Open Letter to David Stern

NBA Commissioner David Stern, you defended your decision to suspend Phoenix Suns players Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw on ESPN Radio's Dan Patrick Show yesterday.

In your opening comments, you said, "One of the things we did was put in a rule that said nobody leaves the bench, so if the players were not playing, it means they violated the rule. It means they either didn't know about it . . . or they knew about it and they forgot about it or one of the six assistant coaches that were there didn't grab them fast enough. So these players took themselves out."

Okay, so we're playing by the rules as far as the Suns players go. I can accept that on the basis of the rules alone. So what about Tim Duncan and Bruce Bowen? They also left the bench during a rather physical play (which involved only INCIDENTAL contact) during the second quarter. Here's the video in case you missed it. Doesn't the rule apply to Duncan and Bowen?

You were asked if this rule was subject to interpretation. You said, "No."

Again I ask, doesn't the rule apply to Duncan and Bowen? According to your interview, it does. Therefore DUNCAN AND BOWEN MUST SERVE A MINIMUM ONE-GAME SUSPENSION. What part of that do you not understand?

You questioned Stoudemire's and Diaw's intent for leaving the bench. Did you really? Or did you just come to your own conclusion without asking them? For that matter, did you question Duncan as to why he left the bench (I know why Bowen left - more on that later)? What the hell did you assume his intentions were?

Here's one of your better quotes: "It's being decided because two Phoenix Suns who knew about the rule forgot about it, couldn't control themselves and didn't have coaches that could control them. And don't you forget it."

'"And don't you forget it." ???' What was that for? How old are you, Mr. Stern?

You sit there and harp about the Suns assistant coaches not being able to control their players. So where the hell were the Spurs assistants when Tim Duncan who wasn't playing but was ON THE COURT WITHIN THE THREE-POINT STRIPE DURING PLAY? Obviously not doing their job. The video (here it is again in case you still missed it) clearly shows BRUCE BOWEN pulling Duncan back to the bench where (in your words) he belonged. And don't YOU forget it!

You rant and rave about how Stoudemire and Diaw were twenty feet from the bench before being called back. But I guess it's okay if Tim Duncan goes onto the court during play, even if he's not playing. Granted, if he had wandered twenty feet away from the bench, he'd be in the paint and he'd be pretty obvious (guess you have to give credit to Duncan's smarts on that one). So did Duncan stay within some magical, yet invisible, line? Where's that in the rules?

Again, let me quote you: "Is it a red-letter rule? Absolutely." Given the outcome, I'd say you bent the rules for your Golden Boy, Tim Duncan.

I heard your radio interview with Dan Patrick and I've got to say that you came off as an arrogant SOB with a serious case of foot-in-mouth-disease (refer to your quotes above and below). A couple more of your choice quotes included: "You better stop that!" and "You don't understand anything!" While Mr. Patrick was simply asking you (in a professional manner) the questions that America wants to know, you came off as sarcastic, condescending, patronizing, defensive, offensive, and unprofessional (I come off that way in this letter because it seems the only way you know how to communicate).

My biggest pet peeve is people who don't follow the rules. You're so quick to quote book, chapter, and verse on the rules, yet you hesitate to impose them on the Spurs. What's really up with that?

While not necessarily the case, this has every appearance of foul play. The public isn't as stupid as you may think, and this looks like a fix. Like it or not, the NBA now has a serious image problem. Perhaps the only way it can be restored is if the rules are followed and penalties imposed - even on Duncan and Bowen (oh my God!).

As I conclude my letter to you let me offer another of your quotes: "If I had a team, I would make sure that my players never the leave the bench and so would you." Well, Mr. Stern, you have 30 teams and you are responsible for all of them - including the Spurs (imagine that).

Well if I had one those 30 NBA teams, I would be asking for your immediate resignation. Your actions or lack thereof clearly demonstate a lack of integrity and/or competence to handle the immense responsibility you have. Also, be careful what you say in public - it can be quoted back.

You are quick to place the blame on players, coaches, and even the owners. But the responsibility is yours. If you are so steadfast in your decision, why didn't you come to Phoenix? Can't handle a few "boo's?" Gee, even the Spurs can do that.

To defend your position with the fans is absolutely mandatory. But what you have done is discounted the fans. And that is not good for the NBA. Time to step down, Mr. Stern. What are you waiting for? This is your written invitation.

Spurs Rewarded For Dirty Play Against Suns

With precious time ticking down on the game clock, Steve Nash expected to be fouled. I think we all expected Nash to be fouled. It's part of the game of basketball.

But I find it hard to believe that anyone - including Steve Nash - that Robert Horry would blast his way at Nash like a Mack truck. Talk about a sore loser. That is not basketball.

Deservingly so, Robert Horry is serving a two-game suspension. But Suns players Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw are also suspended for tomorrow night's game, simply for getting up off the bench. There were other players and coaches involved in the near-melee. But the actions of one punk (I can't call him a man) cost the Suns more. It does not make sense, and it cannot help the image of the NBA one bit.

Stoudemire was right when he publicly called out the Spurs and called them a dirty team. Last night's antics only prove it more. But David Stern and the NBA do not have the balls to call them out.

I find it hard to believe that the fans in San Antonio are so proud of their team. It's quite possible that the Spurs may advance to the Western Conference finals, and then the NBA Championship. But it will be a hollow and dirty victory. Just like when the Mexican army won the Battle of the Alamo (stick that in your pipe and smoke it, San Antonians).

Perhaps you disagree. Perhaps you think I'm one of the whining Suns fans. Yes, rules are rules. But rules are not absolute. And if you think what happened is right, then stay away from me - I don't want to know you. You have much more serious issues to deal with.

Personally - win or lose - I hope the Suns beat the living snot out of the Spurs.

Uncanny Resemblance

You know, I always thought future Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson looked like he came out of the Civil War (especially when he wore the mullet).

I discovered I wasn't too far off the mark when we visited Gettysburg. Standing atop Little Round Top is a statue of General Gouveneur K. Warren. If you were to put a baseball in his left hand, he'd be a dead ringer for Randy Johnson, scowl and all.

Serving as Chief Engineer for the Army of the Potomac, General Warren went to Little Round Top to assess the situation when he noticed the Confederate forces maneuvering towards the unoccupied mountain. Warren acted quickly to commandeer a regiment to rush in to defend against the Confederate attack just in the nick of time, thereby protecting the Union left flank and saving the Union forces from a disastrous defeat. Gouveneur Warren is considered by many to be the savior of Gettysburg. He was the ace that day, just as Randy Johnson has been the ace on many a day.

By the way, do you know who else was at the Battle of Gettysburg? Major General Abner Doubleday - mistakenly credited as the inventor of baseball (but he did patent the cable car that still runs in San Francisco!). But I do digress...

I don't believe in reincarnation, but wow - the resemblance between Johnson and Warren is uncanny.

Pet Food Crisis: Why Are We Exporting Wheat From China?

This whole thing related to the pet food recalls has gotten quite messy. We're finding now that the tainted stuff has been fed to livestock, so now it's in the human food supply. And now there have been two arrests in China of those thought responsible. They'll probably end up getting shot or hanged or something. Not that the Chinese necessarily care that they've tainted our food supply. They're more concerned about saving face and possibly losing some export business.

Which begs the question: WHY ARE WE EXPORTING WHEAT FROM CHINA?

Meanwhile, I've attached a link to the latest recall list from the FDA.

Pat Burke: A Sign of Good Times

Pat Burke isn't exactly a household name. But he's definitely my favorite bench player. While the likes of Nash, Stoudemire, Thomas, Marion, Bell, Diaw, Jones, and Barbosa are tearing it up on the basketball court, Pat Burke is there cheering them on from the Phoenix Suns bench.

This Auburn alumnus had a stint with the Orlando Magic but has played most of his professional career in Europe. Now he's back in the NBA in a Suns uniform. He doesn't get a whole lot of minutes, but when he does, he's fun to watch.

Last night's game was his most recent appearence; when the Spurs had pretty much conceded the game and sent their bench out to play, the Suns did the same. Pat Burke got to play. And when Pat Burke plays, it means the Suns are doing well. Let's hope we see more of him in the next - oh - eleven games.

Thursday Report, 3 May 2007

New Appliances Anyone?
Last month I paid off Home Depot for the new dishwasher we got last Christmas. Now our refrigerator is on the blink. Keep in mind that my wife has been wanting a new refrigerator for quite some time. So I went and looked up refrigerator repair on the internet and came back to my wife saying, "So you want a side-by-side this time?" The new fridge arrives Monday.

Just When You Thought Things Were Bad in YOUR House
Our older daughter J and our grandson have moved in with her fiancee and his daughter. You may recall they have a new puppy, Zoe. Well Zoe had a little accident a few weeks ago and apparently (although not apparent the first time it was X-rayed) she broke one of her front legs. She's having surgery today.

On top of that, J went to the emergency room because of abdominal pain. She has gallstones. She will be discussing gall bladder surgery soon.

A Good Supreme Court Decision
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that those idiots who get involved in police chases can't sue the police for stopping them, provided the police don't use excessive force in stopping the suspect vehicle. Mind you, when a car is speeding along and barely under control, it only takes a tap of its bumper to push it completely out of control. Just ask the plaintiff - he was speeding along at 100 m.p.h. on a suspended license. The police intervened according to the standard procedure for stopping these wingnuts, and now he's a quadraplegic. If you ask me, it's better than having him kill an innocent bystander and ruin other peoples' lives.

Iraqi Government Entity Targets Sunnis
While we're busy "surging" against the insurgency, it was reported that Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki has set up an office within the government consisting of military advisors dealing with the whole mess over there. This agency has been found to have an extreme Shiite agenda which is only contributing to the sectarian violence. Cute.

Oh, What A Tangled Web We Weave
Meanwhile, it appears that some Sunnis have had enough of al-Qaeda, as evidenced by the increasing numbers of Sunni militants who are fighting against al-Qaeda; they've even claimed that they killed the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq.

Gosh, don't you just love a civil war based on differing religious, political, and economic agendas?

Phoenix Suns Advance to the Western Conference Semifinals
Last year they made it look hard. This year, they made it look easy (except for the one game they lost). Just like last year, the Suns faced the Lakers in the opening series of the NBA playoffs. But this year, there's something different about this team, and I like their chances. The Suns were able to dispatch the Lakers in five games. Now they face the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday. Should be interesting. And a lot of fun to watch.

How 'bout Those Diamondbacks?
Since last week the Arizona Diamondbacks are 5-2. I'm not sure how, sometimes, but I'll take it. Looks like their biggest nemesis this year will be the Dodgers.