S.O.L. is not down with NBA executive vice president Stu Jackson's decision to suspend Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw a game each for their actions Monday night. The starting center/forward and his main backup were guilty of leaving the bench after their team leader was pummeled by the Robert Horry at the end of the Suns' comeback win Monday night.
The rule in question -- "all players not participating in the game must remain in the immediate vicinity of the bench" -- during an altercation was enforced to the letter of the law. But what about the intent, as many people have argued today, including Suns' chairman Jerry Colangelo who spoke to the New York Times by phone after the decision was handed down early Tuesday afternoon.
"Someone takes out one of your players, and you’re the one that gets penalized," Colangelo told the Times. “Horry again was the culprit, and we lose every which way. I guess you’d like to believe that a rule is a rule, but fairness and reason should have entered into the equation. The spirit of the rule is more important than the actual stepping on the court.”
So it's not a big surprise that Colangelo wants his main big man on the court for the pivotal Game (in a series tied at 2 games apiece) but what good does it do to disembowel the Suns when the players in question didn't exactly run out onto the floor? What they did was take a few steps off the bench before being pulled back by assistant coaches. Can't the rule include the discretion of the NBA as to the players' intent -- or at the very least that they did not in any way ramp up the intensity of the moment?
Horry, who's forearm shiver was disgraceful and dirty, got a two-game suspension but S.O.L. thinks that was two lenient. Cat shouldn't be allowed back on the floor this playoffs -- even if the Spurs get beyond two more games.
Frankly, I'm not all that convinced that they will, even with the huge advantage they've now been given with the Suns best player not named Steve Nash sitting at home in street clothes. Sure the Spurs are the deepest team in the league, but with Big Shot Bob not even in the building, they will at least be missing a major playoff weapon and experienced playoff performer.
I've don't think the Spurs play dirty, as Stoudemire and others have alleged during this playoffs in before, but this play was dirty and San Antonio's defense of it (coach Gregg Popovich said he "didn't think it was such a big deal,") makes me lose a lot of respect for a group I previously thought were true professionals. Fuck 'em.
I'm rooting for the Suns tomorrow night. Tune in, sports fans. I gotta feeling this one is going to be one for the ages -- and Phoenix is going to rise up from this injustice.
Golden State Goodbye???
It's early in the second half of the Warriors - Jazz Game 5 -- a series that the Jazz is leading 3-1, and the game is tight, but it feels like Utah is going to pull this game out. I just think the Warriors' short-rotation is sucking wind and the Jazz big men are imposing their will on the smaller, quicker Warriors.
Whatever happens, S.O.L. gives a major salute to the Warriors for an inspired and thrilling -- and surprising run. Here's hoping it keeps up -- either this season or next.
Ad Nauseam
A note about watching the games on TNT. First, loving it in HD so props there. But what's with all the lame promo ads for "House of Payne," "The Closer," and TNT's other upcoming t.v. series. Hey, as a t.v. writer, I appreciate them pimping their own shows, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing and playing the same damn ads over and over and over and over again is too much of a good thing. I mean if I hear that tear-stained screaming woman crying "They murdered my son!!!" one more fucking time, I'm going to throw my beer at the freaking t.v.
And speaking of adverts, what brainiac at Heineken came up with the new lite beer spot? Putting the beer bottles under a spotlight and blaring the song Pussycat Doll's "Don't Cha" is likely causing an increase in the serial killer population.
All I can say is thank God above for the mute button.
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