With union reps like these...

[Ersatz]

...who needs bosses? I wonder if Fisher even bothered to call Pierce and ask for his version of events before he threw him under the bus. I'm glad Fisher doesn't represent me.

If image is indeed everything, then Lakers guard Derek Fisher believes Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics and DeShawn Stevenson of the Washington Wizards deserved to be fined $25,000 apiece Monday for what the NBA termed "menacing gestures" toward opponents last week.

Fisher, the president of the players' association, acknowledged the fines were "harsh" but he also said, "there have been some examples of guys stepping beyond that line. That's not something that is good for our game and good for our players."

Pierce was punished for making what some believe to be a gang sign directed toward the Atlanta Hawks' bench.

Stevenson was punished for making two gestures, including a throat slash during the Wizards' series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"I think there's a very fine line between guys being emotional and passionate about playing a game they love to play and our fans love to watch and support and then kind of teetering over that line and then it becoming a fight or an actual battle instead of a game and a sport," Fisher said Wednesday. "There's a fine balance to it, but in those cases I think there was a step beyond."

[ACF]

Does the NBA have the player reps on
their payroll or do the players do
it for free?

[Ersatz]

Does the NBA have the player reps on
their payroll or do the players do
it for free?

I don't know for certain, but the players' association is a union, so if the players' president were paid by the NBA, that would be highly unusual--ie, suspect and ridiculous. Probably he is paid by the players or works for free.

By the way, here's what the NBPA page says is its mission: "To ensure that the rights of NBA players are protected" and to "assist players...appeal a fine or suspension." Given that the Cs indicated they were going to appeal Pierce's fine, I gotta question how much Fisher is actually protecting Pierce's rights with this quote. It seems to be not very much at all, it seems that he's proclaiming Pierce guilt and not helping him with an appeal.

[Bahku]

Does the NBA have the player reps on
their payroll or do the players do
it for free?

I don't know for certain, but the players' association is a union, so if the players' president were paid by the NBA, that would be highly unusual--ie, suspect and ridiculous. Probably he is paid by the players or works for free.

By the way, here's what the NBPA page says is its mission: "To ensure that the rights of NBA players are protected" and to "assist players...appeal a fine or suspension." Given that the Cs indicated they were going to appeal Pierce's fine, I gotta question how much Fisher is actually protecting Pierce's rights with this quote. It seems to be not very much at all, it seems that he's proclaiming Pierce guilt and not helping him with an appeal.

I agree, Ersatz ... TP! I think Fisher's just going through the motions, as he's done with much of similar import. I like the guy, really, but just feel the position itself is one with a bit of impotence ... unfortunately. Not sure if you saw Dickerson ask Stern about this the other night, but the Commissioner initmated pretty heavily that Pierce's appeal would be fairly fruitless, before it even happened. Too much power stuff there for my tastes, and far too little accountability in the NBA organizations.

[ACF]

Thanks and a TP.



 
 
 
 
 
"Power mad, I didn't chop the tree down dad I only try to do what's right. Power man, the best friend that you ever had unless of course you choose to fight.
Power mad, driving out of the shadows, he never tires when he plays. Power mad, he's a streak in the night time speculating how he'll take on the world some day.
Originality? Oh, just a rusty nail in a Broadway show how many stabs before we succeed.
Power mad, I didn't drop my pants down dad, I know my left hand from my right. Power man, the best friend that you ever had unless of course you lose the fight."                     
                                                                                  -Primus: Power Mad
 
 
 
 

[Bankshot]

Fisher is a Laker.  Nuff said.

[SShoreFan]

and now for the unpopular post:

I have no problems with what Fisher said.

[Andy Jick]

i believe that the nba just wants to let this die because both the league and pierce know there is something really bad about this.

you don't hand out a $25k fine for some minor thing...actions speak louder than words, and the nba acted, but said little.  david stern was quiet the other night because this is a path he does not want to go down...

[RebusRankin]

Fisher is a tool.

[SShoreFan]

Pierce isn't appealing the fine is he?

Players appeal everything these days - unless there's an open and shut case.

[Schupac]

PEOPLE appeal everything these days... in all business and walks of life.



Frankly, unless they can prove for certain it's a gang sign, I don't see how they can fine Pierce.  What DeShawn did was a clear, recognizable gesture.  I didn't recognize the three fingers as anything.  Now, I don't tend to hang out with a lot of gangsters.  But neither, I'm guessing, do most of the NBAs fans.  So if no one *thought* it was a menacing gesture, except for the story-starved media, isn't the NBA just perpetuating the unfounded idea that it was menacing by fining Pierce?

[Celtic]

I wonder if Fisher immediately flopped, upon being asked the question.

[EJPLAYA]

Just a thought... Fisher probably feels like many in the NBA where their reputation is tarnished by all these other guys in the league. Leaving the PP issue whether it was a gang sign or not issue alone, the throat slashing is one of the worst things IMO that these guys could do. Especially in light of the war we are in and the not so recent beheadings of Americans. I wouldn't want to be lumped in with that behavior and have no problem with Fisher coming out and saying they crossed the line.

This isn't a defense attorney that is required to do anything possible to get his client off even if he is guilty. Stevenson is not even remotely close to innocent and I am actually glad that one of their own stepped up and said so. I would be much more offended had they whined about it not being a big deal.

Fisher has a lot on his plate with a daughter who has cancer. Let's have a little compassion for the guy. Even if he is a hated Laker...

[Who]

I think Fisher is right and doing a great job as president of the players' assiociation.

[footey]

I have no problem with Fisher's comment.