NBA FanHouse

Chris Bosh Is Taking His Frustration Out on Teammates

Brett Pollakoff — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:45:00 EST

There's no denying that the Toronto Raptors' season has been a huge disappointment. Chris Bosh has improved his game, but the team is on its second coach in this early season, and no matter how close they get, they still can't seem to turn things around.

All of this has been wearing on Bosh, and after Monday's agonizing three-point loss to the Hawks, he let his frustration get the best of him. Bosh directly called out Jamario Moon for his poor defense in the game's final moments against Atlanta's Joe Johnson, on a play which ultimately turned the game in favor of the Hawks.

After Moon blew a defensive assignment with about 90 seconds left that ultimately ended with a Joe Johnson free throw that got Atlanta within one, Bosh went off on his teammate in front of the bench. And he didn't back off when asked about it after the game.

"Watch the film. He gives him a straight line to the basket," said Bosh. "Joe Johnson. All-star. Whatever you want to call him, one of the best players or two-guards in the league and you give him a straight line? You can't."

"That's the mental thing we are talking about. We're up by two. If he hits the jump shot and you contest it as good as you can, what are we going to say? But don't give him a straight-line drive. He's too talented for that. He's too good for that and that's what made me upset."

Now, is Bosh correct in his assessment of Moon's defense, that he should have been focused on taking away the drive and forcing Johnson into a more difficult jumper instead? Absolutely. But should he have gone off like this in front of reporters, so that we could all read about it the next day? Probably not.

Bosh's frustration with the team's current struggles is completely understandable. As someone his teammates likely see as one of the team's leaders however, he probably would have been better served delivering these words in private.

[via SLAM]

Chris Bosh Is Taking His Frustration Out on Teammates originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dwyane Wade's Divorce Takes Ugly Turn

Tom Herrera — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 00:30:00 EST

Filed under: Heat, NBA Gossip

Dwyane Wade is generally considered to be one of the all-around nice guys in sports, recognized for his off-the-court charitable endeavors through his Wade's World foundation. And news of his generous gift to a displaced family was a heart-warmer around Christmas time.

So when I hear that his wife and high school sweetheart Siohvaughn is accusing of him abandoning his children, committing adultery, and ... get this ... infecting her with an "unspecified" sexually transmitted disease, I can't help but take the story with a rock of salt.

If you thought the A-Rod split included some lurid allegations, check out what the Miami Herald is reporting:

[...] She wants the names of ''all of his sexual partners'' during their six-year marriage.

[...] She also says she has suffered ''grievous physical, emotional and mental injury'' from the STD, diagnosed in the fall of '07.

[...] His ''failure to spend time with [the children] . . . has resulted in [them] at times being afraid of him; in fact, Zion . . . does not recognize or know Dwyane.''

Sounds like a completely different Wade than the one we know, right? Whether she's telling the truth or not, that's usually how these things go (tawdriness, full speed ahead!).

Messy Divorces

NBA superstar Dwyane Wade and his wife Siohvaughn are entangled in a tawdry divorce case, which includes allegations that Wade committed adultery and infected her with an STD. Click through to see other messy divorces throughout history.

Layne Murdoch, NBAE / Getty Images

Greg Norman and Laura Andrassy: The golf legend split with his wife of 26 years following an illicit affair with tennis great Chris Evert. In June 2008, Norman and Evert were married in the Bahamas.

David Cannon, Getty Images

John and Sherrie Daly: The two-time major champion and his wife filed for divorce in Nov. 2006, four months after she finished serving a federal sentence involving finances from an alleged drug and gambling ring. The divorce has not yet been processed, even after dueling court claims in 2007 of drunken rampage, knife wielding and sexual assault.

Lenny Ignelzi, AP

Alex Rodriguez and Cynthia Rodriguez: Less than three months after Cynthia Rodriguez first filed for divorce from the Yankees star, a settlement was reached to end the couple's five-year marriage. Allegations of repeated infidelity were at the root of Cynthia's divorce filing.

Rob Loud, Getty Images

Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook: They reached an out-of-court settlement, but only after several days of trial testimony exposed lurid details of architect Cook's affair with a teenage assistant and his predilection for Internet porn. The 54-year-old former supermodel agreed to pay Cook $2.1 million. She gets to keep 18 properties in the Hamptons and custody of the kids.

Dimitrios Kambouris, WireImage.com

James McGreevey and and Dina Matos: She was at her husband's side when he announced in 2004 that he was gay and resigned as New Jersey governor over an affair with a man. In a memoir, she said he hid his homosexuality; he denied it. He said they had trysts with a man; she denied that. A judge ruled in August he has to pay child support -- but no alimony.

Noah Addis, Pool / AP

Bill Murray and Jennifer Butler: When she filed for divorce in May, Butler alleged the funnyman actor abused her and was addicted to marijuana and alcohol. She also alleged he would often leave home without telling her, traveling overseas to engage in "public and private altercations and sexual liaisons." Murray refused to comment on the allegations. The divorce was quickly finalized.

Robyn Beck, AFP / Getty Images

Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons and Dawn Gibbons: When Gibbons filed for divorce from his wife of 22 years in May, he also sought a court order to evict Nevada's first lady from the governor's mansion in Carson City, Nev. In court papers, Dawn Gibbons accused her husband of abandoning their marriage because of his "infatuation and involvement" with the wife of a unnamed doctor. In June, the couple announced they were suspending divorce proceedings. Stay tuned.

Cathleen Allison, Nevada Appeal / AP

Hulk Hogan and Linda Bollea: Bollea filed for divorce from Hogan in November after 23 years of marriage. In June, she filed a court motion asking a Florida judge to throw the wrestling star in jail -- for failing to pay her $4.2 million to get an apartment. Bollea is dating a teenager 29 years her junior.

Vince Bucci, Getty Images

Roman and Irina Abramovich: After he allegedly was caught with a woman half his age, the Chelsea soccer team owner -- who is worth around $22 billion -- reportedly paid his ex-wife $2 billion in a divorce settlement in 2007.

STR, AFP / Getty Images

Wade, who was actually named a "Father of the Year" in 2007 by the National Father's Day Committee, of course has adamant legal backing from his Chicago attorney, James Pritikin. "These allegations are absolutely false and we look forward to the opportunity to dispute them in court," Pritikin said.

Oh, and you guessed it, there's a counterpoint from Siohvaughn's attorney. "A person's public persona does not necessarily reflect his behavior in private," stated Dorene Marcus.

There's no clear lane to righteousness here, only more mud-flinging and hurt. We'll see how it all shakes out.

Dwyane Wade's Divorce Takes Ugly Turn originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sun, 18 Jan 2009 00:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Essentials: Kobe Bryant Channels His Inner Sam Cassell

Brett Pollakoff — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:20:00 EST

Filed under: Lakers, Nets, Suns, Trail Blazers, NBA Gossip

NBA Essentials provides the must-see links, quotes and videos of the day.

I know we're a little Kobe Bryant-heavy today, but bear with me for just one more tidbit. Fast forward about one minute into this video, where Kobe hilariously steals a page from Sam Cassell's celebratory playbook, right after hitting the go-ahead three-pointer against the Spurs. You won't be disappointed.

* Stephen Malkmus - lead singer and founder of the classic indie-rock band Pavement -- speaking to RotoWorld: "My wife gets pissed when I'm on the waiver wire or live scoring on the computer when I'm cooking dinner...but it's better than internet porn, right??? - especially during dinner!" - Deadspin

* An exchange on the Howard Stern show, where Artie Lange is speaking with the alleged girlfriend of Devin Harris:

Artie: Do you live here with Devin?

Meghan: No, but I come here every week or every other week.

Artie (snicker): Do you think he's cheating on you?

Meghan: No (you can hear her big smile), he loves me, he wouldn't do that.

Artie (laughter): Whatever. - The Big Lead

* The Hornets inbounded, moved the ball 94 feet, and made a bucket in under two seconds. If two teams could keep that up all game, they'd head into overtime tied at 1,440. - TrueHoop

* The Blazers are bribing journalists, Amare Stoudemire says he plays "tenacious defense," and Luke Walton: Dead Head.

NBA Essentials: Kobe Bryant Channels His Inner Sam Cassell originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Investigating Incident Between Mark Cuban and J.R. Smith

Brett Pollakoff — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:03:00 EST

Filed under: Mavericks, Nuggets, NBA Gossip

During Tuesday night's game between the Mavericks and the Nuggets, Mavs' owner Mark Cuban decided to take it upon himself to let Denver's J.R. Smith know that he didn't appreciate an elbow that Smith attempted to land on one of his players, Antoine Wright.

Words were exchanged, George Karl felt it was inappropriate behavior, and Cuban refused Smith's peace offering of a pair of his autographed shoes afterwards. It didn't seem like that big of a deal to begin with, but apparently, the league office thinks otherwise.

A league spokesman said that "we are reviewing the events of [Tuesday] night," which, in addition to the incident between Cuban and Smith, includes whether Cuban verbally abused an official as he left the court.

Cuban has denied that there was a confrontation of any kind with an official, and said that he was responding to taunting from someone in the stands. As for the incident with Smith, Cuban thinks he should be commended for his actions, not punished for them

"As far as getting fined, I should get a medal instead. There was a real opportunity for the situation to escalate into something bad. ... They are playing it off like throwing elbows away from the play at someone's head is 'just part of the game.' Let's really hope it's not."

If the NBA determines that Cuban verbally went after an official at the end of the game, then of course, that would be worthy of a fine. But as far as talking to a player on another team on the way to the locker room at halftime, well, I just don't see what the big deal is.

Cuban has been around the NBA for long enough to know how to talk to players without taunting or harassing them -- even the ones on the opposing team. If you take him at his word that he was trying to prevent something between Wright and Smith from escalating into an altercation, then the league office should simply leave this one alone.

NBA Investigating Incident Between Mark Cuban and J.R. Smith originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monta Ellis Denies Hating Don Nelson

Matt Watson — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:50:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors, NBA Gossip

Everyone knows Golden State is as dysfunctional of an organization as there is in the NBA, from their front office feuds down to Don Nelson's grudges against players, so when Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News recently suggested that Monta Ellis wasn't happy with Nelson and would eventually demand a trade, no one batted an eye.

Well, no one except Ellis.

After his first full practice of the season yesterday, Ellis tried his best to pour water on the rumor, pledging his love for his head coach and his allegiance to the organization as a whole.

From Janny Hu of the San Francisco Chronicle:

"Listen, whatever it is about me leaving, wanting to go, I don't want to play for Nellie - that never came from my mouth," Ellis said Tuesday. "I don't know where they got that from, but I'm here for the next six years. I'm a Warrior. I'm going to always be a Warrior. Whoever put that out there did it because they wanted a story.

"I'm making it known right now that I'm a Warrior," he continued. "I love playing for Nellie, and I never said (otherwise), not one time. So you don't have to worry about that. ... Only thing I'm worried about is getting back on the basketball court."

Kawakami wasn't present at the practice but heard about the comments and stood his ground on his blog:

Uhh, folks, that's what Ellis has to say every second up until the moment he chooses to decide that he doesn't like the Warriors any more, if he decides that.

[...] Didn't Al Harrington say how "those words didn't come from me" or something to that effect on the day I reported that he'd asked to be traded, just about an hour before he formally asked to be traded?

If I had to choose, I'm siding with Kawakami on this one. He's been on target in the past, and if you're familiar with his blog, you know that he has an open line of communication with Ellis' agent.

And seriously, what would you expect Ellis to say? That he's still annoyed at being fined $3 million for his moped mishap and hopes to get traded at the earliest convenience? If that's truly his end goal, the best thing possible for him to do is get on Nelson's good side so he can play as many minutes as possible, re-building his trade value and erasing concerns about the $66 million extension he just signed.

(hat-tip: Can't Stop the Bleeding)

Monta Ellis Denies Hating Don Nelson originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mark Cuban 'Barks' at J.R. Smith for Elbowing Mavs' Wright

Brett Pollakoff — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:20:00 EST

Filed under: Mavericks, Nuggets, NBA Gossip

Mavericks' owner Mark Cuban has never been afraid of injecting himself into a situation, and Tuesday night's game against the Denver Nuggets was just another example.

Cuban took exception to an elbow that was thrown by the Nuggets' J.R. Smith to the head of the Mavs' Antoine Wright near the end of the first half. While it didn't connect, Cuban didn't like what he saw, and wasn't afraid to have a little dialogue with Smith about it as the teams headed into halftime.

"My conversation with J.R. was actually very cordial and levelheaded. I told him that it's not cool to throw elbows at someone's head, that I would be turning it into the league. He politely and cordially told me our player (Wright) had grabbed him before that. I told him that, if our guy did something wrong, I will say something to the player and he should turn it into the league . No 'barking.' There were several other Nuggets right there. They made the point to tell me J.R. and our guy 'had history.'"

According to Cuban, a representative from the Nuggets instructed him not to talk to their players, but when Cuban said he'd like to discuss it with him then, the rep walked away.

After the game, Denver coach George Karl was upset that Cuban dared to talk to one of his players, and felt that the behavior was completely out of line.

"I don't care if Cuban barks, but he shouldn't be barking at my players," Karl said. "He barked at J.R. at halftime. I thought it was very unprofessional, irresponsible. And, if he sees something that he wants to deliver to the league, fine, he can do that."

J.R. Smith, for what it's worth, had no hard feelings about his discussion with Cuban, and even sent him a signed pair of his shoes after the game as a gesture of goodwill. Cuban, perhaps still stinging from his team's last second loss as much as the incident with Smith itself, was in no mood to accept.

"The humorous part of the whole thing was that, after the game, J.R. sent over to our locker room a signed pair of shoes for me," Cuban wrote. "I sent them back, saying he should sell them, if you could get anything for them, to help pay for the fine he was going to face."

Now that part just isn't cool. I'm okay with Cuban talking to players on a "cordial" level as he put it, especially because it's something that apparently goes on all the time. But slamming the value of a player's autographed memorabilia? That's crossing the line, man.

While this juicy little back-and-forth is the type of stuff that NBA die-hards love to hear about, did Cuban really do anything wrong here? It's not like he ran onto the court to confront a player, he simply told him that he didn't appreciate something he did to one of his own players as the two walked into the tunnel.

Cuban said he told his own player (Wright) not to retaliate to Smith's elbow, so if by talking to Smith (again, calmly) during halftime helped to bring attention to the situation -- and possibly prevent it from escalating, as Cuban also mentioned -- then Karl's feelings aside, it doesn't seem like Cuban's actions were all that harmful.

[via SLAM]

Mark Cuban 'Barks' at J.R. Smith for Elbowing Mavs' Wright originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile Drops Charles Barkley After Embarrassing DUI Arrest

Will Brinson — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:40:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Gossip, NBA Media Watch, NBA Police Blotter

Charles Barkley and Dwyane Wade took the world by storm last year with their T-Mobile "Fave Five" ads. (And with their "FOOTSIES"!) But mostly the ads. They were funny, engaging and actually managed to maintain a decent lifespan without becoming highly annoying.

Apparently, there was a Dwight Howard meets Chuck type of ad planned as well. But you won't be seeing that or any other such ads, because Barkley has been dropped by T-Mobile. The reason? Well, it's his awkward, lecherous, nearly double-the-legal-limit DUI.

In a statement, a T-Mobile spokesman noted that the campaign featuring Mr. Barkley has been successful, but "given the recent developments, for the time being, we've replaced TV ads featuring Mr. Barkley with more general-market advertising." The spokesman added: "As he works through his personal matters, we will evaluate where to go from here."

It's a pretty quick move from T-Mobile, considering Barkley's arrest was less than two weeks ago (New Year's Eve, in fact) but it also came later than TNT deciding to hand Chuck a "leave of absence" from their announcing team.

The reality is that this is a tough market for people trying to sell things; T-Mobile just made a huge, crock-pot infused move onto U.S. soil and there's nothing good about having the voice of your company sound slurred, especially when you're trying to steal consumers away from a really competitive market.

Via AA

T-Mobile Drops Charles Barkley After Embarrassing DUI Arrest originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Knicks' Eddy Curry Is Being Sued for Sexual Harassment by ... Another Man

Brett Pollakoff — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:45:00 EST

Filed under: Knicks, NBA Gossip

Warning: this one's a little crazy, even for the insatiable New York media types. Knicks center Eddy Curry was handed a sexual harassment lawsuit on Monday, which normally wouldn't be all that surprising -- especially considering the example that was set by the team's former president, Isiah Thomas.

Sex Scandals in Sports

A bizarre sexual harassment lawsuit has been filed against Knicks star Eddie Curry, with his male former driver, David Kuchinsky, claiming the NBA player showed him his private parts and telling him to "touch it", called him racist names and also pointed a loaded gun at him. Click through for more of sports' sex scandals.

Donna McWilliam, AP

Soccer star Ronaldo testified before a state judge in September on the case involving his encounter with three cross-dressing prostitutes in April. Ronaldo, who has filed fraud charges against one of the prostitutes, denies claims that he had sex with the prostitutes and used drugs.

AP (2)

Formula One boss Max Mosley won a vote of confidence in June from the sport's governing body despite accusations that he took part in an alleged Nazi-style orgy with five prostitutes. British tabloid News of the World, which published the lurid report on Mosley, lost a privacy invasion lawsuit and was ordered to pay him $120,000 in damages.

Francois Durand, Getty Images

In June, middle school teacher Julie Pritchett was accused of having sex with members of a high school baseball team in Alabama. She faces 20 years in jail if convicted.

Jefferson Co. Sheriff's Office

In 2001, Gold Club owner Steve Kaplan pleaded guilty to racketeering, but the trial was remembered for the high-profile athletes that took the stand. Ex-NBA star Patrick Ewing and MLB star Andruw Jones were two of the clients who detailed their sexual incidents.

Ric Feld, AP

Kobe Bryant, right, faced a sexual assault case in 2003 when a woman alleged that the NBA star raped her in a hotel room. A judge dismissed all charges against him in 2004, and Bryant publicly apologized for the affair with his wife Vanessa, pictured, by his side.

Jerome T. Nakagawa, AP

Sportscaster Marv Albert, here with his wife Heather Faulkiner, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and battery in 1997 after a former lover accused him of biting her 15 times and sodomizing her. Albert was given a 12-month suspended sentence.

Doug Mills, AP

Former Alabama football coach Mike DuBose admitted in August 1999 that he had had an affair with his executive secretary. DuBose reached an out-of-court settlement in the sexual harassment case which paid the woman over $300,000.

Curtis Compton, AP

The night before the Falcons met the Broncos in Super Bowl XXXIII, Eugene Robinson was arrested for soliciting an undercover police officer posing as a prostitute. Robinson started the game for Atlanta, but was widely criticized for his poor play.

Rick Stewart, Getty Images

Besides alleged steroid use, Roger Clemens has recently made headlines for his alleged adultery. The Rocket allegedly had a relationship with country music star Mindy McCready as well as the ex-wife of golfer John Daly.

Otto Greule Jr., Getty Images

But the shock comes when you realize that this lawsuit was actually filed by a dude: Curry's former driver, David Kuchinsky.

If the man-on-man harassment case didn't grab your attention at first glance, then maybe some of the details will.

From the NY Post, naturally:

The stunning court papers claim Curry, a married father of three, repeatedly approached chauffeur David Kuchinsky "in the nude," allegedly telling him, "Look at me, Dave, look" and "Come and touch it, Dave."

Curry also made Kuchinsky perform "humiliating tasks outside the scope of his employment, such as cleaning up and removing dirty towels [Curry had ejaculated into] so that his wife would not see them," the Manhattan federal court suit says.

Kuchinsky, who is straight and Jewish, also alleges racial discrimination, saying that Curry hurled slurs at him including "f---ing Jew," "cracker," "white slave," "white devil" and "grandmaster of the KKK."

I have just one word to describe this: insanity. But believe it or not, it actually gets worse.

Seriously, these are some pretty crazy accusations, and in light of the fact that Kuchinsky is only seeking around $98,000 in damages, it makes it even crazier. (Update: Make that $98K in unpaid wages plus $5 million in damages.)

Oh, did I forget to include the part about the gun? My bad, here you go:

Kuchinsky further claims in his suit that Curry pointed a "fully loaded" gun at him on at least two separate occasions to keep him from complaining about his treatment.
"Look, I have one in the chamber," Curry allegedly said.

Of course, we have no way of proving that any of this happened as the plaintiff said it did, but my Lord, if I were Curry I would have just paid the man and been on my way. Regardless, it appears that Curry's lawyer is doing as much as possible to call the plaintiff's credibility into question:

Curry took a chance on hiring Kuchinsky despite a criminal record that includes a three-year prison sentence for a 1992 burglary in New Jersey. He also got three years' probation in a 2004 resisting-arrest case in the Garden State, records show.

"It's shocking that Eddy opened his home to a convicted felon out of prison, and gave him a job when he couldn't find a job, and this is what comes out of it," she said. "The entire thing is preposterous."

Preposterous? Sure. Out of the question? Well, that one's not as easy of an answer. The whole thing sounds ridiculous, but the fact that Curry's driver is willing to go on the record about all of this makes it at least plausible. Which, for Eddy Curry, has to be at the very least a huge embarrassment, whether the accusations turn out to be true or not.

[via a Tweet from J.E. Skeets]

Note: Portions of this post have been edited in light of the plaintiff's $5 million request for damages.

Knicks' Eddy Curry Is Being Sued for Sexual Harassment by ... Another Man originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Charles Barkley Was Over the Legal Limit, Has Taken a Leave of Absence from TNT

Brett Pollakoff — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 16:15:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Gossip, NBA Media Watch

It was tough to take the recent incident between Charles Barkley and the police seriously, even though it was in fact a DUI arrest. Once the juicy details about what exactly Charles was up to that caused him to run a stop sign and get pulled over were revealed, the whole thing pretty much became a joke. I guarantee you that at this point though, Barkley isn't laughing.

Barkley's immediate career has been placed on hold as a result of the incident, as he will be taking a leave of absence from his broadcasting duties at TNT. Turner Sports president David Levy's comments on the matter are as follows:

"I have spoken with Charles Barkley regarding the incident. ... This is an important time for Charles as he deals with the legal and personal issues that confront him. Charles is a valued part of the Turner Sports organization and we are concerned for his well-being."

You have to wonder if the details of Barkley's comments to the police, combined with the report that his blood alcohol level came back at a ridiculous .149 forced TNT's hand in (undoubtedly) making Charles take this leave. As you may recall, the last time Charles got himself into an embarrassing situation, all that the network required was an awkward, uncomfortable on-camera apology.

More From TMZ: Listen to audio of Barkley's failed sobriety test, and him refusing to take a breath test for police.

Charles Barkley Was Over the Legal Limit, Has Taken a Leave of Absence from TNT originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 09 Jan 2009 16:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jason Richardson Accused of, but Not Arrested for, Drunk Driving

Brett Pollakoff — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:10:00 EST

Filed under: Suns, NBA Gossip, NBA Police Blotter

What is this, DUI Month in the NBA or something? We had former player Charles Barkley get taken in last week, and Antoine Walker got popped earlier this morning. Now comes word from the Arizona Republic that Jason Richardson was accused by police of driving under the influence, during a traffic stop back on December 21st.

This is where the Richardson incident differs from those involving Barkley and Walker. The report says that the officer merely accused J-Rich of driving under the influence, but didn't arrest him for it. He was stopped at 2:48 in the morning, after the Suns beat the Nuggets earlier that evening, and was "cited and released."

I'm no lawyer, but it seems to me if Richardson was really that intoxicated that the officer wouldn't have let him stay on the road long enough to drive himself home, right? Anyway, Richardson will have to make a preliminary appearance in court (which has yet to be scheduled), and he's reportedly hired an attorney who specializes in DUI cases to represent him.

Besides the odd fact that this traffic stop resulted in an accusation and citation of driving while intoxicated, but no arrest, the thing that's most surprising is that we're just hearing about this now. Either the Suns have a phenomenal relationship with the local authorities, or this was more of a routine speeding ticket-type stop than it was a serious DUI situation.

[HT: Ben's Suns Blog]

Jason Richardson Accused of, but Not Arrested for, Drunk Driving originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kevin Garnett: Profile in Courage

Brett Pollakoff — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Celtics, NBA Gossip, NBA Videos

The over-the-top antics of Kevin Garnett on the basketball court have been well-documented; we've tried to keep up ourselves with some of his most recent incidents from this season. But never has Garnett's behavior been summed up to the extent that it is in the following video, which pieces together clips and narration of virtually all of KG's memorable dust-ups throughout his career in the Association.

Fans of Garnett's love to defend these actions, citing his "passion" and "intensity." But I think when you look at the body of work so to speak, it's clear that the guy is a mental case who should be known for cheap shots as much as he is for anything else.

[HT: Didn't Draw Iron, via BallHype]

Kevin Garnett: Profile in Courage originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 02 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Charles Barkley DUI Update: Quest for Oral Sex Allegedly the Cause

Will Brinson — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Gossip, NBA Media Watch, NBA Police Blotter, NBA Rumors

Most of the time when people get a DUI, the drunkenness and police blotter is the full extent of the spectacle. Leave it to Charles Barkley, though, to really make media waves after reportedly getting busted on suspicion of DUI.

In a story that was custom built for some old-school sports blogging, Barkley reportedly told police that he was driving drunk because he was seeking to score some fellatio from a young lady.

According to the officer who wrote the report, "He told me that he ran the stop sign because he was in a hurry to pick up the girl I saw get in the passenger seat."

The officer continues: "He asked me to admit that she was 'hot.' He asked me, 'You want the truth?' When I told him I did he said, 'I was gonna drive around the corner and get a b**w job. He then explained that she had given him a 'b**w job' one week earlier and said it was the best one he had ever had in his life."

But wait! There's more! According to the report, Barkley not only was looking for oral sex, but he also had a handgun, which has somehow become the least discussed portion of this story.

And, in simply amazing Tommy Boy fashion, Barkley allegedly extended the offer to "tattoo my name on your ass" towards a civilian police employee at the police station if he could sneak out of the DUI, which he quickly (I suppose) corrected. In other words, yes, this should do wonders for his 2014 gubernatorial run.

Life of Sir Charles' Barkley

Retired NBA star Charles Barkley's career has been chock-full of colorful moments. Click through to see more classic "Sir Charles" memories.

NBA/Getty Images

Barkley recently said that NBA superstar LeBron James, left, should just "shut the hell up" about possible free agency options in 2010. James responded, "He's stupid. That's all I've got to say about that."

Getty Images

To one lucky student, "Sir Charles" was more like "Saint Charles." During a visit to an Italian restaurant last summer, Barkley struck up a friendship with a 28-year-old busboy named Christian Abate and offered to pay his tuition so he could finish college. "He's a nice kid," Barkley said. "He was working with kids, I loved that he wanted to be a teacher, and I wanted to help him."

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

Politics? Why not? Barkley told CNN in October he plans to run for Governor of Alabama in 2014. Asked if he was serious, Barkley responded, "I am, I can't screw up Alabama."

Nathaniel S. Butler, NBAE via Getty Images

On the court, Barkley was frequently fined for fights with other players. In 1990, Barkley and Bill Laimbeer were each fined $20,000 (a record amount for the NBA at the time) for a fracas during a playoff game.

Nathaniel S. Butler, NBAE via Getty Images

While Barkley was beloved by fans, he gained fame for his anti-role model stance. "A million guys can dunk a basketball in jail; should they be role models?" Barkley said in 1993, which launched his famous "I am not a role model" Nike ad campaign.

Andrew D. Bernstein, NBAE/Getty Images

As a player, the fiery Barkley had a few run-ins with the law. He was once arrested for breaking a man's nose during a fight after a game with the Bucks, and he once famously threw a man through a plate-glass window after being hit with a glass of ice at a bar.

Orange County Sheriff's Office / AP

After retiring as a player, Barkley joined TNT's 'Inside the NBA,' where he has become the "butt" of many a joke. Literally. In one skit, Barkley was forced to kiss a donkey's posterior after losing a bet with Kenny Smith.

YouTube

During the 2007 All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas, Barkley took part in a memorable foot race against 67-year-old referee Dick Bavetta. Barkley won the race, while Bavetta dove at the finish line and wound up bloodying his knee.

Nathaniel S. Butler, NBAE/Getty Images

In May, Barkley made headlines after a Las Vegas district attorney said he could face criminal charges if he didn't repay a $400,000 debt owed to the Wynn casino. Sir Charles has since repaid the debt and stated he will quit gambling in the future.

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

Charles Barkley DUI Update: Quest for Oral Sex Allegedly the Cause originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 01 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bruce Bowen Calls Out the Cowboys for Not Having a 'Team First Mentality'

Will Brinson — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Spurs, NBA Gossip, NBA Media Watch

The nice thing about being anyone on the San Antonio Spurs is that, well, you can generally sling criticism around; it's not a characteristic trait of any particular player on that team, but after so many years of solid team play and, well, just winning, they've got some sturdier walls than most glass houses.

Hence Bruce Bowen's recent comments to the San Antonio Express about the Dallas Cowboys, his favorite football team. See, it appears that Bruce, like every single person in the free world except Jerry Jones and Wade Phillips, doesn't think the Cowboys really have good chemistry.

"It's very disappointing," Bowen said of Sunday's painful showing by his favorites, "but character wins out over talent any day, at least in my book. You can see how infectious certain characters can be down the end of the road."

Bowen declined to name which of the Cowboys characters he considered "infectious," but he made it clear he believed the Cowboys were doomed by self-centered players.

Well, Bowen might have declined, but allow me: Pacman Jones, Terrell Owens and Roy Williams (the receiver). Of course, Pacman was probably more of a distraction than a totally destructive locker room presence, but still, anyone who thought bringing him to the Cowboys would result in anything positive is running a fool's errand.

And while Bowen is getting a bit aggressive in calling out another sport's players, what are the Cowboys going to do? Tell him he's wrong? Because, um, he's not.

Bruce Bowen Calls Out the Cowboys for Not Having a 'Team First Mentality' originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bulls Create Some Cheap Heat With Miami

Brett Pollakoff — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 17:05:00 EST

Filed under: Bulls, Heat, NBA Gossip

Near the end of the Bulls' 90-77 loss to the Heat a few days ago, Miami called a 20-second timeout with 30.9 seconds to go in the game, with the Heat leading by 13 points. The entire Bulls team flipped out at the time, and jumped up and shouted some less than family friendly words in the direction of the Miami bench.

The timeout was a hot topic afterwards, and the Bulls players and coaches refused to let it go.

"That is something only done to disrespect the opponent," said Bulls forward Andres Nocioni.

"I don't know what they were doing," [Bulls coach Vinnie Del Negro] said. "It's fine. But, you know, there are 30 seconds to go in the game, they're up 15 or 13 or whatever. But, whatever. We'll play them again."

Oooh, I'm sure that the Heat are shaking in their high tops. Look, I realize that calling a late timeout with a big lead might get under your opponent's skin a bit, but the Bulls really went overboard with their reactions. I mean, leaping off the bench and screaming down the Heat for simply calling a timeout? Please. If the Bulls had played the last 10 minutes of the game with half as much passion, they likely wouldn't have seen a tie turn into a 13-point loss, while getting outscored 24-11 to finish the game in the process.

If you believe that this animosity towards the Heat will somehow last until February 12th of 2009, then go ahead and set the DVR, I guess. Because that's when these teams will meet again for what will likely be a completely uneventful grudge match.

Bulls Create Some Cheap Heat With Miami originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 17:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kobe Bryant Issues Ankle Insurance Before Beginning to Thrash You in HORSE

Will Brinson — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, Lakers, NBA Fans, NBA Gossip, NBA Media Watch, NBA Videos

Kobe Bryant is probably one of the last human beings you ever want to play HORSE with; Michael Jordan, were he not so old and busy bumbling the Bobcats organization into the gutter, might actually be worse. But right now, yeah, you don't want Kobe. Which may explain why, in the following commercial for his new shoes (one of five superstars releasing new kicks on Christmas), he's issuing ankle insurance for DJ AM and Mike Epps.

Perhaps I'm just totally not "streetwise" at all, but is playing for shoes a common practice? If it's not, I want to be the first to say that I totally endorse it. And if it already is, well, point me to the New Balance game, son.

Kobe Bryant Issues Ankle Insurance Before Beginning to Thrash You in HORSE originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kobe, LeBron, Nash, Roy and Paul Pierce All Prepare to Drop New Kicks on Christmas Day

Will Brinson — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, Cavaliers, Celtics, Lakers, Suns, Trail Blazers, NBA Fans, NBA Gossip, NBA Media Watch

The NBA on Christmas Day is a tradition at my house. (Well, I like to watch it -- the rest of my family either shoots guns or goes to the movies.) And as a result, I'm highly intrigued by the various storylines that emerge for each of the games that are set to go down.

And this year, there's a spicy little twist to the storylines: tons and tons of new shoes. Well, five pairs to be exact, but they're coming from the game's biggest stars. LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Paul Pierce, Brandon Roy and Steve Nash will all drop new kicks on the public come Christmas Day. And since the folks at Nike.com have been kind enough to share them with us (and a sick new Kobe commercial) we're going to do the same with you.

LeBron's, featured above, are the "Zoom LeBron VI (Chalk Edition)":

"In keeping what has become a tradition in the Zoom LeBron series, the Cleveland Cavaliers star will unveil yet another special Zoom LeBron VI on Christmas Day. This year, LeBron will break out the "Chalk" edition of his signature sneaker when he takes the court on Christmas Day. The Zoom LeBronVI "Chalk" shoe takes its inspiration from LeBron's pregame ritual of tossing talcum chalk in the air before each game. The tongue of the shoe features a silhouette of LeBron tossing chalk in the air. The shoes' colors matches the Cavs alternate blue uniforms. A limited number of the Zoom LeBron VI "Chalk" shoe will be sold at the Quicken Loans Arena on Christmas Day."

More kicks and information after the jump.

"On Christmas Day, NBA MVP Kobe Bryant will debut a special version of his latest signature shoe - the Zoom Kobe IV. Bryant and Nike teamed together to create a special NIKEiD version of the 10-time All-Star's shoe that incorporates traditional Lakers colors as well as a bit of holiday red. The Zoom Kobe IV is Nike's lightest basketball shoe ever with a weight of 11.6 ounces and includes the company's latest footwear technology - Flywire. Beginning Christmas Day, consumers can log on to nikeid.com to create their own version of the Zoom Kobe IV."

"Two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash will wear a special version of his signature shoe, the MVP, as the Phoenix Suns battle the San Antonio Spurs on Christmas Day. The MVP shoe is one of Nike's environmentally friendly basketball shoes and builds off Nike's goal of combining performance, innovation and sustainability without compromises. The Nash MVP shoe features traditional Phoenix Suns colorways in addition to platinum color."

"2006-07 Rookie of the Year and current NBA All-Star Brandon Roy will break out his version of Nike's Blue Chip when he and the Portland Trail Blazers take the court on Christmas night. Portland Trail Blazers' red run throughout the shoe, along with gold accents in addition to Roy's nickname, "BRoy," on the outside collar of the shoe."

"For his highly anticipated matchup with Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers, the Boston Celtics' Paul Pierce will break out a special version of his signature shoe - the Max P2 V. Pierce's Max P2 V that he will wear on court features Celtics green along with Pierce's logo "The Truth" along the side heel of the sneaker."

Kobe, LeBron, Nash, Roy and Paul Pierce All Prepare to Drop New Kicks on Christmas Day originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eddy Curry Gets Sued for Not Paying His Shopping Tab at Casual Male Retail Store

Will Brinson — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Knicks, NBA Gossip, NBA Media Watch

Eddy Curry has had a tough life, insofar as an NBA basketball player can (although most of it can be attributed to his work ethic I suppose). But not so tough that he should be subjected to the latest humiliation headed his way: he's being sued by Casual Male, where he allegedly spent $41,000 on clothes and then failed to pay off his bill.

Sports Stars Money Woes

Knicks center Eddy Curry is being sued by Casual Male Retail Group for $41,000 in unpaid clothing bills. Click through to see sports stars who have struggled with money woes.

Rocky Widner, NBA

Padres outfielder Brian Giles could have quite a financial headache to deal with. Giles' former girlfriend is suing him for more than $10 million, alleging he battered her while she was pregnant.

Jed Jacobsohn, Getty Images

Former Oakland Athletics first baseman Troy Neel faces charges that he fled to a tiny South Pacific island to avoid paying about $725,000 in child support for his kids in Texas.

Texas Attorney General / AP

Former All-Star Cecil Fielder made almost $50 million during his 13-year career in the major leagues. But the slugger is now being sued by the IRS for failure to pay taxes.

Brian Bahr, Getty Images

Michael Vick was once the NFL's highest-paid player. Now the jailed former star is millions of dollars in debt, and is making 12 cents an hour in his job at the federal penitentiary.

Haraz N. Ghanbari, AP

Evander "Real Deal" Holyfield, shown here in 2002, is reportedly in financial trouble with multiple sources. In October, Holyfield was back in court, again facing the possibility of jail time in a child-support case before a settlement was reached.

W. A. Harewood, Getty Images

Former boxing champ Thomas Hearns reportedly owes the federal government thousands in unpaid income taxes. Hearns' attorney stated that the 49-year-old disputes the debt and is working to resolve it.

Bill Pugliano, Getty Images

Former MLB star Jose Canseco walked away from a $2.5 million home in California earlier this year, saying it "didn't make sense" to keep paying the mortgage. Not surprisingly, the bank started foreclosure proceedings.

Kevin Winter, Getty Images

Last August, ex-NBA star Latrell Sprewell, who once turned down a $21 million contract offer because he had his "family to feed," had a yacht repossessed after falling behind in payments.

Kevork Djansezian, AP

Disgraced track champion Marion Jones admitted she was flat broke in 2007, despite numerous lucrative endorsements following the 2000 Sydney Olympics. After her $2.5 million North Carolina home was foreclosed upon in 2006, a court found her "total liquid assets" were worth less than $2,000.

Hiroko Masuike, Getty Images

Curry racked up a bill of more than $41,000 at Casual Male Retail Group, and two years later it remains unpaid, the suit says.

The company says Curry owes an additional $5,424 in interest from his 2006 shopping sprees.

''It's just a matter of him buying clothing he didn't pay for,'' said Edward Margolis, the attorney representing Casual Male and Jared M. Custom Clothing, a business popular with professional athletes that once was owned by Casual Male.

Curry supposedly bought almost $4,000 in ties and $22,000 in suits, which, um, yeah, seems a bit freaking absurd. But then again, if you're going to be non-rebounding, non-defensive playing baller in the NYC, you've got to bring your A-game when it comes to clothes.

The only downside to this whole story really is that the store's name doesn't involve "Big and Tall" or "Husky Ballers". (Glorious Update: Turns out Casual Male is a big and tall. Sweet.) But, on the bright side, there's any number of "uncomfortable place" jokes just waiting to be abused if Curry refuses to pay.

Eddy Curry Gets Sued for Not Paying His Shopping Tab at Casual Male Retail Store originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stephon Marbury Buys a Ticket to Watch the Knicks and Lakers

Matt Watson — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:45:00 EST

Filed under: Knicks, NBA Fans, NBA Gossip

Stephon Marbury, exiled two weeks ago by Donnie Walsh, was back on the sidelines to watch the Knicks last night. The only catch? This time he bought his own ticket, sitting courtside next to the Laker girls, chatting with Knicks super-fan Spike Lee before the game and meeting with curious reporters at halftime. From Marc Berman of the New York Post:

"I'm earning my check by doing nothing," Marbury said. "I'm enjoying it to the fullest. I can go in and out of the country when I want during the season. They'll make a decision when they're ready to make a decision. I'm getting healthy, adding two, three years to my career. This has been great for me, able to heal."

What's he so eager to go in and out of the country for -- he realized the Real Madrid offer was fake, right? In any case, Mike D'Antoni downplayed Marbury's presence, saying the guard's presence didn't violate the team's "stay away" order from a couple of weeks ago. I'm not sure how that's possible, but perhaps the team doesn't want to get into the position of trying to police an unenforceable edict.

Marbury did have an interesting comment about his future, saying he's been in contact with several teams and that "a lot of people will be shocked" at the team he's apparently settled on joining once his buyout is complete. When that actually happens is anyone's guess, but I can't help but wonder if his trip to the game was an attempt to prove just how annoying he can be should the Knicks continue to let his situation linger.

Stephon Marbury Buys a Ticket to Watch the Knicks and Lakers originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Allen Iverson Fined $25K for Comments to Fan

Matt Watson — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 02:31:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, NBA Fans, NBA Gossip

Trash talk is part of the game, right? Kevin Garnett has one of the biggest mouths in the league and he's celebrated as one of the league's golden boys. But while the league looks the other way when KG harasses an opponent all the way up the floor, it draws a hard line when players start interacting with fans.

Allen Iverson was reminded of this lesson on Tuesday when the league handed down a $25,000 fine for comments directed at a fan near the end of the third quarter in Saturday's win in Charlotte. It's unclear what exactly AI said -- the incident went unreported in the media until the fine was announced -- but I'm guessing it likely included some profanity.

Personally, I think it's refreshing to see the NBA crack down. I know for a fact that fans in Charlotte never, ever use profanity in their own conversations, and it's absolutely unheard in this day and age for fans at any sporting event to taunt or instigate a shouting match with a rival player.

Iverson is making nearly $22 million this year, so truth be told, he might not even notice $25K missing from his paycheck. But still, it's important for the league to at least make a symbolic statement: salty language is 10 times more egregious than skipping practice. Yes sir, the NBA has its priorities straight.

Allen Iverson Fined $25K for Comments to Fan originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 02:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Derrick Coleman, Still Quite Wealthy After All

Matt Watson — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: 76ers, Pistons, NBA Gossip

So, this is a little awkward. Over the weekend, FanHouse posted a link to an announcement advertising the "Derrick Coleman Estate Sale." Since people who have estate sales tend to be either a) dead; or b) in the poor house, we made the easy assumption that he'd fallen on hard times. We were wrong.

Unfortunately, that bad assumption reverberated across the blogosphere and into the MSM (at the very least, the NY Post and Chicago Sun-Times picked it up), eventually making its way to Coleman himself. From Chris Lau of the Detroit Free Press:

All the attention irked Coleman, the No. 1 pick in the 1990 NBA draft. He told the Free Press on Monday that the sale was for furniture from a Franklin Lakes, N.J., house he bought in 2001, when he played for the 76ers. Coleman said the furniture had been in storage since he moved back to Michigan.

"Here I am, trying to do something positive," Coleman said, referring to his business ventures, "and people spend all day calling my phone about a liquidation."

So yeah, he's not poor at all. In fact, he's so rich, he can't even fit all his stuff under one roof. And for the record, he is doing a lot of good things with his money, including investing in areas of Detroit that have been ignored by most developers for decades. Just yesterday, in fact, he opened the city's first Tim Horton's franchise.

So Derrick, consider this FanHouse's apology: we were wrong, you're still rich, and we couldn't be happier.

Derrick Coleman, Still Quite Wealthy After All originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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