greens
05-23-2006, 01:00 AM
"Spurs-Mavs notebook: Bowen finds Cuban's apology rather curious
Web Posted: 05/23/2006 12:23 AM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer
Spurs forward Bruce Bowen said Monday he received an apology from Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who cursed him after the Spurs' victory in Game6 at American Airlines Center, but he questioned its sincerity.
Cuban, in an e-mail, called his cursing of Bowen "inexcusable" and said he sent a Mavericks employee to the Spurs' locker room to extend an apology on his behalf immediately after the incident.
He wrote that he was "obviously mad" after the Mavericks' loss, "but should not have taken it out on Bruce after the game, and I apologized for it, and will do so again today. Huge mistake on my part."
Bowen said Cuban approached him on the AT&T Center court some two hours before tip-off and asked if he had received the apology he sent through the intermediary.
"I said 'You didn't say it,' and he said he sent it over (through an intermediary). I said, 'Why didn't you say it?' and he said 'I couldn't come; they wouldn't let me.' So I just said, 'Whatever.'
"Then he said, 'For what it's worth, I'm sorry.'"
Bowen said he accepted Cuban's apology, but added, "I'm afraid I think he made it because it had been put out there."
Commissioner David Stern, who attended Monday's game, was taken aback to hear about Cuban's insult to Bowen.
"Did he say that?" Stern responded, when told what Bowen reported Cuban said to him. "I don't think he should say that. (He said it) after the game? Then, it's not taunting, it's just bad taste."
Nothing to enjoy: Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was asked before the game if he enjoyed the series.
"Enjoyment and happiness are not the words to describe coaches' existences during the playoffs," Popovich said. "There's only abject depression and relief. The losses are abject depression and the wins are relief, respite from depression."
Lineup shuffle: After Mavericks center DeSagana Diop had spent most of the series' first six games in foul trouble, Dallas coach Avery Johnson moved Erick Dampier into the starting lineup for Game 7.
Dampier started the first 36 games before being replaced by Diop on Jan. 14. Before Monday, Dampier hadn't started since.
But Dampier entered Monday's game averaging 3.5 points and 5.7 rebounds in the series and playing solid defense against Tim Duncan, so Johnson decided to bench Diop.
And even when Dampier came out of the game, Diop wasn't Johnson's first option. The Mavericks instead went with forward Keith Van Horn, giving them one of the smallest lineups they have used in the series.
Talkin' about practice: Johnson said the time off between Game 6 on Friday and Game 7 on Monday was valuable, and not just because of rest. With an extra day to prepare, the Mavericks were able to squeeze in a rare full practice on Sunday.
"We were expending so much energy with our high-minute guys in some of these overtime games and one-point wins and losses, that we just couldn't practice the way we wanted to," Johnson said. "We were able to not only get rest, but get back to practice."
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/stories/MYSA052306.6D.BKNspurs.notebook.128e249c.html
Um, okay, lol...i don't know what to say about Cuban...He sent his apology through someone else? lol...
Web Posted: 05/23/2006 12:23 AM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer
Spurs forward Bruce Bowen said Monday he received an apology from Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who cursed him after the Spurs' victory in Game6 at American Airlines Center, but he questioned its sincerity.
Cuban, in an e-mail, called his cursing of Bowen "inexcusable" and said he sent a Mavericks employee to the Spurs' locker room to extend an apology on his behalf immediately after the incident.
He wrote that he was "obviously mad" after the Mavericks' loss, "but should not have taken it out on Bruce after the game, and I apologized for it, and will do so again today. Huge mistake on my part."
Bowen said Cuban approached him on the AT&T Center court some two hours before tip-off and asked if he had received the apology he sent through the intermediary.
"I said 'You didn't say it,' and he said he sent it over (through an intermediary). I said, 'Why didn't you say it?' and he said 'I couldn't come; they wouldn't let me.' So I just said, 'Whatever.'
"Then he said, 'For what it's worth, I'm sorry.'"
Bowen said he accepted Cuban's apology, but added, "I'm afraid I think he made it because it had been put out there."
Commissioner David Stern, who attended Monday's game, was taken aback to hear about Cuban's insult to Bowen.
"Did he say that?" Stern responded, when told what Bowen reported Cuban said to him. "I don't think he should say that. (He said it) after the game? Then, it's not taunting, it's just bad taste."
Nothing to enjoy: Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was asked before the game if he enjoyed the series.
"Enjoyment and happiness are not the words to describe coaches' existences during the playoffs," Popovich said. "There's only abject depression and relief. The losses are abject depression and the wins are relief, respite from depression."
Lineup shuffle: After Mavericks center DeSagana Diop had spent most of the series' first six games in foul trouble, Dallas coach Avery Johnson moved Erick Dampier into the starting lineup for Game 7.
Dampier started the first 36 games before being replaced by Diop on Jan. 14. Before Monday, Dampier hadn't started since.
But Dampier entered Monday's game averaging 3.5 points and 5.7 rebounds in the series and playing solid defense against Tim Duncan, so Johnson decided to bench Diop.
And even when Dampier came out of the game, Diop wasn't Johnson's first option. The Mavericks instead went with forward Keith Van Horn, giving them one of the smallest lineups they have used in the series.
Talkin' about practice: Johnson said the time off between Game 6 on Friday and Game 7 on Monday was valuable, and not just because of rest. With an extra day to prepare, the Mavericks were able to squeeze in a rare full practice on Sunday.
"We were expending so much energy with our high-minute guys in some of these overtime games and one-point wins and losses, that we just couldn't practice the way we wanted to," Johnson said. "We were able to not only get rest, but get back to practice."
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/stories/MYSA052306.6D.BKNspurs.notebook.128e249c.html
Um, okay, lol...i don't know what to say about Cuban...He sent his apology through someone else? lol...