pooh
11-20-2004, 08:56 PM
Link (http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/11/20/sports1937EST0776.DTL)
Reaction from around the NBA to Friday night's brawl between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons:
"Shocking, repulsive and inexcusable -- a humiliation for everyone associated with the NBA." -- NBA commissioner David Stern.
"No one can condone the level of incitement and violence we all witnessed. Clearly, there's a need to institute measures and safeguards to improve the safety of players and fans alike, to ensure that an incident like this never occurs again." -- G. William Hunter, executive director of the NBA players' association.
"That's not what we stand for. That's not what the league is about. That's not what the fans want to see. It's just one of those situations that never should have happened. It escalated, it got out of control." -- Orlando Magic coach Johnny Davis.
"I'm pro-NBA and image in total is important, that's fans and players -- the whole thing. It's all about the product, so anything that's negative toward the NBA, I've certainly got a problem with." -- Charlotte Bobcats coach Bernie Bickerstaff.
"It's bad. As players we're told regardless of what happens on the court you can't go into the stands. You just can't do it. Do I think the fans should share some of the blame? Yeah. But as professionals, as NBA players, you cannot go into the stands." -- Toronto coach Sam Mitchell.
"People are putting all the burden on (Ron) Artest, and I don't think that's fair. He's an easy target because of all the things he's been through. But some fans have gotten to a point where they think they can do or say anything. I think civility needs to try to make a comeback." -- Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy.
"A guy hit me in the head with an aerosol can coming right out of the huddle, and it kind of got me a little bit unnerved. I should have been smarter, but I wasn't. I've always tried to remind players to stay on the bench if there's a fight." -- Utah coach Jerry Sloan, who as a player went into the stands to confront a fan in Kansas City.
"We've seen this stuff happen before with Monica Seles and different things, and baseball. It's not just the NBA. What can we do with this? That's something that the league has to talk about and that's what society has to talk about." -- Charlotte Bobcats guard Steve Smith.
"You can't blame a player for reacting that way. You can't blame anybody. ... He was protecting himself. Nobody wants to be disrespected like that. You can say what you want as long as you don't put your hands on somebody else or touch him. You can't blame him." -- Toronto Raptors guard Vince Carter defending Ron Artest.
"You prepare and train for an incident like that, but you never expect it. We, as NBA representatives, don't put our hands on the players. That's up to the in-house security. Our job is to monitor, supervise and assist." -- Mike Montgomery, NBA security official at Staples Center.
"The foul could have been avoided, the retaliation could have been avoided, it all could have been avoided. There's enough blame to go around. But I wasn't out there on the court, so I don't really know the emotion that was out there." -- Los Angeles Clippers forward Elton Brand.
"If you're a fan, and you step on the court, guys are going to come after you. I'm not saying the players did the right thing, but if you step on the court, then you are fair game. Players don't know if you're carrying a knife or something. You can hurt somebody." -- Cleveland Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
"I just think in the long run, no isolated incident is bigger than the game. The NBA will survive." -- Orlando Magic forward Grant Hill.
Reaction from around the NBA to Friday night's brawl between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons:
"Shocking, repulsive and inexcusable -- a humiliation for everyone associated with the NBA." -- NBA commissioner David Stern.
"No one can condone the level of incitement and violence we all witnessed. Clearly, there's a need to institute measures and safeguards to improve the safety of players and fans alike, to ensure that an incident like this never occurs again." -- G. William Hunter, executive director of the NBA players' association.
"That's not what we stand for. That's not what the league is about. That's not what the fans want to see. It's just one of those situations that never should have happened. It escalated, it got out of control." -- Orlando Magic coach Johnny Davis.
"I'm pro-NBA and image in total is important, that's fans and players -- the whole thing. It's all about the product, so anything that's negative toward the NBA, I've certainly got a problem with." -- Charlotte Bobcats coach Bernie Bickerstaff.
"It's bad. As players we're told regardless of what happens on the court you can't go into the stands. You just can't do it. Do I think the fans should share some of the blame? Yeah. But as professionals, as NBA players, you cannot go into the stands." -- Toronto coach Sam Mitchell.
"People are putting all the burden on (Ron) Artest, and I don't think that's fair. He's an easy target because of all the things he's been through. But some fans have gotten to a point where they think they can do or say anything. I think civility needs to try to make a comeback." -- Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy.
"A guy hit me in the head with an aerosol can coming right out of the huddle, and it kind of got me a little bit unnerved. I should have been smarter, but I wasn't. I've always tried to remind players to stay on the bench if there's a fight." -- Utah coach Jerry Sloan, who as a player went into the stands to confront a fan in Kansas City.
"We've seen this stuff happen before with Monica Seles and different things, and baseball. It's not just the NBA. What can we do with this? That's something that the league has to talk about and that's what society has to talk about." -- Charlotte Bobcats guard Steve Smith.
"You can't blame a player for reacting that way. You can't blame anybody. ... He was protecting himself. Nobody wants to be disrespected like that. You can say what you want as long as you don't put your hands on somebody else or touch him. You can't blame him." -- Toronto Raptors guard Vince Carter defending Ron Artest.
"You prepare and train for an incident like that, but you never expect it. We, as NBA representatives, don't put our hands on the players. That's up to the in-house security. Our job is to monitor, supervise and assist." -- Mike Montgomery, NBA security official at Staples Center.
"The foul could have been avoided, the retaliation could have been avoided, it all could have been avoided. There's enough blame to go around. But I wasn't out there on the court, so I don't really know the emotion that was out there." -- Los Angeles Clippers forward Elton Brand.
"If you're a fan, and you step on the court, guys are going to come after you. I'm not saying the players did the right thing, but if you step on the court, then you are fair game. Players don't know if you're carrying a knife or something. You can hurt somebody." -- Cleveland Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
"I just think in the long run, no isolated incident is bigger than the game. The NBA will survive." -- Orlando Magic forward Grant Hill.