As the Hawks were getting cracked for the second straight game in Boston last night, cameras kept showing Celtics fans in crowd with anti-Mike Bibby signs in the crowd, a reaction to Bibby’s comments before a Tuesday practice where he called Boston fans “bandwagon jumpers” and “fair-weather.”
Last night, the crowd gave it to Bibby verbally as well, so much so that Ray Allen thought it shook Mike’s game (which, if you’ve seen him lately, needs all the game he can find). From ESPN.com this morning:
The loud Celtics fans chanted such things as “Bibby … Bibby,” “Rondo’s Better,” “Where is Bibby?” and “Bibby Sucks” throughout Game 2. Initially, Bibby smiled when he was taunted in the first quarter. But with the Celtics fans still haunting him in the fourth quarter, the great free-throw shooter twice missed 1-of-2 free throws in the fourth quarter. Celtics guard Ray Allen believed it was at that point that the Boston fans had got into Bibby’s head.
“That is what he had to deal with,” Allen said. “This building gets loud enough. But he took it to another level up.”
And then KG dropped this in the post-game press conference (also the same ESPN post):
When Allen and Kevin Garnett were asked post-game if they ever had said something to rile up an opposing crowd before, Garnett said: “Neither one of us has said anything retarded … Have I ever said anything retarded? It’s hard enough playing on the road versus causing attention to yourself. I can’t recall. No, neither one of us had said anything crazy like that.”
April 24th, 2008 at 9:17 am
GEE...straight audacity & unmitigated gall says:
So is it better to go at opposing players or opposing fans. I will say a player because the fans don’t quit.
I was shocked Bibby would do and say that with his experience in the L. He should have know that was pouring gasoline in hell.
You got it hard enough with Boston why add to it by getting the crowd nuts.
Bibby should hush specially if he is not going to give numbers!
April 24th, 2008 at 9:23 am
The Jed says:
Oh boy. The media is about to come down hard on KG.
April 24th, 2008 at 9:26 am
Juanito says:
I expect more from KG than to use such a derogatory term like ‘retarded’. Pierce would say something like that normally, because he lacks couth and refinement, but KG is a leader and a role model. Very disappointing…
April 24th, 2008 at 9:40 am
GEE...straight audacity & unmitigated gall says:
He probably will get backlash but he didn’t use the word so out of its form that it’s incorrect. I ain’t trippin and he wasn’t really picking at a retard more of saying “words” that are retarded or backwards.
Still some people will get upset just because they want a reason.
April 24th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Dime Magazine says:
Yeah, I agree about the KG comment. Not a good look from him at all.
April 24th, 2008 at 9:53 am
Austin Burton says:
Damn, here come the Political Correctness Police.
April 24th, 2008 at 10:23 am
Diego says:
Bibby’s game has been missing since the Hawks played back-to-backs vs. Philly late in the season. (My wife figured it was because of bad mojo seeing his absentee father on the Philly bench.) He has been sucking mud since then (and the Hawks lost I think their last 4 games of the season (including Miami)–but Indiana helped the Hawks back into the playoffs). Prior to the Philly games, Bibby had a great stretch. The crowd did not impact Bibby’s game, because his game simply is MIA.
Boston didn’t do anything special last night, but the Hawks just sucked. If you can’t make shots and you turn the ball over, you lose.
In any event, at the end of playoffs, Garnett will have the same no. of NBA champ. rings that I have–zippo.
April 24th, 2008 at 10:29 am
MoxWestCoastRep says:
retarded? really??? People are offended by someone saying retarded??? Thats gay! hahahahaha
Come on people- lets not turn everything corporate america- we all know he didnt mean to insult anyone with a disability!!
April 24th, 2008 at 10:45 am
UK says:
Diego says:
In any event, at the end of playoffs, Garnett will have the same no. of NBA champ. rings that I have–zippo.
AWESOME. Laughed my a$$ off.
April 24th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Celts Fan says:
hell ya GEE. The same people that get upset at this are the ones that sue over the word “God” in the Pledge of Allegiance (btw, I’m an aethiest and I don’t care the slightest bit.) These people need to get over themself and realize there are bigger issues and if you have time to get upset about something like that, then you live a pretty nice life. By the way, Bibby was right about most of these people just jumping on the bandwagon after we got KG and started ripping off W’s. I couldn’t give away my season tickets on games I couldn’t go to the last few years, now I only have to make 1 call (but still, why say anything? What good can that possibly do?)
congrats too GEE, can’t wait to read. You gonna keep changing the name like you do your tag?
April 24th, 2008 at 11:40 am
srb says:
Bibby smells bad
April 24th, 2008 at 11:44 am
Remy Nguyen says:
Retarded? That is the correct term! Well according to the DSM-IV, there is no other way around it!
Stupid retarded bastard!
April 24th, 2008 at 11:59 am
bxballer says:
Bibby is a G.
April 24th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
GEE...straight audacity & unmitigated gall says:
Celts preshat it. I don’t know how it all will end up as time goes, but I have way more respect for DIME writers and how they get blasted.
It’s certainly an experience. As time goes and if DIME gives other “sane” lol readers a shot, I can’t wait to see what they do. It’s all been fun.
I must admit most dudes have been real cool on here about it. Of course you always gonna have some “retarded” (oops) comments but the good outweighs the bad!
Bibby really needs to bring something to the table in ATL. by the way. Al has been impressive.
April 24th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
jaceofspades says:
i think bibby is totally right tho. brave for doin it. but cmon.. seriously, these people are bandwagon jumpers. they only love their team when they are doing well. and when they suck, they couldnt care less. buttt if i were in bibby’s situation, i probably wouldve brought it up AFTER the series. if he did it to fire up his teammates, doesn’t look like they fired up.
April 24th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
doc says:
Bibby aint lie.That shit was empty in Beantown last year.And stop bitching because KG said retarded.I like when they say shit thats on they mind.Just because KG your role model dont got shit to do with him.If you had people on your nuts all day talking about your a role model you should say this you would probaly say worse.Faggots
April 24th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Matt says:
How can you say he’s not offending “retarded” people?
Thats like me and my friends going to the beach, we all get a dark sun tan, and one of my buddys tells me i look niggerish.
Is that offensive?
April 24th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Willis says:
Diego, Bibby’s been stinking up the joint for about 3 years now, not just since the Philly games. Thats why I didn’t shed any tears when the Kings traded him for cap space. Hey and if Sheldon Williams can be like a homeless mans Elton Brand, we got out alright. Don’t get me wrong, I love Mike, but he does some stupid stuff sometimes. Insulting a city with a longer history of basketball than his family tree? Probably top of the list, right above making Peja cry, and writing on Doug Christies wifes face with a sharpie.
April 24th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
doc says:
No Matt its not.If you look niggerish than you do.Im sure nobody that was retarded said they were mad.They probaly said uuuuughghghghghghhggg.
April 24th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Diego says:
Willis, I hear ya.
April 24th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Korady says:
Isn’t retarded technically just a term for a certain low score on an IQ test? And anyone who uses the word “couth” grew up with my grandmother, and thus, is expected to be the politically correct police. So that opinion doesn’t count
April 24th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Kudabeen says:
We are really ripping KG for using the word retarded? Word?
In the same blog space where people call each other all types of unbasketball related terms…
Wow…
Retarded means more than a mental disorder, it also means a slowing down or hindering of progress…As in Bibby’s comment’s hindered his teams progress in trying to look competitive in this series…
Wow…
Great joke Korady…LOL…
It is one of those unchecked colloquialisms that can be seen as offensive or harmless depending on one’s paradigm (i.e. People who say everything that they don’t like or understand is “gay” or “stupid”) Yes nowadays we say that is offensive to gay people, but do we say it’s offensive to stupid people? Nah I don’t think so…
But Wow… KG is scum for insulting retarded people everywhere with his derogatory and mean-spirited comment? Ridiculous! He is comfortable enough to speak loosely, but make more out of and tame the tounge of another vicious athlete who demonstrates no compassion toward his fellow man. Right? Nah… We all no better, so stop the madness…
In the end none of this really matters, so whatever…Perfect people pointing fingers, gotta love it…