"During an altercation, all players not participating in the game must remain in the immediate vicinity of their bench. Violators will be suspended, without pay, for a minimum of one game and fined up to $35,000. The suspensions will commence prior to the start of their next game."
- Rule No. 12, Section VII, Part C of Official Rules of the NBA
Maybe NBA Commissioner David Stern isn't as arrogant a person as he came off as.
Maybe he's like one of us, a basketball fan who couldn't believe he'd have to suspend Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw for a game apiece for leaving the bench area after Robert Horry elbowed Steve Nash into the scorers table like he just looked at his sister in a dirty way.
Maybe he also thinks the rule is absolutely ridiculous ... he's just being sly about it in his own little way.
Any reasonable person looks at this situation, reads this rule and thinks there's no way you can suspend Stoudemire and Diaw for one game and Horry for only two.
Any reasonable person knows the two Suns shouldn't be suspended for any game of the series while Horry should be done for the rest of the playoffs.
And maybe Stern is thinking the same way. But unfortunately as commissioner, he has his hands tied according to the NBA rule book.
So maybe his little interview exclaiming that he had to stick to a strict interpretation of the rule was simply his way of putting it out there that the rule needs to be changed.
In essence, a giant wake-up call (I'd use another phrase, but I decided to keep it PG) to the owners.
NBA officials say the rule is out to protect against fights during a game. Did Stoudemire or Diaw through a single punch during the game? No. So why suspend them?
The only "punch" thrown was Horry's elbow to Nash, and he got a suspension that was only one game longer than Stoudemire and Diaw. Seems more like slap on the wrist to me.
Stern may be sending a message as best as he can. Maybe his arrogance wasn't directed at the media, players or fans. But at the owners, who have the power to change the rule.
And it didn't take long for Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to voice his opinion on changing the rule ... an emphatic NO! However, Robert Sarver, the owner of the Suns, has made it clear that he'll look to change the rule.
Stern's a smart man. You don't become commissioner of the NBA and take it to the levels its at right now without being a smart man. Maybe this is just his ploy to "convince" the owners to change an already antiquated rule.
Could be true.
-PB
Maybe NBA Commissioner David Stern isn't as arrogant a person as he came off as.
Maybe he's like one of us, a basketball fan who couldn't believe he'd have to suspend Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw for a game apiece for leaving the bench area after Robert Horry elbowed Steve Nash into the scorers table like he just looked at his sister in a dirty way.
Maybe he also thinks the rule is absolutely ridiculous ... he's just being sly about it in his own little way.
Any reasonable person looks at this situation, reads this rule and thinks there's no way you can suspend Stoudemire and Diaw for one game and Horry for only two.
Any reasonable person knows the two Suns shouldn't be suspended for any game of the series while Horry should be done for the rest of the playoffs.
And maybe Stern is thinking the same way. But unfortunately as commissioner, he has his hands tied according to the NBA rule book.
So maybe his little interview exclaiming that he had to stick to a strict interpretation of the rule was simply his way of putting it out there that the rule needs to be changed.
In essence, a giant wake-up call (I'd use another phrase, but I decided to keep it PG) to the owners.
NBA officials say the rule is out to protect against fights during a game. Did Stoudemire or Diaw through a single punch during the game? No. So why suspend them?
The only "punch" thrown was Horry's elbow to Nash, and he got a suspension that was only one game longer than Stoudemire and Diaw. Seems more like slap on the wrist to me.
Stern may be sending a message as best as he can. Maybe his arrogance wasn't directed at the media, players or fans. But at the owners, who have the power to change the rule.
And it didn't take long for Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to voice his opinion on changing the rule ... an emphatic NO! However, Robert Sarver, the owner of the Suns, has made it clear that he'll look to change the rule.
Stern's a smart man. You don't become commissioner of the NBA and take it to the levels its at right now without being a smart man. Maybe this is just his ploy to "convince" the owners to change an already antiquated rule.
Could be true.
-PB
