Politics.NET

While he may be the most physically gifted player in the NBA, he is still a punk. The proof is in his reaction to losing game 6 to the Magic yesterday. Rather than stay on the court to shake hands with the winners (a sports tradition) and talk to the press (an NBA requirement for all players), LeTravel did what any punk will do: he walked off the court without a word to anyone. I heard he even refused to get on the team bus and sulked off to his mother's house (she lives in Orlando). What a punk! If that was Kobe, we would never hear the last of how Kobe is selfish. But with LeTravel, everybody (especially the fawning press) wants to give him excuses. He was so passionate about the game he couldn't talk! He didn't wanna saw the wrong thing! Bull! I just wonder if David Stern will fine him for violating that rule. I remember one post-game interview where all Rasheed Wallace's response to ALL questions was "Both teams played hard". Dude didn't want to get fi...

If you watch NBA games and ever wondered why the officiating is what it is, you've gotta read this: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/nba/06/10/betting.probe.ap/index.html . It explains why some a game can attempt 27 free throws in a 12 minute quarter. That's a little over 2 free throws per minute. Factoring in a 24-second shot clock, that's a lot of free throws to occur "naturally". Of course David Stern (NBA commissioner) is already out there discrediting the ex-ref that made the allegations. Sure he's under indictment for fixing NBA games but still where there's smoke, there's fire. Otherwise, how can LeBron consistently take 3-4 steps without a dribble? How do you explain the NBA suspending a key player 5-6 hours before a crucial playoff game? The NBA is rigged. Watch it like you would a reality show. Sure the minor plots are unscripted but the main outcome is carefully orchestrated.

Why? I am not some conspiracy theorist but here are the facts: * LeBron throws an elbow at Andray Blatche's head in Game 1. No call. However, he's retroactively fined just before Game 3. That's 4-6 days later. Wizards get no advantage of free throws or suspension of a key player. * Haywood gets a flagrant foul in game 3. No suspension (but then the tide was definitely in Cleveland's favor). * Darius Songaila, a guy who's not known for getting techs, accidentally hits LeBron in Game 5. He's tee'd up. * The kicker: 5 hours before a critical Game 6, Songaila is suspended. How do you announce a suspension of a key reserve just 5 hours before a fricking game? At that point, you know the coaches have finished their game plans.The teams have had their LAST practice. And now you suspend a key reserve? That's like the NFL suspending a player on Sunday, before the game. If that's not fixing the results, well the NBA is really going to extreme lengths to make i...