I don't know if last night was a good example. Dwight didn't look all that pissed at the fan, he just tossed him the ball. Didn't seem like any big deal until the refs called a tech. Dwight had a great game last night including hitting his free throws, so I'm thinking last night did nothing to back up your point.
The league put Dwight on notice with that fine. The NBA basically stated, "We don't like you Dwight and since the majority of the league and fans doesn't like you either, we are watching you." Very closely.
It seemed playful to me. Like "yeah okay buddy, im out here hitting my free throws and hitting 11/11 to start the game, here's a souvenir basketball to dry your maverick tears after the game".
Nah, I don't think so. The league would have done the same thing if AB had done it, in my opinion. It's just that wimpy today.
Blame Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson & company. Ever since that day in Detroit the league's been hyper sensitive about any kind of physical contact with fans in the stands, even a light flick of the ball that couldn't have hurt anybody. It's just a zero tolerance thing, like the "no leaving the bench" rule. Taking one step away from the bench couldn't have really hurt anybody, but the league has decided to draw the line there.
I don't think so. I sat just a few rows up from the court behind the Rockets bench at the Clippers game and I was yelling big time at the Officials. Constantly telling them they needed glasses etc.. I even yelled at one official so hard he stared me down, he was waring number 36. Every time Chris Paul came close to me a was calling him FlopZilla and he stared me down a couple of times. I never got warned to stop and I was not the only fan doing it so if there is a TC policy against it I'm unaware of it. Having said that, I guarantee you that Cuban encourages it. Cuban cares nothing about good sportsmanship or anything of the sort. He will take whatever advantage he can get or create. If you are ever at the AAC in Dallas, look at the Mavericks seats and then look at the opposing teams seats. The Mav's have these nice cushy seats that look like they were made for tall people. The Rockets looked like adults sitting in seats made for kindergarteners.
Man, I'm really pissed at the NBA right now. I just don't understand how you can fine somebody 25K for something like that. That is absolutely ridiculous. There was nothing malicious about Dwight's action. I mean, I'd understand if he threw the ball really hard, but you can hardly even call that a throw. It seems as though the NBA just doesn't like Dwight.
I would agree with this. Dwight really didn't look fazed by the fan. Just acknowledged him, tossed him the ball and walked away without a 2nd look.
In Dwight's defense, some fans can be downright nasty in their comments to players on the opposing team. Such fans should be warned on the first offense and then thrown out of the building if their comments continue to cross the line.
25K for him is like $1 to you. And the fine goes to charity. Worry about something more important. Fans pay good money to go to games and many are not making 40 million a year with a huge NBA salary and millions in endorsement deals like DH. In every sport fans heckle. Even in a gentlemen's sport like tennis see what people say at the US Open in Flushing NY against players they do not like. DH needs to grow up and not do this in the future. He is a multimillionaire and a winner in life. Let the regular Joe have his fun and call him a bum or whatnot. Just live with it and get them back by dominating on the court which is what he should do not throw a ball at fans.
Dwight was just trying to play catch! Lebron's fastball pass is potentially way more dangerous to the fans!!!!!11 <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/vcgHX-oDMPU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
"hostile work environment"... if I was the players assoc I'd be all over it if they don't remove unruly fans who are yelling at players.... I think the nfl enforces such a policy... that said, stupid move by Dwight...
Some of you whining about the fine seem to be under the impression that this is some new rule or made up infraction the NBA just made up to punish Dwight Howard. There's been a technical and a fine for throwing the ball into the stands ever since the Artest incident in Detroit. Like the "no leaving the bench rule" this isnt some arbitrary or selectively applied punishment imposed on Dwight. He stupidly broke the rule and got a tech and a 25k fine which is a paltry sum when considering he makes over 15million a year.
I agree $25k is too much, but Dwight didn't get suspended. Maxwell also lost 10 games of pay via suspension. $20k was just the fine part. Also, that was 18 years ago, so factoring in inflation, it was more like $40k in today's dollars. So, he lost 1/8th of his pay plus $40k,,,much more than Dwight
That's exactly how I viewed it (and you're right about Cuban, the goofus). There was no "bad intent" at all, in my opinion. Yeah, I assumed that was behind it, but I still think they've gone a tad too far. Considering the context of Howard's actions here, a $5,000 fine would have been plenty, IMO, if they felt they had to do something. They hammered Max, and understandably, in comparison to "Superstar Dwight Howard." Max took a big hit, for sure.
