 | Slideshow |
 | more photos |
 | Video: NBA from NBC Sports |
 Scary time for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Nov. 10: Just a few years after a good friend passed away from leukemia, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was scared when he received his cancer diagnosis. |
Ask the NBA expert: Ira Winderman |
Do you have a burning question about your favorite team or player? Submit it now, and then check back for our reader mailbag on the 1st and 15th of each month. |  |
It is true that Karl may have been rubbing it in a little. He’s a good friend of Larry Brown, and doesn’t like the way the former coach of every team in creation was treated by Thomas and the Knicks. So Karl could very well have been trying to embarrass Thomas.
It’s not as if Thomas needs a lot of help on that account, though. He’s been in New York three years, and during that time he’s made more deals than you’ll see at a Monopoly tournament for crank addicts without making the team any better – at least not so you’d notice.
His team is 9-17; it stinks. It’s being booed by the fans who pay the highest ticket prices in all of American sports for the privilege of watching garbage time start three minutes into the first quarter. Thomas also has criticized the fans for booing, so this isn’t a man who’s willing to take responsibility for his own mistakes. This is, after all, professional sports, where there is no crying about people running the score up. If you don’t like it, play better; it’s that simple.
Thomas was a great point guard for the Pistons who won two straight titles 15 years ago. He grew up tough on the South Side of Chicago, and he never took any guff from anyone. On the court, he could sneak an elbow into a rib cage without being called for it better than anyone. He doesn’t enjoy losing, and will do anything to win.
And if he can’t beat you, he’ll beat you up. That’s what happened Saturday night. It’s why Stern was handing out fines and suspensions, because a coach sent a player out onto the court with orders to send the other team a message.
The message was: “My team stinks and I’m a jerk, but I’m not worried because I won’t have to pay the price.”
Stern had his chance to get the real culprit. On this one, the commissioner dropped the ball.
- Discuss Story On Newsvine
-
Rate Story:
LowHigh - Instant Message
MORE FROM NBA |
 NBA Section Front |
| Add NBA headlines to your news reader: |
Sponsored links