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Class & decorum during fts disappeared a long time ago.
Celtics GM Ainge seen tossing towel
Tom Withers
A nuisance as an NBA player, Danny Ainge is still being a pest as general manager.
Boston’s GM was spotted in TV replays throwing a white towel in the air to distract Cleveland forward J.J. Hickson at the free-throw line in the third quarter of Game 2 on Monday night.
Ainge, sitting in the first seat to the right of Cleveland’s basket, is seen reaching behind the stanchion to grab one of the ball boy’s towels as Hickson prepares to shoot. Ainge then tosses the towel into the air on Hickson’s second attempt with 1:53 remaining.
At the time, the Celtics were leading 80-57 on their way to winning 104-86 and evening the Eastern Conference semifinal at one game apiece. Hickson made his second free throw.
NBA spokesman Tim Frank said he was unaware of Ainge’s actions.
Ainge stood on Hickson’s first foul shot but made only slight movements with his upper body. He then sat down and clapped after Hickson missed.
Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said he saw Ainge’s towel toss.
“That was interesting to see that happen during the flow of the game, from Danny Ainge,” Brown said. “If it’s within the rules, hey, at this time, you do whatever you can to win. As long as it’s within the rules.”
Ainge did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment. Celtics spokesman Jeff Twiss said the team would have no comment.
Ainge was a fiery player during his 15-year pro career. He played for Boston, Sacramento, Portland, and Phoenix before retiring in 1995.
Last edited by duncan228; 05-04-2010 at 03:31 PM.
Class & decorum during fts disappeared a long time ago.
Irony...Robert Horry throws towel at Ainge' face...and here he is some years later throwing the towel to distract Hickson...
And years before that Sun's Ainge had slammed the ball point blank into Elie's face on an inbounds pass. Horry avenged Elie with the thrown towel into Ainge's mug, then got shipped off to California where he waited his date with infamy when CWEBB turned his back on him in the Spring of 2002.
To take it a step further, Roberts towel throwing ended up helping the Lakers win a championship(s). Ainge's could potentially do the same.
Umm.....so?
Honestly why is this even a story, people do this every game.
oh so THATS why the cavs lost
Updated.
Ainge comes clean in Cleveland towel incident
Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge said on Wednesday that he regrets tossing a towel in the air to distract an opponent during a free throw attempt, calling himself “unprofessional” for doing so.
“This is very simple, OK: I regret that. That was very unprofessional,” Ainge told WEEI-AM. “I was having fun with the hecklers and the crowd sitting around me. You know what, there’s just no excuse. It was unprofessional.”
Ainge was caught by the TV broadcast of Monday night’s game in Cleveland throwing a towel in the air when Cavaliers forward J.J. Hickson was at the line in the third quarter. Boston led by 23 points at the time, and Hickson made the free throw anyway.
The Celtics went on to win 104-86 to tie the best-of-seven series at one game apiece. Afterward, Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said Ainge’s behavior was “interesting” but said he had no problem with it “as long as it’s within the rules.”
Ainge said he hoped his apology would end the matter.
“The biggest reason I regret it is because you guys should be talking about the great play of the Celtics instead of a towel incident,” he told the station. “Sometimes the compe iveness gets the best of me. That’s no excuse. Hopefully we can move on past this and focus on the players and the real issues.”
Ainge, who did not return a call from The Associated Press seeking comment, said he had not heard from the NBA about a possible fine. NBA spokesman Tim Frank said the league was aware of the incident and reviewing it.
“Usually, when things become public like this, you do hear from the league,” Ainge said. “I don’t think David Stern really cares about a towel being thrown, but it’s become such a public story.
“I’d like to give my charitable contribution to those of my own choice, but I’m confident the league does well with our money.”
It’s not Ainge’s first brush with bath linens: When he was coaching the Phoenix Suns, Robert Horry—his own player—argued with him on the bench and threw a towel at his head.
Ainge was widely known as an irritant as a player, once annoying Tree Rollins so much that the Atlanta Hawks center famously bit him.
“I think Danny’s going back to his playing days,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said with a chuckle.
Last edited by duncan228; 05-05-2010 at 07:54 PM.
What a dumb clown
Don't worry guys it takes more than a towel to distract me. That little Ainge is going to pay in game 3 when the king rises from his throne!!!!
"The Deal Breaker"
Uh, maybe fans who bought tickets, not the GM of a team who is expected to act in a more mature manner and represent the franchise he works for.Umm.....so?
Honestly why is this even a story, people do this every game.
Celtics GM Ainge fined $25,000 for towel toss
Celtics general manager Danny Ainge was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Thursday for tossing a towel to try and distract Cavaliers forward J.J. Hickson as he shot a free throw.
Ainge, who was sitting courtside under the Cavs’ basket, flipped a white towel over his head during the third quarter of Monday night’s playoff game between Boston and Cleveland. The Celtics led by 23 points at the time, and Hickson made the free throw anyway.
Stu Jackson, the league’s executive vice president of basketball operations, fined Ainge for “an unauthorized distraction and for conduct detrimental to the game.”
Celtics coach Doc Rivers said after the team’s practice in Waltham, Mass., on Thursday that he was surprised Ainge was fined.
“That’s a lot of towels. Those are some Grade A towels that Danny bought, for sure,” he said with a laugh. “What’s the difference between that and mascots, (who) do it all the time. I was wondering if Danny had borrowed (Celtics mascot) Lucky’s outfit. He could try that.”
Boston went on to win 104-86 to even the Eastern Conference semifinal at 1-1.
On Wednesday, Ainge said he regretted his behavior, calling it “unprofessional.”
While the NBA found Ainge’s actions inappropriate, LeBron James didn’t think he did anything wrong.
“I think it’s cool,” the league’s two-time MVP said after practice. “A GM or an owner like Mark Cuban and you see M.J. (Michael Jordan), those guys it’s their team, they put the team together and they can have as much fun as they want to. I think it’s cool. I mean, why not? I’m not opposed to it.”
Last edited by duncan228; 05-06-2010 at 03:17 PM.
The league is going to fine people who distract players who are at the free-throw line? That would be pretty weird; I hope it's just when it's a Cavaliers player.
He's the GM of a team, ya moron. He's not some random guy chugging $8 beers in the stands.
Ah, okay then. I had no idea that a GM tossing a towel affects free-throw shooters more than a regular person tossing a towel.
While I agree that way too much is being made of this, Ainge admitted it was "wrong" and apologized. I guess it was one of those "unwritten rule" things. I just think it's ridiculous to make a big deal of it when an opposing crowd all but sacrifices live animals behind the basket in an effort to distract shooters.
Tempest in a teapot exacerbated by the fact that it's Ainge.
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