Bill Simmons: Common Sense vs. The NBA Rulebook (Page 2)

alright, I hate to bring race into this argument but I think it applies here. the nba had an image problem. before stern came into the league people thought the league was a bunch of coke heads. he cleaned that image up. in the post jordan era the league became known as a bunch of thugs. he's working on this image. part of the problem is race. I'm sorry, people see a bunch of black guys fighting on the basketball court all tatted up and braids in their hair and people get a certain perspective. so its not that same as when cowens policed himself against newlin.

stern is working against alot of factors. his main concern is cleaning up the image of the nba. its no different from the dress code, its no different from the harsh punishments doled out after the fan brawl in detroit. I don't blame him for being so stern, ha ha.

the one part of the article I do agree with is the bowen issue. but bowen unfortunately is smart. what's gonna have to happen is for an opposing coach to put in an enforcer that he can afford to lose for a few games to take bowen out.