Leetonidas
02-10-2007, 02:37 PM
Damn, one of them needs to be traded away. :dramaquee
"Washington Wizards centers Brendan Haywood and Etan Thomas were involved in a fight during practice yesterday, marking at least the third time over the last two seasons that the two have traded punches. Late last evening, the team suspended Thomas two games for "conduct detrimental to the team." Haywood and Thomas, who have been sharing a starting role and minutes all season, also clashed following practice on Nov. 2. And Haywood was benched one game for throwing a punch at Thomas during a practice last season."
"According to one source with knowledge of the incident, yesterday's fight interrupted an otherwise normal practice and occurred in front of members of the Wizards' front office, including President of Basketball Operations Ernie Grunfeld. The two were jostling for position near the basket at one end of the court, the source said, when one of Haywood's elbows connected with Thomas. Play then went to the other end where Thomas, who believed the elbow was intentional, shouted at Haywood and threw a punch. Haywood responded with punches of his own and the two continued to trade blows until coaches and teammates broke them up."
"According to a team source, Thomas was warned after the Nov. 2 fight that he'd be suspended if it happened again. When told that details of yesterday's incident were out, Thomas acknowledged it and provided his version of what happened."
Etan Thomas: "What does he think, that throwing a cheap shot at me is going to keep him on the floor? Bottom line, I'm not putting up with any garbage from Brendan Todd Haywood, but at the same time, I do feel bad and upset with myself for allowing him to bait me."
"This entire situation is ridiculous," Thomas said. "He throws a cheap shot at me -- not at the opponent during a game -- but at me in practice and I reacted. Why on earth would he throw an elbow at his own teammate? Save that for Tyson Chandler or Eddy Curry. Kwame Brown would be more than happy to trade blows with him. I know the difference between an accident and a cheap shot."
"Thomas said that yesterday Haywood hit him with an elbow that was a cheap shot. Thomas said he retaliated and that eventually the two had to be separated by teammates. Calls to Haywood's agent, Andy Miller, were not returned."
"Thomas also said that he once accidentally elbowed Haywood in the mouth, chipping one of Haywood's teeth. "That was an accident," Thomas said. "This, however, was on purpose, and I'm not going to put up with it. I don't know if he was mad that I am starting to play more and it's taking away from his minutes, or he sees me working hard to get back to where I was earlier in the season and he's nervous."
"Washington Wizards centers Brendan Haywood and Etan Thomas were involved in a fight during practice yesterday, marking at least the third time over the last two seasons that the two have traded punches. Late last evening, the team suspended Thomas two games for "conduct detrimental to the team." Haywood and Thomas, who have been sharing a starting role and minutes all season, also clashed following practice on Nov. 2. And Haywood was benched one game for throwing a punch at Thomas during a practice last season."
"According to one source with knowledge of the incident, yesterday's fight interrupted an otherwise normal practice and occurred in front of members of the Wizards' front office, including President of Basketball Operations Ernie Grunfeld. The two were jostling for position near the basket at one end of the court, the source said, when one of Haywood's elbows connected with Thomas. Play then went to the other end where Thomas, who believed the elbow was intentional, shouted at Haywood and threw a punch. Haywood responded with punches of his own and the two continued to trade blows until coaches and teammates broke them up."
"According to a team source, Thomas was warned after the Nov. 2 fight that he'd be suspended if it happened again. When told that details of yesterday's incident were out, Thomas acknowledged it and provided his version of what happened."
Etan Thomas: "What does he think, that throwing a cheap shot at me is going to keep him on the floor? Bottom line, I'm not putting up with any garbage from Brendan Todd Haywood, but at the same time, I do feel bad and upset with myself for allowing him to bait me."
"This entire situation is ridiculous," Thomas said. "He throws a cheap shot at me -- not at the opponent during a game -- but at me in practice and I reacted. Why on earth would he throw an elbow at his own teammate? Save that for Tyson Chandler or Eddy Curry. Kwame Brown would be more than happy to trade blows with him. I know the difference between an accident and a cheap shot."
"Thomas said that yesterday Haywood hit him with an elbow that was a cheap shot. Thomas said he retaliated and that eventually the two had to be separated by teammates. Calls to Haywood's agent, Andy Miller, were not returned."
"Thomas also said that he once accidentally elbowed Haywood in the mouth, chipping one of Haywood's teeth. "That was an accident," Thomas said. "This, however, was on purpose, and I'm not going to put up with it. I don't know if he was mad that I am starting to play more and it's taking away from his minutes, or he sees me working hard to get back to where I was earlier in the season and he's nervous."