04/19/24
May 18, 2006
Jason Terry suspended for game 6 of the Mavs/Spurs series: for punching Michael Finley in the basket.
posted by Ufez Jones to basketball at 05:38 PM - 49 comments
what pure bullshit. Finleys hipcheck is ok but terrys reaction is way over the line? why not fine him? Why does the nba want to fuck up the best series it has? You can bet Finley will get booed like nothing else now.
posted by puke & cry at 06:15 PM on May 18, 2006
FYI Terry is actually a FREE AGENT at the end of the season (meaning he's free to leave Dallas) But anyways, Dallas will either look to Terry's suspension the way that Phoenix did when "that kid" Raja Bell was slapped with a suspension for the hard foul on Kobe or they will have an utter collapse. I look to see Marquis Daniels take up some slack tomorrow in Game 6 as Dallas finishes he Spurs. The key to Game 6 will be Devin Harris. How will he hold up directing the offense in this critical close out game?
posted by chemwizBsquared at 06:17 PM on May 18, 2006
JET was supposed to have his show today on the local ESPN Radio affiliate. For obvious reasons, he won't be there, but Mark Cuban, who was his already scheduled guest, is supposed to be. It starts in about 45 minutes and runs for an hour. You should be able to listen live here. If anyone can find a video of this, I'd appreciate it. This sucks.
posted by Ufez Jones at 06:17 PM on May 18, 2006
I'd like to go back to Reggie Evans straight up grabbing Chris Kamans nutsack. He got a $10,000 fine. A grazing punch from the floor, that's a suspension? wow.
posted by puke & cry at 06:25 PM on May 18, 2006
And yet another missed call by the infamous NBA refs.
posted by mustang71 at 06:37 PM on May 18, 2006
Everyone complains about the refs deciding the games, but it looks like Stern is trying to dictate the winner. Amazing that Terry gets a suspension while other players doing worse get only a fine. Stern getting back at Cuban?
posted by graymatters at 06:42 PM on May 18, 2006
There was definitely a punch. It all evens out in the end, how about that weak ass call on Bowen at the end of game 4? That ended up deciding the game. The Mavs are getting away with a lot more than is being expressed. On every drive one of the MAVS 7 foot blunders is holding Duncan and keeping him out of the lane. Give me a break!
posted by Tex at 08:01 PM on May 18, 2006
Suspend him for the rest of the play-offs. Same for anyone else who loses there temper on the court with this sort of impish behavior.
posted by T$PORT4lawschool at 08:05 PM on May 18, 2006
I guess it's better to grab than punch. Nice logic from the NBA.
posted by mountinman44 at 08:25 PM on May 18, 2006
Good call T$port. These guys are grown men getting paid way too much money. Show a little maturity on the court.
posted by ChunkE at 10:00 PM on May 18, 2006
Hats off to you ChuckE. Glad to see another fellow Filter fan desire to see some "maturity" in the game. Good point referring to the gross pay and and the fact they are adult men. In my opinion, these incidents should be embarassing for the players and fans.
posted by T$PORT4lawschool at 10:33 PM on May 18, 2006
even without the jet, who is the mavs second best option, they will finish off the spurs.theres no way theyre going to lose at home and you will see a huge game from josh howard. btw, tim duncan sucks.
posted by a.diddy at 10:34 PM on May 18, 2006
Yeah, the rest of us infidels on Spofi just hate "maturity" in people. Nice paper tiger there, chief.
posted by chicobangs at 11:20 PM on May 18, 2006
I can't say I've watched the play so the comment may not apply, but there is a slim line between maturity and how one acts in the heat of the moment. Maturity, or lack thereof, would have been better displayed had he premeditated the act or had time to consider things. But if a guy lands on you in a matter that's painful (it was a hard landing), a natural reaction would be to find a way to get him off of you. If this was the case, I am certainly more sympathetic to it. One would be more prone to this and testy if it is in the waning moments of a hard-fought and close game and the pressure is on you and your team. If Terry purposely went for the cheap shot, then I fully agree it has no place in the game (though it is often the case in anything with a competitive nature). As for the lack of class/maturity in sports, I would tend to agree that it is certainly the case and the salaries/perks are out of control in many instances, but its proliferation is also directly corelated to the proliferation of media coverage and technological advances that now allow us to see things that have long been done.
posted by PublicUrinal at 12:21 AM on May 19, 2006
Hats off to you ChuckE. Glad to see another fellow Filter fan desire to see some "maturity" in the game. Good point referring to the gross pay and and the fact they are adult men. In my opinion, these incidents should be embarassing for the players and fans Maturity, or lack thereof, would have been better displayed had he premeditated the act or had time to consider things As for the lack of class/maturity in sports, I would tend to agree that it is certainly the case and the salaries/perks are out of control in many instances, . The NHL as encouraged this type of behavior since it's conception. Give me a break with the "how dare they crap". 1 punch in a basketball game and here come the "that's what he gets for being immature crowd". 1 grazing punch and he's immature, so I guess the 65% of NHL players that would actually engage in a brawl are immature as well? But only if it's a premeditated brawl right?
posted by Bishop at 01:46 AM on May 19, 2006
Yeah Tim Duncan sucks a.diddy, this series alone 32.2 PPG...11.8 REB... You must be an idiot.
posted by Tex at 04:25 AM on May 19, 2006
posted by SummersEve at 06:10 AM on May 19, 2006
How does that rate a one-game suspension? They were in a scrum in the middle of the floor. Even in slo-mo, it's a blink-and-you-miss it offense. It all evens out in the end, how about that weak ass call on Bowen at the end of game 4? How about the game 5 non-calls on Bowen as Dirk shot and Parker grabbing Dirk's jersey to keep him from reaching Terry's airball as time ran out? I'm not going to blame the loss on the officiating, but the idea that San Antonio has gotten hosed by the refs seems ridiculous to me.
posted by rcade at 07:54 AM on May 19, 2006
1 grazing punch and he's immature um....yes. 1 punch thrown at all and he's immature (who cares if it's grazing..he should get off more lightly because he missed?) I think I've been in probably 100 fights in my life. Number of fights when I was less than 18 years old? 95 (I was a wild youngster) Number of fights when I was 18-21? 5 Number of fights between 21-35? 0 I believe maturity has something to do with that. Adults are expected to settle their differences different than a 10 year old on the school yard.
posted by bdaddy at 08:05 AM on May 19, 2006
suspending jason terry is the right call and would have been the right call for reggie evans. having said that, from the standpoint of officiating, this series has been screwed up since game 3. generous call for dallas enabled them to game 3-4, generous calls for the spurs enabled them to win game 5. so dallas fans, don't be too surprised to see the spurs "get the calls" tonight. this series (much like the cavaliers/pistons) has turned into solid gold for the NBA and they'll do anything they can to stretch it to game 7.
posted by ksb122 at 08:08 AM on May 19, 2006
and someone please tape mark cubans mouth shut!!! if avery johnson sees a problem and wants to complain-fine, that's part of his job. cuban just needs to shut up and write the checks!!!!!
posted by ksb122 at 08:11 AM on May 19, 2006
I think it's pretty clear: "the rule is very clear cut. If you throw a punch, whether it connects or not, that will get you an automatic one-game suspension."
posted by bdaddy at 08:31 AM on May 19, 2006
I believe maturity has something to do with that. I don't. My childhood WBA numbers are similar. I haven't been in a fight since my freshman year in college (and both of those were on the same night), but that's as much a function of the fact I avoid places like dive bars now. The maturity isn't in staying out of fights, it's in staying out of places where hypercompetitive assholes tend to hangout. Pro athletes don't have that luxury. Did you play sports at a competitive level? I can't say I did; the last organized sport I was in was lacrosse in high school, but I still remember that awful, nervous feeling I'd get before the game started and I still remember the key to success was knowing everyone else felt amped like that and if you could out-tough them you were halfway home. I did any number of awful, Ulf Samulesson-quality things on the lacrosse fields of New England with nothing more at stake than pride. I shudder to think what I would have done for the sake of next year's multimillion dollar paycheck. Are athletes immature, pampered, hyper-violent dicks? Sometimes. So are other people. I don't think one punch thrown in the heat of the moment means much.
posted by yerfatma at 09:04 AM on May 19, 2006
WARNING: I am commenting without having read this particular article because registration is required. That was barely a punch. That was more like a get off of me gesture. I can't imagine how often that goes on without any punishment whatsoever. However, if the Spurs could watch the video and see that little swipe and get Terry suspended, then I guess that is what they needed to do to stay in the series.
posted by bperk at 09:26 AM on May 19, 2006
michael finley was going for the ball. that is part of basketball and does not warrant retaliation. terry clearly got angry, closed his fist and punched upward because finley went for the ball and fell on top of him. the only reason it didn't do more damage is because he had no leverage from his back. heat of the moment or not, he got angry and punched which signifies malicious intent and therefore the suspension is warranted.
posted by ksb122 at 09:46 AM on May 19, 2006
This is another example of the wussifacation of this country. People now seem to think that throwing a punch is some kind of earth shattering event. I have played hoops at playgrounds all over my city, I have been hit with punches and thrown them myself; amazingly enough the world didn't end and no one needed to call the authorities. For "fans" of competition who are so off put by violence, take my advice and become a fan of competitive checkers.
posted by Fade222 at 10:03 AM on May 19, 2006
After watching the "punch" from two angles many times I'd say Stern should be suspended. There was no power in the gesture and it appears more likely he was trying to get his hand into the ball. He had a right to be upset since Finley was sitting on his head and that appeared to be purposeful. At the worst a fine was all that should be levied. Commisioner Stern has been watching W Bush and Cheney too much.
posted by hayesml47 at 10:18 AM on May 19, 2006
it appears more likely he was trying to get his hand into the ball. This is more serious than I thought.
posted by tselson at 11:12 AM on May 19, 2006
You're killing me, Tselson. I'll definitely rent to you. cuban just needs to shut up and write the checks! This is a really weird thing to say. On what planet are megamillionaires expected to say nothing about the businesses they run?
posted by rcade at 11:32 AM on May 19, 2006
After seeing the video (thank you SummersEve) I stand by my remark. Finley didn't do anything wrong despite landing on Terry's head and had to stay there in order to get the jump ball call. However, that must have certainly been quite uncomfortable and even painful and it wouldn't surprise me if he acted in such manner to simply get him off of him. I don't personally suspect ill intent. However, with that said, the hand clearly molded itself into a fist, and the rule is clear about that being an automatic one-game suspension. I may not entirely agree with the extent of the punishment, but in a professional organized league, going by the rule is the best way of avoiding allegations of favoritism.
posted by PublicUrinal at 11:39 AM on May 19, 2006
I don't think we can call this a mature/immature action. What would you have done? You don't know, because you weren't there. Maybe basketball means little to you, so you wouldn't have done the same thing. But, if it's your career and you're in the playoffs, who knows? The thing the sways me to Terry's defense is, he's on the ground with the ball, and both Ginobuli and Finley are on top of him. I don't have a problem with guys going after the ball, but come on. When a guy has, he has it. If you're a male, in the most intense situation of your career (maybe your life), and a couple of guys are trying to strip you of the very item you need to survive, now, what would you do? I also have to agree with Cuban. If his hand would've been open, this controversy would not exist. A fine, sure, but a suspension, that's too much.
posted by FilaDog at 11:41 AM on May 19, 2006
If you're a male, in the most intense situation of your career (maybe your life), and a couple of guys are trying to strip you of the very item you need to survive, now, what would you do? You've sold me, FilaDog. Since it was a matter of survival, Terry should have claimed his rights as a manly man of manliness, pulled out a gun, and shot Finley. And it should have been a technical foul at most.
posted by rcade at 12:01 PM on May 19, 2006
If you're a male, in the most intense situation of your career (maybe your life), and a couple of guys are trying to strip you of the very item you need to survive, now, what would you do? I'm not a scientist, but my understanding is that as basketball players continue to struggle for survival, over the generations it's likely that they'll evolve some natural defenses to deal with life-threatening situations like this. Possibly something along the lines of porcupine quills or skunk spray. I can't wait for the future!
posted by Samsonov14 at 12:16 PM on May 19, 2006
A gun! Damn...I think you're way out of line. In matters of life and death, I was always taught to kick 'em where it counts. If his hand would've been open, this controversy would not exist If his hand would have been open, he would have only been guilty of palming the ball(s), that is simply a turnover. I'll definitely rent to you. Finally, an ass to call home. One more thing, I work 3rd shift as a brick layer. I work from home. Move in tomorrow?
posted by tselson at 12:19 PM on May 19, 2006
THE FIX IS IN. Stern wants the Spurs to win it all.
posted by The Toz at 01:15 PM on May 19, 2006
Even if Stern doesn't like Cuban, don't you think he would like to avoid a repeat of the Spurs vs. Pistons of last year?
posted by bperk at 01:24 PM on May 19, 2006
tnelson...even if u were "taught" to kick um where it counts...WHO F ING CARES...im glad for u cause it looks like terry was taught that way too...u can kick and punch all day for all i care but u had better get a suspension!!! HE GOT WHAT HE DESERVED!!!! GO SPURS Tim Duncan=2007 MVP
posted by dhump09 at 02:27 PM on May 19, 2006
Man, terry should have just grabbed and yanked Finley's nuts.
posted by puke & cry at 02:39 PM on May 19, 2006
and there's annoying spurs fan.
posted by puke & cry at 02:43 PM on May 19, 2006
...Possibly something along the lines of porcupine quills or skunk spray... Would the team trainer be in charge of the maintenance of said evolutionary developments? Would Gary Vitti have to express Laron Profit's scent sacks to ensure they wouldn't become impacted, and dare I say... infected?
posted by lilnemo at 02:47 PM on May 19, 2006
All I can say is that I wish that Terry would have keep his cool and done something that he knew would only get him a fine, like pinching his nuts, then the Mavs would have been better off!!!! The Mav are still taking game 6 I hate Finley hes alittle hoe, all he has done is cry in this series. GO MAVS, DIRK IS THE MVP Terry was wrong though he was to hyped up
posted by LonghornFaN at 06:27 PM on May 19, 2006
Go Spurs! (I think I have to say that now that I'm living in the Hill Country.)
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 07:16 PM on May 19, 2006
Adults are expected to settle their differences different than a 10 year old on the school yard Ward Cleaver? Is that You? tnelson...even if u were "taught" to kick um where it counts...WHO F ING CARES...im glad for u cause it looks like terry was taught that way too...u can kick and punch all day for all i care but u had better get a suspension!!! HE GOT WHAT HE DESERVED tnelson or tselson (which ever you prefer), will you fight dhump09 after school? Circle: Yes or No
posted by Bishop at 08:01 PM on May 19, 2006
Mr. Bishop, do you have something you'd like to share with the rest of the class?
posted by yerfatma at 08:55 PM on May 19, 2006
dhump09 said he would beat me down like terry beat down finley if I didn't pass that note for him. I told "um" I didn't want to, but he said his next 3 posts would be all caps if I didn't. Then "that" longhornfan said "that" he would continue to call people garden tools "that" didn't like the Mav.
posted by Bishop at 03:13 AM on May 20, 2006
Bishop, u r a hoe.Now get out their and till the garden!!!!!!!!!!!LOL
posted by The_Black_Hand at 08:06 AM on May 20, 2006
will you fight dhump09 after school? Bishop, I'm gonna go three o'clock high on his ass! Or maybe it will be the other way around, either way, ever since that comment, my clocks have been agonizing over each click. 1:5.......9 (click) 2:00.
posted by tselson at 10:39 PM on May 20, 2006
WOW UR A FAG
posted by dhump09 at 02:25 PM on May 22, 2006
Oh, I don't know, I thought it was cute.