The Hyporcrisy of we, the hoop fan

The "Basketball for Thought" is a commentary by Kris Gardner.

March 1997

We basketball fans are a hypocritical, yet amusing, group. From varying degrees of star treatment for specific players on specific teams to mutinies by entire rosters, basketball fans seemingly run the gamut of emotions.

First, every (not almost) NBA player travels. Traveling is a violation in which the player takes more steps than allowed (2) without dribbling, or at the end of a dribble, or lifts or drags the pivot foot. As a result, Hakeem Olajuwon's famed "Dream Shake" is a travel. Grant Hill travels when he shakes and bakes, or as it is known today, breaks ankles of an opponent out of his shoes. And of course, the King of the NBA's Traveling All - Stars, New York Knicks center Patrick Ewing, travels just about every time he has the ball in the low post. Yes, Pat you, too, do travel.

Ironically, fans in these 3 specific cities will fight to the proverbial death that their stars never, ever travel. Only the opponents travel -- right, Utah Jazz fans. Jazz fans scream, cry, moan, and groan every time Hakeem gets the ball in the low post when he visits the city of Salt Lake and competes against their beloved Jazz. This, of course, is to the chagrin and amazement of Rockets' fans. Different fans see many things quite differently.

Second, why is there star treatment? Michael Jordan, or as New Jersey Nets' forward, Xavier McDaniel, calls him, "Black Jesus" gets more preferential treatment than seemingly any other player on the planet.

Why?

Detroit Pistons' personnel have begun complaining to league officials that Grant Hill is getting roughed up entirely too much. Pistons' coach Doug Collins has stated if the NBA wants to hitch its wagon to the game's next "chosen one", Hill must be protected. Why? No player ever believes he committed a foul, ever. These players put on acts that would make Dustin Hoffman or Tom Cruise shake their heads each time a referee blows the whistle on them.

Why?

The NBA is all about entertainment. Fans want to see the game's premier players compete as much as possible. In every city, fans complain their star players don't get the "calls" like so and so in another city. Funny, whatever happened to a foul being a foul.

Third, the Orlando Mutineers, oops, Magic were booed by their hometown fans for 2 games immediately after the team forced the front office to fire head coach Brian Hill. However, the club is now 12 - 3 under Richie Adubato and the team has returned to being the toast of Orlando's sports life.

Furthermore, to continue the twists of irony, the Magic front office likely won't hire Adubato as the long term coach because they want to hire a marquee name like Chuck Daly or Phil Jackson. Does anyone believe Daly or Jackson will take the job without complete control in order to cease and desist any future mutiny? The Magic players have played their trump card once. It won't (or should I say shouldn't?) work in the future. However, winning apparently cures all and, as always, fans will be fans.