Last night I went to the Knicks/Lakers game (January 20th at MSG) and was dismayed to find out that Kobe was suspended for a play in which he elbowed Manu Ginobili in the waning moments of the Lakers Spurs game on January 28th. http://www.aolsportsblog.com/2007/01/30/kobe-suspended-for-playing-defense/
No foul was called on the play in question, Kobe called it accidental and Manu said he couldn't say if he thought it was inentional or not. In typical NBA fashion, providing no notice or time to apppeal before the game, the league suspended Kobe hours before the game. If you live in New York and hope to see Kobe this season, this was your one shot, as it's the only time the Lakers will appear at the Garden this season.
The NBA claims, "This is all about the safety of our players in the workplace." Personally, I think the NBA should take a little more of the fans interests to heart. Kobe, and other great players that have the potential to inspire a sense of awe, are a major reason why myself and many fans shell out $100's of dollars to go see NBA games.
If this were a blatant and purposeful strike from Kobe against Ginobili, I think fans would understand the need to penalize him. However in this instance, both Kobe and fans like me were shocked. We all pay a lot of money so NBA players can make a lot more money... if every once and awhile a player gets a bloody nose, I am not really that concerned.
As Phil Jackson put it (though admittedly he has a self-interest here) , for Kobe "to miss this game cheats the fans."
To add insult to injury, MSG has a new policy this season prohibiting outside food. In addition to Kobe being barred from entering the Garden, my turkey sandwhich was kept outside as well. It's good to know that security guards seemed more interested in finding sandwhiches than finding actual threats to safety. One might think this policy could be listed on the ticket, perhaps even next to the $8.40 Ticketmaster surcharge, but it is nowhere to be found.
If you think the NBA should take the fans interest more to heart, please contact the league to register your disatisfaction. As you may expect, the NBA does not make it easy to complain. The only way two ways to contact them are by email at the following link
http://www.nba.com/email_us/
or by regular mail at:
The National Basketball Association, Attn: Fan Services, 645 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10022.
Also, please pass this blog around and add to the comments below. Thanks.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
10 comments:
Thank the lord someone has finally taken a stand! I was at the same game, after saving up all year to see Kobe in his once-a-year NYC appearance, my heart was broken last night. Furthermore, the only reason I got my turkey sandwhich in was because i stuffed it down my pants. Thank goodness the MSG security hasn't yet taken to pat-downs.
I just wanted to boo Kobe when he came on... I couldn't even do that.
Now here is a fan with to much free time on his hands. Dude, get a job and get over it. #1. Kobe is lucky he is allowed to play in the NBA. If his accuser in the rape case did not drop the charges and settle with civil damages the guy would be wearing stripes and rotting in a prison cell. I agree the guy can play ball, but come on guy clean up your act. #2. The MSG argument is on a completely diffferent track and should be left out of your NBA story all together. Make a new blog for it, it has nothing to do with the NBA. #3. Paying $100s of for tix. Come on, shame on you. These guys are worth that much. You could go to a prison for free and see the same skill level.
I agree its about time that the people take a stand. If "Golden Child" Wade made the same so-called foul, the NBA would have thought it a misfortunate event and let him go on his merry way. Yet, since it was Kobe they suddenly have a zero tolerance policy for such mistakes. Ridiculous!
As for the sandwich incident, I was able to sneak in an open water bottle in my bag to the game. They dont know what could have been in there. However, a turkey sandwich is a turkey sandwich, no matter how you slice it!!
In regards to the post from the second "anonymous," if you are going to criticize me, come up with a better posting name.
Let's live in reality for a moment: Kobe is in the NBA and not in prison as the racist in you might hope. Given that, he should have been at the game.
As for MSG, it's all part of the NBA money-making machine and one way or another my $7 hotdog and $7 bottle of bud is working to line the pockets of David Stern and NBA players. It's part of the NBA experience, so I'll hold the NBA accountable for actions of the venue.
First of all, let me say that you could think Kobe is a dirt-bag and not be racist. Secondly, DavidSternOwesMe$$$$, please do not bag on my future husband.
Now to the issue at hand... Yeah, I don't really care. I'm not a Lakers fan or a Kobe fan. And I used to like Phil Jackson, but only when he coached the Bulls. Really nbadoesnotcare, I thought people only watched Los Angeles basketball to see the Laker Girls.
i sold m+m's on the 2 train for 6 months just to get seats in the 400's, and it is a travesty that kobe was held out of action. I've been searching for a cause ever since i spilled ketchup on my darfur sweatshirt......I think we should unite against the evil david stern, and bring the NBA back to the people. I will be selling purple and gold wristbands on St. Marks, come get one if you want to help spread the word......(turkey sandwiches welcome)
While I can certainly understand your initial feelings of outrage over the nba's questionable decision to suspend kobe, ultimately you have to face the fact that this is part of the risk in purchasing a ticket to an nba game. as a lifelong fan of allen iverson, there have been too many occasions where i have gone to see knicks-sixers and celtics-sixers games in nyc and boston, only to find out that allen has been suspended for various reasons. yeah, it sucks.
now that iverson has been traded, are sixers fans entitled to season ticket refunds? how about if i am a lifelong chris webber fan? now that he has been released by the sixers, am i entitled to a season ticket refund? what if i buy season tickets because i am a kyle korver fanatic and he is traded...what is my recourse? whose personal interests do you draw the line at? if the lakers decided to hold kobe out for this one game so as to rest him because of a minor ankle injury, would you also want your money back? who would you demand it from...the lakers?
i disagree with the suspension. but it is part of the inherent risk involved in purchasing a ticket for a team game when your desire is only to see one individual on that team. injuries and suspensions are part of the game...buyer beware
Okaycantor... You missed the entire point of the blog. I think fans understand the risks involved with respect to players health, potential of being traded and even circumstances where they may be legitametly suspended.
In this case, I think the league acted rashly, harshly, unfairly, etc and did not hold the fans interests to heart. Plain and simple. That's the issue and nothing more.
We all understand risk and you even indicate that you agree with my sentiment: "i disagree with the suspension."
I am willing to take certain risks, but risks that the NBA ignores my interests entirely are not risks I feel I should have to take.
nbadoesnotcare...first of all, lets be honest, you did not pay $100's of dollars to see the game.
second, if the nba had cancelled the lakers-knicks game for some "stupid" reason, then they would be ignoring your interests entirely. but, you still got to see the lakers-knicks and that is what you paid for. that is what your ticket said. the nba did not take that away from you. the nba did not even take away your turkey sandwich.
i have a suggestion....next time you only want to pay to see a basketball game if one player participates or pay to go to a dance club only if they play the number one hit song or pay to ride the subway only if you get a specific seat, contact the seller and impose conditions on your purchase based on "your interests." That could be part two of your blog. let me know how that turns out...
Post a Comment