There is trash talking, and then there is "over the line". I think just about everyone can distinguish between the two. Clearly Martin was over the line. As Wizardball just said, can you imagine if someone made fun of Magic's HIV situation? I think there clearly is some areas players do not touch when it comes to trash talking. And Jefferson's comment about trash talking was completely ignorant. If he does not understand that you do not make light of someone's ailment then he is a complete moron. Case closed!
you haven't read the GARM have you!!!! in the heat of the moment/contest the line isn't that hard to cross, and i bet players made comments about Magic's HIV
Then those players are punks. And quite frankly there are plenty of players that DON'T cross that line. More that don't than do. In the heat of the moment, during a GAME or even in PRACTICE players should not resort to that kind of talk. No excuse.
SmeggySmeg Once again i think you are missing the point.... i don't need to read the GARM to analyze or understand this situation... it a little bit of common sense to me.... you do not make fun of an ailment of another persons...and the thing about MAGIC's HIV...you bet that players made fun of his HIV...the thing is they may have....that does not make it right....even if they did it was not in practise in front of a whole team with a media member watching it.....and whoever did make fun .....it sure does tell you about that person. everyone has trash talked...and i mean some intense trash talking...but remember basketball is a game...that's something you are not realizing... obviously things get rought and intense but there are some people for example who get violent...is that the line?...it all depends on where you draw your line ...and i think yours does not end where mine does. it is an ethical situation...i think our ethics may differ from one another...i was brought up to respect others no matter what the situation is....everyone will have there own ethical backgrounds. so i guess i will never be able to change your mind... case closed. ez.
It could have been a lot worse for K Mart. Let's say Alonzo Mourning collapsed on the court against Toronto--and died. I'm sure K-mart's reputation would be forever marred, and he would forever be known as the guy who made fun of a guy because he had a fatal disease. But that didn't happen. Alonzo Mourning gets all my respect for coming back when the odds were stacked against him. He's a rarity among men in the NBA these days, and men in general.
Alonzo should have just beaten Kenyon Martin's a$$ then we wouldn't be having this 'sensitivity' discussion here. Yeah it was stupid what he said, but whats the big deal. If Kenyon had a severly sprained ankle and Mourning was heckling him then he shouldn't be surprised when someone strikes back. I think it was in poor taste but its not that big of a deal. If someone pisses you off with their sh*t talking on the court you throw a hard pick or an elbow and talk. If needs be a fight will happen. Happens every day even with the 24hr fitness crowd that I play with.
