Re: Antoine Gets Slammed In Slam

[j.hironaka@unesco.org]

It reminds me of the time Red Auerbach got ejected from an NBA Old-timers game in
the 1980's. I know it can sound like I'm condoning Toine's behavior, but we all
know that the guy plays to win whenever he's on a basketball court (he just
doesn't yet know HOW to win) no matter how boorish his strangely single-minded,
zoned-out, tazmanian devil, court persona may look.

As long as someone's keeping score of a game, I personally don't think it's
"supposed to be for fun." I don't think Larry Bird would have been as successful
if treated games or practices that way, although hopefully he would have shown
better sportsmanship in front of kids. Who knows? Larry Bird was "in the game".
You could have shouted insults at him all night and he probably wouldn't have even
heard or noticed you. Bird wasn't out there to please the fans or mug for the
cameras.


-----

> >            "summer tournaments are supposed to be fun, for the love of the
> >            game, right? someone needs to tell antoine walker, because i
> >don't
> >            think he knows. last weekend while attending a pro-am
> >tournament in
> >            chicago, i witnessed the worst display of sportsmanship i have
> >ever
> >            seen. antoine walker, of boston celtics fame, made a complete and
> >            utter * of himself in front of hundreds of people, half of
> >whom were
> >            kids. those same kids who idolize him as being a successful nba
> >            player from "the chi." anyway, in the third quarter, after being
> >            fouled by guard paul macpherson (a freshman at depaul this
> >season),
> >            'toine became heated at the ref for missing the call. the ref
> >then
> >            called a tech on 'toine, spurring a string of insults from him,
> >            which ultimately led to his being ejected from the game! a pro
> >being
> >            ejected from the pro am game! and if that weren't bad enough, he
> >            kept badgering the ref with profanities, getting in the ref's
> >face,
> >            trying to intimidate him. 'toine is what, 6'8, while the ref
> >is 5'5,
> >            feel me? being from chicago, i show much love for chicago area
> >            ballplayers, but antoine walker, and i'm speaking for myself
> >only,
> >            sucks!" --leslie allen, chi