I'm glad that you have revived this age-old discussion Will. Some of you oldies will remember that I stuck up for Sprewell back in December of 1997 on this board in a very heated thread. To bad we don't have the archive on it. I probably supported Sprewell a little stronger than I should have (I have come back more towards the middle since then). At the time I said that Sprewell was not a "thug" and would not have any other issues in his career, and that I <em>hoped</em> that Carlisemo would never coach again in this league. To keep this simple, let me just state a few facts. <li>Sprewell was the leader of the Warriors in 97, they were 1-13 at the time. <li>Carlisemo verbally and mentally abused Sprewell in practice and in games, beyond what is appropriate from a coach. He blamed Sprewell as being the sole reason for their terrible start. Teammates acknoledged this at the time IIRC. <li>I'm not positive on this one, but I think I remember Sprewell saying that Carlisemo would get within a few inches of his face screaming at him, and sometimes unintentionally spit on him. <li>Carlisemo has a history of problems in the way that he relates to players. Ie: Kenny Anderson, and there was one other guy that was mentioned at the time, but I can't remember who it was. Since the altercation: <li>With the exception of the incident with Carlisemo, Sprewell has not had any problems with other NBA coaches. <li>Carlisemo has not gotten another head coaching job since then. No Surprise. Conclusion: Sprewell was not justified in what he did, but his actions were the result of an emotional outburst that took place after a full month of building verbal and mental abuse by Carlisemo.
Sorry for the long post, but I think its applicable here: http://www.cracksmoker.com/ SPREWELL, LATRELL Though he admits he had his hands around the neck of his coach, Latrell Sprewell insists he never choked P.J. Carlesimo and he does not need anger counseling before returning to the NBA. In an interview broadcast Sunday night on CBS' "60 Minutes," Sprewell said the marks on Carlesimo's neck were made by his nails and prove he wasn't choking the Golden State Warriors' coach. Sprewell also was interviewed for Sunday's ESPN SportsCenter. "I wasn't choking P.J. I mean, P.J., he could breathe. It's lsprewell1.jpg (7761 bytes)not like he was losing air or anything like that. I mean, it wasn't a choke, I wasn't trying to kill P.J.," Sprewell said in his first public comments since an arbitrator reduced his punishment Wednesday. "If you're choking someone, you don't get scratches. You get welts totally around your neck. It's not like I was going to sit there and kill the man. No, I would have stopped, definitely." After the attack, Sprewell left the practice gym. He returned about 15 minutes later and was restrained by teammates. The former All-Star guard said he did not try to hit Carlesimo at that time. Sprewell admitted he was upset and was screaming at Carlesimo, but was stopped by teammates when he got within 4 to 5 feet of the coach. http://espn.go.com/nba/news/980308/00616151.html New York Knicks guard Latrell Sprewell might be in legal trouble again, this time for making contact with the jury during his civil trial in California earlier this fall, the New York Post reported Thursday. David Greensied, an attorney for the man and woman who sued Sprewell after being injured in a highway wreck that he admittedly caused, filed a letter of intent to file a motion for a new trial with the Contra Costa County court, the newspaper said. Greensied has until Sunday to file the motion for a new trial, based on claims Sprewell had contact with at least one juror during a lunch break during the trial. A juror reportedly sent the judge who presided over the trial a letter claiming another juror told him he spoke to Sprewell during a lunch break. Contact with jurors by a defendant during a trial is illegal. Sprewell's attorney, Richard Valerian, denied the claims. Sprewell was ordered to pay about $105,000 to Arnulfo Perlas, 55, and Irma Feliciano, 54, but did not have to pay punitive damages, which could have been costly. Nine members of the 12-member jury said Sprewell did not act with malice in the March 1, 1998, accident. Sprewell admitted in court that he caused the accident when he tried to drive his Mercedes-Benz back on the freeway from an exit-only lane near Walnut Creek. He pleaded no contest to reckless driving and was sentenced to 90 days in jail, which he served under electronic detention at his Milwaukee home. http://www.sportsline.com/u/ce/multi/0,1329,1712520_54,00.html New York Knicks swingman Latrell Sprewell today was fined $10,000 by the NBA for his actions during a game at Golden State on November 20. Sprewell, making a homecoming to the Bay Area, shouted profanities throughout the contest with the Warriors, including several directed at fans sitting courtside. The Knicks won the game, 86-79. It was Sprewell's first trip to Golden State since he choked Warriors coach P.J. Carlesimo during a team practice on December 1, 1997 and was subsequently suspended and traded to New York. The 6-5, 190-pounder spent most of last week telling several tabloids that he was looking forward to returning on Saturday and "crushing" the Warriors, who left him feeling "bitter and angry." Sprewell was booed lustily upon taking the floor for warmups at the Arena in Oakland. Carlesimo and Sprewell niether shook hands nor acknowledge one another during the course of the night. http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news/991124/sprewell.html Latrell Sprewell, whose attack on his coach last season led to one of the harshest penalties in league history, is expected to be traded to the Knicks as soon as the lockout ends. He was suspended for one year and had his contract terminated by the Warriors his attack on coach P.J. Carlesimo December 1997, although an arbitrator reduced the suspension to 68 games reinstated the final two years of his contract after a hearing last February. Sprewell has not played since the incident, and spent most of the summer under house arrest after pleading no contest to a reckless driving charge. http://espn.go.com/nba/news/1999/990118/01053295.html A federal judge dismissed Latrell Sprawl's lawsuit today against the NBA, challenging his 68-game suspension for choking his coach. U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker said the lawsuit was so worthless that Sprewell must pay the league's court costs. Sprewell, whose original one-year suspension was cut to the remaining 68 games of the 1997-98 season by an arbitrator, claimed in his $30 million suit that the punishment still exceeded the arbitrator's authority and that he was a victim of racial discrimination. He noted that a white player, Tom Chambers, wasn't suspended for punching a Phoenix Suns assistant coach a few weeks before Sprewell attacked Golden State Warriors coach P.J. Carlesimo. http://www.sportserver.com/generic/story/0,1673,32826-52822-391521-0,00.html Latrell Sprewell wants to concentrate on the playoffs before pursuing his grievance against the New York Knicks. Sprewell was fined $25,000 by Madison Square Garden president Dave Checketts in April for remarks by his agent. Agent Robert Gist was quoted as saying Sprewell would demand an offseason trade if the team persists in using him off the bench. Sprewell reiterated his unhappiness with his role Thursday night before New York's 77-70 victory over the Atlanta Hawks for a 2-0 lead in their best-of-7 second-round playoff series. A grievance was filed by the union Wednesday night, just before the 30-day deadline expired. ``We're still hoping the Knicks will do the right thing and rescind the fine, but if they don't, it's not something we're going to let stand without a fight,'' union lawyer Ron Klempner said Friday. http://www.onwis.com/sports/buck/ap/may99/ap-bkn-sprewell-gr052199.asp 10/02 Sending a costly message that his misdeeds will no longer go unpunished, the New York Knicks fined Latrell Sprewell a staggering $250,000 for failing to report an injury. Sprewell also was banished indefinitely from the team for failing to notify the Knicks that he broke his shooting hand two weeks before training camp. Vowing an appeal, Sprewell said his relationship with the team had been harmed but that he still wanted to play in New York."They talk about being a family but they're not sticking with me," Sprewell told the Daily News. The fine was believed to be the largest ever imposed by an NBA team on a player. "The biggest thing to me is that I'm hurt ... so don't kick me when I'm down," Sprewell told The New York Times. Sprewell told The Times he was "absolutely certain" he would not have to pay the fine.Sprewell told the team he lsprewell3.JPG (16046 bytes)hurt the hand when he slipped and fell aboard his yacht. In justifying the team's punishment, Mills pointed out that Sprewell immediately told the trainer about the injury when he reported to practice. Last week, the New York Post reported that Sprewell might have broken his hand by throwing an errant punch at the boyfriend of a woman who vomited on his yacht. The newspaper, citing two eyewitnesses who asked not to be identified, said Sprewell was injured when he slammed his right hand into a wall during a skirmish at a late-night party aboard the yacht in Milwaukee. "Even with all this ... that they're putting me through I still want to be here," Sprewell told the Daily News. "That will never change." http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2002/1007/1442377.html 10/02 Latrell Sprewell sued a newspaper, spouted off and got suspended Monday. On a day filled with developments related to Sprewell's injured right hand and his relationship with the New York Knicks, the rift between everyone involved only seemed to worsen. In the morning, Sprewell's agent announced a $40 million lawsuit against the New York Post for its account of how he got hurt. Sprewell later met with reporters and denounced the way the Knicks have treated him, which was followed by an announcement from the team that Sprewell had been suspended one game for failing to follow his rehabilitation procedures. Named in the suit was Post staff writer Marc Berman, who quoted two anonymous sources in an Oct. 4 story that said Sprewell was injured when he hit a wall while throwing a punch at a man whose girlfriend vomited aboard Sprewell's yacht. ``Those accounts are false and contributed to a breakdown in relations with the team, and contributed to the size of the fine,'' agent Robert Gist said. Berman defended his story, saying it was accurate. Sprewell called the Post account ``ridiculous.'' ``I slipped and tried to brace my fall on the deck of my boat,'' Sprewell said. ``If I was trying to hit somebody, I think I would hit them. I would find a way to get at them if I was that angry about it. I wouldn't just miss a guy and not do anything.'' http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news/ap/20021021/ap-knicks-sprewell.html That showed in the pursuit of Latrell Sprewell, when the Warriors were working on a trade after the end of the NBA lockout. Anybody looking at Sprewell's history -- choking his coach, driving recklessly at dangerously high speeds on the freeway, spewing racist abuse when he was stopped by a policeman of Asian descent, refusing to get rid of a pit bull that had chewed off part of his infant daughter's ear -- should have decided he was too much trouble. But all teams looked at was his physical ability. The trade paid off this season for the Knicks, who got to the NBA Finals, but even while they were playing, there were reports quoting Sprewell's agent that Sprewell wanted to be traded if Jeff Van Gundy returned as coach. Sprewell denied the stories, but they had the ring of truth. He has had problems with every coach who tried to get him to play within the team concept. He got along only with Rick Adelman, who allowed him to do whatever he wanted when he had the ball. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1999/07/15/SP77956.DTL Sprewell was driving south on I-94 when the Racine County Sheriff's Department alerted Kenosha County deputies to watch for two black sports cars that reportedly were racing. Deputies saw the Lamborghini and pulled it over at 12:07 a.m. Wednesday. In running background checks, deputies learned the passenger, Raymond Pope of Milwaukee, had an outstanding warrant for driving after revocation of his license, and he was arrested. http://www.mostnewyork.com/1999-09-17/Metro_Sports/Basketball/a-40906.asp Latrell Sprewell finally offered a feeble explanation Sunday for missing the first week of training camp, and the New York Knicks decided to bench him for their first exhibition game. Sprewell said he had simply ignored the Knicks' phone messages as he drove across the country, doing a 36-hour stretch solo from Oakland, Calif., to Milwaukee, arriving before dawn Wednesday, and then continuing on to New York on Thursday with his brother and a friend. Sprewell nonchalantly explained that he drove instead of taking a flight because he wanted to pick up some things in Milwaukee and he wanted to be sure that his car, a Mercedes-Benz sedan, made it to New York. "That's just me. I like doing things myself," he said. "I wasn't trying to send a message." As for ignoring calls from the Knicks, who were wondering what he was doing, he said, "That's what agents are for." Yet Sprewell admitted that he did not keep in close contact with his agent, Robert Gist. http://espn.go.com/nba/news/1999/1009/105079.html Latrell Sprewell has been summoned to the NBA league office to explain his remarks about the possibility of Sacramento Kings forward Chris Webber joining the Knicks next summer. Sprewell will meet with league officials Monday before flying to Milwaukee for New York's game against the Bucks. This will be Sprewell's first brush with trouble since he was fined $10,000 almost a year ago for cursing at fans in his first game at Golden State since being traded by the Warriors in the aftermath of his choking attack on then-coach P.J. Carlesimo. Sprewell, who has remained close with Webber since their days as teammates in Golden State, has admitted to speaking with Webber about the possibility of joining the Knicks after this season when Webber becomes a free agent. Webber has been saying publicly that he won't make a decision on his future until next summer. League tampering rules prohibit team officials from enticing players who are under contract to another team, but such rules are usually applied to coaches and front office personnel -- not players. ``We're trying to make it happen, man, as soon as possible,'' Sprewell said of getting Webber to New York. ``We're working on it.'' Sprewell made similar comments last week on Knicks radio and television programs. Sprewell has also commented publicly about his recruiting of Joe Smith, who became a free agent when commissioner David Stern voided his current contract and his two previous ones. Sprewell's recruiting of Webber is a different matter, which league officials are expected to convey to him at their meeting. ``They contacted Latrell and said they wanted to talk to him,'' Knicks spokeswoman Lori Hamamoto said. ``We don't know what kind of angle they're going after.'' http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news/ap/20001104/ap-knicks-sprewell.html 4/02 Latrell Sprewell says he has persuaded the New York Knicks to slash his fine for missing a shootaround last weekend from $125,000 to $2,500. Sprewell conceded he deserved to be fined and suspended for last Sunday's game in Miami, but thought the team's punishment was excessive. Before the Knicks' season finale Wednesday night, he met James Dolan, the chairman of Madison Square Garden, who reduced the fine by $122,500. The reduced fine was the NBA standard for a missed practice by a first-time offender. http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news/ap/20020419/ap-knicks-sprewell.html 2/03 Latrell Sprewell of the New York Knicks was arrested at a police checkpoint Thursday after officers discovered he was driving with a suspended license. Sprewell was pulled over at the base of the West Side Highway while driving his vehicle at about 10 a.m. He was taken to the 18th Precinct, where he paid a fine and was released after less than two hours, a police spokesman said. Sprewell's license had been suspended after he failed to answer a summons for failing to signal, Knicks spokesman Jonathan Supranowitz said. The team will not take any disciplinary action against Sprewell, who is expected to be in uniform for Friday night's game against the Orlando Magic, Supranowitz said. http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-knicks-sprewell&prov=ap&type=lgns Latrell Sprewell is Knickel and diming his daughter on child-support, court papers charge. In papers filed in Manhattan Family Court, Sprewell's high-school sweetheart, Mitralene Maclin, 31, alleged that the Knick star has been shortchanging their teenage daughter, Aquilla, paying her $2,000 a month in support, despite raking in $12 million a year. The paternity action seeks "an order of child support in the amount equal to 17 percent of [Sprewell's] adjusted gross income," which would include not only his Knick salary, but cash from any endorsement deals and personal appearances. The suit says the 17 percent - which would be more than $2 million a year - would go to all "uncovered medical, hospitalization, surgical, psychological, psychiatric, nursing, physical-therapy, dental, orthodontic and pharmaceutical expenses for the parties' child, child care in the form of a full-time live-in nanny and baby sitters; after-school programs; summer camp; lessons; tutoring; extracurricular activities; sports programs and private school and college tuition, costs, books and expenses." Maclin's lawyer, Suzanne Kimberly Bracker, said the case isn't about money - it's about security. She noted that while Sprewell has acknowledged publicly that he's Aquilla's father, there's no legal document that proves he is. http://www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/31565.htm
Don't forget when he purposefully didn't show up for Knicks' training camp, and wasn't answering his cell. Not even his agent was able to track him down. He later claimed he was taking his time driving from Wisconsin. I believe this was the same summer as the yacht incident. PJ was very definitely over the top in GS and has a major rep for it - big reason why he hasn't had a head coaching job since. He was an abject failure in the player relations dept, and was loathed by the entire GSW roster. Not that it merited the choking. Evan
Agreed. How many years ago did these things happen. Since that time Spree lead the Knicks to the finals (under JVG no less) and just 15 months ago co-lead Minny to the WCF. Spree was an outstanding court leader on that team, and he and KG carried that team in the playoffs with Sam being so hit and miss due to injury. Spree really raised it in the playoff and played brilliant and focused team ball when most of the other Wolves had their nuts shrink, if brilliant is a word appropriate for how one plays on the court. If JVG wants him, and Spree takes our LLE, that is good enough for me to support the move.
I didn't remember the dog story. But hell, he addressed it and put the dog down. He did the right thing. It's not like he bit is daughter's ear. I'm with Pass 1st, if JVG is happy with Spree and CD/Les are happy about the money spent, then I'm happy. I'll root for the Rockets. We need guys to play with passion and Spree definately has that.
Let me say this as far as the choking incident is concerned. The employee/manager relationship is not the same in sports as the rest of the world. I remember a few stories that came out after the Spree incident of player/coach altercations in the past. When someone is allowed to yell profanities at you, question your manhood, and whatever other "motivational" tools coaches use, all in front of your peers, tensions are bound to boil over at some point. P.J. has a bad reputation in his relations with players, the Golden State team was very bad at the time, and Spree obviously has anger management issues. It was a perfect storm, and honestly the only reason it probably received so much press is because Spree apparently would not let up. The attack is probably more noted for its viciousness more than the fact it happened.
How long ago did he and Cassell take down a team that was thought to be a title contender out of the playoffs. And the incident on his boat was only a couple of years ago.
Nice summary. Spree was wrong. He paid the consequence. PJ never coached again. Spree can still help the Rockets. JVG wants him. Enough said.
i disagree, the history you talk about, it's not like he has choked multiple coaches. he's shown maturity & clutchness in the playoffs, and he's still a legitimate perimeter defender. and pjc is a jerk anyway. if anything, the fact that he hasn't done anything since then should tell you that he's not that same person you're remembering. eg on the other hand, only time will tell.
For you guys who keep saying he hasn't done anything since, do you remember this past season? I don't care whether the Rockets bring him in or not, my main issue with Spree is that he has lost a step and his game is based on intensity and quickness on both ends of the court. But Spree is a NBA version of Terrell Owens. He's great on the court and will give you 100%, but he has his off the court issues. As far as him not choking any more coaches, he may be crazy be he isn't stupid. They were going to run his butt out of the league. A life-time ban was a real issue for this guy. Of course he wasn't going to do something extremely stupid in NY. Some of you guys give JVG too much credit in turning players around. He couldn't change MoTaylor or Moochie. That's no given.
Terrell Owens is a cancer with his teammate and coaches. Apparently Spree's former respected coaches (JVG, Flip), including the one who got fired last year, want him on their teams. Sounds like maybe he wasn't the one that took down his team--at least in the fired coach's view. Spree played fantastic in Minny's best playoff run ever, just 15 months ago. He always has brought it in the playoffs and is more proven in the playoffs than any current Rocket except perhaps Deke. He isn't my favorite, but he is hard to turn down for the LLE for skill reasons and for being a "team player".
Wasn't that around the time all the planets lined up? I thought it was said crazy things would happen.
Spree and Detriot are a mach made in motor city. Seriously, can Detriot get any more "thug" and "gangster"?
Sprewell shouldn't have choked him, but PJ is one of the biggest jerks in the league and probably deserved it. Didn't surprise me when it happened. PJ lent out a couple of Venezuelan players to a coaching buddy of his and used them for slave labor on the guys ranch for a good while. He's not the greatest guy in the world by any means. I know because these guys played Juco ball at JBC in Jacksonville. Same as fellow Venezuelan, Carl "Amigo" Herrera, Houston Rocket and 2 time NBA World Champion as a Rocket. I still don't know if I would take Sprewell at his age and with his attitude. Maybe if the money is right..
i Actually do not agree with this one. i do not know the situation. but in most cases where a dog bites someone it is the fault of the person being bitten, especially when it is a child(ok then it is the fault of the parents and dog owners, so yes it is sprees fault). most dogs do not bite imediatly but give signals before biting, the problem is that children do not understand these signals. Also kidds can be verry cruell example: once a dog was put to sleep for biting a kid, after the dog was dead the vet found 14 scissor cuts in the dogs ears, so the dog waited for 13 cuts by the child before defending hisself, that dog was not an agressive dog. You should NEVER leave a child alone with a dog. So do not judge the dog before knowing everything. however, the problem is that after a dog has bitten a human the chances are very big that he will do it again.So you have to put it asleep. but i kinda understand that he wants to keep his dog with him as long as possible, If my dog bites somebody i would defenitly try to eep her as long as possible with me.(however away from any other living creature. but i'm not sure how i would react if my dog would bite my child.
sometimes dogs bite kids because they may consider them to be lower in the family heirarchy and its a form of keeping them in their place.
Pitbulls are different. They're bred specifically for ringside fighting. Most are inbred and mentally unstable. Even with intense training, some will still randomly bite and attack things.
