Team sport is built wholly on the premise of just that: the team. You cannot ask a group of people to band together, grind through the practices, the games and the ups and downs of a season, travel through airports and room together on the road, share meals, banter in the locker room, work hard to come back from injuries, have everything crystallize for one run through the playoffs ... and then if some opponent takes a cheap shot at your best player, to NOT instinctively react. What should happen is that AFTER you instinctively react and take the first steps towards the conflict, you'd better regain your composure and not get involved. The PHX assistants did a great job of not letting Diaw and Stoudemire reach the fray, which dissipated their initial (reasonable) desire to protect their teammate. Suspension unwarranted. If they get there and shove, elbow, punch, then suspension warranted. I have no problem with that. That's why there must be a subjective interpretation with this rule, and not the (purportedly) objective usage of a "cross the sideline and you're suspended" policy. The NBA expects these guys to turn off the sense of "team" like a switch -- you cannot do that and still have a compelling product on the floor. We watch pro sport because of what great individuals are capable of accomplishing as a team.
Although I've been rooting for the Suns in this series over the Spurs, and I think the suspensions to Diaw and Stoudamire are unfair, I'm not going to complain and cry "foul" on Stern and Jackson over them. What happened, happened. The bad guy, Robert Horry, was still put away for longer than the other two. As I'm writing this, Game 5 still hasn't been played yet, and anything can happen. Really, this will be a major test for the Suns. Equate this, if you will, to a poker game. The players aren't good because they're dealt the best hand; they're good because they know how to play with the hand they ARE dealt, good or crappy. I believe the rule about leaving the bench should be changed to be made more lenient, but this isn't the time to do it, in mid-playoffs. No NBA executive nor referee can "win" a series over one team or another. The series will be settled by two teams on a basketball court, and will be won by the team that displays the strongest intestinal fortitude to put all the "cheap shot" crap aside, be it complaining or instigating, and get that ball through the hoop. Nothing more, nothing less.
Even if it is objective, I don't understand its implementation in this situation. (Definition A) I had thought the rule was - leave the bench and you're suspended. (Definition B) Apparently, the rule is - leave the bench during an altercation and you're suspended. Is this the case? If (A) then Duncan and Bowen both need to be suspended. If (B) then Duncan and Bowen should not have been suspended. However, if (B) is true, then TrueHoop is correct in point out the following absurdity - say some Phoenix scrub were to notice that Duncan and Bowen had left the bench and were hanging out on the court. If he were to then jump up and punch someone in the face, THEN Duncan and Bowen would be suspended. This whole thing stinks.
The league went way wrong by not suspending The Beard after he shoulder checked Fisher. The other suspensions were warranted as outlined by the NBA code of conduct. Believe me, I understand the frustration (the league suspended my favorite teams best player twice this season for "unnatural motions"). Stoudamire will be a loss, but Diaw hasn't done shit the entire playoffs. He's the equivalent of Robert Horry on the Spurs. From what I saw, Nash was perfectly capable of taking care of himself, and he had Raja freaking Bell to help him out. In any case, there is no way for your to justify the ruling or condemn it. It happened, it's over. Just hope that the Suns can win the last two when they get Stoudamire back. I can see it now, Big Shot Bob returns from his two-game suspension and hits the game winner in the dying seconds of game 7. (I've seen him do it before, ask any Sacramento Kings fan.)
On another note, I know where your coming from. Your team f'd up. You're upset. Plain and simple. They knew the rules, they broke the rules, they got punished. End of story Oh c'mon - they didn't break the intent of the stupid fucking rule. They didn't engage in any fighting. What about leaving the bench to celebrate a big play? Technically your coming on - since the letter of the law is the law - they should be suspended, too. But they're not because of a little thing called common sense. The result is that the Spurs are rewarded for their goonery. It encourages the behaviour. Now teams know that if you attack a star you can probably goad some of the star's teammates off the bench and get them suspended. Be sure to punch him next time - you might get two or three to come at you. Good move. Stu Jackson is pretty much a tool, more concerned that he appear consistent with the NBAs ill-conceived bench rules then actual justice or fairness. They blew it. Big time.
So you think Horry gets a little something extra in his pay envelope this week? I hadn't followed the NBA in at least 5 years and decided to start watching again just for this series. I will not watch anymore. Back to the NFL.
Wow Bulls our making a little series out of this little blowout at the Palace. Everybody had a good game. Thomas made like five dunks and missed a few layups. Hinrich had 13 assists, Gordan had 25 points I think. Drillen threes all over the place, just an incredible game for Chicago. I don't think they can pull off a win for game six though, maybe but not garenteed. Only three teams in sports history have come back 0-3 and won the series, so maybe the Bulls can add themselves to the list.
The NBA rule is very clear about what happens when a players leaves the bench during an altercation. It's a stupid rule, but I don't see what else they could have done. Here it is: Section VII - Fines c. During an altercation, all players not participating in the game must remain in the immediate vicinity of their bench. Violators will be suspended, without pay, for a minimum of one game and fined up to $35,000.
Charles Barkley hates that rule. He about killed two announcers last night before the Bulls game and at half-time.
During an altercation, all players not participating in the game must remain in the immediate vicinity of their bench. Violators will be suspended, without pay, for a minimum of one game and fined up to $35,000. That's up for interpretation. How do they define an altercation? When one of the Spurs went for a dunk over one of the Suns, the two players locked eyes and there was a 'mild altercation' and while on the bench, Tim Duncan walked past the 3 point line. Where's the suspension for Timmy? Also, what does 'immediate vicinity of their bench' mean? I understand that the rules are the rules but those rules were implemented because of what transpired between the Miami Heat and New York Knicks back in the 1999 playoffs when there was a bench clearing brawl after PJ Brown flipped Charlie Ward. Now that was an altercation. IMO, Robert Horry was frustrated and wanted to try to entice Steve Nash to respond thus the 'hip check'. I just don't see why Amare' was suspended when he was not even part of the alteration. If Amare is suspended, Bruce Bowen should have been as well for the knee to the groin on Nash and also Duncan for leaving the bench during an altercation.
Bruce Bowen should have been as well for the knee to the groin on Nash If that was the case, Nash would have been suspended in the 1st round for kicking #24 in the balls while making a layup. As for the Pistons, just when I start to give them some credit...
If that was the case, Nash would have been suspended in the 1st round for kicking #24 in the balls while making a layup We're talking about the Suns vs. Spurs series here and most of us saw that sneaky, dirty play by Bowens. I heard no mention made of the kick from Nash to Kobe. If that happened, he should have been suspended. Nothing happened then and apparently nothing is being done now. Players can get clotheslined, low-blowed but God-forbid a players teammate stands up for their fallen comrade. That's a no-no. Just ridiculous!
Nothing happened then and apparently nothing is being done now. Next time Stoudamire should wait to get back in the game and kick someone in the nuts! It seems to be a legal play. Just don't punch someone in the nuts or you'll get suspended like J-Terry did last year. Last year some dude reached between Chris Kamans legs (from behind), grabbed his sack and proceeded to try to rip it off. He didn't get suspended either.
As I stated before, the League and the referees have been consistently inconsistent in their interpretations of contact and intent. I just can't get worked up over how random fouls, fines, and suspensions have been levied. AGAIN this is not some conspiracy against the Suns. The League, and by extension, the Commishes job is to make the Game as fun, competitive, and lucrative as possible. You don't sell tickets by suspending players, and hamstringing teams. But you do enforce the rules. It is important to note that "the bench rule" was broached not just by the League, but by the teams as well. Not because teams can't rely on grown men to control themselves, but so that there is a uniform disciplinary process wherein there cannot be a hint of impropriety. At least that was the intent. The teams can very easily vote to get rid of, or alter the language of the rule during the off-season. Last year some dude reached between Chris Kamans legs (from behind), grabbed his sack and proceeded to try to rip it off. He didn't get suspended either. That was Reggie Evans, and while he wasn't suspended, he was fined $10,000.
Last year some dude reached between Chris Kamans legs (from behind), grabbed his sack and proceeded to try to rip it off. I was involved in an informal photo caption contest (via back-and-forth e-mails) for a pic of that event. Here are the top entries (you can probably imagine the photo without my posting it): a) "Two Nuts Battle Over Two Nuts" b) "Kaman: I'm Glad Evans Isn't a Clipper" c) "Evans Gets Hard Lesson in What Rocky Mountain Oysters Aren't'" d) "Evans Finds His Stroke, Kaman Grateful There Was No Backcourt Violation" e) Evans pulls down a "Single-Double" f) "Two balls high and inside -- Evans' reaches base" g) "Kaman calls foul on ballhandling skills" h) "Evans Sacked After Ball Handling Fiasco" i) From the Dr. Seuss Gazette: "Bad 'Nads Grab Has Lads Mad" j) "Clippers Drop a Pair to Nuggets in Win" k) "Denver player Reggie Evans, taking his team's nickname literally, stakes a claim on Chris Kaman's Nuggets---Unfortunately, things didn't pan out for the home squad." We now return you to the suspension discussion, already in progress.
