Jack Nicholson joins the NBA

New.Com.AU ^ | May 11, 2003 | The Associated Press

[yankeedame]

Jack Nicholson joins the NBA
May 11, 2003

AMERICAN Actor Jack Nicholson apparently got swept up in the playoff drama between the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers, stepping onto the court and screaming at a referee during a Western Conference game.

Nicholson reacted last night shortly after Lakers star Shaquille O'Neal was called for his third foul in the second quarter, yelling at Mark Wunderlich during a break in the action.

"I pay a lot of money for this seat," Nicholson said at halftime.

"This is the NBA, you can't tell me to sit down."

Nicholson said nobody from security spoke with him, and he was back at his courtside seat as the second half began.

"Give me five, Jack," actress Dyan Cannon told Nicholson. "Thank you. He needed that."

Nicholson and Cannon are two of the Lakers' most visible fans.

The three-time defending champions defeated San Antonio 110-95 last night to cut the Spurs' lead to 2-1 in the best-of-seven second-round series.

The Associated Press

[Wolfie]

Screaming at the refs is nothing new. Stepping onto the court is nice. Rank hath its privileges.

[Hatteras]

"You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?"

[Charles Henrickson]

Nicholson points to ref's whistle and yells:

"You can't handle the toots!"

[dwilli]

They've got their games mixed up. O'Neal only had two fouls
all game Sunday. Walton even made a sarcastic remark about it.

[smith288]

I ask that of all my prey... I just like the sound of it.

[TomB]

The three-time defending champions defeated San Antonio 110-95 last night to cut the Spurs' lead to 2-1 in the best-of-seven second-round series.

The Associated Press

More scintillating reporting by the AP.

The series is tied 2-2.

I HATE the NBA, and I knew that.

[mad puppy]

Jez Jack, go lay an egg in your CooCoos nest

[mr.pink]

Rank hath its privileges.

Yeah. Something tells me if joe six pack tried this one it wouldn't be considered charming.

I'm a big fan of Jack, and he sure is a true Laker fan, but I'd have loved it if the ref had knocked him on his @ss.

[Numbers Guy]

O'Neal only had two fouls all game Sunday. Walton even made a sarcastic remark about it.

So did my Dad. NBA officiating is a joke. Robinson fouls out and Shaq gets only two fouls?

It's common conventional wisdom, supported by the statistics, that road teams get called for far more fouls than do home teams.

One question: Why?

And let's not even get talking about how ridiculously long the games are. NHL playoff games, 60 minutes long, now, thanks to the quick drop face-off rule, run about 2 1/2 hours. NBA games, 48 minutes long, are slotted for 2 1/2 hours, but now run about 2:45.

People can talk all they want about how boring baseball is, but there's nothing more boring than watching players slowly shuffle to the free throw line (or taking 60 seconds to get back to action after a "20-second" time out). Free throws are like having 30 pitching changes per game.

[D. Brian Carter]

I wouldn't mind watching for 2:45 if everyone didn't SUCK. The NBA game is just plain boring to watch, and it's infuriating to see players getting multimillions who can't hit 75% of their free throws, plod up and down the court, and who have no concept of the word defense. I much prefer taking in a local high school game, with it's focus on the fundamentals and roots of the game, and where traveling and carrying the ball are still not allowed. But I'm just an old grouch.

[Charles Henrickson]

[cincinnati65]

"I pay a lot of money for this seat," Nicholson said at halftime.

"This is the NBA, you can't tell me to sit down."

Hollywood mentality, sheez.....

[PISANO]

Love Jack as an actor, but just because he can afford to pay a hefty price for a courtside seat doesn't give him special privileges, or rights that the rest of us don't have.......ahhh..ohhh...never mind...yeah...it does. There are definitely different rules for different players, how silly of me to think otherwise.

Hollywood........ Americas' royalty!

[OXENinFLA]

"I didn't pay $500 for my seat just so a ref could tell me what to do"

[Buckwheats]

That's why it's now known as the NRBA...Not Really Basketball Association.

[GalaxieFiveHundred]

Full court press!

[Charles Henrickson]

[ewing]

[dwilli]

I tuned in the game late. At 5:26 PM the game had 9 minutes
and change to go. The game lasted until a few minutes past
6 PM.