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even if he breaks the law
The point was not about money. It was clearly about the fact you can do many things over and over and over and over in the NBA and you will always be let back in. You can run into the stands and beat fans, you can fire guns multiple times into crowds at night clubs, you can admit on national talk radio that you smoke weed during the busiest time of basketball season (playoffs). So, the POINT is that you can mess up many times (you may get suspended or labeled) but you will be let back in.
even if he breaks the law
it ain't legal in 11 states now including tx. tx just banned it like 3 weeks ago or so. i did enough lsd back in the day that i could care less about tripping for 5 minutes on salvia cause when you trip for 12 hrs+ at a time of lsd well salvia is mere child's play.
smoke weed everyday!
You keep changing the argument. The point of my listing all of Portland's late first and second round picks is to show that few teams get huge players from that position in the draft. Portland has been incapable of landing a Parker or Ginobili-level player when put in the same situation. Their most successful late first round pick the last 7 years is Travis Outlaw. But your argument is well other than two all-stars in your backcourt, what have you done? The point is no other team has found two all-stars with those type of picks, so how do you feel justified saying the Spurs haven't drafted well? What, in order to be praised they have to exceed every other team every single year?
The vast majority of most teams' late first and second round picks wind up in the same position.... not making it in the league.
He just does not get it. He expects miracles to happen on a yearly basis.
You're the one that's changing the argument, not me. I've clearly stated that I'm referring to the past 7 years after Ginobili and Parker were already picked by the Spurs. The Spurs' FO has clearly been inept during that period of time.
This is true, and I think part of the equation is also that athletes are so much more visible nowadays. This stuff has always gone on, and in the past the punishments weren't nearly as severe.
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Russell:
"Constantly provoked by New York Knicks center Ray Felix during a game, he complained to coach Auerbach. The latter told him to take matters into his own hands, so after the next provocation, Russell punched Felix unconscious, paid a 25-dollar fine and was no longer a target of cheap fouls."
And this-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ty_Cobb:
"Despite great success on the field, Cobb was no stranger to controversy off it. At Spring Training in 1907, he fought a black groundskeeper over the condition of the Tigers' field in Augusta, Georgia. Ty also ended up choking the man's wife when she intervened."
And:
"During Cobb's career, he was involved in numerous fights, both on and off the field, and several profanity-laced shouting matches. For example, Cobb and umpire Billy Evans arranged to settle their in-game differences with a fistfight, to be conducted under the grandstand after the game. Members of both teams were spectators, and broke up the scuffle after Cobb had knocked Evans down, pinned him, and began choking him. Cobb once slapped a black elevator operator for being "uppity." When a black night watchman intervened, Cobb pulled out a knife and stabbed him."
If these things happened today, they'd be big news, but some sports fans don't even know that they happened at all. I don't condone what Artest did, going into the stands, but it doesn't compare to stabbing someone, and it doesn't compare to going into the stands many times, like Cobb did. I thought it was funny when Bill Walton went on and on about the Artest thing, calling it the worst thing in the history of the game-- it doesn't even crack the top ten.
There's no reason to slam the FO for the last 7 years. We've been at the top and have often been lauded in the press for savvy moves.
However, beginning with the Scola debacle, our FO has flat out stunk. There has been poor drafting, impatience with young players, and other actions that make me wonder if Pop and RC were the ones smoking weed in the hotel room. Signing Finley to a contract (and a ridiculous one at that), getting rid of Gist, already showing signs of giving up on Hill (our first round draft pick!) is what easily comes to mind.
They've had the same level of success as Portland & almost every other team picking from similar positions. Look at the facts. You just hold them to a higher standard because they struck it rich in the past in a way that almost no other team ever has.
Congrats on the start of your NBA career guys. Now will you please pee in the cup every month for 2 years.
More details in this article:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3569725
Details of the scandal involving Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur are beginning to emerge as the NBA and the players' association investigate the events that led to their expulsion from the league's rookie transition program Wednesday.
Several sources said Thursday that NBA commissioner David Stern was so angered by the two former Kansas players' alleged involvement with marijuana and women at the program that he made the call to remove them from their rooms at the Doral Arrowwood resort in Rye Brook, N.Y.
Chalmers and Arthur, who just months ago helped lead the Jayhawks to the 2008 NCAA championship, were dismissed from the four-day program after women -- a violation of the program's no-visitors rule -- and signs of marijuana usage were found in their hotel room.
According to sources, Chalmers and Arthur were caught in Arthur's room at the Doral Arrowwood resort in Rye Brook when a smoke alarm went off Wednesday at about 2 a.m. Hotel management went to the room, but the players refused to allow them in.
Management then left to get security, which used its own key to enter the room minutes later. Once inside, security found Chalmers, Arthur and at least two women. There was a strong stench of marijuana in the room, and one person was in the bathroom with the door locked, repeatedly flushing the toilet, sources said.
The police were called to the room, which they searched, but neither marijuana nor drug paraphernalia was found. Representatives from the players' association were also on the scene by that time.
Chalmers and Arthur were allowed to spend the night at the resort and were seemingly planning to attend a kickoff address by Stern later Wednesday morning. But after being told of the violations shortly before beginning his speech, Stern immediately had the players removed from their rooms.
Several sources described Stern as being furious.
The commissioner's anger was apparently evident when he began his speech; he mentioned Chalmers and Arthur by name and told the 67 rookies in attendance that the two would be thrown out of the program and forced to attend the 2009 session.
Sources said Chalmers and Arthur have already been fined $20,000 apiece and could start the regular season on the NBA's suspended list. But league spokesman Brian McIntyre would not confirm that.
"We're still looking into it," McIntyre said Wednesday. "Once we have all the details, appropriate sanctions will be taken."
Under the rules of the collective bargaining agreement, Chalmers and Arthur could soon be subjected to a drug test. If they fail, they would be required to enter the league's marijuana program, but they would not be suspended from playing in any games. Stern, however, could push to suspend the players for violating the rules of the rookie program.
Chalmers, who sank a game-tying, buzzer-beating 3-pointer that forced overtime in Kansas' 75-68 championship victory over Memphis, was drafted 34th by Minnesota. He was quickly traded to Miami, where he is expected to vie for the starting role at point guard after playing well during summer league. Chalmers played three seasons for the Jayhawks.
Arthur, also an early-entry candidate who played two years at Kansas, was a sympathetic figure on draft night. Roundly believed to have lottery-type talent, Arthur fell to the 27th spot after erroneous rumors of a health problem circulated throughout the league.
Then, after being selected by New Orleans, the 6-foot-9 forward was traded to Portland, then Houston, before finally settling in Memphis.
Kansas coach Bill Self stood by his former players Wednesday.
"We really don't know all the facts yet, and I certainly would never comment publicly on any personal matter concerning any player I have ever coached," Self said. "Beyond that, I can say that both Mario and Darrell were great to coach. They played a huge role in our success the past few years, in large part due to their unselfishness and the sacrifices they made for our program."
Chris Broussard is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine.
Because no drugs were found by police I wonder if the Player's Association will intervene on their behalf or not. Having women in their room was a verifiable violation of the rules of the 4 day camp. But if no drugs were technically found, I wonder if they'll begin the season on suspension. However, no matter how that resolves itself, itseems very likely they will be peeing in a cup for the next few years.
smoke alarm? rookies...
Players aren't suspended for a first offense, but I believe they go into "the program", probably for counseling, or maybe an IQ test. Open a ing window, morons, and you won't set off the smoke alarm.
And you guys wanted to pick up JR Smith..
Dumbasses! lmao
Expulsion incident not in Mario Chalmers' room
By Ira Winderman | SunSentinel.com
As details of the expulsion of Miami Heat guard Mario Chalmers from the NBA's Rookie Transition Program came to light today, so did a potential punishment.
While a report on ESPN.com confirmed the claim made by agent Sam Goldfeder that the incident in question did not occur in Chalmers' hotel room, it still painted a troubling picture regarding the cir stances surrounding the second-round draft pick.
According to ESPN.com, a fire alarm at 2 a.m. Wednesday at the Rye Brook, N.Y., hotel utilized by the NBA for the seminar sent hotel management to the room of Darrell Arthur, a first-round draft choice now with the Memphis Grizzlies who was Chalmers' Kansas teammate.
The report said when management was denied entry, hotel security entered the room with a pass key, where at least two women and a strong stench of marijuana were present. With the bathroom door locked at the time, repeatedly flushing could be heard, with police later arriving and find no marijuana or related paraphernalia.
The two players were expelled before the start of the program hours later by NBA Commissioner David Stern, with no police action taken.
While it already had been reported that each rookie was fined $20,000, the issue of a potential suspension remains unresolved.
According to Article VI, Section 4(b) of the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement, "When a player, without proper and reasonable excuse, fails or refuses to attend 'mandatory program,' he shall be fined $20,000 by the NBA." That clause also contains the wording "that if the player misses the Rookie Transition Program, he shall be suspended for five (5) games."
The interpretation of that clause could play into further league action, although NBA Vice President Tim Frank said Thursday, "That language was put in for a case in which a guy wants to skip it. Nothing is definitive until the Commissioner makes a decision."
NBA players smoking weed?
Bull.
Never would that happen. Ever. Impossible.
[QUOTE=Bruno;2749983] I wonder if they haven't also slipped because some teams were concerned about their at ude.[QUOTE]
exaactly. no one seems to think this is a possibility just because "half the nba smokes". and if u r getting drafted in the second round, obviously u have holes in your game. so u cant tell me that smoking weed is filling these holes like uhhh....working out would
I almost immediately thought the same thing. theyre going to go thru a whole season w/ even more temptations, then theyre going to have to go thru the seminar AFTER the season is over basically.
Chalmers apologizes to Heat, NBA for rookie symposium banishment
He says he broke rules but "did not smoke marijuana."
Last edited by duncan228; 09-06-2008 at 12:38 PM.
don't do drugs
Two idiots. Bunch of idiots here, arguing about whether it should be legal, or whether "most" NBA players smoke. It doesn't matter. They made an open mockery of David Stern and worse, from Stern's point of view, they made a mockery of the program. These players are kids who suddenly have some money - but they are also professionals making 7-figure salaries. Stern set up the program to try and help them keep from behaving like the former and screwing up their careers.
Even if you never worked for a big corporation, you know it would be a bad idea to let the CEO catch you doing "funny" impersonations of him in the break room. And you don't send out "funny" e-mails mocking the CEO's favorite charity that he "encourges" everyone to support. Nobody has to be told those things. You know that if you get caught you'll be looking for a new job that afternoon.
Getting caught in a hotel room with women and marijuana (residue) might have been excusable. But by doing it at this venue, they were sending a message that the program doesn't mean . Stern loses all credibility if he doesn't kick those guys out, and tell the others that it really is important. Any punishment they get will be too light, because ANY of the rest of us would be fired from our jobs on the spot.
And anybody with that much problem with authority better have a TON of skills, because they aren't going to be coachable.
I think they didn't smoke the weed. Like Kori said, going into that program all rookies were informed or cognitively you yourself make an assumption that potentially you will drug tested right then and there. They bought that weed for the girls so they could "put out".
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