Posted on 05/06/2008 1:36:22 PM PDT by forkinsocket
What Paul Pierce's hand gesture - and his $25,000 fine - say about the fast-evolving world of gang signs
THE SEQUENCE, NEAR the end of the Boston Celtics' Game 3 playoff loss last Saturday, has been endlessly replayed over the past week: Celtics captain Paul Pierce, after being taunted by Atlanta Hawks rookie Al Horford, walks grimly toward the Hawks' bench during a timeout. As he does so, he raises his right hand and makes what looks like a tipped-over OK sign - palm down, forefinger and thumb joined in a ring, the rest of the fingers extending away from him - before teammate Brian Scalabrine corrals him and leads him away.
more stories like thisBy Monday the NBA had decided Pierce's hand sign was a "menacing gesture," and fined him $25,000 for it. The league has not gotten into specifics, but the problem, most agree, was that what Pierce did looked like a gang sign.
Sports blogs and talk shows exploded with speculation on whether the sign was a "b" for Blood (or perhaps Boston), a "bk" for Blood Killer, or just a team signal meaning "blood, sweat, and tears." Pierce, in his one public statement on the matter, denied that he was making a gang reference but didn't specify what he actually had been trying to signal. Celtics executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge said it was a "blood, sweat, and tears" sign that Pierce made often - but then became fuzzier when asked directly about the other meaning, saying he wasn't sure there was a gang connection.
That haziness might sound like a cover-up, but it's no surprise that it would be hard to tell whether Pierce was flashing a gang sign or just something that looked like one.
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
Considering that only a small percentage of high school basketball players go on to college ball, and
only a small percentage of college players go on to the NBA,
couldn’t we screen out gang members and outlaw types, and still have top notch athletes in the NBA???????
This is exactly why I don’t watch NBA games anymore. They’re all thugs.
I would think that it would be in the best interest of all league franchises to forbid anything remotely looking like gang signs. Some will see this as a free speach issue, but I’m not convinced showing someone that kids respect flashing gang signs, is something that should be protected.
Employers can set up their own rules. Make it a matter to be outlined in contracts. The players will represent the team and league in a positive light, and avoid promoting respect for gangs, or find other employment.
Paul Pierce HAS gotten into specifics. While he admits the gesture was meant to be derogatory, he denies vociferously that it was a gang sign, and had bad things to say about gangs in general.
I thought it was funny, watching the series with the Hawks from here in Atlanta, that we had a more racially diverse starting lineup than Boston.
...considering the “black mecca” status of Atlanta.
There is still an NBA. Last game I watched had Bob McAdoo in it.
LOL!
Generalizations are seldom true. Case in point - the San Antonio Spurs. A class act organization through and through.
David Stern must be so proud.
I haven’t payed attention to the NBA since the great Jerry West retired.
Does Congress count as a sport?
^5!
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