[FlyVet]

I heard a quote from Kurt Warner today, that these internal team pools about taking out opposing teams' players is pretty common. I'm not surprised. It's a brutal game, and at the top, it's so competitive, it's whatever you can get away with. If you can't handle the cold brutality, you can't handle the business.

I was a fan of the Detroit Pistons during the Bad Boy era. Did they have some dirty players, like Mahorn and Laimbeer and Rodman? Yup. But they couldn't get away with anything that the refs didn't let them get away with.

I remember when Robert Parrish slapped Bill Laimbeer to the floor in front of God and everybody, and the refs didn't call a foul. Things even out.

I think that was the golden era of the NBA. There was no shaking hands and kissy-face after the game. Those teams hated each other, which made for a lot more drama.

Last year, Justin Upton of the AZ Diamondbacks led the league in Hit By Pitch. They weren't just nicking him, they were hitting him in the spine, in the head, in the kidneys. Brutal. Because he was the best hitter on the team, and they were testing him. Umps should have thrown some of those pitchers out. But they didn't. He was being tested.

[max americana]

“I was a fan of the Detroit Pistons during the Bad Boy era. Did they have some dirty players, like Mahorn and Laimbeer and Rodman?”

Me too. I was a fan of the previous NBA non-written rule of “no harm, no foul” when Laimbeer and Mahorn were the poster boys of physical play. Then Pat Riley transferred that to his “in your face defense” approach of the 90’s Knicks. Loved it.

Now you look at the refs wrong, they give you a level 2 technical foul. This is like watching today’s WWE versus the “Attitude” era of Stone Cold and DX. No contest.

[NonValueAdded]

Chief!

[WesG]

I also remember that game of which you speak - when Parrish took our Laimbeer. It was, of course, in retaliation for Laimbeer practically decapitating Larry Bird in the preceeding playoff game. What goes around, comes around.

[Almondjoy]

Unfortunately it’s not just sports where the mentality “whatever it takes” has taken hold in our society.

[Mears]

“I remember when Robert Parrish slapped Bill Laimbeer to the floor in front of God and everybody, and the refs didn’t call a foul. Things even out. “

---

Aaah,The Chief. Those were the days,my friend etc.

[GOPsterinMA]

“I remember when Robert Parrish slapped Bill Laimbeer to the floor in front of God and everybody, and the refs didn’t call a foul. Things even out”

That was the original ‘bitch slap” IMO. Loved it then, still love it!