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Wow, the above has opened my eyes. What a ing Timmy is. Go Nuggets.
http://chicagosports.chicagotribune....ulls-headlines
Do you really believe half the things you wrote on the Duncan/Crawford issue? This referee had an agenda and tossed a player for laughing at him. A couple years ago, in a playoff game, he assessed a technical foul to anything that moved. And yet when David Stern cracks down on officiating crews bringing an agenda onto the court, it's somehow a sinister plot on the part of the NBA? Do you honestly believe that? Because, while Duncan is a whiner, at least he's not challenging officials to physical altercations, unlike Crawford on Sunday. Crawford cost the Spurs a chance at a No. 2 seed by ejecting their key player, but David Stern's the villain? Can you justify this by using fact? --Jack, Phoenix
What does fact have to do with opinion? Or as I recall the wonderful columnist Mike Royko telling me when I asked sheepishly about fairness in a column he wrote: "Getting the other side always screws up a good column." I think he was joking. The facts are how you want to see them in this case. Yes, Joey overreacts at times, and perhaps he did somewhat with Duncan. But Duncan clearly was trying to goad him into something by openly laughing from the bench, which often draws technical fouls with referees. Stern has made a point to the referees this season to not let the players show them up.
Joey had no grudge against Duncan. Duncan's had some of his greatest games with Crawford refereeing. I did look that up, including championship games.
Stern was upset because of the dollar. One of his biggest weaknesses is his devotion to the TV money. ABC was steaming that day with a bad Bulls-Wizards matchup in the intro game and then Duncan being ejected, so they ran it over and over to embarrass the NBA, though my TV friends tell me the network roots against the Spurs because they routinely produce low ratings with their vanilla approach and personalities.
Duncan is a player referees this season were privately told to watch because he never stops. And this I do know: Duncan set up Crawford by saying Crawford wanted to fight. Joey said those words but in the context of Duncan not stopping and Joey asking plaintively if he wanted to fight. Ever say to your wife if she wanted a fight? Did you mean fists? I've heard from friends of Joey he regrets what he did and would like to return and you can only hope Stern has the compassion to match his stubbornness.
I think you're wrong about Crawford. Stern had a talk with him, and other officials, over the All-Star break about how they wanted to be more consistent in the application of the decorum T's (per an article on the NBA Web site). I think he is one of the best, but c'mon, did you see it? It was a joke and a travesty. He was mad and called consecutive calls against the Spurs after Duncan was off the court, then ejected Duncan who never left his seat. It is unfortunate that it happened to him, but not totally unwarranted. Now, maybe if they can start T'ing up the guys who argue every call and really try to show up the refs it won't happen again. Eric Snow intentionally fouled Deng on a breakaway, then ran towards the official yelling and he didn't get T'd. --Glen Buckner, Naples, Fla.
That's the point. I know the NBA or pro sports isn't like any other job, but who among us can go to work and everything they disagreed with something make a show of it and show up their supervisors? It's became an embarrassment and Stern said last spring in the playoffs he was going to stop it. I remember him telling me with some emphasis he's never in 30 years seen a call overturned because someone argued. The referees are getting worn out by all this moaning and complaining.
I actually admire Shaq for this. While he does complain after games, he rarely if ever does during games on fouls and no one in the game is fouled more often. Just watch only him in a game and see what happens. The guy can't turn around without being banged constantly.
What also is little known in the public is the hugely explosive temper Stern has and the temper tantrums he's had in the office or on the phone with TV executives he thought were trying to embarrass the league. No, he doesn't do it in public, but sometimes you boil over with people crabbing at you all the time. Joey has some anger management issues and has admitted them. It seems he's done far less than say, Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson, who went into the stands in Auburn Hills to beat up fans. They were admitted back to the NBA. Why not Crawford?
I saw Duncan smirking of the bench and I thought what a jerk. Like you said, he is always complaining. Duncan used to be a likeable guy. I don't have feelings one way or the other for Crawford, who did over react but I'm glad he did. My impulse was to slap Duncan but as a ref, he is paid to control that urge. We can't always act on our thoughts and feelings with out consequence unless we are President of the US. Sorry I said that. I hope there is no consequence. --John Wessel, Grayslake, Ill.
I'll give Bill O'Reilly equal time next week. It is interesting with Duncan because he has long been a miserable character with the media. He's not a bad guy and everyone gives him a pass because he is such a great player. He's just a guy you don't talk to much because you can tell when you go over to him he's angry you did. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was like that and it's hurt him. It's been sad to watch such a great figure in the history of the game have to virtually beg to get back. Sure, they all have plenty of money now, but there's a long life to live--if you're lucky--after basketball. Kareem finally realized that, he's alienated so many people they made it hard for him. Same with Rick Barry, who is smart and has been dying for a coaching job. But he was so nasty for so long people have held it against him. I speak occasionally at the NBA rookie orientation, though the media session is last and the players are usually sleeping by then. But I always tell them they have the greatest jobs in the history of the world and this will be the best times of their lives and it never will be better, so to enjoy it. But so many can't seem to and they pay for years. I feel that will be the same with Tim and it's too bad. Have fun with it while you're there because it doesn't last long. Tim is something of a sacred cow in the NBA and protected because they like his image. Coaches around the league cringe at how much complaining he's able to get away with that their players cannot. Even the Spurs coaches have asked him to tone it down. But he has a temper and a sense of en lement that extends with his refusal to deal with the reporters in a friendly manner. No one criticizes him for it because it's his prerogative and there's always someone who will talk. Bruce Bowen, Robert Horry, Brent Barry and Manu Ginobili are some of the best interviews and people in the NBA in that locker room. You can believe there were plenty of NBA coaches cheering Joey on that one.
Wow, the above has opened my eyes. What a ing Timmy is. Go Nuggets.
What the does pissing off the media have to do with burning NBA bridges a la Kareem and Barry?
Is the media that self important, egotistical that they think having Duncan treat them bad is going to scar him forever after his career is over as a player?
I think duncan's sense of humor is severely underrated. I don't think he's bad with the media at all.
yes, he complains way way way way too much during games, but i really doubt other coaches were ecstatic at his bull ejection.
Yeah this is Sam Smith who was one of the few writers in Chicago that had the BALLS to write a book slamming Jordan during his heyday called The Jordan Rules. Basically the book slammed Jordan for his preferential treatment by the Bulls and the league and focused on his gambling problem. He likes to stir the pot so i am not surprised by this at all.
What a weird opinion.It is interesting with Duncan because he has long been a miserable character with the media. He's not a bad guy and everyone gives him a pass because he is such a great player. He's just a guy you don't talk to much because you can tell when you go over to him he's angry you did.
I think when Tim was first in the league, he was uncomfortable around the media. But I've never seen him as a "miserable character with the media" and he's always quite funny and personable with the press. Weird.
That's the main reason I like Timmy. If I was a player or coach I'd tell the media to off in not so many words as well.
and yet...tim still doesnt care
The day Duncan retires, he'll disappear from sight forever. He'll care less what some hacks do or don't think about him.
There you go, and you Kori are someone who would really know being around him more than any of us.
Consider the source, but this doesn't surprise me at all.
Sounds like someone didn't get to play with Tim Duncan's toys.
Seems funny that they would root against a team that they don't promote, rather than promoting a team that's probably going to be on TV a lot. If they can sell polar bears on a tropical island, but they can't sell teamwork and defense?
The day Duncan retires, he'll disappear from sight forever. He'll care less what some hacks do or don't think about him.
Tim has the best deadpan in the NBA. I think he's very funny in the locker room. I love the deadpan as a comic tool and he's excellent at it.
As far as your statement, I fear you are probably correct, but I hope you're not. I think if Tim wanted to be, he could be an excellent head coach. He understands the game at a near genius level tactically, he's very good at keeping an even keel between wins and losses, he'd have the respect of his players, and unlike most superstars, he'd have no problem coaching mediocre players because he never acted like a star in the locker room.
I've always said that of the big three that Tim would make the best coach, Manu would make the best GM and Tony would make the best owner.
Tim would be a great coach he is so smart and you are right even tempered. His players would love and respect the out of him because he was so great yet so modest.
WTF, go to , Obstructed_View.
If Michael Jordan didn't play for the Bulls, Sam Smith would be about as well known as Kevin O'Keefe.
Except O'Keefe was by far a better writer.
Tim is a great player but I think he would be a horrible coach. I can't see him motivating and communicating with players. He would be well liked because he's cool but I'm not sure that would be enough.
So he thinks someone with an admitted anger management problem couldn't have said that with hostile intentions?Ever say to your wife if she wanted a fight? Did you mean fists?
umm........no?I've heard from friends of Joey he regrets what he did and would like to return and you can only hope Stern has the compassion to match his stubbornness.
thats crap. when duncan comes down here, he is always...ALWAYS open to people. ANYONE can juss walk up to him and ask for a pic, autograph, whatever. he is just a regular dude. maybe there was this one time after a bad game he tried to interview duncan, and duncan was annoyed, but im pretty sure its not anywhere in the area code of what this guy is talking about. he is a no-name witer with a bad opinion. nba players and commentators, who have more experiences with duncan than that guy, all say different. oh well, cant please everyone
Um...no.Ever say to your wife if she wanted a fight? Did you mean fists?
Who says that? What a tool.
I'd hope that the San Antonio media contingent, at least, would happily line up and call Sam Smith out for this nonsense. I've never personally been around Tim, whether in a media setting or otherwise, but he's never come off as a miserable character to me. Tim is probably too vanilla for the national media guys and some jackass like Smith sees this as an opportunity to pile on and, perhaps, sway regional/national opinions to his view that a guy who doesn't create controversy is somehow not worthy of any respect. Smith certainly writes with agendas and this would seem to be still more evidence of that.
Funny, seemed to me Duncan was always very much liked and highly respected by opposing coaches and players. Wonder what they think of Sam?
I think one of Sam's major problems with Tim is that he didn't fulfill Chicago's pipe dream and bolt SA in 2000 for the frozen north to shorten what turned into an almost decade long rebuild, thereby consigning Sam to basketball oblivion.
Last edited by exstatic; 04-27-2007 at 12:21 PM.
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