Sportsline

[bocelts@scsn.net (R. Bentz Kirby)]

Here is a url for the Sportsline article.  It seems like this is getting
worse.  Maybe it is just the reporters.

http://web5.sportsline.com/u/page/covers/basketball/dec97/sprewell12297.htm

Here is the text.  It does contain much of the other article:

> Sprewell reportedly threatened to 'kill' coach
>
>  CBS SportsLine wire reports
>  Dec. 2, 1997
>
>   CyberSpy: Sprewell's future won't be in Bay Area
>   Recent Sprewell-isms
>
>  OAKLAND, Calif. -- Latrell Sprewell has been suspended indefinitely
>  for what the team said was an attack on P.J. Carlesimo during
>  practice, and the star guard reportedly threatened to "kill" the coach.
>
>  "We aren't going to tolerate the conduct that was displayed on the
>                              court," general manager Garry St.
>                              Jean said at a Monday night news
>                              conference.
>
>                              Sprewell, leading the Warriors
>                              with a 21.4 scoring average, is
>                              suspended without pay for at least
>                              10 games, starting with
>                              Wednesday's home game against
>                              Cleveland. A 10-game
>                              suspension would cost the
>                              three-time All-Star guard
>                              $935,000 of his $7.7 million
>                              salary.
>
>                              Carlesimo, saddled with a 1-13
>                              record in his first year as coach at
>                              Golden State, said he and
>                              Sprewell argued twice during a
>                              drill in practice Monday.
>
>  "I ASKED SPREE TO LEAVE PRACTICE. He didn't, and words
>  kind of escalated to some physical contact," he said, refusing to say
>  how he got a scratch on his neck.
>
>  Carlesimo said the two fought again, exchanging "physical contact"
>  about 15 minutes later.
>
>  "Quite obviously, we can't tolerate that from anybody," he said. "That's
>  really as much details as I would like to go into at this point."
>
>  Bill Hunter, executive director of the players' union, said his group is
>  investigating.
>
>  "If there is a useful role for us to play, either acting on Latrell's behalf or
>  functioning as an intermediary between the player and the organization,
>  we plan to pursue that role," he said.
>
>  ROD THORN, THE NBA EXECUTIVE IN charge of disciplinary
>  matters, was in a meeting and not immediately available to comment.
>
>  Bay Area newspapers said that at one point Sprewell choked
>  Carlesimo and left a three-inch mark on his throat, where he had
>  wrapped his fingers.
>
>  The New York Post, citing sources at practice, quoted Sprewell as
>  saying: "I'm going to kill you. You better get me off this team or that's
>  what I'm going to do."
>
>  The newspaper said Sprewell put a 15-second stranglehold on
>  Carlesimo and 15 minutes later punched him in the neck. On both
>  occasions, the paper said, assistant coaches and players rushed to
>  Carlesimo's aid.
>
>  The trouble began, the Post said, when Sprewell and Muggsy Bogues
>  were passing the ball to each other during a shooting drill. Carlesimo
>  told them to "put a little mustard on the passes," the newspaper said.
>
>  SPREWELL, A FIRST-ROUND PICK from Alabama in his sixth
>  NBA season, stormed out of practice and was not at the news
>  conference that night.
>
>  St. Jean said the suspension could be adjusted, depending on
>  discussions with Sprewell and his representatives.
>
>  "If there is dialogue amongst all parties in a very positive way, it could
>  be shortened some, or if we're not making progress, it could be
>  lengthened," he said.
>
>  "Basically, we have to have an understanding of what the problems
>  were and how a team operates. We have guidelines. We have very
>  specific rules for insubordination or misconduct by our players, and this
>  certainly crossed the line."
>
>  Trouble has been brewing between Sprewell and Carlesimo for some
>  time. He angered Carlesimo on Nov. 9, when the player kept laughing
>  and giggling while Warriors were being blown out by the Los Angeles
>  Lakers.
>
>  AS PUNISHMENT, CARLESIMO SENT him to the bench for the
>  remainder of the game, and Sprewell called the coach a "joke,"
>  punctuating the comment with an expletive.
>
>  Two days later, after an argument, Carlesimo kicked Sprewell out of
>  practice and benched him for the start of the Warriors' next game
>  against the Detroit Pistons.
>
>  Carlesimo called the latest clash a "team issue" and said he was not
>  going to press criminal charges.
>
>  "It's a situation I clearly would have preferred not to have occurred,"
>  he said. "It occurred, we're dealing with it, I'm anxious to get out of
>  here and get a practice plan going for tomorrow."
>
>  He said the team went public with the suspension because of the
>  severity of the punishment but refused to divulge further details about
>  talks between team officials and Sprewell.
>
>  THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER INSTANCES OF strained relations
>  and insubordination by Sprewell. Two years ago, he openly feuded
>  with teammate Tim Hardaway. The team eventually traded Hardaway
>  and signed Sprewell to a long-term contract.
>
>  Sprewell was unhappy with former coach Don Nelson's decision to
>  trade Chris Webber and Billy Owens. To protest the trade of his
>  friends, he wrote their numbers on the backs of his sneakers.
>
- --

Peace,

Bentz
bocelts@scsn.net
http://www.scsn.net/users/sclaw