Of Rudy and a good old fashioned brawl

Rudy Fernandez?

No. Not here.

Not only isn’t Toronto on any list of preferred destination – and I keep hearing he’s only going back to Europe or nowhere else – but I wonder how a guy who was disgruntled with his role in Portland would feel about coming here and having to battle DeRozan, Weems and Leandro Barbosa for time?

Anyway, it’s a moot point because it’s not going to happen. I know there was some talk between the teams a while ago and nothing came of it and there’s no way it’s rekindled now.

Speaking of Rudy, how about the league hitting him with a $25,000 fine for his agent telling anyone who’d listen that he wants out?

Somewhat Draconian, no?

But a shot across the bow at other disgruntled guys who are under contract that will make them sit up and take notice.

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Hey, check this out:

Slokey and The Gangster got Canada yesterday.

(Hmm, that should be the name of a band, or a bad TV show, shouldn’t it?

Anyway, Canada loses to Slovenia to wind up the Acropolis tournament in Greece and now it’s on to Turkey for Argentina, Turkey and Lebanon at a tourney in Ankara before the worlds start.

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List time.

And mail time.

We do it all around here.

Q: Hello Doug! Will you please commingle an Irregular's Love of Lists with her building anticipation for the (almost-here!) FIBA Worlds and give us your choices for the "Top 5 International Basketball Games I Have Witnessed"? (And how cool to be able to add a game from this year's tourney to that list. Think it might be too much to ask that it be a Canadian game???) Thank you.

Lorie P, London

A: I’ll gladly indulge you with this one. I’m kind of searching deep in the memory banks but here are five that I’ll never forget, in no particular order.

USA-Cuba

Tournament of the Americas, 1992

It was a rout, as we all knew it would be, but seeing the original Dream Team play its first game ever was an historic moment in global basketball. An event more than a game.

Canada-Yugoslavia

Sydney Olympics, 2000

This was the one that really captured the country, if I recall. Nash at his best, Mike Meeks playing out of his head and the single biggest upset I’ve ever witnessed by a Canadian basketball team.

Yugoslavia-Russia

World championships, 1998 Athens

My first worlds outside of North America and to suggest the atmosphere was electric is a giant under-statement. Sitting with Glen Grunwald, watching Zeljko Rebraca go nut was one thing, seeing the fans light flares in the upper regions of the arena was something else.

USA-Spain

Beijing Olympics, 2008

Hugely hyped game that didn’t disappoint. Having seen the first Dream Team roll over everyone, it was great to see how far the world had come. The game was in doubt the entire way, even with the best NBA players imaginable on the team.

Yugoslavia-Argentina

World championships, 2002 Indianapolis

If it gets any better than overtime in a world championship gold medal game, I cannot imagine what it would be. Maybe OT in a Game 7 of an NBA Finals but the raw emotion of one game for gold for your country cannot be topped, I don’t think.

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You know, part of me is entirely delighted that Roger Clemens, who has always – always – struck me as a bit of a fraud could be getting his comeuppance with the perjury charges.

Got me thinking:

Why in the world don’t athletes who are destined to be caught simply apologize and move on. We’ve seen it with so many, they’re contrite (sure it’s fake sometimes but people are easily fooled) and they get forgiven by more than a few fans and life goes on.

Sure, there are some of us who don’t forget or forgive but if some do, isn’t that better than, say, facing jail time?

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Oh yeah, as far as I can tell from looking through various TV listings, we can see some real basketball on the weekend.

I see ESPN has the USA-Lithuania game live at 3 p.m. East on Saturday and if I’m reading the Raptors TV grid right, it’s got USA-Spain at 3 p.m. East Sunday.

I know that will likely necessitate finding a bistro or somewhere with a satellite for some of you, and me, too, but it’s probably worth it.

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Did you see this?

Wild, eh?

But it does speak to one serious issue I have with FIBA and something that has to be addressed somehow.

None of the participants in that fracas will suffer any repercussions and that gives them a sense of impunity when it comes to things when it comes to, you know, tossing chairs into a group of milling-about angered-up players.

Maybe a suspension or two from FIBA-sanctioned games might be in order? Guess that makes too much sense.

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So you know my beloved Storm are about to wrap up one of the best WNBA regular seasons ever, right? They’re 26-6 going into the last week and have secured home court throughout the post-season.

Good for the folks of Seattle, I’m glad they’ve got a winning hoops team.

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Okay, another day of driving to the Falls for family affairs (whatever happened to Kathy Garver and Brian Keith was really cool as Dennis Finch’s Dad, wasn’t he?) so not sure when we’ll get to all the comments.

But I do know that I’ll have some time to set up the weekend mailbag so click here, send ‘em along and give me something to do.

Comments

[DougG]

They refuse to even investigate Riley for tampering but they fine Fernandez for doing the same thing everyone else is. This league has really lost it.

[PeterK]

Doug,
I went to NBA.com this morning and saw a video/story about Jeremy Lin, and that led to a series of YouTubing of the guy. As an Asian myself, I've got a keen interest in him since there are hardly any of us in the game - let's not count Yao who is almost in-human. What is your take on the guy as a 3rd string point guard in the bay area? Watching him play against Wall in the summer league gave me chills.

Blogger's note: I saw him briefly at the free agent camp here and am told people think he's got a shot to be a player in the league

[John S]

I think that Stern is going overboard with the fines... who would be surprised if Fernandez asks for a buyout, goes back to Europe for WAAAYYYYY more money and to be a megastar in his home country playing in the ACB League. And flips off Stern on the way out.

And as much as I still hate Vince Carter, a favourite memory of mine is the 2000 Olympics game with "Le Dunk" on/over Weis.

[Angelo]

That video is wild, looks like Nenad Kristic just lost it, yet wisely backed off just in time, you can hear the Greek announcer describing this as a "rodeo".

[Bill]

If Rudy is not intended of coming back, how is that fine enforceable against him? I guess they can garnish it from his salaries for the next two years but the man has already said he's willing to give all of that up to stay in Euro so does this really hurt him at all?

This sounds like getting a traffic ticket in the States and never driving back there again.

[Mike Smith]

Serbs are so aggressive. A thrown chair?! Suspend the whole team! Such a sad display of sports.

[Andre]

About that fight. Both teams should be suspended for the world championships. Thats stupid. How are you going to throw a chair. Isnt that assault?

[Tiger]

Putting aside for a minute that Clemens is an undisputed schmuck, his indictment is just the latest example of US politics at its farcical worst.
That perjury before a bunch of professional liars (US Congressmen) is considered more serious than perjury in a court of law is a bigger joke than the shams of those witchhunt hearings. Never was bipartisan politics more evident than in the pretense of seriousness by Democratic committee members versus the softball questions from GOP members. Topping that was the fawning treatment given to him by GOP nincompoops before and after (too reminiscent of the Drederick Tatum parole hearing scene in "The Simpsons"). Take a wild guess as to which party used the Justice Department to persue the indictment and which party will see that Clemens won't serve a second of jail time if convicted?
Worst of all, conviction of any or all of the charges in the indictment won't prove that Clemens juiced, only that he lied at the hearings. If there was any legal evidence that he broke other laws, he would have already been charged with drug-related felonies.
The best that could come out of this nonsense is if Clemens surrenders a full mea culpa à la Marion Jones... don't count on that.
The betting here is that we'll hear the truth from Clemens only when it becomes financially lucrative for him to spill the beans, à la Pete Rose.

[Peter S]

I'm looking forward to seeing Kleiza play with Lithuania on Saturday, and Calderon with Spain on Sunday. Any kind of basketball will do until the pre-season, which just can't come soon enough.

Let's hope there aren't any chairs thrown in these games... what on earth was Kristic thinking? Seriously other than the Malace at the Palace, that might have been the worst decision by a basketball player invloved in a "scrap" of any kind. Throwing punches is one thing, but throwing a CHAIR in a basketball game? Personally I'd be throwing in the towel and leaving the building if a bunch of 7 foot, 250 pound people came running at me with ill intentions.

Maybe its easier said than done, especially in a game played for your country, but why can't players just let their game do the talking?

[arun]

"Le Dunk" is already 10 years ago... wow
We will never see anything like that again...
VC and the Raps were flying high in those years...
Miss em days.

[Stavros]

Thanks for the clip. Looks like Krstic has been watching too much WWF. LOL!!

[LeeZ]

One other classic international game I might add to your list. USA-Russia '72. An intense game with an absolutely CRAZY finish that continues to be debated till this day. Basically, the Americans were cheated out of the gold and refused to accept their silver medals. Some of the players have gone so far as to stipulate in their wills that their wives and kids are FORBIDDEN to ever accept the silver medal. Very good piece on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basketball_at_the_1972_Summer_Olympics

Blogger's note: One of the wildest finishes ever but I wasn't at that game. An ex-Raptor assistant coach played, I believe

[Geoff Read]

Basketball brawls are hilarious. They look so awkward - the all-time most awkward fight in my memory is still (the recently deceased and much missed) Manute Bol taking a swing at someone.

But you're right - they need to crack down on that sort of silliness. Someone could actually get seriously hurt.

[Marc M]

It makes absolutely no sense that players should only get a wrist slap. Getting into a fight should at least see a multi-game penalty. Although harsh, getting suspended for a year of FIBA-sanctioned games should be a minimum for throwing a chair. That's just cowardly. (Heard Krstic was held overnight in jail.)

Why is it that FIBA can't/won't reprimand players involved in these situations?

[joe]

was that nenad krstic throwing that chair? i didn't know he had such a wild side to him.

Blogger's note: It was

[capt kirk]

Eh Doug, that Youtube clip really got the blood flowing much better than the Canada vs Italy exhibition. Not to glorify violence but could you please tell us the two teams and if the guy throwing the chair used to play in the NBA? He sure looks like someone named Kristic.

Blogger's note: It was indeed Krstic and it was Serbia vs. Greece

[The J]

"Good for the folks of Seattle, I’m glad they’ve got a winning hoops team". Or a hoops team at all. Must be tough watching Durant and Oklahoma taking the league by storm.
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No suspension for throwing a chair, but Amare got suspended (from a playoff game no less) for standing. Wow, now tha's lenient.
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I hate Vince too, but the "Lipton" has got to be the greatest in-game dunk of all time.

[GM]

I knew Brian Keith from Family Affair but had to Google Kathy Garver. Nice one! I didn't know Sissy's real name. Never saw her in anything else since. Too bad about Buffy.

Did you see Canada's run to a gold medal at the University Games in Edmonton?

Blogger's note: I was not at that game, no. Unfortunately

[john]

Gee I wonder why Europeans get such a reputation... Bunch of guys slapping at each other and then running away. Throwing a chair into a group of people. Truly pathetic show of sportsmanship, but even greater show of cowardice...

[Lorie]

Wanted to be Cissy.
Wanted to live on Park Ave with Rich Uncle.
Wanted a Butler to take care of life's details.
Hey, not much has changed: sounds good to me still.

[Wes]

Hey Doug,
my sources tell me that BC has offered a five year 25 million dollar contract to the dude from Greece who threw the chair.
But my sources have been known to be unreliable.

[doug]

Brian Keith and Mr French were 2 cool dudes I grew up watching that show...Courtship of Eddie's father, My three sons, Nanny and the Professor....classics.....in regards to Rudy'd fine what a pile of bull, wehere not Bosh, LeBron all under contract until July 1st??, but yet they tweeted and talked well before that about their intentions and Wade as well....where was the NBA then?, hypocritical, it all comes down to negative versus positive media spin...well rules are rules, enforce them fairly or not at all...

[GM]

Courtship of Eddie's Father! Yes! One of my all-time favourites. And back to Family Affair, I met Mr. French (Sebastian Cabot) when he was in the hospital room across from my grandfather in Victoria. I asked him about Buffy and Jody (I was a kid). He was nice considering he had had a stroke.

[Jacopo]

Hey doug how are you? Please to have a look about latest results of italian national team! Check bargnani's numbers:-) he plays as a leader!! Please note that european defenses are better than Nba defense during regular season. Andrea is new Raptors leader!! Please send this message to the three young guns:-) bye!!