Audacity of Truth
Rahmbo:
"Rahm Emanuel is son of the devil's spawn. He is an individual who would sell his mother to get a vote. He would strap his children to the front end of a steam locomotive."
-Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY) on Obama's COS, 3/7/10
Velvet Lair- Legends March 18, 2010
- Some things are just not cute March 18, 2010
- The adventures of the lady spider killer continue March 11, 2010
- Intermission February 19, 2010
- People who allow their dogs to poop in other people’s yards February 16, 2010
- Big Government
- Hot Air
- Michelle Malkin
- Video: Baghdad Jim McDermott rails against conservative “indecency”
- Attorneys general launch lawsuit backlash against Demcare
- The gloater-in-chief: “Another stone laid in the foundation of the American dream;” Pelosi jokes: “No money exchanged hands (laughter);” Slaughter: “There is nothing now that we can’t tackle”
- Jake Tapper
- Legal Insurrection
- Lynn Sweet
A plea to the NBA: don’t suspend this guy
Antonio Davis did the right thing. I hope the NBA doesn’t suspend him. Story:
CHICAGO (AP) – Antonio Davis thought his wife was in danger, so the New York Knicks forward dashed over the scorer’s table and into the stands during a timeout in overtime.
Just like that, an already heated game between the Knicks and Chicago Bulls evoked memories of last season’s brawl between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers.
One difference, though.
Only words, not punches, were exchanged.
“I witnessed my wife being threatened by a man that I learned later to be intoxicated,” Davis said in a statement issued after the game. “I saw him touch her, and I know I should not have acted the way I did, but I would have felt terrible if I didn’t react. There was no time to call security. It happened too quickly.”
Ben Gordon hit a game-winning jumper at the buzzer and scored 32 points for the Bulls in a 106-104 overtime victory Wednesday, but Davis’ dash into the stands became the flash point of the game.
Davis ascended about 10 rows to reach his wife, Kendra, during a timeout with 1:04 left. There was no physical confrontation after he got there, but several people were pointing and shouting for a few moments before security arrived.
No arrests had been made as of early Thursday morning, police said.
The Knicks host the Pistons on Thursday night, and it has not yet been determined if Davis will be available. An NBA spokesman said the league was just beginning to look into the matter, but that any decision on a penalty is usually made before the team plays its next game.
Let him play!
Update: Antonio Davis has been suspended by the NBA for five games. And he’s being sued by the Bulls fan who was involved in the incident.
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47 Responses to “A plea to the NBA: don’t suspend this guy”
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This cats wife is a loudmouth, always shouting stuff at lots of folks including people in the crowd. The drunk guy was just telling her to pipe down and the big tough NBA guy went 10 rows up to beat him up. I understand Davis is a Republican, I think. Peace
Totally Agree!
Wait! I agree with you ST – not Steve!!!
steve,
You are utter BS! No drunk has any right to accost anyone. You justifying the drunk because you think Davis is a Republican is beyond the pale. If anyone deserves a penalty, it is you!
If the NBA doesn’t get it’s act together to better protect dependents at the games, then they deserve to go down the toilet.
PCD, the ends justify the means I guess. That means drunk guys and potheads get a pass at anything they say or do to Republicans! No personal responsibility.
steve, that sounds suspiciously like “bbbbut she was wearing a short skirt, and I couldn’t help myself.”
Sister,
It is worse than that. I have no idea what party Davis belongs to. In this case steve is way out of line.
It was Mrs. Davis that was threatened. It make NO difference if the guy was drunk or not, you don’t accost people, period.
It makes no difference what Mr. Davis believes or is, you don’t accost his wife because of it. Steve sounds like a KKK member justifying a crime because of the race or interracial relationship or mixed race of the couple. THIS IS JUST PLAIN WRONG!
While it is understandable why Antonio Davis did what he did after what happened last year players really shouldn’t go into the stands. What if some dumb schmuck assualted him on his way? The potential for a riot is too great. He should be suspended for a game IMHO.
Make sure you tell your future bride to be your opinion on this, tommy.
Actually I will ST. In all seriousness. Most women I’ve dated don’t like me throwing money away foolishly. I see your point but you just can’t go in the stands if your’re a ballplayer. That’s what security is for.
I second that, Sister!
Any time my sig.other sees that I’m being insulted or attacked by someone, anyone, he defends me. With the first, only if necessary.
That’s what a good husband does. Any less than that is proof positive that the woman married a boy, and not a man.
There.
And also, if some schmuck corners a woman in a parking lot with the intention of raping her, will he ask the woman’s political/religious/whatever affiliation before committing the crime? Only a schmuck from DU would do that!
She will let him know only if she has a conceal-carry…
fist, I meant… Ooops!
Sports fans. Sheesh!
Comment from the same person who wants to cut funding for jails, SDI and other security programs: “That’s what security is for
Newton wrote, “fist”
My built in translator read it right.
I’m with you, ST. For pete’s sake if the guy’s wife is being accosted, he SHOULD be defending her. This isn’t a case of some stupid Pacer taunting the crowd then jumping into the stands and starting something. Gimme a break.
And where WAS security? Hmm?? That guy “steve” is an idiot. So if Davis is a Republican we should suspend him? Huh?
Detroit wrote, “And where WAS security?”
Security cut and run. .
I’m a big Knicks fan and even I have to admit that Davis deserved to be suspended. The NBA has to establish some set of rules and be consistent with them esp. in light of what happened last year in Detroit. Davis should’ve pointed out the situation to security instead of trying to deal with it himself. He did get too many games tho (I would’ve given him 2 games, not 5).
In the NFL players jump into the stands all the time Grey.
Antonio Freeman from the Greenbay Packers seemed to make it popular. People hugging him after a touchdown patting him on the helmet and back.
You referenced Artest’s assault. Not sure why…
He only said words. Don’t need to call over security to say a few words to someone.
I would’ve given him ZERO games and a medal.
Baklava
I brought up Artest b/c after that infamous incident the NBA had to set a zero-tolerance policy about players going into the stands. In other words the Artest incident set a precedent that I feel, came into play here, and that’s why Davis got so many games.
And besides the fact that the NBA and the NFL are 2 different sports with two entirely different set of rules, any real sports fan could tell you that Antonio Freeman and all the current and ex Green Bay Packers players who go halfway into the stands (only after celebrating touchdowns) is entirely different then what happened here. In Green Bay, that’s a longtime traditin and shouldn’t be compared to some player going 10 rows up in the stands looking to beat somebody up.
And just for the record I dont blame (or condone) Davis for being reactionary, but you have to establish a unilateral policy & thats what the NBA did.
Grey wrote, “looking to beat somebody up
Better hope you aren’t sued for that slander…
P.S. If that is the rule that was implemented just last year then it could easily be changed to be assault this year. I didn’t know that was a rule implemented last year but if it was it can be changed this week.
This is funny
In it is:
Axelrod’s attorney, Jay Paul Deratany, said he planned to sue Davis and his wife for more than $1 million. Deratany said he was writing the papers Thursday for a battery suit against Kendra Davis and a slander case against Antonio Davis, and planned to file them Friday.
Axelrod claimed Kendra Davis tried to scratch him after he protested a call. Axelrod, who was sitting a couple of rows behind her, said he never laid a hand on Davis’ wife and said he was not drunk.
Axelrod’s father, David, is a prominent Democratic political consultant in Chicago who has worked with Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley.
NBA rules
Spectator rule states in it’s entirety:
Any coach, player or trainer who deliberately enters the spectator stands during the game will be automatically ejected and the incident reported by E-mail to the Commissioner. Entering the stands to keep a ball in play by a player or the momentum which carries the player into the stands is not considered deliberate. The first row of seats is considered the beginning of the stands.
Where does it say suspension for some games?
ST, I don’t like the use of violenece or taking the law into your own hands. Davis is a jerk because the building was filled with cops and ushers and security people and Davis should have worked within the system by asking them to intervene on his behalf. His wife, as I understand it, is always loud and obnoxious and needed to be put in her place. But, by the franchise not by the drunk. Who wants to bring your kid to this kind of enviornment? Peace
A.- No one should be harrassing anyone at a game. People usually go as a fan not a freak that feels the need to harass people. The harrasser should be banned from the arena.
B.- The NBA has the highest percentage of criminals within it’s ranks. (I saw the study reported on a Bob Costas show last year) Hence the crackdown on that particular league.
C.- My husband would have run into the stands and laid the idiot down, this I am sure of….alchol is no excuse
D.- I am also know for a fact that these wives don’t sit out in the open without security keeping them under watch. Security is aware of who is where in the arenas.
E.-He deserved the 5 day suspension.
Well, I don’t if Davis is a Republican, but the drunk fan is definitely a Democrat. From the Associated Press:
“Axelrod’s father, David, is a prominent Democratic political consultant in Chicago who has worked with Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley.
Axelrod’s attorney, Jay Paul Deratany, said he planned to sue Davis and his wife for more than $1 million. Deratany said he was writing the papers Thursday for a battery suit against Kendra Davis and a slander case against Antonio Davis, and planned to file them Friday.”
Those libbies, always playing the victim…
Steve, you are a Democrat partisan to the end. I think the Davises should sue the Axelrods, the NBA, the Garden, and the security firm.
Five games is a travesty. It should have been zero.
As far as the Lambeau Leap is concerned. It was started by LeRoy Butler, a long time saftey for the Packers. I have long time friends in the South end zone at Lambeau. I was born and raised in Green Bay. If the NFL tried to take away the Leap, they’d be in serious trouble from the fans in Wisconsin, and probably John Madden, too.
Wait a minute. Everyone here seems to be convicting the fan here. I’ve seen the video tape and the wife is the one standing, putting her hands on the fan, and putting her hands in his face.
The fan is seated, apparently composed, and asking the lady to leave him alone. At last he is forced to call security.
It’s my understanding that the player’s wife is offended because the fan is saying things she doesn’t like. Well boo hoo hoo. Go to a Philadelphia Eagles football game and you’ll hear much worse.
Spike Lee used to sit courtside at Knick’s games and give Reggie Miller hell the entire game.
The point here is that if the wife is so upset that opposition fans are saying things to upset her maybe the best thing would be for her to not watch from the stands.
I wonder what all those NFL fans were saying to visiting teams this past weekend. You can bet they weren’t congratulating visiting players on an outstanding performance.
In my opinion, it looks as if the wife is out of line here. She doesn’t want to hear criticism from the opposing team’s hometown fan? That’s too bad. It happens at every game and has happened for decades. The only reason this is an issue is because the wife tried to silence someone. She was out of line. The thing for her to do was to leave if it upset her that much. That’s what opposing fans do, especially when they’re at HOME.
Give me a break.
Baklava said:
Security cut and run. .
Then using Steve’s logic security must be democrats.
Lorica
Davis is a class act. Hell ya sister, he should defend his family. Does anything in the video tapes scream at you that Axelrod is damaged to the tune of a million bucks. PLEASE booh hooh, poor Mr. Axelrod he must have been frozen to his seat with fear. Deratany should be sued by the Davis family for being a blood sucking ass hole!
I am with you Keith. Only in America!
Most of the commenters here are just clueless. She came out of her seat to attack him. How is she “under assault” from a fan when he is sitting down in his seat and she has to come to him?
The “lady” is a nutcase, assaulting fans who don’t cheer her husband’s team and you people are feeling sorry for her.
Poor Mrs. Davis has a history of acting like an a**.
No one should be defending this lady. She is in the wrong here.
Sean, no matter what his wife’s issues are, it’s about what he saw and he saw his wife in an altercation and reacted like many people likely would have.
I’m fine with the suspension as I realize it had to be done, but somehow I don’t think the idea of a five game suspension should or would hinder a player going into the stands to help his wife or any other family member they see in an altercation. I know it wouldn’t stop me. If I witnessed someone I cared about in trouble, I would rely on my gut instincts and deal with the ‘consequences’ later. Davis wife might have issues keeping her mouth shut, but to repeat what I said earlier, it’s about what he saw.
Yes, I agree that Mr. Davis should defend his wife, but given her past behavior no one should be complaining about the suspension.
This woman caused every bit of this. From beginning to end. She caused her husband to be suspended and for her family to lose $700,000. That’s how much money he will lose as a result of the suspension.
Now if I were her husband, publicly I would defend her, of course, but privately I would chew her a** for being so stupid.
This is Terrell Owens (ex-Philadelphia Eagle) type behavior and she needs some counseling.
I never criticized Mr. Davis. I know he did what he was supposed to do, but some of the commenters here were blaming the wrong person.
If I were the fan and I had been libeled and defamed in the national media, called a drunk and accused of assaulting a female, I would be suing these two as well.
Mrs. Davis caused every bit of this. Her behavior should be the focus of blog entries instead of calls to “Let him play.”
Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time and especially if your wife has severe personality disorders.
“Yes, I agree that Mr. Davis should defend his wife, but given her past behavior no one should be complaining about the suspension.”
So we should not be complained about his (at the time potential) suspension because his wife has a history of being a nuisance?
“If I were the fan and I had been libeled and defamed in the national media, called a drunk and accused of assaulting a female, I would be suing these two as well.”
Where has it been determined that he was not drunk?
“Mrs. Davis caused every bit of this. Her behavior should be the focus of blog entries instead of calls to “Let him play.”"
If you want to start a campaign against Davis wife, feel free but this person at this blog feels that Davis was in the right for what he did, regardless of his wife’s behavior – that’s why I posted what I did. His wife’s behavior, while obviously wrong in retrospect, was not the issue. The issue was Davis went into the stands because he saw an altercation occuring that involved his wife. I’ve accepted the suspension but I sure as heck hope the thought of being suspended wouldn’t stop someone from defending their wife if they felt it was necessary. It’s almost like worrying about whether or not you’ll (general you) be charged with assault for decking a guy for messing with your wife.
Yes, we should not be complaining about the suspension because Mr. Davis has to have known about his wife’s personality disorders. In other words, he should have kept her out of this situation because she has done this sort of thing before.
When he didn’t take precautionary steps to keep her from making an a** of herself he consciously chose to take the chance that she wouldn’t cause trouble.
It’s like if you have a dog that has a history of biting people. If you know your dog has a history of biting people and you don’t go out of your way to restrain the animal then you are negligent when the animal bites someone else.
As for, “Where has it been determined that he was not drunk?”
He has to prove he wasn’t drunk? Perhaps someone could go on national media, accuse you of something less than flattering and let’s see if you feel the need to prove that it’s not true. When you accuse someone of something it’s generally considered reasonable to have some proof. Otherwise it’s known as a smear or in this case, defamation and libelous.
I respect your opinion, but in the end, I will refer you to the aforementioned dog analogy. Mr. Davis was negligent because he had to have known his wife is, apparently, mentally unstable and unable to control herself. She does have a history and he had to have known that she was prone to such behavior.
Again, he did the right thing at the time, but allowing her to sit in the stands was a gamble that he had to have known he was taking.
“He has to prove he wasn’t drunk? Perhaps someone could go on national media, accuse you of something less than flattering and let’s see if you feel the need to prove that it’s not true. When you accuse someone of something it’s generally considered reasonable to have some proof. Otherwise it’s known as a smear or in this case, defamation and libelous.”
The drunk thing is a he said/he said. He could have been told the guy was drunk and gone with it. How many times have you been told someone was drunk and didn’t question it? Did you say so to your friends “hey, that guy is drunk”? I notice you’re willing to accept the guys’ word that he wasn’t drunk, but unwilling to accept Davis’ that he was.
The problem with the “drunk thing” is the accusation was made in a nation wide media outlet. That’s a lot different than me pointing at someone and saying they are drunk.
Forgive me, I know and agree with you on most every topic you blog about, but your standard of proof reminds me of Mary Mapes standard that President Bush or his supporters have to prove the CBS memo wasn’t fake instead of her having to prove that it’s real.
That seems to be what you’re saying. That the man has to prove he wasn’t drunk when the standard of proof lies with the person making the accusation as well it should.
Thank God we don’t have that standard of proof in a court of law or else a lot of people would be making a lot of accusations against people they don’t like.
You could accuse anyone of anything and then demand that they prove it’s not true. How can you prove a negative?
Anyway, I’ll stop now. I’ve said all I wanted.
Take care.
Sean, your standard of proof is the same as mine. You’ve accepted one man’s word and I’ve accepted another. I never said the guy had to prove he wasn’t drunk. I said it was a he said/he said issue. You’re asking for Davis to apologize for saying the fan was drunk because you’ve accepted the fan’s word that he wasn’t drunk. If this goes to court, then the onus of proof on the drunk charge would be up to Davis’ attorney. You made a statement that the fan should sue Antonio Davis for libel as though what the fan said was true. For you to believe it was indeed libel, that means you’ve accepted the fan’s version of events. I was simply wondering where/if it had been determined if indeed he had not been (video, statements, etc?). Obviously the only way to resolve this dispute would be to go to court.
I think the Mary Mapes comparison was unwarranted.
Off topic. –ST
Off topic?? A father coming to the defense of his daughter is off topic from a husband coming to the defense of his wife?
I’m surprised, Sis. I’ve posted here before, always in support, and you casually censor me for posting a real life retort to your position?
Yes, it was completely off topic. It had nothing to do what happened in the stands at the Knicks game and you know it.
I haven’t “censored” any of your retorts, either – a quick perusal noting your prior comment in this thread about the people in it being “clueless” (your description) should clear that up.
It was a very similar situation, one that could invoke your point of view. The fact that it is not THAT incident is no more off topic than you and others citing “unrelated” NBA incidents as a point of favorable comparison (like the riots in the stands) for Davis.
More likely, you don’t appreciate having your position lampooned. It’s a growing trend among bloggers to censor comments rather than answer them, citing “off topic”. Andrea Harris is infamous for doing this at Tim Blair’s.
And, I did not complain about you censoring ALL my comments, just the one that you did censor. It was, at worst, snarky and certainly did not call for censorship.
“More likely, you don’t appreciate having your position lampooned. It’s a growing trend among bloggers to censor comments rather than answer them, citing “off topic”. ”
BS, Mike. There were several disagreements in this thread (as there have been in others) that went on for several posts before there was an implied agreement to agree to disagree. So it’s not about my “position being lampooned” (not that that happened)- it’s about you going off topic and me editing your post for it. And then you made the assumption that because you and I generally agree on the issues that you would somehow be immune from being edited. That is not how it works here.
If you don’t like what I did here, too bad. I don’t appreciate that – because of the fact that we all of a sudden disagree about something – you now accuse me of censorship. You might want to revisit the comments in this thread for the number of times I have explained and defended my position and the opposing comments of people who didn’t agree with me before you make inaccurate statements about my “censoring” again.
C’mon Sis. Why the outrage at me calling what you did censorship? For the second time, I have not accused you of censoring all my comments or any other comments at all. Just that comment. I pointed out that many bloggers are using “off topic” in puzzling circumstances to remove comments that take issue with their view. I have NEVER seen a blogger use “off topic” to remove a comment that agreed with their view. So it’s not used as an objective editing process but as an excuse to remove a comment that doesn’t fall into abusive categories.
” …because of the fact that we all of a sudden disagree about something – you now accuse me of censorship.”
No, not because we disagree, (pulling my hair), but because you “excised” (OK?) my comment. If you are insulted at being accused of censoring my comment, then how exactly does a reader approach you about their comment being “excised”? How do we dress up the question?
My post was right on the money. It was a current news report of a man defending his daughter from “what he saw” as an attack on his 7 year old daughter. I am not a troll (my point in referencing previous comments here, not as a license to breaking “off topic” restrictions) and the only sin I committed was snarkly pointing to an example of a similar situation that I expected you go in reverse on.
This discussion is over, mike. I made my opinion on the matter clear. I felt you were completely off topic and that’s that. A story about a teenage girl getting beat up on the ski slopes by a father who was mad and overreacted (to say the least) after she nearly collided (but swerved to avoid slamming into her) in a freak accident with his young daughter had nothing to do with thisissue – this has nothing to do with any ‘disagreement’ on what you posted. Please respect my wishes on this matter. If you have anything else to say to me about it, take it up over email.