For those of you unfamiliar, Rick Welts, the team President of the Phoenix Suns decided this weekend that he wouldn't hide his sexual orientation anymore. He's gay.
What someone does with their personal life on their personal time should neither be an issue or a detriment. And Rick Welts happens to be very good at his job.
But in the NBA, where Kobe Bryant calls a referee a "Faggot" and former player Tim Hardaway says "I hate gay people", the situation may be a bit different.
Welts spoke to the New York Daily News about why he decided to come out--mostly to help inspire young athletes who could potentially be in his situation and the difficulty of keeping his secret for nearly 40 years. It's a really interesting story.
The quote that is a bit disappointing to us is this: "It's just a topic not really spoken about in our industry. It's kind of out-of-step with where our society is today."
He's right. And it is kind of sad. But it is oh so very true that on the internet, in the stands and in the locker room, this is going to be an issue. He's going to get called names and looked at differently. It's what people do. Particularly in places like the internet where it can be done in anonymity.
We really hope for the day where something like this is a non-issue. It shouldn't matter what someone's sexual orientation is. Does anyone really think that Rick Welts or anyone else is running around the locker room trying to see guys get cleaned up and hoping to attack them? Do they really think it matters as to whether he's good at or qualified for his job?
Yeah, we know the locker room is an odd place with "Un-written" rules. It always will be. But the NBA and other sports need to get over themselves and act like grown ups. Kinda like Rick Welts is.
We give you some video of the Suns, who struggled this past season: (NBA.com)
The New Times' Barry Friedman lets us know that, according to his sources, Phoenix Suns point guard extraordinaire Steve Nash is retiring November 15 to pursue a career in Canadian politics.
He and his agent have informed Suns management he's leaving the team permanently.
This really is no surprise to the HQ, but the immediacy of the end game- if proven to be true- certainly would be.
From Friedman:
A week ago, Nash and his agent met with Suns officials to inform them of his plans. Like Nash himself, the meeting was relatively short. There was no hidden agenda. It wasn't a ploy for more money or a contract extension. It was a simple statement — he was quitting basketball to enter Canadian politics.
Nash, according to the article, offered to clean out his locker immediately so both parties could move on, but Suns owner Robert Sarver has convinced Nash, in the interim, to hang on for the next two weeks...
Talk about "two weeks notice..." Obviously, the Suns have gone into the equivalent of total and complete radio silence on the issue...
More when we know more...
UPDATE: FOSG AJ Daulerio sent us a note back saying the following:
"Satire. Satire. Satire."
So, then, what is it...??? Breaking News or Broken Satire...???
Especially, since you read the last paragraph and it says...
Boston's Big Shamroq said, "Without Professor Nash, basketball is never going to be as pure and beautiful again, and for that, I am upset to the highest level of upset-tivity."
Yeah, okay, the HQ got busted... Barry Friedman is now the new Orson Welles... Either this is really good enterprise reporting, or it's spoof-tastic...
Thursday UPDATE: The Suns felt compelled to address the article through a press release Thursday morning...
"A humorous article has been published by the Phoenix New Times joking that Steve Nash is retiring to enter Canadian politics. We want our fans to rest easy. THIS IS A HOAX!! Happily, Steve continues to be a member of our team."
The exception is kind of like an insurance policy against any salary cap overage.
Whatever Childress is signed to on a per-year basis, the Hawks can use half of that number to count toward matching any salary figures if another trade or free agent signing doesn't match up just right...
Barbosa and Dwayne Jones to Toronto for Turkoglu. The Raptors then send Jones and their trade exception to Charlotte for Boris Diaw. The Hawks have to have Childress opt out of his Greek contract with Olympiakos before Wednesday to make all of this work.
Steve Kerr will not return as president and general manager of the Phoenix Suns next season.
According to reports by KTAR ((the ABC affiliate in Phoenix)), Kerr's contract is up June 30 and he will most likely return to work on television. He worked previously with TNT, and this could just be a Doug Collins-for-Steve Kerr trade before all is said and done.
The move will, apparently, give Kerr more time with his family in San Diego. Kerr will stay with the Suns through the June 24th NBA draft.
Here's some of Kerr's handiwork... as a player... Don't know if there's any handiwork of Kerr as a GM... Yes, that line was too easy... ((HT: NBA/NBA TV/Austin3sixteen
Los Angeles police say several dozen people waving signs and American flags were outside Staples Center before the Lakers-Phoenix Suns game in a protest over Phil Jackson's refusal to criticize Arizona's new anti-immigration law- SB 1070.
Los Angeles police officer Karen Rayner says that no one was arrested.
Jackson released a statement Monday responding to criticism of what he said back on May 4th, saying he has "respect" for those who are opposing the new law. He said he hoped his statement would not be used by either side to rally activists.
The HQ ain't holding their breath on that one...
KTLA's Dave Mecham was outside Staples for the breakdown...
And here's your first-half highlights when the Lake Show led by 7... ((HT: TNT/NBA))
Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut was injured on a hard fall underneath the basket in the second quarter in Saturday night's game against Phoenix.
He suffered a right elbow injury, according to the Bucks Media Relations Department, and was taken to Aurora Sinai Medical Center in Milwaukee for more tests after being examined by the Bucks' orthopedic physician Michael Gordon.
Bogut was taken away in an ambulance early in the second half. Four people were needed to lift him onto a chair, and he was still dressed in his Bucks uniform as the ambulance drove off.
Bucks head athletic trainer Marc Boff was helping Bogut as he left the arena.
Sunday morning, Charles Gardner of the the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel revealed Bogut is lost to the Bucks for the season with a dislocated right elbow, sprained wrist and broken right hand. He would likely undergo surgery immediately.
Here's the push from Amare Stoudamire and subsequent fall... It's not pretty...
"It was nasty," said Bucks guard Luke Ridnour. "It popped all the way out. I don't know the extent of his injury but it didn't look real good that's for sure. It was not pretty at all."
"I didn't feel there was any intent or anything there," Bucks head coach Scott Skiles said. "I know when a player goes airborne, they try to take special care that nobody touches him at all, in that type of vulnerable state.
"In looking at it, I felt like Amare was kind of stopped on the play. It was awkward. Bogues was going with so much momentum and got caught up in the air there.
"We were near it and we could see it, we could see the elbow injury."
The Bucks are trying to solidify a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference... their magic number is now two after the win over the Suns.
Ok. Our friends at "The Big Lead" actually tweeted about this, so we can't take credit for finding it ourselves. However, we really think it is funny and we think that Phoenix Suns Guard Steve Nash may have a future after he is done with basketball.
The ad is a spot for VitaminWater, a product that we...or at least me thinks is rather overrated and not very good. But we give them mad props for coming up with this campaign...
The Cleveland Cavaliers are close to acquiring center Shaquille O'Neal in a trade that would pair him with MVP LeBron James, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com confirmed early Thursday morning.
The Cavs and Phoenix Suns have reached an agreement in principle on the deal, which gives the Cavaliers two of the league's biggest superstars.
O'Neal will join Cleveland in exchange for center Ben Wallace, guard Sasha Pavlovic, a second-round draft pick (No. 46 overall in Thursday's draft). The league still must approve the deal.
The trade, which the sides had been discussing for months, gives the Suns financial flexibility in the future. O'Neal has just one season left on a $20 million contract and Wallace, who ended last season saying he may retire, is in the final year of a $14 million deal.
The Suns save $10 million on the deal, half of it by lowering their payroll below the luxury tax limit. They plan to buy out Pavlovic, who has $1.5 million of his $4.95 million contract guaranteed.
Phoenix, which also gets $500,000 in cash from the Cavs, might save even more if Wallace decides to accept a buyout. The big center reportedly is considering retirement after battling injuries the last few seasons.
Owner Robert Sarver, whose banking and real estate interests have suffered greatly in the economic downturn, said last Saturday that he didn't mind paying a luxury tax for a good team. But Phoenix failed to make the playoffs, and the Suns are in the midst of what amounts to a rebuilding effort.
In Cleveland, O'Neal could be the missing piece for James to win a first championship. The 7-foot hoops icon known best as "Shaq" but by many other aliases, certainly gives the city a surge of star power.
O'Neal's addition also provides Cleveland with some much needed size in its frontcourt. The Cavs couldn't stop Orlando center Dwight Howard in the Eastern Conference finals, losing the series in six games and seeing a 66-win regular season and deep playoff run come up short.
O'Neal can still bang inside, which is why Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry tried to acquire him before the trading deadline in February.
The Suns were a West-leading 34-14 when they acquired O'Neal in February 2008. He averaged 17.8 points and 8.4 rebounds last season and appeared in his 15th All-Star Game, stealing the show with a goofy dance during pregame introductions at U.S. Airways Center.
O'Neal answered to "the Big Cactus" in the desert, but the plodding 7-1, 325-pounder seemed a strange fit with the up-tempo Suns.
Popular coach Mike D'Antoni, who reportedly pushed management to acquire Shaq, left at the end of O'Neal's first season. D'Antoni was replaced by Terry Porter, who was fired in midseason after a failed attempt to get the team to play better defense.
The Suns won one playoff game in O'Neal's 1½ seasons -- and last spring they failed to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2004.
Soon after the season ended, speculation began to grow that the club was looking to deal O'Neal while his trade value was still high.
The Suns might not be finished with big trades. All-Star Amare Stoudemire, who can opt out of his contract, also is being mentioned prominently in potential deals.
With James' potential free agency looming after next season, the Cavaliers feel an even greater sense of urgency to win the city's first pro sports championship since 1964. By bringing in O'Neal, they have again demonstrated to the 24-year-old James that they're willing to make bold moves while keeping themselves in good financial position.
If the O'Neal-James pairing doesn't work out, the Cavs might be able to trade the perennial All-Star next February and would have more money to spend in the Summer of 2010 on what is being called the greatest free-agency class in league history.
James and O'Neal have known each other for years. When James was a high school phenom in Akron, Ohio, O'Neal attended one of his games and the two have remained close. James has often wondered what it would be like to play with a center of O'Neal's stature.
He's about to find out.
ESPN's John Anderson asks Chris Broussard what he thinks of the whole deal...
A potential Suns trade that would send center Shaquille O'Neal to Cleveland to help LeBron James' title quest is heating up again after the idea was put on a back burner following February talks. The parts of the possible deal remain the same. Phoenix would send O'Neal to Cleveland for veteran power forward Ben Wallace, who is considering retirement, and reserve guard Sasha Pavlovic, whose final contract year is not fully guaranteed.
With O'Neal's $20 million salary (but a $21 million salary-cap number due to a trade kicker), the trade could save the Suns $9.9 million or even more if Wallace wants a buyout. The trade would save the Suns $3.1 million in payroll and projected luxury tax. Cutting Pavlovic, who has $1.5 million guaranteed in his final contract year's $4.95 million salary, could save another $6.8 million in payroll and tax.
Wallace, 34, also is entering the final year of his deal, which would pay him $14 million. He is coming off an injury-marred season that was his most unproductive in 14 seasons. Wallace would consider a buyout, but Cleveland could use him as a trade chip, particularly to get O'Neal to counter Dwight Howard, whose Orlando Magic ousted the 66-16 Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals.
If the Suns acquired and bought out Wallace, they would save more than the $9.9 million that a deal and Pavlovic waiver would save.
Trade interest in O'Neal, 37, has been strong after he was an All-NBA third-team selection this season. He played 75 games, his most in nine seasons, and averaged 17.8 points and 8.4 rebounds with a career-best 60.9 field-goal percentage. He has the most NBA field-goal percentage titles (10) in NBA history, one more than Wilt Chamberlain (nine).
There has been trade interest in all four returning Suns starters, but the Suns have stated an intention to keep point guard Steve Nash, who is holding off on extension talks to see how the Suns tweak the roster. He has said the team needs more-active big men. Nash had some difficulty incorporating O'Neal's post-up game after running a system based on his skills, and the pair were a particularly weak pick-and-roll defensive combination.
Wallace has lost athleticism, but the four-time Defensive Player of the Year still could be a defensive upgrade for Phoenix. After averaging 2.9 points (worst since his rookie year) and 6.5 rebounds (worst since 1997-98) this season in 56 pain-laden games, Wallace averaged 1.1 points and 2.7 rebounds in the playoffs. He suffered a broken leg and a sprained knee during the regular season.
Pavlovic, 25, is a six-year pro whose role was reduced but still hit a career-best 41 percent on 3-pointers. Pavlovic averaged 4.6 points per game as he went in and out of the rotation, going from a scoreless, 25-minute Game 3 against Orlando to six total minutes in the series' final three games.
Photo Courtesy: Andrew D. Bernstein/National Basketball Association/Getty Images
Everyone wants to be a sportscaster. Now Terrell Owens took the chair in Buffalo at WKBW-TV.
Nothing like getting a egomaniac wide receiver to talk about himself on camera to the local Bills fans. No that won't go to his head. So much for being humble by the Cowboys.
On a related note, ShaquilleO'Neal is working on his post playing career and Shaq wants to be a sportscaster to. Shaq is taking a sports broadcasting class at Syracuse University, who has produced Bob Costas, Marv Albert, Dick Stockton and many others who I can't think of right now.
Monday Shaq began classes in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. The class is taught by ESPN play - by - play broadcaster Dave Ryan who works in any event that's a time buy for the network, (Lacrosse, celebrity bowling, you know the drill.)
The Shaq'caster is taping mock stand ups, scripting and learning how do conduct interviews.
Any guess which network Shaq will be working for after he retires? I'll spot you 4 letters.
From the NBA their own selves... "Zach Randolph of the Los Angeles Clippers has been suspended two games without pay for striking Louis Amundson of the Phoenix Suns in the face, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.
The incident, in which Randolph was assessed a Technical Foul and was also ejected, occurred with 32.3 seconds remaining in the first quarter of the Suns 140-100 victory over the Clippers at US Airways Center on Feb. 17.
Randolph will begin serving his suspension tonight when the Clippers host the Suns at Staples Center."
Thanks for being under control and even more thanks for losing to the Suns by 40. Well played, Zach...
"The Phoenix Suns today announced that the team has relieved Terry Porter of his head coaching duties. Alvin Gentry, a Suns assistant coach since 2004, will assume the role of interim head coach. “I hired Terry because I believed he would be able to provide the balance our team needed in order to perform at a very high level. Unfortunately the transition from last season to this one proved to be very difficult, and we have not played to our potential. It’s imperative that we move forward and do what’s best for our team. Alvin has been an integral part of our successes the previous four years and knows our talent as well as anyone,” said Suns President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Steve Kerr.
A 29-year coaching veteran, Gentry originally joined the Suns staff as an assistant on June 1, 2004, and has served in that position the last four-plus seasons as Phoenix posted the winningest four-year stretch in franchise history. Gentry takes the reins as head coach of his fourth NBA team after stints with the Los Angeles Clippers (2000-03), Detroit Pistons (1997-2000) and Miami Heat (1995) in which he compiled a 177-226 (.439) career record. Gentry’s 1998-99 Pistons earned a playoff berth. In 2001-02, his second season with the Clippers, he guided Los Angeles to an improbable 39-43 (.476) record, the team’s highest win total in nearly 10 seasons, a season after leading the club to a 16-win improvement in 2000-01, his rookie campaign with the club.
In 20 seasons in the NBA, Gentry has worked alongside or under some of the game’s most respected coaches, including Larry Brown, Kevin Loughery and Doug Collins. The 53-year-old Gentry received his first assistant coaching job in the NBA under Brown with the San Antonio Spurs in 1988-89 after serving under Brown with the 1988 NCAA Champion Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball team.
Porter was named the 13th head coach in Suns franchise history on June 9, 2008. In 51 games this season, Phoenix compiled a 28-23 (.549) record and currently sits in ninth place in the Western Conference."
First, the Association couldn't get out of All-Star weekend without firing the host coach. The Suns have fired Terry Porter ((pictured, thanks Dierdre Hamill/Arizona Republic)) and are replacing him with Alvin Gentry.
Second, with everyone now healthy on the roster and still a boat load of issues, the Pittsburgh Penguins have fired head coach Michel Therrien ((pictured, thanks Peter Diana/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)) and replaced him with minor-league coach Dan Bylsma. Bylsma, coach of the team's AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, will be interim coach with 25 games remaining in the NHL season. Even with standouts Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, the Penguins have struggled to a 27-25-5 record this season and have the 10th-best record in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins lost to the Detroit Red Wings in six games in last year's Stanley Cup Finals.
If you saw the game on HNIC Saturday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs where Jason Blake looked more like Darryl Sittler, once the Leafs took the lead- the Pens caved losing 6-2.
So much for having guys like Sergei Gonchar and Ruslan Fedotenko back healthy. The Therrien move had been rumored for quite some time as the thought was that Therrien had lost the locker room as far back as the first of the year.
The locker room could not be reached for comment...
