ANTONIO DAVIS did the right thing
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f--k this espn cra--er
Bet on Stern to send message with Davis suspensionBy Chris Sheridan
ESPN Insider
Archive
The morning line on the over/under for Antonio Davis' suspension is eight games.
Anything less, and commissioner David Stern will be pilloried for not being tough enough on the latest player to jump the scorer's table and cross the invisible line separating paying customers and paid performers.
Anything more, and Stern will be accused of grossly overreacting to a post-Artest moment that never really spun out of control.
Eight is enough.
The NBA will announce a penalty for Antonio Davis before the New York Knicks play host to the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night, but not necessarily the whole penalty.
If the league office has not reached a final ruling before the scheduled 8 p.m. tipoff of the New York-Detroit game, one option in such cases is assessing a one-game suspension to prevent Davis from playing for the Knicks while Wednesday night's incident in Chicago is under review. That would give the security staff under NBA vice president Stu Jackson more time to investigate Davis' claim that his wife was "being threatened" by a nearby fan at the United Center.
Davis, meanwhile, initiated contact with the league office on Thursday morning to explain his actions, according to sources close to the 12-year veteran. Davis is president of the NBA Players Association and could meet with commissioner David Stern later Thursday.
For each game Davis is suspended, he would forfeit $126,045.45 in salary.
Because he went into the same section of seats as Ron Artest did during the infamous Palace brawl in 2004, there was an eerie similarity to the first few seconds of Davis' sprint out of the Knicks' huddle, over the table and into the courtside seats during overtime of Wednesday night's Knicks-Bulls game at the United Center in Chicago.
"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."
Davis remained calm and walked away after security arrived, and the referees ejected him after he returned to the bench.
Now, it's Stern's turn to eject him for a few more games, and the question the commissioner must ponder Thursday is what the appropriate punishment should be (Davis' suspension is expected to be announced sometime during the afternoon before the Knicks' Thursday night home game against Detroit).
In the aftermath of the Palace brawl, Stern issued some of the harshest penalties he had ever handed down because he wanted to send the strongest possible message that players can never, ever, ever cross the line and go into the stands. No matter how benign Davis' foray ended up being, it was totally unacceptable. What would have happened if someone had tossed a beer on Davis? Or his wife?
Stern was actually lucky that someone as educated and affable as Davis was the first to cross the post-Artest line, but that should not be a mitigating factor when the commissioner sets Davis' penalty, nor should Davis' post as president of the players' union factor into the equation.
An eight-game suspension would cost Davis, who makes $13.8 million, a little over a million bucks in lost salary. It could go down in history as Davis' Million-Dollar Mistake, and if he makes a sincere public statement of contrition it'll allow everyone to put this episode behind them.
The last thing the commissioner needs is another extended debate tied in some way to the Palace brawl. He needs this one to go away, and the best way for that to happen is for Stern to issue a suspension that's fair.
In this case, eight is enough.
Bet on Stern to send message with Davis suspensionBy Chris Sheridan
ESPN Insider
Archive
The morning line on the over/under for Antonio Davis' suspension is eight games.
Anything less, and commissioner David Stern will be pilloried for not being tough enough on the latest player to jump the scorer's table and cross the invisible line separating paying customers and paid performers.
Anything more, and Stern will be accused of grossly overreacting to a post-Artest moment that never really spun out of control.
Eight is enough.
The NBA will announce a penalty for Antonio Davis before the New York Knicks play host to the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night, but not necessarily the whole penalty.
If the league office has not reached a final ruling before the scheduled 8 p.m. tipoff of the New York-Detroit game, one option in such cases is assessing a one-game suspension to prevent Davis from playing for the Knicks while Wednesday night's incident in Chicago is under review. That would give the security staff under NBA vice president Stu Jackson more time to investigate Davis' claim that his wife was "being threatened" by a nearby fan at the United Center.
Davis, meanwhile, initiated contact with the league office on Thursday morning to explain his actions, according to sources close to the 12-year veteran. Davis is president of the NBA Players Association and could meet with commissioner David Stern later Thursday.
For each game Davis is suspended, he would forfeit $126,045.45 in salary.
Because he went into the same section of seats as Ron Artest did during the infamous Palace brawl in 2004, there was an eerie similarity to the first few seconds of Davis' sprint out of the Knicks' huddle, over the table and into the courtside seats during overtime of Wednesday night's Knicks-Bulls game at the United Center in Chicago.
"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."
Davis remained calm and walked away after security arrived, and the referees ejected him after he returned to the bench.
Now, it's Stern's turn to eject him for a few more games, and the question the commissioner must ponder Thursday is what the appropriate punishment should be (Davis' suspension is expected to be announced sometime during the afternoon before the Knicks' Thursday night home game against Detroit).
In the aftermath of the Palace brawl, Stern issued some of the harshest penalties he had ever handed down because he wanted to send the strongest possible message that players can never, ever, ever cross the line and go into the stands. No matter how benign Davis' foray ended up being, it was totally unacceptable. What would have happened if someone had tossed a beer on Davis? Or his wife?
Stern was actually lucky that someone as educated and affable as Davis was the first to cross the post-Artest line, but that should not be a mitigating factor when the commissioner sets Davis' penalty, nor should Davis' post as president of the players' union factor into the equation.
An eight-game suspension would cost Davis, who makes $13.8 million, a little over a million bucks in lost salary. It could go down in history as Davis' Million-Dollar Mistake, and if he makes a sincere public statement of contrition it'll allow everyone to put this episode behind them.
The last thing the commissioner needs is another extended debate tied in some way to the Palace brawl. He needs this one to go away, and the best way for that to happen is for Stern to issue a suspension that's fair.
In this case, eight is enough.
and f--k this opportunistic weasel too
Fan says he did nothing wrong, plans to sue Davis, wife
Associated Press
CHICAGO -- As New York Knicks forward Antonio Davis awaited word Thursday on whether he will be suspended for climbing into the stands to confront a man during a game in Chicago, that fan said he did nothing wrong and was attacked by Davis' wife.
The altercation came in overtime Wednesday night of the Bulls' 106-104 victory. Davis said he thought his wife was in danger and later released a statement saying the fan was drunk.
"It's a lie," 22-year-old Michael Axelrod said in a phone interview with The Associated Press.
Unlike last season's melee when Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons and fans were involved in perhaps the worst brawl in U.S. sports history, order was quickly restored. No punches were thrown, there were no arrests and Davis was ejected.
The Knicks were home Thursday night against Detroit. An NBA spokesman said decisions on penalties are usually made before a team plays its next game.
Davis, president of the NBA players' association, jumped over the scorer's table to get in the stands at the United Center.
"I witnessed my wife being threatened by a man that I learned later to be intoxicated," he said in a statement 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."
But Axelrod said Kendra Davis tried to scratch him after he after protested a call. Axelrod 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.
"When I go to games, I cheer as hard as I can for the Bulls, and I boo as hard as I can for whoever they're playing," Michael Axelrod said. "I don't feel comfortable if players are allowed to easily jump into the crowd whenever they feel like it's necessary."
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.
According to Axelrod, he was sitting in the seventh row and booed an official's call. Kendra Davis "came out of her seat. I didn't even pay attention to her. I thought she was just going to the bathroom or something," he said.
Axelrod, who was sitting a couple of rows behind her, said she yelled at him to be quiet. Axelrod said he did not know she was Davis' wife until the player ran into the stands.
Axelrod said Kendra Davis put both hands on his face, and that he motioned for security. He said she later went after another fan.
"I was glad she was done hitting me, but I didn't want her to hit anyone else," Axelrod said.
Antonio Davis appeared calm throughout and walked away willingly when security arrived. He returned to the bench and took his seat before being ejected. The game resumed after about a five-minute delay.
Axelrod was escorted to the concourse by security, but said he was allowed back into the arena and saw Ben Gordon's winning shot at the buzzer.
"His wife and kids were up there," Knicks guard Jamal Crawford said. "If you see your family in harm's way, you're going to go protect them. You're the man of the house, and at that point you're thinking like a regular human instead of an athlete."
United Center security remained in the stands for a few more minutes, and other fans appeared to be explaining what they had seen. Guards in suits and yellow jackets then escorted a group of people from the area.
Knicks coach Larry Brown said Davis went into the stands because he saw his wife "falling back."
Brown was coaching the Pistons in November 2004 when that ugly fight broke out in the stands between fans and Pacers during a Detroit home game. An embarrassment for the NBA, the brawl led to criminal charges and lengthy suspensions for Ron Artest, Jermaine O'Neal and Stephen Jackson.
But Brown was adamant that this situation should be viewed differently.
"Come on, that's his wife," Brown said. "That's entirely different. I was worried about Kendra. That's why he went in the stands, he saw her falling back.
"That thing that happened in the stands had nothing to do with the two teams. That's a man concerned about his family."
Fan says he did nothing wrong, plans to sue Davis, wife
Associated Press
CHICAGO -- As New York Knicks forward Antonio Davis awaited word Thursday on whether he will be suspended for climbing into the stands to confront a man during a game in Chicago, that fan said he did nothing wrong and was attacked by Davis' wife.
The altercation came in overtime Wednesday night of the Bulls' 106-104 victory. Davis said he thought his wife was in danger and later released a statement saying the fan was drunk.
"It's a lie," 22-year-old Michael Axelrod said in a phone interview with The Associated Press.
Unlike last season's melee when Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons and fans were involved in perhaps the worst brawl in U.S. sports history, order was quickly restored. No punches were thrown, there were no arrests and Davis was ejected.
The Knicks were home Thursday night against Detroit. An NBA spokesman said decisions on penalties are usually made before a team plays its next game.
Davis, president of the NBA players' association, jumped over the scorer's table to get in the stands at the United Center.
"I witnessed my wife being threatened by a man that I learned later to be intoxicated," he said in a statement 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."
But Axelrod said Kendra Davis tried to scratch him after he after protested a call. Axelrod 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.
"When I go to games, I cheer as hard as I can for the Bulls, and I boo as hard as I can for whoever they're playing," Michael Axelrod said. "I don't feel comfortable if players are allowed to easily jump into the crowd whenever they feel like it's necessary."
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.
According to Axelrod, he was sitting in the seventh row and booed an official's call. Kendra Davis "came out of her seat. I didn't even pay attention to her. I thought she was just going to the bathroom or something," he said.
Axelrod, who was sitting a couple of rows behind her, said she yelled at him to be quiet. Axelrod said he did not know she was Davis' wife until the player ran into the stands.
Axelrod said Kendra Davis put both hands on his face, and that he motioned for security. He said she later went after another fan.
"I was glad she was done hitting me, but I didn't want her to hit anyone else," Axelrod said.
Antonio Davis appeared calm throughout and walked away willingly when security arrived. He returned to the bench and took his seat before being ejected. The game resumed after about a five-minute delay.
Axelrod was escorted to the concourse by security, but said he was allowed back into the arena and saw Ben Gordon's winning shot at the buzzer.
"His wife and kids were up there," Knicks guard Jamal Crawford said. "If you see your family in harm's way, you're going to go protect them. You're the man of the house, and at that point you're thinking like a regular human instead of an athlete."
United Center security remained in the stands for a few more minutes, and other fans appeared to be explaining what they had seen. Guards in suits and yellow jackets then escorted a group of people from the area.
Knicks coach Larry Brown said Davis went into the stands because he saw his wife "falling back."
Brown was coaching the Pistons in November 2004 when that ugly fight broke out in the stands between fans and Pacers during a Detroit home game. An embarrassment for the NBA, the brawl led to criminal charges and lengthy suspensions for Ron Artest, Jermaine O'Neal and Stephen Jackson.
But Brown was adamant that this situation should be viewed differently.
"Come on, that's his wife," Brown said. "That's entirely different. I was worried about Kendra. That's why he went in the stands, he saw her falling back.
"That thing that happened in the stands had nothing to do with the two teams. That's a man concerned about his family."
Re: f--k this espn cra--er
fuck chris sheridan
im tired of people expecting the unreasonable of black athletes.
wanna get into a fight? go to a place where people gather and talk shit/assault a man's wife in front of him
stupidity - davis did nothing but attempt to do what security wasnt
you cant fault him for doing security's job even after the artest incident
you make all that money NBA, put a guard on every aisle and stfu then maybe people wont have to jump in the stands to rescue their loved ones from drunken abusers
fuck chris sheridan
im tired of people expecting the unreasonable of black athletes.
wanna get into a fight? go to a place where people gather and talk shit/assault a man's wife in front of him
stupidity - davis did nothing but attempt to do what security wasnt
you cant fault him for doing security's job even after the artest incident
you make all that money NBA, put a guard on every aisle and stfu then maybe people wont have to jump in the stands to rescue their loved ones from drunken abusers
LOL @ Axelrod....he probably SHIT ON HIMSELF
when he saw Davis coming and now he wants
a MILLION DOLLARS so he can wash his dirty drawers
All this will do is help to further draw a line between
players and fans. Now, instead of enjoying the game
out in the open with everyone else, NBA family members
will have to be separated from everyone else
when he saw Davis coming and now he wants
a MILLION DOLLARS so he can wash his dirty drawers
All this will do is help to further draw a line between
players and fans. Now, instead of enjoying the game
out in the open with everyone else, NBA family members
will have to be separated from everyone else
Anyone trying to compare this with the Ron Artest incident is retarded, a blight on humanity, and should be killed now.
"the man shouldn't get a suspension, and the fine should be waived..."
Exactly. Even if she was in no danger, how could he tell? He was only reacting as anyone else would have.
"the man shouldn't get a suspension, and the fine should be waived..."
Exactly. Even if she was in no danger, how could he tell? He was only reacting as anyone else would have.
Boo!
Davis suspended five games; fan fires back
/ Associated Press
Posted: 16 minutes ago
CHICAGO (AP) - Knicks forward Antonio Davis was suspended five games by the NBA on Thursday for entering the stands during a game in Chicago to confront a fan he thought was harassing his wife.
While the penalty showed the NBA accepted Davis' argument that he believed his wife was in trouble during Wednesday night's game, it also made clear that entering the stands would not be tolerated, no matter the circumstances.
Especially not after last season's ugly brawl between fans and players at an Indiana-Detroit game.
"At the end of the day, what we had to decide on was the issue of Antonio breaking the barrier from the court into the stands," NBA vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson said during a conference call. "At the end of the day, that was the most important aspect of making that decision."
Davis suspended five games; fan fires back
/ Associated Press
Posted: 16 minutes ago
CHICAGO (AP) - Knicks forward Antonio Davis was suspended five games by the NBA on Thursday for entering the stands during a game in Chicago to confront a fan he thought was harassing his wife.
While the penalty showed the NBA accepted Davis' argument that he believed his wife was in trouble during Wednesday night's game, it also made clear that entering the stands would not be tolerated, no matter the circumstances.
Especially not after last season's ugly brawl between fans and players at an Indiana-Detroit game.
"At the end of the day, what we had to decide on was the issue of Antonio breaking the barrier from the court into the stands," NBA vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson said during a conference call. "At the end of the day, that was the most important aspect of making that decision."
Just saw Axelrod on TNT with his lawyer
They said he hired a press agent. I guess
he's getting ready for his 15 minutes....
Maybe him and William Hung will get a reality
series
They said he hired a press agent. I guess
he's getting ready for his 15 minutes....
Maybe him and William Hung will get a reality
series
his pops is some big time chitown political faggot - aka another crooked chitown scumbag politico hackRunawaySlave said:
good luck with a lawsuit over a 30 second verbal altercation - i hope some random brother beats his ass on the el or some shit
regardless of how it went down - who the fuck is stupid enough to get into some shit like that over a game that dont even count?
when is the nba going to take responsibility for securing players and fans from other fans? prosports is askin for it with the alcohol being served for 4 hours and stupid fuckin crackas wylin out
ANTONIO DAVIS did the right thing AGAIN
Knicks' Davis says he won't apologize
/ Associated Press
Posted: 1 day ago
CHICAGO (AP) - The fan accused of harassing the wife of New York Knicks forward Antonio Davis will drop threats of a lawsuit if the couple says it's sorry, the man's attorney said Friday.
No way, the Davises said.
"I'm not apologizing to anybody for anything," Antonio Davis said on a conference call. "I don't think that my wife did anything wrong, I don't think that I did anything wrong."
Kendra Davis said in an interview with WSCR-AM in Chicago on Friday, "I was just trying to tell the guy to chill out."
Antonio Davis was suspended five games by the NBA on Thursday, a day after he went into the stands during a game at the United Center in Chicago to confront 22-year-old Michael Axelrod.
Attorney Jay Paul Deratany planned to send a letter to the couple on Friday, also asking the Davises to make a donation to a charity that tries to prevent violence against women and children. Deratany e-mailed a copy of the letter to The Associated Press.
"Why would I donate some money in his behalf?" said Davis, already active with various community charities.
Kendra Davis said, "I'll apologize to Michael Axelrod when he apologizes to my son and to me. We can apologize to each other, but there's no way on earth I would apologize."
Antonio Davis' statement after the game said the man he thought was threatening his wife was drunk and had touched her. Axelrod said all he had was a glass of wine at dinner, and that he did nothing wrong.
Axelrod is asking Davis - president of the NBA players' association - to take back his comments. Deratany said several witnesses and videotapes of the event back up his client's claims.
Deratany had said he would give the Davises about a week to respond.
"Both of us respect the game and the point was to send a message not to harass fans - either physically or by later comments that disparage their character," Deratany said. "If that's accomplished, then it's time to move on. It's never been about money."
On Thursday, Deratany said he planned to sue Davis and his wife for more than $1 million, alleging battery by Kendra Davis and slander by her husband.
On Friday, Deratany said the $1 million figure was inflated, but declined to say how much his client would seek.
Antonio Davis questioned the need for the lawsuit, pointing out that he never mentioned any fan by name. He said the incident started because the fan sitting behind his wife was using offensive language around their son, and she asked him to stop.
"If he brings a lawsuit against me I have to defend myself, but I just don't understand what he's going to say," Davis said. "I never mentioned his name. I just said one of the gentlemen. So I just don't understand what the lawsuit is all about."
Davis said he briefly considered legal action against a second fan who was grabbing his wife, but decided against it.
"I felt like, bottom line is I really just want all of this to go away," he said. "It was an unfortunate situation, I got penalized for it."
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.
Michael Axelrod said Kendra Davis placed her hands on his face, and he motioned for security. But Kendra Davis said Axelrod wasn't threatened.
"I never said that Michael Axelrod touched me, so why he came up with this whole story about me scratching him ..." she said in the radio interview.
Asked if she felt threatened, she responded, "The second guy, absolutely I did."
"When I was talking to Axelrod, he called me a condescending name, followed by an explicit word," Kendra Davis said. "I said, 'How dare you talk to me like that."'
Kendra Davis said she "probably should have" called for security, but, "I think I taught my kids that you stand up for yourself."
Knicks' Davis says he won't apologize
/ Associated Press
Posted: 1 day ago
CHICAGO (AP) - The fan accused of harassing the wife of New York Knicks forward Antonio Davis will drop threats of a lawsuit if the couple says it's sorry, the man's attorney said Friday.
No way, the Davises said.
"I'm not apologizing to anybody for anything," Antonio Davis said on a conference call. "I don't think that my wife did anything wrong, I don't think that I did anything wrong."
Kendra Davis said in an interview with WSCR-AM in Chicago on Friday, "I was just trying to tell the guy to chill out."
Antonio Davis was suspended five games by the NBA on Thursday, a day after he went into the stands during a game at the United Center in Chicago to confront 22-year-old Michael Axelrod.
Attorney Jay Paul Deratany planned to send a letter to the couple on Friday, also asking the Davises to make a donation to a charity that tries to prevent violence against women and children. Deratany e-mailed a copy of the letter to The Associated Press.
"Why would I donate some money in his behalf?" said Davis, already active with various community charities.
Kendra Davis said, "I'll apologize to Michael Axelrod when he apologizes to my son and to me. We can apologize to each other, but there's no way on earth I would apologize."
Antonio Davis' statement after the game said the man he thought was threatening his wife was drunk and had touched her. Axelrod said all he had was a glass of wine at dinner, and that he did nothing wrong.
Axelrod is asking Davis - president of the NBA players' association - to take back his comments. Deratany said several witnesses and videotapes of the event back up his client's claims.
Deratany had said he would give the Davises about a week to respond.
"Both of us respect the game and the point was to send a message not to harass fans - either physically or by later comments that disparage their character," Deratany said. "If that's accomplished, then it's time to move on. It's never been about money."
On Thursday, Deratany said he planned to sue Davis and his wife for more than $1 million, alleging battery by Kendra Davis and slander by her husband.
On Friday, Deratany said the $1 million figure was inflated, but declined to say how much his client would seek.
Antonio Davis questioned the need for the lawsuit, pointing out that he never mentioned any fan by name. He said the incident started because the fan sitting behind his wife was using offensive language around their son, and she asked him to stop.
"If he brings a lawsuit against me I have to defend myself, but I just don't understand what he's going to say," Davis said. "I never mentioned his name. I just said one of the gentlemen. So I just don't understand what the lawsuit is all about."
Davis said he briefly considered legal action against a second fan who was grabbing his wife, but decided against it.
"I felt like, bottom line is I really just want all of this to go away," he said. "It was an unfortunate situation, I got penalized for it."
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.
Michael Axelrod said Kendra Davis placed her hands on his face, and he motioned for security. But Kendra Davis said Axelrod wasn't threatened.
"I never said that Michael Axelrod touched me, so why he came up with this whole story about me scratching him ..." she said in the radio interview.
Asked if she felt threatened, she responded, "The second guy, absolutely I did."
"When I was talking to Axelrod, he called me a condescending name, followed by an explicit word," Kendra Davis said. "I said, 'How dare you talk to me like that."'
Kendra Davis said she "probably should have" called for security, but, "I think I taught my kids that you stand up for yourself."