Le Basketbawl

Since taking over “The House That New York Vinnie Built” Le Basketbawl I have worked for two gentleman who have been reporters covering sports for a combined total of over a quarter of a century. Both these men have interviewed every big name in Professional Sports and between them they have covered World Series games, NBA Finals and the Super Bowl. These two guys are Frickin solid they have forgotten more about sports than your old pal New York Vinnie will ever know.

New York Vinnie asked one these reporters in an off the record conversation his reaction to Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas and his team each getting fined $25,000 for Arenas not speaking to the media during the preseason. Because the conversation was off the record the reporter’s name shall not be mentioned by New York Vinnie. However the reporter said he was truly surprised that in his years covering the NBA many players had chosen not to speak after games during the regular season and it was just accepted as common practice.

This reporter told New York Vinnie that an MLB player he covered on a daily basis did not speak to the media for three straight seasons. In none of these situations was there ever any talk of any fine or punishment for a player not talking to reporters. The reporter told New York Vinnie that is just part of the life of being a Sports Reporter.

Having never covered a pro team that is what New York Vinnie assumed but that conversation confirmed my beliefs. Which leads New York Vinnie to ask why is the Frickin NBA Front Office fining a player and the player’s team for not talking to the press during the Frickin preseason? 

Now New York Vinnie can understand that the NBA requires every player to  talk to reporters on the first day of camp known as Media Day. It is a Frickin “Dog And Pony Show” that the NBA puts together to get its teams some positive press. New York Vinnie can understand requiring players to talk if they are on the NBA All-Star team or in the NBA Finals. These are both showcase events for the league they want everything to go smooth. Possibly you could convince New York Vinnie that if a team makes the NBA Playoffs  they have to talk; although I lean the other way on that.

However fining a player for not talking after a Frickin Exhibition Game? That is supposed to make Frickin sense? Wednesday the “Washington Post“  which New York Vinnie has always thought of as a class newspaper with a great Sports department made a big deal that Arenas spoke to the media for a total of 95 seconds. Sorry New York Vinnie just really does not get this!

Gilbert Arenas has been hurt for the last three years and is finally healthy and ready to play this season. So Arenas gave up his blogging and his “Agent Zero” Identity so he could focus on his job; playing basketball.  New York Vinnie commends Arenas for doing this and the Frickin Washington Press Corp and the NBA Front Office condemn him for doing it. Which makes more sense?

Instead of worrying about Gilbert Arenas Commissioner Stern why don’t you worry about your Frickin problem with the referees? David Stern is starting to act too much like “Big Brother” for New York Vinnie’s comfort level. Don’t sweat the small stuff Comish otherwise you miss the big crisis when it shows up!