark. Sports fans and non-fans alike are discussing the incident over water coolers and at the bar. Many of us have been forced to look in the mirror and question the impact of the words we use.
For the most part, the widespread homophobia in sports is confined to the practice court and locker room. Yet, every so often, a temporary lapse of discretion by an athlete shines light on the ugly hatred that persists in this country and in sports particularly. Homophobic slurs like the one uttered by Kobe are despicable, vile and hurtful. Yet, sadly, we need more of them. It seems to be the only way we’re going to change the sports culture and in turn ourselves.
This is the easiest ROY vote in a long time. The most explosive player in the league averaged 22.4 points and 12.1 rebounds per game for the lowly Clippers and the scary thing is he has so much room to improve.
Fields led all guards in rebounding (not just rookies) and was a solid contributor for a playoff team. Not bad for a second round pick.
Quote of the Year
Winner: David Stern
After a Magic game last month coach Stan Van Gundy criticized referees for not calling flagrant fouls on players who whack his star Dwight Howard and singled out Commissioner Stern, who he referred to as a dictator.
The commish fired back:
“I see somebody whose team isn’t performing, whose star player is suspended, who seems to be fraying,” Stern said of Van Gundy. He then added, “I would venture a guess that we’re not going to be hearing from him for the rest of the season,” Stern said.
He added, “I think when he stops and reads what he said, realizes what he did, he will say no more. … I have a feeling some modicum of self-restraint will cause Stan, and the team for which he works, to rein in his aberrant behavior.”
Modest Melo’s take on the trade rumors swirling around him: “I take my hat off to myself for dealing with all this stuff that’s going on and still be able to go out there and play at the high level that I can play at. I really don’t think an average person can walk in my shoes. I don’t think that.”
MVP candidates aren’t generally considered for this award, but why shouldn’t they be. Last year Rose was a very good player on an average team; this season he emerged as a superstar and carried his team to the best record in the NBA. His vastly improved his defense and three-point accuracy have made him an all around threat and one of the top six or seven players in the league.
In his third season, Westbrook made the leap to NBA All-Star and at times was the best player on the floor for a Thunder team that includes Kevin Durant. His scoring average jumped from 16.1 to 21.8 points per game and he significantly improved his shooting percentage from the field, the line and behind the arc.
Aldridge was the Blazers go-to player in the absence of Brandon Roy and was probably the biggest All-Star snub, while Love averaged an eye-popping 15 rebounds per game.
Where have you gone Moochie Norris? It was a weak season for hair dos in the NBA, so Jennings is the winner by default. The Bucks point guard has worked several old school styles this season, from the mohawk to the fade.
The Bulls were a .500 team last year and the only major addition they made was Carlos Boozer. Thidodeau brought his defensive approach and winning attitude with him from the Celtics and the Bulls vaulted to 62 wins and the best record in the NBA.
Runner-up: Gregg Popovich
Everybody thought the Spurs were on the decline. They hadn’t one a championship since 2007 and the Big 3 are getting up their in years, especially Tim Duncan. Pop changed things up by making Parker and Ginobili the focal point of the offense and pushed the tempo, resulting in the best record in the Western Conference.
Honorable Mention: Doug Collins and George Karl
Nobody picked the 76ers to make the playoffs this year, but Collins’ young team to played hard every night and he managed to get something out of Elton Brand. Karl kept the Nuggets focused despite the Melodrama hanging over their head all season and quickly assimilated the new parts together after the big trade.
Executive of the Year
Winner: Pat Riley
Riles pulled off the biggest free agency coup in NBA history, landing LeBron, Wade and Bosh last summer. Unfortunately he wasn’t able to provide additional pieces around them, but hey, nobody’s perfect.
Runner-up: Donnie Walsh
Walsh’s patience and long term plan to get the Knicks under the cap finally paid off when he landed Amar’e last summer and Carmelo at the trade deadline. Chauncey is nothing to sneeze at and don’t forget his selection of starting shooting guard Landry Fields in the second round.
Best Fans: Portland
The Trailblazers have endured devastating injuries to two potential franchise players in Greg Oden and Brandon Roy, yet their fan never wavered in their support. The Blazers are the only professional team in town and the fans embrace them with a vigor typically reserved for college crowds, making the Rose Garden one of the biggest home court advantages in the league.
Runner-up: Chicago
There’s a buzz in the United Center this season reminiscent of the Jordan era. There may be other cities that show their teams greater love in difficult times, but these awards are for this season only and no arena has been louder than the United Center this year.
Honorable mention: Oklahoma City and Boston
OKC knows they have something special in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Boston fans are among the most knowledgeable fans in the league and have embraced the historic significance of watching the Big Three in action.
Worst Fans: Miami
Miami simply doesn’t deserve the “Big three.” It’s not a basketball town. They have two of the three best players in basketball, one of which is possibly the greatest athlete to ever step foot on a court and they don’t even fill the arena. Those that do show up are about as rowdy as the fans at Wimbledon’s All England Club.
Runner Up: Atlanta
The Hawks won 44 games this year, are the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference and the city of Atlanta barely noticed. There are loads of empty seats during almost every Hawks home game and the only time there’s any noise in Philips Arena is when the public address announcer chants “De-fense.”
Best Trade
Winner: Oklahoma City Thunder
OKC knew they needed to get tougher and improve their interior defense and that’s exactly what they did when they acquired Kendrick Perkins from the Celtics. Now Ibaka can play the four, where his athleticism is better utilized. The Perkins acquisition was the final piece that will eventually put this team over the top. Don’t be shocked if they make the NBA Finals this year.
Runner-up: New York
The Knicks gave up three very good players for Carmelo Anthony, in Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari and Raymond Felton, but they had to assume that Anthony wouldn’t make it to free agency. Management was all in the moment they signed Amar’e and his creaky knees to a five year $100 million contract. Melo and Amar’e give them a formidable duo to contend with the Heat and Bulls in the years to come.
Worst Trade: New Jersey Nets
I understand why the Nets gambled on Deron Williams. They need a marquee player for their move next year and are hoping that other players will want to come to Brooklyn to play with one of the best point guards in the league. The problem is it’s unlikely that D-Will will re-sign next year when his contract expires, in which case they’ll have traded solid building blocks in Derrick Favors, Devin Harris and two first round draft picks and have nothing to show for it.
Runner-up: Boston
Doc Rivers was fond of saying that the Celtics hadn’t lost a series over the past few seasons when their five starters were healthy. Then they traded starting center Kendrick Perkins, ostensibly to improve in the future. When your three stars are in their mid thirties you play for now. The Celtics calling card was tough interior defense and they gave up one of their two best inside defenders.
Statistics alone don’t capture Odom’s value to the Lakers. He was the second most valuable player on the team this year and played at an All-Star level when starting in place of an injured Andrew Bynum. His versatility enables him to guard multiple positions, rebound, shoot from outside and bring the ball up the floor.
Terry keeps rolling along at age 33. The sixth man plays starter minutes and is one of the leaders of the Mavericks. He’s the second scoring option on the team and takes his game to another level in the fourth quarter.
Pop’s favorite player has improved every year he’s been in the league and provided the Spurs with a spark off the bench all season.
Dunk of the Year
Winner:Blake Griffin‘s dunk over Timofey Mozgov in November. Griffin had several highlight reel dunks this season, though this was the most impressive.
McGee dunking on two different baskets at the same time during the Slam Dunk Contest was much more difficult than most people realize. It also get’s a high grade for originality.
Honorable mention:
A slew of Blake Griffin dunks, most notably his 360 slam over Danilo Gallinari in the same game as the dunk over Mozgov. Derrick Rose also victimized the Knicks with a monster two-hand jam early in the season and Serge Ibaka‘s foul line dunk during the dunk contest didn’t receive enough love.
Pass of the Year
This is no contest. I’ve never seen anything like D-Wade’s full court alley-oop to LeBron against the Indiana Pacers.
The big man will bring home the award for the third year in a row. He averaged 2.4 blocks a game and that doesn’t include the shots he alters through sheer intimidation. His impact is all the more impressive because the rest of the players in the Magic’s rotation are decent defenders at best and there’s no other big man to help him protect the rim.
Allen is the unsung hero of the Grizzlies success this season. He brings an intensity level on that side of the ball that is contagious among his teammates and Coach Hollins matches him up against the opponent’s best perimeter player night after night.
Rose ran away with the MVP as the Bulls surged ahead of Miami and Boston to secure the number one seed in the Eastern Conference. He’s one of the quickest players in the league and a master of improvisation around the basket. This year his dramatically improved shooting, made him virtually unguardable. Rose also sets the tone for the Bulls with his tireless work ethic. His true value was most apparent when Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer missed significant amounts of time early in the season and the team didn’t miss a beat.
It’s easy to take the Big Man for granted and his team did drop off a bit this season, but look at who he’s playing with. Who’s the second best player on the Magic, Hedo Turkoglu? Jameer Nelson? Jason Richardson? It’s his presence in the middle that enables those shooters to spread the floor and knock down threes and other than Howard the Magic have no inside presence whatsoever. Take Dwight off this team and they’re in the lottery.
Similar to Howard, Dirk doesn’t have another great player on his team. He carries the scoring load for a team that often seems to be playing three against five offensively.
Least Valuable Player
Winner: Eddie Curry
The last holdover of the Isiah era, Curry made over $11 million this season and didn’t suit up for one game for the Knicks before he was traded to Minnesota who quickly released him. He wasn’t hurt, he just didn’t care enough to get himself in shape.
It’s clear that there’s no explosiveness or elevation left in Agent Zero’s surgically repaired knees. Arenas averaged a paltry eight points per game and shot 34% from the field and 27% behind the arc since joining the Magic. That’s not the kind of production you expect in return for over $17 million. The Magic are on the hook for $60 million more over the next three years.
Walt “Clyde” Frazier retired from the NBA over 30 years ago and he’s still the coolest cat in New York City. The Knicks’ commentator is a maestro on the mic and his impeccable sense of style is as sharp as ever. Here’s a look at Clyde’s top five outfits from this season, plus some bonus shots.
5) Looking dapper in plaid, as he promotes the re-release of his book Rockin’ Steady
4) Rocking the tassels and zebra-striped shoes at a movie premiere
3) Clyde brought out his tiger style for Melo’s Knick debut
2) They’re not saying boo, they’re saying moo.
1) And Clydes’s number one look of the season… the leopard-print suit
A few bonus shots…
Rex wearing Clyde's jersey as he pays his respects to the manClyde and my cousin JustinClyde in all leather for Knicks Legends Night last year, with Bernard King and Patrick Ewing looking on.
Ever wonder what Amar’e Stoudemire is talking about when he refers to “Immortal swag?” I give you “old school” Clyde…
Clyde and his teammates…
Knicks Coach Dick McGuire with rookie roommates Phil Jackson and Walt FrazierThe starting five from the 1970 Championship team. From left to right: Dick Barnett, Walt Frazier, Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere and Willis ReedThe greatest backcourt ever? The Pearl and Clyde
There’s no better way to kickoff a new baseball season than by reminiscing about the late Harry Caray. Here’s a classic quote from the legendary announcer about his beloved Cubs.
“What does a mama bear on the pill have in common with the World Series?”
Over the past twenty-five years there have been numerous incidents in sports that completely floored us, from an untimely death, to a gruesome injury, to a stunning upset, to the simply bizarre. Many of these moments have become universal experiences, memories shared by sports fans every where. As you head towards the top of the list, I guarantee many of you will remember exactly where you were when some of those shocking events occurred.
Here’s my list of the 50 most shocking moments in sports over the past 25 years. As always, let me know if you think there’s something I left out.
50) Dale Hunter viciously crosschecked Islanders’ center Pierre Turgeon in the back, separating his shoulder, while Turgeon was celebrating a goal in the decisive game of a 1993 playoff series with the Capitals.
49) The Metrodome roof collapsed during a snowstorm this past winter.
48) Nets star Drazen Petrovic was killed in a car accident during the prime of his career.
47) Fans at the Alamodome got drenched when the sprinkler system malfunctioned during the opening game of the Spurs season in 1994.
46) Thirteen-year-old Brittanie Cecil died after getting struck in the forehead by an errant slap shot off the stick of Columbus Blue Jacket center Espen Knutsen.
45) When the Cowboys blocked the Dolphins potential game-winning field goal attempt on Thanksgiving Day 1993, all the Cowboys needed to do was stay away from the ball and they would win the game. But Leon Lett came flying in and dove on the ball, giving the Phins another attempt, which they capitalized on. Of course, this wasn’t Lett’s first major blunder.
44) Marty McSorley struck Canucks forward Donald Brashear on the head with his stick in a game between the Bruins and Vancouver.
43) Jose Offerman hit the pitcher and catcher with a bat in an independent league game after being plunked by a pitch.
42) Roseanne Barr spit and grabbed her crotch after being booed for her pathetic version of the Star Spangled Banner at Jack Murphy Stadium.
41) Unprovoked, NBA “Bad Boy” Dennis Rodman kicked a cameraman in the nuts after tumbling out of bounds during a Bulls game.
40) Todd Bertuzzi brutally sucker punched Steve Moore, then slammed his head into the ice in a game between Vancouver and Colorado in 2004.
39) In 1989 the all-time hit king, Pete Rose, was banished from baseball for life.
38) Maple Leaf enforcer Tie Domi squirted water at a Flyers fan and then pummeled him when he jumped into the penalty box.
37) Oliver McCall started crying and refused to enter the ring for the fifth round of his Heavyweight title bout with Lennox Lewis.
36) Izzy Alcantara kicked the catcher in the facemask before charging the mound after being brushed back by a pitch in a minor league game.
35) Brandi Chastain took off her jersey after striking the winning goal against China in the final game of the 1999 Women’s World Cup.
34) In a 1993 game vs. the Nets, Shaquille O’Neal dunked the ball so hard that he brought down the entire backboard.
33) Pedro Martinez threw Don Zimmer to the ground by his bald head after Zim charged him during a brawl in the 2003 ALCS.
32) Less than a year after surgery to remove cancer from his pitching arm, Dave Dravecky’s arm snapped as he threw a pitch.
31) The Andrew Golota – Riddick Bowe fight turned into a brawl when Bowe’s people attacked Golota after he was disqualified for repeated low blows.
30) Millions of tiny bugs called midges swarmed Jacobs Field during Game 2 of the 2007 ALDS between the Yankees and Indians.
28) Roger Clemens threw a piece of Mike Piazza’s shattered bat at the Mets catcher during the 2000 Subway Series.
27) Double-A manager Phillip Wellman’s legendary tirade included crawling on the field, hurling bases into the outfield and throwing the rosin bag at the umpire as if it were a grenade.
26) Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy ended up swinging from Alonzo Mourning’s leg when he tried to break up a fight between the Heat and Knicks during the 1998 playoffss.
25) Twenty-six-year-old Robin Ventura was beat down by Nolan Ryan, 20 years his elder, when he charged the mound after being beaned.
24) Rosie Ruiz appeared to have won the 84th Boston Marathon, but was later exposed as a fraud who jumped out of the crowd near the end of the race.
23) After disposing of Lou Savarese in the first round, Mike Tyson turned his attention to the heavyweight champion: “Lennox Lewis, I’m coming for you man. My style is impetuous. My defense is impregnable, and I’m just ferocious. I want your heart. I want to eat his children. Praise be to Allah!”
22) Replays confirmed that Diego Maradona used his hand to score a goal to secure Argentina’s victory over England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals, but the referees didn’t see it. After the game Maradona coyly stated that the goal was scored by “the hand of God.”
21) Michael Jordan retired from the NBA for the first time at the age of 30 after back-to-back-to-back championships.
20) Minor league right fielder Rodney McCray ran through the outfield wall in pursuit of a fly ball.
19) A dove exploded on impact when it flew in the path of a Randy Johnson fastball in a spring training game.
18) Days after being drafted #2 overall by the Boston Celtics, Len Bias died of a cocaine overdose.
17) Warriors guard Latrell Sprewell savagely choked his coach P.J. Carlesimo at practice.
16) French midfielder Zinedine Zidane was given a red card after headbutting Italy’s Marco Materazzi in the finals of the 2006 World Cup.
15) Loyola Marymount star Hank Gathers collapsed and died on the court during a game.
14) Colombian defender Andrés Escobar was shot and killed in Medellin, presumably for inadvertently scoring on his own goal in the 1994 World Cup.
13) Mookie Wilson’s slow roller to first went through the legs of Bill Buckner to win Game 6 of the 1986 World Series.
12) “Fan Man” paraglided into the ring during a title fight between Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe.
11) Royals’ first base coach Tom Gamboa was randomly jumped by two fans at Comiskey Park.
10) Blood poured from Sabres goalie Clint Malarchuk’s throat after it was accidentally slit by an opposing players skate.
9) In perhaps the greatest upset in sports history, Buster Douglas knocked out Mike Tyson on February 11, 1990.
8) Michael Sergio parachuted onto the infield at Shea Stadium during Game 6 of the 1986 World Series.
7) An earthquake rocked Candlestick Park minutes before Game 3 of the 1989 World Series between the Giants and Athletics.
6) On November 7, 1991 Magic Johnson announced that he was HIV positive and was retiring from basketball immediately.
5) A crazed Steffi Graf fan stabbed Monica Seles in the back during a break in the action of her match at the 1993 Citizen Cup in Hamburg.
4) Tonya Harding’s ex-husband enlisted thug Jeff Gillooly to attack Harding’s rival Nancy Kerrigan.
3) Ron Artest started a melee when he attacked a fan in the stands at the Palace in Auburn Hills in what came to be known as the “Malice at the Palace.”
2) Mike Tyson took a bite out of Evander Holyfield’s ear. Then chomped down on the other one moments later.
1) Game 5 of the 1994 NBA Finals was interrupted to show football Hall-of-Famer O.J. Simpson fleeing from the police in a white Ford Bronco.
Honorable mentions:
– Chris Webber called timeout in the closing seconds of the 1993 NCAA Tournament Championship game.
– Roberto Alomar spit in the face of umpire John Hirschbeck.
– Carl Lewis’ ceremonial first pitch in Seattle actually rivaled his unforgettable rendition of the national anthem.
– Browns tackle Orlando Brown knocked down the ref after being hit in the eye with a penalty flag.
– Donnie Moore committed suicide a few years after giving up the game-winning home run in Game 5 of the 1986 ALCS.
– Barry Sanders walked away from football in his prime.
– Serena Williams threatened a lineswoman after being called for a foot fault during her semifinal match at the U.S. Open.
– Wayne Gretzky was traded from Edmonton to the Los Angeles.
– John Chaney threatens John Calipari
– Gilbert Arenas and teammate Javaris Crittenton pulled guns on each other.
– The tragic deaths of Reggie Lewis, Nick Adenhart, Darryl Kile and Korey Stringer
– Notre Dame student Declan Sullivan died after falling from a lift while filming football practice.
This afternoon the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced its class of 2011 and I’m happy to say that one of my all-time favorite players, Arvydas Sabonis, is one of the inductees. Joining Sabonis in the class of 2011 are: five-time NBA All-Star and member of the 1992 Dream Team, Chis Mullin and five-time NBA Champion and two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Dennis Rodman.
The other inductees are: Stanford Head Coach Tara VanDerveer; Olympic Gold Medalist Teresa Edwards; Harlem Globetrotter legend Reece “Goose” Tatum; former Celtic great Tom “Satch” Sanders; innovator of the triangle offense Tex Winter; Philadelphia University Head Coach Herb Magee; and one of the greatest players in the history of the ABA, Artis Gilmore.
This is a piece I wrote about Sabonis a few years ago for the website The Love of Sports.
Arvydas Sabonis had the most complete game of any big man over the past 25 years. That includes Hakeem Olajuwan, Moses Malone, Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan and David Robinson. Unfortunately, serious knee and Achilles tendon injuries robbed him of his mobility long before he came to the NBA at the age of 31 and most Americans never had the opportunity to see him in his prime.
Born in Lithuania, Sabonis earned a reputation as the “best big man in the world” while playing in the Soviet Union during the 1980’s. He carried the Soviets to a Gold Medal in the 1988 Olympics, defeating a U.S. Team led by David Robinson, Danny Manning and Mitch Richmond along the way.
The Portland Trailblazers selected him with the 24th pick in the 1986 NBA draft, but in one of the great casualties of the Cold War, he was barred from playing in the United States at the time. However, after suffering the first of many knee injuries in 1986, Soviet officials allowed him to rehabilitate with the Trailblazers’ training staff.
In between rehab sessions, “Sabas” played pick-up games with many of the Blazers. His outlet passes and shot-blocking presence were the perfect compliment to Clyde Drexler and Terry Porter, and the Portland guards were giddy over the prospect of playing with the great Lithuanian.
To their disappointment, when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1989, Sabonis chose to play ball in Spain instead of coming to the U.S. Over the next six years he led his team to two European Championships and was named European Player of the Year four times. Finally, in 1995, with nothing left to prove to in Europe, “the best big man in the world” came to the NBA.
It was soon apparent that the Sabas that joined the Trailblazers wasn’t the same player who had dominated David Robinson in the 1988 Olympics. After several major injuries, it took him an eternity to make his way up the court and at times appeared as if he were playing on one leg. Still, he was one of the better big men in the league.
There was nothing Sabonis couldn’t do on the court. At 7-foot-3, 280 pounds, he was an immovable force in the low post, the one center in the league Shaquille O’Neal couldn’t push around. He used his size to control the defensive backboards and pester opposing players when they drove the lane.
Sabas’ skills on the court were well refined. He possessed an impressive array of post moves, with the ability to finish with either hand and was also equally adept at knocking down an 18-footer. The most impressive aspect of Sabonis’s game was his brilliant passing. Early in his career with the Blazers, they ran the offense through him in the high post, where he’d palm the ball like a grapefruit before throwing a nonchalant, behind-the-back bounce pass to a cutting teammate. He also ignited Portland’s fastbreak with one-handed outlet passes that always hit his guards in stride.
The Blazers made the playoffs in each of Sabas’ seven seasons with the team, coming within one game of the NBA Finals in 2000 before succumbing to the eventual champion Lakers in Game Seven of the Western Conference Finals. He averaged 12 points and 7.3 rebounds over his NBA career, while playing just 24 minutes per game. Projected over 36-40 minutes, those are All-Star numbers.
Many NBA enthusiasts refer to Sabonis’s career in terms of “what could have been.” Portland fans are quick to say there’s no telling how many championships the Blazers would have won if Sabonis had joined the nucleus of Drexler, Porter, Buck Williams and Jerome Kersey in the late 1980’s.
I for one am just grateful for the opportunity to have seen such a skilled practitioner work his craft. His extraordinary combination of size, talent and skill made him a thrill to watch and even in his diminished capacity, it was evident that Arvydas was one of the greatest big men to ever man the paint. I congratulate on him on his well deserved induction into the Hall of Fame.
Kevin Johnson was one of the elite point guards in the NBA during the early to mid 1990’s, a natural leader known for his quickness, precision passing and efficient shooting. He made three All-Star games as a member of the Phoenix Suns and joined Oscar Roberston and Isiah Thomas as the only players in NBA history to average over 20 points and 10 assists per game for three consecutive seasons.
K.J. has reached even greater heights since his retirement; he was elected mayor of his hometown, Sacramento in 2008. In the midst of a national recession, he inherited a city facing rising unemployment and difficult budget cuts, though ironically, Johnson’s biggest challenge as mayor may come from the world he knows best, professional basketball.
A decade ago the Sacramento Kings were the model “small market” NBA team. After purchasing majority ownership of the team in 1999, Joe and Gavin Maloof built the Kings into a title contender without breaking the bank, through shrewd trades and draft picks. The team played an exciting brand of up-tempo basketball and the city rallied behind them. The Kings sold out every game and Arco Arena turned into one of the biggest home court advantages in the league.
In the mid 2000’s, the team took a downturn. Management was unsuccessful in replacing the team’s top players who had departed via trade or free agency and the team soon fell into financial trouble. During the 2005-2006 season several of the King’s sponsors terminated their affiliation with the team. As the product on the court continued to diminish the attendance followed. On November 6, 2007, the Kings’ 354-game home sellout streak came to an end.
The Kings’ decline coincided with the Maloof brothers’ own financial troubles. They owe a significant amount of money on their Palms Casino in Las Vegas and possibly other investments as well. Their financial issues have been compounded by the team’s struggles have. The Kings have lost money in each of the past few seasons.
Since the Maloofs purchased the team they’ve been lobbying the city for a new arena. Arco Arena (now called Power Balance Pavalion as of a few weeks ago) is decrepit and ancient by NBA standards. The NCAA won’t even schedule tournament games their anymore. The team’s difficulties, as well as the Maloof’s personal troubles, have added urgency to their pleas.
For many years, the brothers stated that it was their intention to keep the team in Sacramento. They negotiated with the city to build a new publicly funded arena, but in 2006 a proposition to do so was severely defeated on the ballot. The negotiations were highly public and damaging to the Maloofs’ reputation, so they asked the NBA for assistance and stepped into the background.
The league funded research for a possible solution and in March 2009, announced a plan to build a new arena. The deal called for Cal Expo – an independent state agency – to sell a huge block of land where the state fair is currently held to an undisclosed third-party developer, who would use the proceeds from the development of a conference center, shops and housing on the land to fund a new stadium on the property. The Maloofs were on board, but this past September the Cal Expo Board decided that the plan wasn’t in the organizations best interest.
That was the last straw for the Maloof brothers and the NBA. Soon after Cal Expo backed out of the deal the NBA stated that it would no longer actively seek to keep the Kings in Sacramento. Desperate for a new arena to rejuvenate the franchise and out of options in Sacramento, the Maloofs began to look elsewhere.
During All-Star weekend, Commissioner David Stern confirmed that the Maloofs were in negotiations to relocate the team to Anaheim. Last week the plan took a big step forward when the Anaheim City Council voted unanimously to approve up to $75 million in lease-revenue bonds to enable the Kings move to Anaheim in time for next season.
The team would play in the Honda Center, currently the home of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks and it appears that if the move goes through the franchise will not retain the name Kings. On March 3, attorneys for the Maloofs filed for federal patent trademarks for the names “Anaheim Royals, “Anaheim Royals of Southern California,” “Orange County Royals” and “Los Angeles Royals.”
Mayor Johnson and Sacramento city officials aren’t ready to concede defeat. Last week, John Dangberg, Sacramento’s Assistant City Manager, sent a letter to Anaheim City Manager Thomas Wood urging the Anaheim City Council to cease negotiations with the Kings. He said the move could cause “irreparable harm to the City of Sacramento,” citing concern that the Maloof’s wouldn’t pay off a $73.8 million loan from the city if the team relocates. The letter prompted Joe Maloof to lash out at the mayor and city officials, saying, “We would appreciate that they not interfere with our business.”
Johnson comprehends what losing the only professional sports team in Sacramento would do to the psyche of a city hit particularly hard by the recession and continues to fight to keep professional basketball in Sacramento. He’s set to plead Sac-Town’s case before the NBA Board of Governors on April 14th, just four days before the league-imposed deadline for the Maloofs to request permission to relocate the team. Johnson has made it clear that he’s still seeking a plan to build a new arena in Sacramento so that even if the Kings leave, another NBA franchise can play there in the future.
K.J. thought he’d left the battles of the hardwood behind when he occupied the mayor’s office. Little did he know, his greatest political challenge would be much like his rookie season, fighting to secure a spot in the NBA. He’s facing an uphill battle, though if his business acumen is anywhere near as sharp as his court sense, Sacramento has the right man for the job.
This is one of my all-time favorite sports quotes. When asked by a reporter if he preferred grass or turf, former Mets hurler Tug McGraw famously responded,
Basketball fans generally embrace Cinderella stories in the Big Dance. George Mason became the darling of the 2006 tourney, when they shocked the nation by advancing to the Final Four. Last year’s bracketbuster Butler captured the hearts of fans during their magical run, which fell a few inches short of a championship.
Oddly, this year’s Cinderella VCU hasn’t conjured up the same emotion. The dark horse Rams are an 11 seed and had to beat USC in a play-in game just to get into the tournament. Then they won their next four games, culminating in a stunning upset of #1 seeded Kansas on Sunday, which landed them in the Final Four.
Second year coach Shaka Smart built the team around defensive ball pressure and ball movement. Ignited by their scrappy, diminutive point guard Joey Rodriguez, they play with an intensity that is all too uncommon in today’s collegiate game. They have a legitimate inside-outside threat in forward Jamie Skeen and Smart has instilled the confidence in his team that they can beat anybody.
One would think that basketball fans and reporters would be climbing over one another to jump on the Rams bandwagon, but since their victory over Kansas all I’ve heard is negativity and cynicism about their success. It seems as if most fans are annoyed that VCU is in the Final Four, for any number of reasons.
America likes to root for David against Goliath, but in this case the Rams are playing another David in long shot Butler, take two. The drama and intrigue surrounding an underdog requires a nemesis in the form of a national powerhouse like Duke or Ohio State. VCU already beat their Goliath in Kansas. Two David’s clashing doesn’t carry much sizzle.
Many members of the media have speculated that VCU’s presence in the Final Four will lead to low TV ratings and merchandise sales. According to Darren Rovell of CNBC, since this past weekend’s games the average price for a three-game ticket strip on StubHub for the two Final Four games and Final game has dropped from $748 to $631.
There’s also a chorus of voices arguing that the Rams didn’t deserve to be in the tournament in the first place. They point to their underwhelming 23-11 record in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) and that they lost five of their last eight games prior to the tournament. ESPN “bracketelogists” were stunned when the Rams were selected to participate in the tournament and some analysts like Jay Bilas were outraged by the decision. Shaka Smart was surprised himself. His team didn’t even watch the selection show because he didn’t want the disappointment of not being selected to be the defining moment of their 23 win season.
There are also fans and analysts who are rooting against VCU because they opposed the addition of eight teams and four play-in games to the tournament. They believe that the tourney was perfect with 64 teams and fear that VCU’s success as a play-in team will propel the push to expand the tournament to 96 or even 128 teams.
Several members of the media have sought to minimize the Rams accomplishments on the court during this stellar Final Four run. Certain analysts contend that VCU’s success is evidence that the quality of play in college basketball has deteriorated. Others argue that reaching the Final Four this year wasn’t that impressive because there weren’t any great teams in the tournament.
The most blatant disrespect thrown VCU’s way has been attacks on the quality of the competition they’ve faced. Many people believe that their first round opponent USC didn’t deserve to be in the play-in game. Georgetown, who they met in the second round, had been in a free-fall since losing their best player Chris Wright to injury.
The Purdue team they defeated in the third round was also playing without their star Robbie Hummel, though critics failed to mention that the Boilermakers played well enough to earn a #3 seed and were still one of the best defensive teams in the country without him. Plus, VCU didn’t just beat Purdue, they trounced them. The Rams then “squeaked by” a mediocre Florida State team in the fourth round to advance to the Elite Eight.
Even after beating Kansas, the #2 overall seed in the tournament, the Rams received minimal credit. Postgame analysis focused on why Kansas lost, not how VCU won. Rather than discussing the Rams sensational three-point shooting, analysts zeroed in on Kansas’ inability to make shots and their lack of rhythm offensively, as if VCU’s pressure defense had nothing to do with it.
Soon after VCU’s victory over Kansas, Las Vegas released the odds for each of the four remaining teams to win the tournament. Not surprisingly, VCU’s are by far the highest, at 13-2. If I were a betting man I’d jump all over that. You know the Rams are going to bring it on the defensive end, they’re not turning the ball over and if they remain hot from behind the arc, where they’re shooting 44% for the tournament, they’ll be very difficult to beat.
The funny thing is, Shaka Smart loves every one of these disparaging remarks about his team. It’s fuel for them. Smart’s been playing the underdog card all tournament. Now with people rooting against VCU, they’re not just an underdog, it’s them against the world. In yesterday’s press conference Smart summed up VCU’s situation by quoting another underdog, Jake Taylor, from the movie Major League:
“There’s only one thing left to do. Win the whole f-ing thing!”
Call me a curmudgeon, but it seems as if every time I watch a ballgame I develop a new pet peeve. There’s a countless number of things in sports which piss me off. I intended to make this a top ten list, but it just kept growing. Ultimately, I capped it at the top 25. Feel free to share your sports pet peeves with me.
This is a list of the top25 things in sports that piss me off.
25) People who wear suits to hockey games
I silently hope for these guys to get pummeled by the blue collar fans.
24) Yankee jerseys with names on the back
Any self-respecting baseball fan knows that the Yankees don’t have names on the back of their uniforms. Yet if you go to a game at Yankee Stadium you’ll see hundreds of fans with Jeter, Posada or Rodriguez on the back of their jerseys. If you don’t know who the jersey belongs to you shouldn’t be wearing it in the first place.
23) Tennis players apologizing after a net ball
Why do tennis players apologize when they hit a shot that clips the top of the net and falls on their opponent’s side of the court? They didn’t do anything wrong. Fortuitous breaks are part of every sport. You don’t see hitters apologize to the pitcher when they mishit a ball, but it bloops in for a hit.
22) Flopping in soccer
Nobody likes a flopper and soccer players have made an art form of it. It disrupts the fluidity of the game and far too often ends up determining the outcome.
21) Politically correct college team names
I grew up a fan of the St. John’s Redmen. About a decade ago the school changed their name to the Red Storm. I support ending the use of racist team names, but what the hell is a red storm? A few years ago Syracuse dropped the “men” from Orangemen. As if Orangemen wasn’t bad enough, they’re now just the Orange.
20) Players that celebrate when their teams are way behind
We’ve all seen these guys in action; the receiver who dances in the end zone when his team is down 28 points in the fourth quarter; the selfish shooting guard who does a little shimmy after dunking the ball with his team trailing by 20. Hand the ball to the referee and get your ass back on defense!
19) The charge-block call in college b-ball
It’s the most difficult and arbitrary call in basketball. A couple of weeks ago I saw a player on Carolina take off a few feet from the basket, dunk the ball and get called for a charge. Why doesn’t the NCAA just add that dotted line the NBA uses?
18) Fans who talk above their knowledge level
I don’t discriminate against non-sports fans. It’s not your thing, that’s cool. However, I will hold it against you if you pretend to know more than you do. When you make comments or argue a point and don’t have a solid grasp on what you’re talking about, the people who do will sniff you out immediately and you’ll look like a fool.
17) Athletes who thank god
If there is a god, he’s got a lot more to worry about than the outcome of a game. Narcissistic athletes who point to the sky after every base hit are trivializing the very god they’re thanking. Keep your religion to yourself pal.
16) Baseball fans who reach onto the field and touch a fair ball
Not only should they be kicked out of the game, they should be banned from the stadium for the rest of the season.
15) When football announcers don’t know anything about the teams they’re covering
The NFL is aired exclusively by major networks so unlike other leagues there aren’t regular home team announcers. There can be a difficult color man doing the game every week. The broadcasters read up on teams before they cover a game, but it’s often apparent that they don’t know the intricacies and patterns of the team and its players as well as hardcore fans do. Some broadcasters fake it better than others. Phil Simms is not one of them.
14) Using correlated statistics to prove causation
For example, an announcer may conclude that since a team has a great record when their running back gets 25 carries, they won those games because the back got 25 carries. To the contrary, very often that back had 25 carries because his team was up big and he just ran out the clock in the fourth quarter. The carries could be a product of the win, not the cause.
13) Calling teams “World Champions”
When the Lakers won the NBA championship last year they weren’t “World Champions.” They were NBA champions. Period. They didn’t compete against any European, Asian or South American teams. The same goes for the league champion of every other major sport in this country.
12) Fraternizing with opponents
If you want to get dinner with your opponent the night before the game or give him a hug during warm-ups that’s your business, but anything more than a quick hello is fraternizing with the enemy. Once the whistle blows I don’t want to see so much as a smile between opponents. Pat Riley had the right idea when he fined his players for helping their opponents up off the floor.
11) The smelly guy in pickup ball
At the end of a long run everybody stinks, but sometimes on the first possession of the first game you find yourself fighting for position with a guy who wreaks before even working up a sweat. As Keyshawn would say, “C’mon man.”
10) Shooting shirts into the crowd
I paid to watch a ballgame, not the circus.
9) Hockey teams get a point when they lose in overtime or a shootout
And people wonder why nobody follows hockey anymore.
8) Timeouts before field goals
I don’t have statistics on this, but I don’t think freezing the kicker by calling a timeout at the last second before he attempts a field goal makes a difference. The pressure on the kicker is the same after the timeout and sometimes the strategy backfires because the kicker misses the first attempt, then makes it after the timeout.
7) Slapping five after free throws
This began in the last ten to fifteen years and I can’t get used to it. What exactly is the purpose of the other four players on the floor slapping a guy five between his foul shots? These are free throws we’re talking; If the shooter makes the first one it’s not a big deal and if he misses he’ll be okay. He doesn’t need encouragement from teammates before shooting the next one.
6) Guys who don’t run out ground balls
What, they don’t get paid enough?
5) The BCS
I know I speak for the whole country on this one. The champion should be decided on the field, not by a computer.
4) People who say “You don’t make that call at that point in the game.”
This one infuriates me. Some people say that certain fouls should not be called late in a basketball game. Their argument is that the refs should leave it up to the players to decide the outcome. I say the player decided the outcome when he committed the foul. The refs would be deciding the outcome if they ignored the rules and swallowed their whistles. The most important aspect of officiating is consistency. If it’s a foul early in the game, it’s a foul in the closing minutes too.
3) Mets fans
There’s no need to elaborate on these goofballs, their inferiority complex, delusional expectations or ridiculous mascot. They speak for themselves. Exhibits A, B and C…
2) Too many men on the field
Jim Bouton said it well…“Baseball players are smarter than football players. How often do you see a baseball team penalized for too many men on the field?”
Is there any stronger evidence as to the damage caused by concussions? Kids in Pop Warner know how to count to eleven. I get aggravated whenever one of my teams commit a stupid penalty or foul, but this one makes me ANGRY.
1) “We’re doing this for the fans”
Whenever the owner of a sports team utters this phrase he’s lying through his teeth and dipping deeper into your pocket. It’s condescending and insulting to our intelligence. Using my tax dollars to build a new stadium in order to charge ticket prices I can’t afford and install luxury boxes I’ll never step foot in is not in my best interest.
Paul Knepper 