Kobe Yelled Homophobic Slur at Ref?

[Chris]

Well fair enough, he got caught "big". Still though, as I think we both agree, it would be an ultimately unfair distribution of justice. Either its a punishable offense or it isn't, but whether or not someone is punished for it should not depend on whether or not they were caught on TV.

Logically, I agree...but from a business standpoint, I vehemently disagree.  I think it is not a stretch to say that yelling homophobic slurs is not in keeping with the way the league would like to portray itself.  And these guys are representing the league.  Now, I don't think its realistic to think that they can fine guys everytime they say something like that, because it would be impossible to enforce.  However, if they are caught red handed like that, the league absolutely has to punish him.

Its not really "fair", but its necessary.  It sends the message to the players that they need to be more careful about that stuff, but more importantly, it tells the press and fans that they take that stuff seriously (even if they really don't).

This is the same reason, I have a feeling Charlie Villanueva got as big of a warning as KG did when he made his tweets about what KG was saying on the floor.  When it comes down to it, this is a business, and things that hurt the product are not good, even if they are accidents, or they aren't "their fault".  

They will try to do as much as they can "in house", but when a video like this leaks out, they have to at least put on a show that they are doing something to stop it from happening again.

[indeedproceed]

Well fair enough, he got caught "big". Still though, as I think we both agree, it would be an ultimately unfair distribution of justice. Either its a punishable offense or it isn't, but whether or not someone is punished for it should not depend on whether or not they were caught on TV.

Logically, I agree...but from a business standpoint, I vehemently disagree.  I think it is not a stretch to say that yelling homophobic slurs is not in keeping with the way the league would like to portray itself.  And these guys are representing the league.  Now, I don't think its realistic to think that they can fine guys everytime they say something like that, because it would be impossible to enforce.  However, if they are caught red handed like that, the league absolutely has to punish him.

Its not really "fair", but its necessary.  It sends the message to the players that they need to be more careful about that stuff, but more importantly, it tells the press and fans that they take that stuff seriously (even if they really don't).

This is the same reason, I have a feeling Charlie Villanueva got as big of a warning as KG did when he made his tweets about what KG was saying on the floor.  When it comes down to it, this is a business, and things that hurt the product are not good, even if they are accidents, or they aren't "their fault". 

They will try to do as much as they can "in house", but when a video like this leaks out, they have to at least put on a show that they are doing something to stop it from happening again.

From a pragmatic standpoint, you're right. Which sucks, because its so blatantly fake.

[indeedproceed]

As the Daniel Tosh joke goes, don't worry about it, he will just change his number again, Number 8 was accused of rape, 24 is leader and a hard worker!

I'm a fan of, "Rape accusations are a lot like AIDS.  If you play guard for the Lakers, you'll probably be OK."

I think a fine and the negative attention Kobe will get are ok.  A suspension is a slippery slope as I think this kind of language gets tossed around a lot more than most fans would care to believe.  Remember our own Doc Rivers' troubles with Bill Kennedy allegedly started after a similar, more direct conversation.

http://www.redsarmy.com/home/2010/05/donaghy-claim-bill-kennedys-sexuality-at-root-of-hatred-for-doc.html

This is pretty interesting, I had never heard this.

[Finkelskyhook]

Well fair enough, he got caught "big". Still though, as I think we both agree, it would be an ultimately unfair distribution of justice. Either its a punishable offense or it isn't, but whether or not someone is punished for it should not depend on whether or not they were caught on TV.

Logically, I agree...but from a business standpoint, I vehemently disagree.  I think it is not a stretch to say that yelling homophobic slurs is not in keeping with the way the league would like to portray itself.  And these guys are representing the league.  Now, I don't think its realistic to think that they can fine guys everytime they say something like that, because it would be impossible to enforce.  However, if they are caught red handed like that, the league absolutely has to punish him.

Its not really "fair", but its necessary.  It sends the message to the players that they need to be more careful about that stuff, but more importantly, it tells the press and fans that they take that stuff seriously (even if they really don't).

This is the same reason, I have a feeling Charlie Villanueva got as big of a warning as KG did when he made his tweets about what KG was saying on the floor.  When it comes down to it, this is a business, and things that hurt the product are not good, even if they are accidents, or they aren't "their fault". 

They will try to do as much as they can "in house", but when a video like this leaks out, they have to at least put on a show that they are doing something to stop it from happening again.

From a pragmatic standpoint, you're right. Which sucks, because its so blatantly fake.

Hopefully it doesn't bring forward a series of shameless pandering along the lines of the Los Spurs, Los Suns, and El Heat silliness.

[Chris]

Well fair enough, he got caught "big". Still though, as I think we both agree, it would be an ultimately unfair distribution of justice. Either its a punishable offense or it isn't, but whether or not someone is punished for it should not depend on whether or not they were caught on TV.

Logically, I agree...but from a business standpoint, I vehemently disagree.  I think it is not a stretch to say that yelling homophobic slurs is not in keeping with the way the league would like to portray itself.  And these guys are representing the league.  Now, I don't think its realistic to think that they can fine guys everytime they say something like that, because it would be impossible to enforce.  However, if they are caught red handed like that, the league absolutely has to punish him.

Its not really "fair", but its necessary.  It sends the message to the players that they need to be more careful about that stuff, but more importantly, it tells the press and fans that they take that stuff seriously (even if they really don't).

This is the same reason, I have a feeling Charlie Villanueva got as big of a warning as KG did when he made his tweets about what KG was saying on the floor.  When it comes down to it, this is a business, and things that hurt the product are not good, even if they are accidents, or they aren't "their fault". 

They will try to do as much as they can "in house", but when a video like this leaks out, they have to at least put on a show that they are doing something to stop it from happening again.

From a pragmatic standpoint, you're right. Which sucks, because its so blatantly fake.

Hopefully it doesn't bring forward a series of shameless pandering along the lines of the Los Spurs, Los Suns, and El Heat silliness.

Eh, that's not pandering, that is trying to sell jerseys.  Although who knows, maybe there is a market for rainbow Lakers jerseys...

[LakersFan_33]

Kobe is an "old school" kind of player, and anyone who follows him, knows that he curses like a sailor in almost every interview he does after games and in practices, besides the fact that you can get overly emotional in the heat of a game. I also think that a lot of people are just soft - It's not that big of a deal, and if that's a big deal to you, you don't have a very difficult life.

With that said, I don't think he should have yelled that, since it was at an official. I'm sure that kind of language is going on all the time in NBA games.

[Rondo2287]

As the Daniel Tosh joke goes, don't worry about it, he will just change his number again, Number 8 was accused of rape, 24 is leader and a hard worker!

I'm a fan of, "Rape accusations are a lot like AIDS.  If you play guard for the Lakers, you'll probably be OK."

I think a fine and the negative attention Kobe will get are ok.  A suspension is a slippery slope as I think this kind of language gets tossed around a lot more than most fans would care to believe.  Remember our own Doc Rivers' troubles with Bill Kennedy allegedly started after a similar, more direct conversation.

http://www.redsarmy.com/home/2010/05/donaghy-claim-bill-kennedys-sexuality-at-root-of-hatred-for-doc.html

This is pretty interesting, I had never heard this.

you gotta start reading FLceltsfans official reports

[Finkelskyhook]

Well fair enough, he got caught "big". Still though, as I think we both agree, it would be an ultimately unfair distribution of justice. Either its a punishable offense or it isn't, but whether or not someone is punished for it should not depend on whether or not they were caught on TV.

Logically, I agree...but from a business standpoint, I vehemently disagree.  I think it is not a stretch to say that yelling homophobic slurs is not in keeping with the way the league would like to portray itself.  And these guys are representing the league.  Now, I don't think its realistic to think that they can fine guys everytime they say something like that, because it would be impossible to enforce.  However, if they are caught red handed like that, the league absolutely has to punish him.

Its not really "fair", but its necessary.  It sends the message to the players that they need to be more careful about that stuff, but more importantly, it tells the press and fans that they take that stuff seriously (even if they really don't).

This is the same reason, I have a feeling Charlie Villanueva got as big of a warning as KG did when he made his tweets about what KG was saying on the floor.  When it comes down to it, this is a business, and things that hurt the product are not good, even if they are accidents, or they aren't "their fault".  

They will try to do as much as they can "in house", but when a video like this leaks out, they have to at least put on a show that they are doing something to stop it from happening again.

From a pragmatic standpoint, you're right. Which sucks, because its so blatantly fake.

Hopefully it doesn't bring forward a series of shameless pandering along the lines of the Los Spurs, Los Suns, and El Heat silliness.

Eh, that's not pandering, that is trying to sell jerseys.  Although who knows, maybe there is a market for rainbow Lakers jerseys...

Eh, the timing and the location of the initial rollout of this was so overtly over-the-top shameless pandering it's hard to make a case that the rest of it isn't.  I can't imagine they sold enough uniforms to risk alienating their fans regardless.

[Chris]

Well fair enough, he got caught "big". Still though, as I think we both agree, it would be an ultimately unfair distribution of justice. Either its a punishable offense or it isn't, but whether or not someone is punished for it should not depend on whether or not they were caught on TV.

Logically, I agree...but from a business standpoint, I vehemently disagree.  I think it is not a stretch to say that yelling homophobic slurs is not in keeping with the way the league would like to portray itself.  And these guys are representing the league.  Now, I don't think its realistic to think that they can fine guys everytime they say something like that, because it would be impossible to enforce.  However, if they are caught red handed like that, the league absolutely has to punish him.

Its not really "fair", but its necessary.  It sends the message to the players that they need to be more careful about that stuff, but more importantly, it tells the press and fans that they take that stuff seriously (even if they really don't).

This is the same reason, I have a feeling Charlie Villanueva got as big of a warning as KG did when he made his tweets about what KG was saying on the floor.  When it comes down to it, this is a business, and things that hurt the product are not good, even if they are accidents, or they aren't "their fault". 

They will try to do as much as they can "in house", but when a video like this leaks out, they have to at least put on a show that they are doing something to stop it from happening again.

From a pragmatic standpoint, you're right. Which sucks, because its so blatantly fake.

Hopefully it doesn't bring forward a series of shameless pandering along the lines of the Los Spurs, Los Suns, and El Heat silliness.

Eh, that's not pandering, that is trying to sell jerseys.  Although who knows, maybe there is a market for rainbow Lakers jerseys...

Eh, the timing and the location of the initial rollout of this was so overtly over-the-top shameless pandering it's hard to make a case that the rest of it isn't.

I guess I am not sure what you mean by pandering.  Because I agree that it was clearly pandering, to a certain audience...but I think it was all about trying to get that audience to open up their wallets and buy those jerseys.  And I have no problem with that, because it is just a business decision.

[mgent]

If the NBA suspended someone everytime they used a homophobic slur on the court, than we wouldn't even be able to fill 12-man rosters.

I think if they do it to Kobe just because he got caught, that's garbage.

However, if they ironically wanted to make a statement right now and follow through with a eague-wide policy change, I aint mad about it.

There's a few more things to this though: He did get caught yelling it on video, at a ref, and it's posted on one of the nation's biggest websites for plenty of non-sports fans to see.

I don't think he will nor deserves to be suspended, but there's a little more to this one.

Well fair enough, he got caught "big". Still though, as I think we both agree, it would be an ultimately unfair distribution of justice. Either its a punishable offense or it isn't, but whether or not someone is punished for it should not depend on whether or not they were caught on TV.

I obviously agree, but if Stephen Jackson was fined for saying something caught on camera in the tunnel on his way to the locker room (IIRC) isn't getting caught sitting on the bench and on TV a little worse?  Personally I think that punishment was much more ridiculous.

[StartOrien]

If the NBA suspended someone everytime they used a homophobic slur on the court, than we wouldn't even be able to fill 12-man rosters.

I think if they do it to Kobe just because he got caught, that's garbage.

However, if they ironically wanted to make a statement right now and follow through with a eague-wide policy change, I aint mad about it.

There's a few more things to this though: He did get caught yelling it on video, at a ref, and it's posted on one of the nation's biggest websites for plenty of non-sports fans to see.

I don't think he will nor deserves to be suspended, but there's a little more to this one.

Well fair enough, he got caught "big". Still though, as I think we both agree, it would be an ultimately unfair distribution of justice. Either its a punishable offense or it isn't, but whether or not someone is punished for it should not depend on whether or not they were caught on TV.

I obviously agree, but if Stephen Jackson was fined for saying something caught on camera in the tunnel on his way to the locker room (IIRC) isn't getting caught sitting on the bench and on TV a little worse?  Personally I think that punishment was much more ridiculous.

Excellent point

EDIT: For reference S-Jax got 50k for that incident
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5773910

[vinnie]

How old is Kobe, 12? Isn't that about the age kids stop using words like this?

[Rondo9dunx]

How old is Kobe, 12? Isn't that about the age kids stop using words like this?

That's about the age they start using it.

[ACF]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/12950670.stm

[mgent]

If the NBA suspended someone everytime they used a homophobic slur on the court, than we wouldn't even be able to fill 12-man rosters.

I think if they do it to Kobe just because he got caught, that's garbage.

However, if they ironically wanted to make a statement right now and follow through with a eague-wide policy change, I aint mad about it.

There's a few more things to this though: He did get caught yelling it on video, at a ref, and it's posted on one of the nation's biggest websites for plenty of non-sports fans to see.

I don't think he will nor deserves to be suspended, but there's a little more to this one.

Well fair enough, he got caught "big". Still though, as I think we both agree, it would be an ultimately unfair distribution of justice. Either its a punishable offense or it isn't, but whether or not someone is punished for it should not depend on whether or not they were caught on TV.

I obviously agree, but if Stephen Jackson was fined for saying something caught on camera in the tunnel on his way to the locker room (IIRC) isn't getting caught sitting on the bench and on TV a little worse?  Personally I think that punishment was much more ridiculous.

Excellent point

EDIT: For reference S-Jax got 50k for that incident
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5773910

Thanks for the link.  50k for something that wasn't even said at anybody.  Have a camera follow KG's lips around all game and see what he's saying to himself.  His whole salary would be gone.