Re: Sprewell's News Conference

[Fung Yee Danny Lim <dlim@utkux.utcc.utk.edu>]

I saw Spree's news conference yesterday and his lawyers spent much of the
time denying allegations that the attack was racially affected. The racial
contention was made by his agent. After the news conference, he made rapid
retreat from that statement of his, presumably after being advised by the
lawyers that it wasn't a good public relations move to make that claim
without anything having been proved. I think it also takes away from the
credibility of Spree. There were a lot of people, especially blacks,
and I'm not making any generalizations here because I'm only talking
about the press conference, who were willing to believe that attack was
precipitated by the 'n-word' used by PJ. In fact, the lawyers almost had
to fight the questioners off to get their point across. It is sad to think
that people are so willing or almost desire to think that race played a
part in the confrontation. Have you'all heard about Barkley's assertions?
Ridiculous, is it not? I mean, I love the guy as a basketball player but
he has got to concentrate on playing basketball and avoid NBA politics.
I understand Spree's persperctive, to be sure but in no way does that
permit him to even lay a hand on another person. There are more civilized
ways of doing things in an organized society. Besides, as someone pointed
out, since Spree can seek employment overseas, in what way does that
suspension take away his ability to "put food on the table", so to speak?
His lawyers tried to explain that away saying, "Well, he has to be here
with us, to plan out our strategy." Which part of that scenerio makes
sense to anyone on this list? You get fired for assaulting your boss. Most
times, it lands you in jail, but this time you are lucky and just banished
from your state and your excuse for not seeking employment in another
state is that you have to stay in your home state to plan, with your
lawyers how to sue your employer? Give me a break! If it were me, I'd be
thanking my employer for not sueing ME! Only in America ... Danny 

> 
> >This could be interesting.  Johnny Cochran is on Sprewell's legal 
> >team and will be at the news conference today.
> >
>      
> Of course, Sprewell is going to present himself as the victim here.  First, 
> it was because PJ had verbally abused him, so of course, his only recourse 
> was to go threaten to kill him, and then try to strangle him.  Twice.  Now 
> his lawyers have advised a better way to get public sympathy.  First, act 
> like he was desiring to apologize for his actions.  Sprewell had chances, 
> and he showed no remorse when interviewed.  Second, accuse PJ of being a 
> racist.  Sprewell's black, PJ's white, and thats all some people need to 
> know.  Thats certainly all Cochran needs to work with.  Sad part is, for a 
> lot of people this will work.  Heck, look at this list alone.  There were 
> plenty of people on this list that were already making excuses for Spree 
> from day one.  I'm not saying that anyone thought anything as insane as 
> this being racially motivated, just that sympathy and excuses were already 
> coming out for somebody who tried to strangle their boss.
>      
> Matt
> 
>