Rondo's Anti-Gay Tirade Towards Bill Kennedy

[kozlodoev]

I'm shocked he only got a game for this. I don't care if Kennedy is the worst ref to ever walk the planet.

[Celtics18]

Ugh!!

I'm highly disappointed.  What the heck are you doing, Rajon?!!

[blink]

oh man, cmon Rondo get a grip.  no place for stuff like that.  Nothing like sabotaging your own come back year...

[86MaxwellSmart]

Kobe said the same type things in a game----and he's done worse---He's getting love from all around the league on his farewell tour....Overblown.

Kennedy is probably a great guy---but he's an awful ref.

[saltlover]

Wow, surprised Rondo didn't get the book thrown at him.

I'm surprised he only got a 2 game suspension.  Hate-fueled tirade at a ref, in the arena, on TV, including the use of a slur.  The league has an ongoing issue with players using homophobic slurs, too.

Agreed. You'd think Adam Silver would've laid down the law here. Probably should blow up in his face now, a little bit....

I mean, it's more than Kobe got a couple years ago for the same offense (although maybe Rondo was worse in degree).  But Kobe wasn't suspended at all by Stern, so it's difficult to suspend Rondo for more than a game or two without blowback from the union.  Suspending him, for say, five games, would be completely without precedent and likely overturned.  This was a strong message that doesn't exceed his authority.  You have to think he's seen what the NFL has dealt with in getting their personal conduct suspensions regularly overturned.  There's no reason to go down that road.

[GC003332]

Many an ill word is spoken in the heat of battle, glad the league didn't go overboard with the suspension.

[Eja117]

There are two things I'm not sure I love about it and that is that I'm not sure one has a right to go through life never being called anything bad, especially when doing a terrible job.

The other thing is that I am under the impression AC Green used to routinely get made fun of in game for being a devout Christian and I'm sure Tebow is too, and nobody really cares about that, reinforcing the notion that the league is essentially a pick and choose arbitrary league when it comes to enforcing morality.

However Rondo certainly has no right to go through life like this consequence free either, and it being their league the NBA can do what it sees fit, and protect the image of their league as they see fit.  Personally I don't think this holds a candle to what Sully was accused of, but that's just me.

[saynomore]

Haters must be happy. I mean here goes another reason for hate. Cuz other players certainly not arguing with referees by using such words

[kozlodoev]

By the way, I found this...

Haralabos Voulgaris ‏@haralabob  2h2 hours ago
I heard what Doc called Kennedy, it wasn't too hard to predict Doc getting the shaft in future Kennedy games. Grudges are real.

Haralabos Voulgaris ‏@haralabob  2h2 hours ago
Sounded exactly the same.

Haralabos Voulgaris Retweeted Jacob ****an
Jacob ****an @jacob****an
@haralabob Was it similar to Rondo's term? Or my last name?

I always thought that the Doc thing was more or less Donaghue running his mouth, since he was never disciplned -- and no-one else came out  to corroborate the story back then. But it seems it was a real thing?

[KG Living Legend]

 What was Sullinger accused of

[Celtics18]

There are two things I'm not sure I love about it and that is that I'm not sure one has a right to go through life never being called anything bad, especially when doing a terrible job.

The other thing is that I am under the impression AC Green used to routinely get made fun of in game for being a devout Christian and I'm sure Tebow is too, and nobody really cares about that, reinforcing the notion that the league is essentially a pick and choose arbitrary league when it comes to enforcing morality.

However Rondo certainly has no right to go through life like this consequence free either, and it being their league the NBA can do what it sees fit, and protect the image of their league as they see fit.  Personally I don't think this holds a candle to what Sully was accused of, but that's just me.

Have you ever looked around at U.S. professional sports and noticed how many players praise God after winning ball games and making big plays?  I highly doubt that professional athletes get ostracized and treated with bigotry and hatred for being Christian.

[max215]

Disappointing. Very disappointing.

[Eja117]

There are two things I'm not sure I love about it and that is that I'm not sure one has a right to go through life never being called anything bad, especially when doing a terrible job.

The other thing is that I am under the impression AC Green used to routinely get made fun of in game for being a devout Christian and I'm sure Tebow is too, and nobody really cares about that, reinforcing the notion that the league is essentially a pick and choose arbitrary league when it comes to enforcing morality.

However Rondo certainly has no right to go through life like this consequence free either, and it being their league the NBA can do what it sees fit, and protect the image of their league as they see fit.  Personally I don't think this holds a candle to what Sully was accused of, but that's just me.

Have you ever looked around at U.S. professional sports and noticed how many players praise God after winning ball games and making big plays?  I highly doubt that professional athletes get ostracized and treated with bigotry and hatred for being Christian.

Pounding your chest and pointing at the sky doesn't exactly make you Christian any more than having a high pitched voice or wearing pink makes you gay. I will agree to disagree with your assertion.

[saltlover]

There are two things I'm not sure I love about it and that is that I'm not sure one has a right to go through life never being called anything bad, especially when doing a terrible job.

The other thing is that I am under the impression AC Green used to routinely get made fun of in game for being a devout Christian and I'm sure Tebow is too, and nobody really cares about that, reinforcing the notion that the league is essentially a pick and choose arbitrary league when it comes to enforcing morality.

However Rondo certainly has no right to go through life like this consequence free either, and it being their league the NBA can do what it sees fit, and protect the image of their league as they see fit.  Personally I don't think this holds a candle to what Sully was accused of, but that's just me.

Have you ever looked around at U.S. professional sports and noticed how many players praise God after winning ball games and making big plays?  I highly doubt that professional athletes get ostracized and treated with bigotry and hatred for being Christian.

Pounding your chest and pointing at the sky doesn't exactly make you Christian any more than having a high pitched voice or wearing pink makes you gay. I will agree to disagree with your assertion.

Every NBA team has a chaplain.  It is ludicrous to suggest that Christians are at all discriminated against in sports.  http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/04/25/sports/basketball/for-some-in-the-nba-pregame-chapel-can-be-a-spiritual-ankle-taping.html?referer=&_r=0

[Clench123]

C'mon, cut the guy some slack.  He was visibly angry and frustrated.  Anyone of us is capable of saying anything at those moments.