DaDa, Man, what you smokin'? Current events, yo! Remember Pistons v. Pacers brawl...There is such a thing as CROWD CONTROL!!! If you get adrenaline pumping pro athletes way too pissed off they will go in the stands and big fights can break out. So, the NBA saw it wise to (1) not alientate the african american fan (dude called Mutombo a "monkey")- a just and right decision, and (2) to take a preventive approach to crowd management. Free speech rights only exist when the government tries to regulate or censor speech of persons. The free market economy has the power of the rest. -P1st, S2nd
Do an experiement and call the first black guy on the street you see a monkey and see what kind of reaction you get. I guess some people are still ignorant to things these days. Same situation with Kerr calling Yao a chinaman. Some people see it as no big deal and don't understand the historical context behind words.
http://www.mastersrealtyorlando.com/team/team_hh.cfm Anyone wants to buy some real estate in Central Florida? Maybe some shirts?
by the way this guy's cell number is on that website...cell phone harrassment is the best form of revenge i always say... additionally...vernon maxwell was not a punk..maybe on the court, and to his opponents, but of all the rockets, he was one of the rare ones who was nice to fans...everytime i asked him for an autograph he was extremely pleasant and even stopped his car to give my dad an autograph..he was nice unlike alien cassell
words can be worse than physical actions. also this is a fan and not player. it was too light. racial slurs are the worst.
I believe it was more the NBA needing to make an example of someone honestly. After the Pacers/Pistons brawl and the Knick incident last year, the NBA needed to exercise some control over fans and make them realize that if they cross any sort of line that they *will* be banned. I'm glad they did it. The guy didn't apologize until he fully realized the repercussions of his actions. Suing Mutombo, the Magic or the NBA is just another act of the dude's own demeanor. Then I'm sure the Magic told him he was banned, or he thought about it and his own company confronted him about the possible bad PR they will have now. Which they now *do* because someone on these forums already posted where he works. Until then did he realize that he should apologize.
I'm afraid that your wrong, it has already been confirmed that words can never be worse then physical actions, just in case you arent familiar with the saying "Sticks and stones may hurt my bones, But words will never hurt me". This iron rule is rigid and unmoving, those who have not learnt this yet shame on you.
Deke is considered one of the NBA's elder statemen (based on longevity, behavior and his charitable works). I am sure the league wasn't happy with Deke's threat to go into the stands but I also suspect that it it had been Ron Artest the reaction would have been different. That said I think the league saw fit to make an example of the fan. Since he apperently has a history of boorish (and racist) behavior, he is a perefect person to use as an example. Hopefully this not only sent a message to the fans but also the players and will help avoid players going into the stand in the future.
Look guys, I am not condoning what the guy did or said... I am saying it is his "right" to be ignorant and racist. And, I somewhat agree that the Magic and the NBA have a "Right" to ban him for a time, especially if he is a repeat offender. The point I was trying to make is it is not illegal to be bigotted or ignorant, otherwise Bush would never win the whitehouse even once, much less twice. DD
Anything you do has consequences ...some good, some bad. It's a free country and by in large nobody will stop you from doing whatever you want. You have a 'right' to drive drunk ...and you'll be subject to arrest if you do so. He has EVERY right to make racist statements ...and he is subject to the consequences of his behavior. In this instance, the consequence is a one year ban. Perhaps you think it is too harsh but it is what it is.
Are you from this country? I'm not trying to be offensive, I really would like to know because I just don't understand how you are not aware that calling a black person a monkey isn't racial. And another thing....this guy is full of **** to say he didn't know that what he said is racial....please! Save that mess for the naive. He knew exactly what he was doing and saying and deserved to be banned. He's a heckler...he was trying to be offensive and some of you are mildly defending him! The punishment wasn't severe enough. I guess some of you need to be on the other end of the spectrum to actually SEE what its like to be discriminated against because of the color of your skin. Such an ignorant, stupid thing. If you do not understand the magnitude of the word "monkey" when pertaining to black people, then I really suggest you learn before making the same mistake that guy did. There were no actions taken against Deke because he didn't do anything expect be upset....he doesn't have the right to be upset at someone calling him a primate?
Good the NBA need to make an example of disruptive fans like him so to put an end to unsportsmanships in the future, and setting an example for the younger generation Regarding the length of the suspension, I dont think 1 year or 5 years really matters, the guy can still watch the game on tv, and the 1 year suspension probably saved him a shatloads of money
good move from the league. for 1, they need to protect the players from such behaviour of the fans. otoh, they are reassuring the players that this kind of things should be left to the league, rather than go into the stands and solve the problem yourselves.
Magic fan's sad comments are indefensible Published October 31, 2006 On Monday, I spoke with the man now being hailed as the biggest racist in Orlando, and he just doesn't get it. First, let me correct something. Hooman Hamzehloui is not a racist. He's just uninformed. I believe Hamzehloui when he says he had no idea he was using a racial slur when he called Houston Rockets center Dikembe Mutombo a "monkey" at Thursday's Orlando Magic game. It was at worst an inexcusable lapse in judgment, but he didn't do it because he doesn't like African Americans. By his own account, he has friends of all ethnicities. According to Magic officials, Hamzehloui interacted quite nicely with the Magic's black players at a season ticket-holder party the night before the incident with Mutombo. Like too many other fans these days, the 31-year-old Hamzehloui thought buying a ticket gave him license to act like a jerk. He went too far, and on Monday the Magic retaliated by revoking Hamzehloui's season tickets -- the right thing to do. And the NBA banned him from all league arenas this season. That is a precedent-setting move meant to send a message that pro sports leagues are getting fed up with boorish behavior from their fans. If players are expected to adhere to certain standards, so should fans. But the most disconcerting part of all this is Hamzehloui is only willing to accept so much responsibility for what he's done. I hope he understands that the racial epithet was wrong and not just because the public reacted so strongly. That particular slur should have been the last thing that came to mind. "I just used a poor choice of words," he said. "If I said he looked like a chimpanzee or like a gorilla, none of this happens." Oh really? Hamzehloui might have friends of other races, but he's obviously never been educated on what is and isn't appropriate to say about African Americans. He also fails to see that because of the increasingly hostile relationship between fans and athletes, the NBA had no choice but to act harshly (see: Palace brawl). Hamzehloui is contrite one minute, and shucks blame the next. He wrote a heartfelt letter to Mutombo, pledging to donate $5,000 to Mutombo's favorite charity, but then when he heard the news the Magic didn't want him to return this season, Hamzehloui again spoke without thinking. "They have players shooting guns in front of strip clubs and getting into drug-related fights and mar1juana getting found in cars, but that's OK," Hamzehloui said. "I say something I'm sorry about and they want to throw me to the wolves." I sympathize with Hamzehloui because he has received plenty of threatening e-mails and phone calls since the incident happened. A father of two young children, he understandably is concerned about his family's safety. As a person of Persian descent, he -- more than most -- should be aware how hurtful words can be. After 9/11, he became an unfair target of racism. "Because of my name, I've heard every racial slur there is," he said. There is a fine line separating ignorance, real prejudice and racism, but we use ignorance as an excuse to stay uneducated and make excuses. If Hamzehloui truly wanted to show he was sorry, he would not only accept his punishment without complaint but take things a step further and offer to record a public-service announcement warning NBA fans that yelling abusive epithets is not cheering. "I think they're losing a great fan," he said. "I won't come back to the NBA anymore." If that's his attitude, he won't be missed. He would make a great Predators fan.
My point is some guys (white, black or other races) do resemble a monkey or other animal. Does it make you a racist telling them that?
It's not a gray area at all, a private entity can enforce any rules it wishes. You have to pay to enter, the law is pretty clear - they can enforce any rules they see fit, including limiting free speech.
