On Friday, Dirk Nowitzki was ejected from the Mavs-Jazz game after sending an elbow at Matt Harpring's grill. If you follow the league, you don't need to see the clip to know that Harpring deserved it: for the last five years, the dude's been one of the dirtiest players in the league. He picks fights with anyone and everyone.
When people call Harpring the quintessential Jerry Sloan player, they mean that (like John Stockton and Karl Malone) Harpring constantly punches, elbows, bumps, trips and muscles his opponent. It's something you adore if you root for the Jazz, and something you loathe if you're one of the six billion other people on the planet. With that in mind, this biased breakdown of what led to Dirk's elbow is just what the world needs to see.
It's not all Harpring -- Kyrylo Fesenko gets bumpy too and Andrei Kirilenko provides potentially the greatest flop in the history of the Western Civilization. But I don't blame Dirk. Do you?
The league hasn't told the Mavericks whether Dirk will be suspended for today's game against the Clippers. If there's any justice, instead of a suspension the league will grant him a Christmas bonus for his handiwork on Harpring's face.
UPDATE: Shortly after this posting went live, news broke that Dirk has in fact been suspended for today's game in L.A. Complete bollocks.
In Defense of Dirk Nowitzki's Elbow
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12/28/2008 12:05 PM ET By Tom Ziller
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- Tom Ziller
- Tom Ziller is an NBA Blogger for FanHouse
Read More: Jazz Mavericks NBA Videos AndreiKirilenko, DirkNowitzki, MattHarpring
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Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Give me a break... the NBA rule clearly states that if you hit someone with a balled fist, or even take a swing with one, you're suspended.
While I agree that it'd be nice if a player could deck players like Bruce Bowen or Harpring after being "defended" like that, Stern has decided he doesn't want the NBA to turn into the NHL.
we get it ziller, you don't like the jazz. read the rulebook though, while it was not intention, and while harpring is an ass, it's still an automatic ejection if you hit someone with a closed fist on the face . . . wasn't an elbow, but a fist. your hate limits your ability to understand the rules of the game . . . probably makes you a great guy to watch sports with.
COME ON. WHO'S WRITING THIS SCAP....CRY BABY CUBAN? NOTHING THE JAZZ DID ISN'T DONE IN EVERY GAME. IT'S PART OF THE GAME. AN ELBOW TO THE FACE GETS YOU JUST WHAT DIRK GOT. IF HE HAD DONE IT TO ME, HE'D HAVE GOTTEN A PUNCH IN THE MOUTH BACK.
Doesn't look like Dirk even connected with AK.
Wow "KIP" aren't you the man! You mean that if Dirk had gotten close to your fat head when your trying to lick his armpit and you flop like soap opera actor you would have gotten off your ass and punched him in the mouth? Naa.. I think you would have cried and whined about it... kinda like you did with your post. Nice job.
Tom! Apparently you prefer Figure Skating over a contact sport. If AK flopped and got the call good for him. There is three Refs on the floor and if they can't see the flop then its their fault! The Jazz made Dirk loose his composure and that's great. They got the win and Dirk gets a day off.
Aaaaahh... flopping. The worst thing that Stern has allowed to happen to NBA basketball. People paid for acting rather than playing basketball.
Come on Z. First, it wasn't an elbow. It was a closed-fist swing by Jirk that got himself tossed. He was frustrated all night long and finally blew his lid.
AK's flop was classic, but the push in the back as shown above was a flop as well. A small hand in the back with no extension is enough to make Jirk fold fall forward like that? Please.
And if you watch the entire game and not just a couple of clips, you'll know that the whole game was like that. Nothing was getting called.
Wow. This is one pathetic argument. More fuel for the argument that Nowitzki is soft...a bad call on one end and a couple pushes under the basket (something that happens nearly every time a ball bounces off the rim in the NBA) and Dirk gets so worked up and--to quote the famous SNL skit--veklempt--that he decides that he is going to take his ball and go home (by throwing a temper tantrum and swinging wildly at Harpring's face)? What a complete baby. Yet more reason why the Mavs will never win a title with Dirk at the helm.
I can’t believe they even posted your article Tom! Basketball is a contact sport and people get hurt! Who would want to watch a bunch of over grown giants dancing around like a bunch of pansies without making some rough contact? It's not the NHL but without some banging under the basket, basketball would be nothing but a tennis match. John McEnroe made tennis worth watching! Give me break!
That's why the NBA is a joke today because of all the corruption.... Real fans can see through this crap..... that's why the games are so boring we see that it is fake.... The ref's are trying to get all the attention with all these BS rules... that's up for interpretation by these wimpish refs trying to create drama... Just fake man....
Yah! Another blog dedicated to hating on the small-market Jazz... The NBA would be so much better if this org just became another Memphis Grizzlies wouldn't it? Gimme a break. I was born in Jersey have lived in California, Hawaii and yes, Utah and for me the Jazz are amazing the way they consistently put a great product on the floor. Its amazing the way they keep it all churning being in media market #39.
Harp plays within the rules btw. When he doesn't he gets called for an offensive just like every other player in the league. Dirk is soft. Get over yourself.