Hall of Fame inductions, David Stern is angry, and Crawford follows Steph’s footsteps
Jamal CrawfordToday is Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame induction day for Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon and Adrian Dantley, along with Pat Riley, Pistons/Shock owner William Davidson, women’s basketball pioneer Cathy Rush, and Dick Vitale. The ceremony will air live on NBA TV and ESPN Classic at 7:30 p.m. EST, and a shortened version will air Sunday at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN2. Given the fact that Vitale will be speaking, we’re guessing the full-length broadcast will clock in at just under 11 hours. Riley’s gonna have to re-apply his hair product at least once during the show … Good to see Ewing and Hakeem going in together. They’ll always be linked historically via their meetings in the ‘84 NCAA championship and the ‘94 NBA Finals, plus they both held it down as two of the best during what was the NBA’s golden era for centers — back when Robinson, Shaq, Alonzo, Mutombo, Smits, Parish, Daugherty, Duckworth and Eaton all came through the League … More details about the Mario Chalmers/Darrell Arthur incident are coming to light. Hotel management reportedly went to Arthur’s room after a fire alarm went off around 2 a.m., but the players wouldn’t let them in. Security eventually opened the door with a key, where they found Chalmers, Arthur, and a couple of girls, with one person locked in the bathroom where they allegedly heard flushing sounds. Weed aroma was in the air, but by the time police arrived, there wasn’t any contraband on the premises. But forget all that; the worst part is that David Stern was in town for the rookie transition program, and he was PISSED. If Chalmers was feeling neglected because he slipped into the second round and didn’t get to shake Stern’s hand on draft night, he’s definitely got The Don’s attention now … The Cavs are trying to get Eric Snow and his $7 million contract off their books, going with the “career-ending injury” route that Portland took with Darius Miles. The difference here is that by all accounts, Snow isn’t trying to play anymore (he’s on the fast track to being a head coach someday) and won’t be re-signing with anyone else. Perhaps Cleveland is looking to free up money for a late run at Ben Gordon. Although between Mo Williams and Gordon, LeBron might be the one begging for more shots next year … Jamal Crawford’s Newsday blog is nowhere near as entertaining as Stephon Marbury’s blog last summer, but his entry from yesterday entitled “So You Think I’m a Loser” had some gems. JC on the perception that he’s not a winner: “No, I’ve never played on a winning team since college. BUT this year I’ll be playing for my ninth coach in nine seasons. I’ve had a few disappointments along the way in Chicago and New York and also bad timing with injuries. I thought my best chance was two years ago, but then injuries to myself, David Lee and Q-Rich happened. What other team could lose basically three starters at one time and still have a chance to get to the playoffs? Then last year was a total mess. We never recovered from all that off the court stuff that happened! And that’s not an excuse, that’s just a fact.” Then there’s JC on his sometimes-questionable shot selection: “This is the biggest area that I HAVE to improve on and where I’m criticized the most, and for good reason. I HONESTLY feel like I can make every shot that I take. You have to understand that’s how I feel when I play. Some nights it happens but a lot of times it doesn’t. And I believe this along with WINNING is the difference in me being a good player and a great player. I’m going to continue to get better at it. I know you’re probably thinking, ‘He’s in his ninth year, if it hasn’t happened already, it won’t.’ There’s some truth to that, but to me, I don’t believe it.” … In other Knicks news, the rumored Zach Randolph-to-Memphis talks are reportedly ongoing, and it’s to the point now where the Grizzlies have said they’ll unload Darko and Marko for Z-Bo, but want the Knicks to pick up some of the money owed to him. Now how the hell does New York get into a position where THEY’RE the ones giving up a 20-and-10 guy for two burgers and the OTHER team is still calling the shots? Are we sure Donnie Walsh is actually working, or is somebody else (Isiah, Scott Layden, Dolan himself) pulling the puppet strings and Donnie’s just watching “Murder, She Wrote” re-runs all day? … If the Rockets could do it all over again, would they draft Yao over Amare? We took a look at that and some other questions in the 2002 NBA Draft Do-Over. See where we have Caron Butler, Carlos Boozer, Tayshaun Prince and the rest going, not to mention Skita and Dajuan Wagner … Remember when we posted on the Thunder logo unveiling and linked to Berry Tramel’s column in The Oklahoman? Remember when we couldn’t decide if he was being sarcastic or if he’s just a dope? Well, this should answer that question, from yesterday’s Tramel column: “Love the new name or hate the new name, know this. Within six months, maybe less, you will embrace Thunder. You won’t even remember the summer when we rode through the desert on a team with no name.” … And by the way, does anyone else find it ironic that the Thunder represents the team that used to be affiliated with the Seattle Storm? And with everyone saying the Thunder logo is WNBA-ish, is this entire thing just another stubby middle finger from Clay Bennett to the city of Seattle? … Be on the lookout a little later on today for the latest in our Pass the Mic series where we turn over space on the site to one of our readers to let them write about anything hoop-related. (You may recall some stuff in the past from site regulars like our guy Gee.) Today’s piece is written by regular commenter David Brandon … We’re out like the ex-Jayhawks …
September 5th, 2008 at 12:15 am
Jonny Drama says:
The 2010 free agency can’t get here soon enough for the Knicks…
September 5th, 2008 at 12:23 am
BxBaller says:
Whoh, Dime scared me with that Crawford headline. I didn’t realize that JC has played for 9 different coaches already, damn thats too many. Anyways he has improved the past 2-3 seasons, hopefully he’ll make the all-star team this year.
September 5th, 2008 at 12:42 am
QueSt??? says:
wow, pretty fast smack..i dnt knw why the knicks keep trying to unload z-bo, the one they need to unload is eddy curry and his locke filled with donuts. btw speakking of murder, she wrote, i have been forced to watch it since its the only free channel i have right now because we got no cable.
September 5th, 2008 at 12:56 am
Jah says:
The Knicks are a mess.
I hope that Mike D’Antonio has more success than Don Nelson did with the uptempo style of play in NY.
They’ve got talent, but their confidence is in the cellar…
September 5th, 2008 at 1:17 am
QueSt??? says:
@ dime who do u think usa will send to the 2009 fiba americas tournament?? are they gonna send nba players or college players???
September 5th, 2008 at 1:58 am
fallinup says:
“More details about the Mario Chalmers/Darrell Arthur incident are coming to light.”
Huh huh…he said light. Huh huh…he’s lighting the reefer.
September 5th, 2008 at 2:29 am
j from la says:
first of all fuck the knicks and all their me first players. i am sick and tired about hearing this sorry ass team that doesnt do anything but lose 50 games a year. y do they make all the damn headlines? thats a great hall of fame class i kno im 22 but ive seen enough of adrian dantley to kno he was a beast. jamal crawford is a loser because he plays no d, guns at will and doesnt pass the ball all that equals is early vacations. ps if ur gonna smoke weed in a hotel room put a towel under the door and take the battery out of the fire alarms.
September 5th, 2008 at 3:32 am
Coop says:
Pat Riley won’t need to re-apply any hair product- he generates his own grease!
I really couldn’t care less about 2 players smoking draw in a hotel room. I mean, really, aren’t there bigger issues in life?
September 5th, 2008 at 3:40 am
alf (from melmak) says:
lets just say the knicks formerly known as the beast in the east will never return. the knicks today is like one of them dramas that make you weep or laugh at its stupidity.
the jazz are also thanking them right now for the unprotected draft pick next year.
were out like the biggest boobies (z-bo and curry) in the league parting ways.
September 5th, 2008 at 3:54 am
Tha Boddy says:
JC will never make the all-star game all because of all the guards and anyway Gilbert (Agent Zero DMV Hero)Arenas will take the starting spot away back for atleast the next 5-7years
September 5th, 2008 at 4:02 am
QueSt??? says:
@ all knicks fans, wake up and stop waiting till 2010 not even if jesus christ came down from heaven and coached the knicks, would save them
September 5th, 2008 at 4:03 am
QueSt??? says:
*he couldnt save them
September 5th, 2008 at 6:06 am
Eazy Yi says:
Why the fudge would they want to pick up Zach Randolph. The would have one of the most mobile teams in the league what with all the athleticism they have at EVERY position, it would be different if they were picking up a slow big guy who played tough D but Zach is much better on the other side of the ball when he has time to set up and create.
September 5th, 2008 at 6:07 am
Eazy Yi says:
He put up good numbers in the relatively slow offensive sets the Knicks ran, which was rarely.
September 5th, 2008 at 6:08 am
Eazy Yi says:
…so my point is Zach wouldn’t be a very good interior prescence and that’s really what they are looking for.
September 5th, 2008 at 6:53 am
Ashlov says:
Stern can keep pretending that his league is full of Greg Bradys, but he’d be kidding himself. The whole weed vs alchohol argument could go on forever. I know great people who toke, and real assholes who toke. Smoking weed doesn’t define who you are as a person.
Smoking weed at your rookie orientation…well, that makes you a pretty big dumb ass. I’m a Heat fan, and have high aspirations for Chalmers (no pun intended), so I hope the kid knows how to keep the partying and playing apart.
September 5th, 2008 at 7:59 am
Kobeef says:
People complain about the Knicks side of the Z-Bo deal but why would the Grizz want Z-bo? They have a nice young core of players who don’t need earn the art of being out of shape and bitter from Zach. Darko and Marko aren’t much to celebrate but Zach doesn’t fit with the Grizz.
That said, If i was NY I’d jump all over the chance to dump 1/2 of the big titty committee.
@Ashlov
Agree - the weed is not so much the issue with Chalmers and Arthur - the stipidy of the decision is very concerning. NBA Rookie orientation is not the place to smoke your dope.
September 5th, 2008 at 8:52 am
BALLZ says:
Since thunder is something that is heard but never seen, will the Thunder do a promotion this season where all their games are on radio, but none are on TV?
September 5th, 2008 at 8:54 am
RENO says:
the worst part is that David Stern was in town for the rookie transition program, and he was PISSED……
Was Stern pissed cause they got cought or cause he was invited to the session!?!
September 5th, 2008 at 8:55 am
RENO says:
wasn’t invited… my bad.
September 5th, 2008 at 8:59 am
that's whats up says:
when I read today’s SMACK title I honestly thought Jamaal Crawford had the number 11 tattooed onto the side of his head
September 5th, 2008 at 9:06 am
JDish says:
“Now how the hell does New York get into a position where THEY’RE the ones giving up a 20-and-10 guy for two burgers and the OTHER team is still calling the shots?”
That’s funny(for two burgers) because…It’s TRUE.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:12 am
smity far away says:
i thought the title was going to refer to him having his own shoes cause i was looking at that picture trying to figure out what kind of shoes those are? i would have guessed new balances but i can’t say for sure…
September 5th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Phileus says:
Barry Tramel has posted an unbelievable amount of utter crap. He’s the Baghdad Bob of OKC. Got the Kool-Aid? He’ll drink it, even if it’s Clay Bennett’s own piss.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:51 am
Kobeef says:
@Smitty
Jamal is wearing retro Reebok Ventilator running shoes.
http://www.sneakerfiles.com/2008/07/23/solebox-reebok-update/
September 5th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Tom S. says:
Cavs can’t go after Ben Gordon, because even w/o Snow’s contract, they’re still way over the cap. The move is basically to save money on the luxury tax this year.
September 5th, 2008 at 10:21 am
dapro says:
Any decision to include two burgers in a trade has to involve Eddy Curry
September 5th, 2008 at 10:58 am
smity far away says:
@kobeef,
good lookin out
September 5th, 2008 at 11:45 am
that's whats up says:
who said burgers?
I’m hungrier than amotha-fukka
September 5th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
hoopsguru says:
OK THUNDER….that is about as creative as finding Grizzlies in Memphis.
I think the Sonics fans should boycott the remaining season in Seattle…….opps wait, somehow the judge, jury and executioner decided to let the Sonics out of their lease a year early.
And people thought it was only Chalmers and Arthur smoking the wackytabacky, there must have been some purple haze coming from under Stern’s door when he decided to let this purchase go through.
September 5th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
that's whats up says:
$tern loves money, power and the torah. so does half of New York.
September 5th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
sans says:
seeing that the torah is part one of the christian bible and Q’ran, that number might be higher.
lol @ wackytabacky. Love them wacky shits. I got these cheeseburgers, man…
September 6th, 2008 at 6:38 am
VERTMAN says:
Hey Crawford!
Did you finally add some muscle to your frame this summer?! You need to be at least 190 man. Your going to be my #2 SG in Yahoo bball Fantasy.
September 8th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Reed Ewing Frazier says:
@Quest??? I’m awake and 2010 is the light at the end of the tunnel. Knicks in your face you Jive turkey!!
Man Chalmers and Arthur smoking dro and getting pussy in their room is only sad because they got caught. They make me and Devin the Dude proud Fuck Stern and all the rest of the non pussy getting lames who are hating!!
KNICKS UP!! all the rest down!!!