Alston Suspended (merged threads, suspension on page 9)

[crownsy]

So what would that leave for Orlando at PG?

Anthony Johnson and Tyronn Lue.

l. A player, coach or trainer must be ejected for:
(1) A punching foul
(2) A fighting foul
(3) An elbow foul which makes contact above shoulder level
(4) Technical foul for an attempted punch which does not make contact
(5) Deliberately entering the stands other than as a continuance of play
(6) Flagrant foul penalty (2)
(7) Second flagrant foul penalty (1)
(8 ) Participation in the game when not on team’s active list

I didn't see it... but from the way people have described it, it sounded like a slap in passing?  I don't know if that would qualify as a "punching" foul or any of those others.

If a punch -- whether or not contact is made -- is an ejection, and an elbow to the head is an ejection, I can't possibly imagine how a slap is anything other than an automatic ejection / suspension.

It leaves room for interpretation is all I'm saying... a slap is not a punch or an elbow.  Maybe he should be ejected/suspended for it, but the way I picture it from what I've read, it would not qualify as a punch or elbow in my mind.  A slap doesn't really  come with any intent to injure... it's more of a statement of disrespect or frustration.  A closed-fisted punch or elbow to the head is legitimately trying to hurt someone or start a fight.

Yes, there's room for interpretation, but it's hard to argue with somebody who hasn't seen the play.  It wasn't a gentle love tap; the slap knocked Eddie's head band out of place, and certainly jolted him.

it was also from behind and after a long delay while rafer talked trash to the back of eddie's head. It was clearly ment to provoke a fight.

you don't slap a dude in the back of the head after he doesn't want to trun around to talk trash to you if your not looking for a fight.

he's gone.

[crownsy]

p.s ticket, it just got posted in the game thread if you want to see a replay.

[BrickJames]

He'll get a flagrant 1 and a fine.  That's all.

[celticinorlando]

He'll get a flagrant 1 and a fine.  That's all.

exactly my thinking

[crownsy]

He'll get a flagrant 1 and a fine.  That's all.

not a chance. the front office has been out to send messages all year about how you kep your hands (or elbows, they JUST slapped his teamate down for contending a elbow isn't a punch) away from peoples heads, and anything to provoke a fight is a free day off.


we'll see tommrow i guess, but stu is not going to backdown on his stance that any post play strikes to the head are suspensions for skip to my freaking lou. we're not talking about lebron here ya know?

the former and 1 superstar is an easy choice to use to send a message the leauges consitanly pushed over the last few years.

[Roy Hobbs]

Also, I don't think the NBA can ignore that this is Rafer Alston we're talking about here.  He's been arrested at least twice (once for allegedly slashing a guy's throat with a knife, once for a DUI), and he's already been suspended once this season for instigating a fight against the Suns.

[GeoDim]

The rulebook can't list every possible altercation.  A slap to the back of the head is a definite suspension.  Spitting in someones face is also neither an elbow nor a fist, but would obviously be a heavy fine and probably a multi-game suspension.

[cordobes]

For those who missed it:

[Mr October]

I don't think Rafer would have gotten a suspension if he was ejected then and there ... but the refs missing it ... increases the possibility of him getting a suspension.

agreed. Alston should have been ejected. He wasnt. So after a review he should be suspended. You cannot slap another player. That was not a basketball play.

[PosImpos]

He should be suspended, but I hope he isn't.

The Magic seem to actually play well when they have something to prove (e.g. when a player is suspended).  We'll be better off if they feel comfortable at home with their starting PG.

[Roy Hobbs]

"I think that's what happens when you start busting somebody's [rear end].  They get upset and resort to bush league tactics".

(That may be slightly paraphrased, but that was the gist of it.)

[CoachBo]

Alston is a thug.

That ought to be one game. Clearly intended to incite.

[PosImpos]

"I think that's what happens when you start busting somebody's [rear end].  They get upset and resort to bush league tactics".

(That may be slightly paraphrased, but that was the gist of it.)

Yeah, I love how they got uncomfortable when he said the A-word.  Haha.

[Rondo_is_better]

David Aldridge: "Did you say anything to make Rafer Alston slap you in the head?"

Eddie: "Naw, that's just what happens when you start to bust someone's ass. They resort to bush league tactics. We above that."


EDDIE EDDIE EDDIE!

[BrickJames]

"I think that's what happens when you start busting somebody's [rear end].  They get upset and resort to bush league tactics".

(That may be slightly paraphrased, but that was the gist of it.)

i just saw that too...classic.


good point about precedent (i.e. rafer is not exactly the poster child of the nba), but i'd like to think the league is more impartial in judging on a case by case basis.

After Rondo got away with tossing Heinrich, the fanbase at large would be up-in-arms if Alston got suspended.

If you told me "Player A slapped player B in the back of the head for no reason" and I didn't know anything about players A or B, I would think it would be flagrant 1 for a "non-basketball play, unnecessary contact without the intent to injure" which necessitates a fine.  I don't think it is a suspendible offense.