Antoine Walker Incident

Rasheed Wallace yells expletives at a referee, and supposedly the referee yells some back, and he's hit with a six game suspension.

Antoine Walker goes into the stands after a fan, and not only does the NBA not fine or suspend him, but the Celtics will revoke the fan's tickets.

NBA finds no evidence against Walker

Seems to me there's at least enough evidence to suggest an incident took place, but neither the NBA or Celtics seem to agree. Still, as long as they don't curse at referees, I guess it's OK for players to enter the stands and confront fans.

(Note: I'm not a Rasheed Wallace fan, and I have nothing against Antoine Walker. I just find it strange that the NBA is taking no action, especially given their past firm stance on these kinds of incidents.)

Afterthought: What the fan was doing wasn't admirable (heckling a player on his home team), and it's not as if there was a violent exchange. And you don't punish a player for what might have happened, or what they might have done had they not been restrained. Whether Walker did actually lay a hand on the fan has not been confirmed (though the fan maintains he did).

I'm not saying Walker should be punished, I just find it odd that the NBA is so quick to dismiss the incident - normally, they punish for even the slightest altercation.

I agree, this is fucked. I'm a wallaace fan, but i also like toine. I wish i could come up with a reason to why there was no action taken place. Maybe, and this is just speculation, the powers that be decided enough was enough with rasheed, and thats why he coped such a heavy punishment.
This reminds me of a few incident in the 2000 season. Ruben Patterson gets in a brawl at a pub, and gets a 3 game suspension. Jason kidd slaps his wife, and nothing happens.

The league admitted Sheed's punishment was due to his past behaviour, so that sort of explains/excuses his six game suspension. But it's strange that similar incidents, one alleged to involve physical contact (albeit nothing extremely violent), would be handled so differently.

Yeh its a joke. Maybe stern really wants boston to make a series out their matchup with new jersey? Who knows?

If that's the plan it backfired, as New Jersey completed the sweep.

IMO the reason why walker was not punished because of his reputation. He does'nt have bad incidents in the past i think.

Matthew you're an Antione Walker fan? *blocks Matthew on MSN*



I wish they'd mic the players, we would be able to download these kinds of confrontations off the interenet in no time, along with trash talking and players picking out which girl in the crowd they're going to pick up during warmups. Plus it would help the league with situations like this (although it might not matter if Sterny likes you).

That fan gave it to his own player, and after the way Boston had their asses handed to them, it looks almost justifiable.

Wholly crap, the whole thread and I managed not to say anything bad about Antoine Walker... just barely

Matthew you're an Antione Walker fan? *blocks Matthew on MSN*

So thats why you're not online? Huh huh huh?

I spose i have to offer a reason for liking toine
Heheh, in 97 I saw him in the rookie game, and he played well, then i heard about him having to start at centre and i never heard him bitching about it. Then he had 2 buzzer beaters in 97/98, and then he was the cover player for live 99 during the lockout and i played that game non stop and thats why i like employee number 8.

Lol, I'll be very suprised if anyone bothered to read that

The NBA should treat everyone the same.. and this doesn't look like it. But hey that's what happens with everything I guess, you can't expect something to happen just because it happened to someone else (both good or bad)

About Walker, I think he's the one holding the Celtics back, with all his threepoint shooting and his refusal to slim down to play SF. Had he done that in his first two years, I think he could've been a great player, now he's just in the mold of Shareef Abdur-Raheem, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, etc pretty good players who never made it to true stardom.

I agree with you Dan Nadzuric Walker is pretty much like those players you mentioned, and he has Paul "nipple" Pierce to contend with.

I spose i have to offer a reason for liking toine
Heheh, in 97 I saw him in the rookie game, and he played well, then i heard about him having to start at centre and i never heard him bitching about it. Then he had 2 buzzer beaters in 97/98, and then he was the cover player for live 99 during the lockout and i played that game non stop and thats why i like employee number 8.

I remember those buzzer beaters... both were very ugly fadeaways, one which went in off the glass
One thing which sticks in my mind about Antoine Walker is what Jayson Williams says about him in 'Loose Balls. It's a story about Walker saying he was gonna "teach that rookie a lesson" in reference to Keith Van Horn in 98. Walker was only in his second season. The story went something like that anyway... funny stuff

Damn sorry to go off topic

Walker's punishment should be a training session with MJ where MJ gets to call him a bunch of names

About Walker, I think he's the one holding the Celtics back, with all his threepoint shooting and his refusal to slim down to play SF. Had he done that in his first two years, I think he could've been a great player, now he's just in the mold of Shareef Abdur-Raheem, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, etc pretty good players who never made it to true stardom.

Reminds me of Jerry Spackhouse a bit. Lets just hope Vince Carter, Grant Hill dont go down that road and Penny hardaway can turn things around.

About Walker, I think he's the one holding the Celtics back, with all his threepoint shooting and his refusal to slim down to play SF. Had he done that in his first two years, I think he could've been a great player, now he's just in the mold of Shareef Abdur-Raheem, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, etc pretty good players who never made it to true stardom.

Yeah what kind of player needs to bank in a buzzer beater

One thing which sticks in my mind about Antoine Walker is what Jayson Williams says about him in 'Loose Balls. It's a story about Walker saying he was gonna "teach that rookie a lesson" in reference to Keith Van Horn in 98. Walker was only in his second season. The story went something like that anyway... funny stuff

The funniest part of that book is the beggining, when he gets drunk on the trip to pheonix, passes out, wakes up in the hotel room, sees nothing but desert and still thinks he is in new york and runs into the suns owner in his underwear asking "who droped the bomb?". heh, i had to buy that book

Speaking of this incident, even though the Celtics and the NBA aren't taking action, the fan is taking the matter to court.

Walker hearing set June 11

Interesting to see whether anything becomes of it. Also interesting to see what happens to Walker this offseason.

didnt the fan start it???

coz if he did, he doesnt really have a legit cse, considering in america your allowed to act in self defense im pretty sure of.

so Walker could just use that and it would prolly be case closed......i dont know how americas legal system works

The fan didn't actually touch Walker though - he has been yelling insults at him since Walker joined the Celtics in 1996. Wallace is supposed to have gone up to the fan and shoved him/poked him in the face.

Andrew wrote:

Wallace is supposed to have gone up to the fan and shoved him/poked him in the face.

Andrew you have shown your sub-conscious thoughts, file under Freudian Slips. This was not Rasheed Wallace as stated, this was Antoine Walker, who by all accounts did nothing to invoke a punishment. Nor does he have a history with any problems like this. As far as supposed to have doing something, that is not much of a basis for argument. You are taking some jackass' statement as fact. I saw it live on TV and it's replays, it appeared he was pointing at him, maybe touched a lunging freak. The fact is nothing became of it at all.

I wonder if all the parties involved, including the NBA offices are wrong and you are right?

Prejudice:

On one hand you believe the story of this crazy fan, on the other you do not believe a trusted veteran reporter. (see: Michael Jordan tried to steal my date.)

It's about the player, not the facts.

Actually, you're wrong. Perhaps I should have said Walker is alleged to have shoved the fan and poked him in the face - that is what is alleged to have happened. I have not "shown my subconscious thoughts".

Laddas asked what happened, I told him what I had read. I never said Walker actually did anything. I simply said what the whole matter was about, what the fan said happened, why the fan was taking the matter to court.

I wonder if all the parties involved, including the NBA offices are wrong and you are right?

I never said Walker was guilty or should be punished, as you would know had you read my first posts in this thread carefully. I was just expressing surprise that the league dismissed it so quickly, when they usually seem to make a big deal out of incidents like this.

On one hand you believe the story of this crazy fan, on the other you do not believe a trusted veteran reporter. (see: Michael Jordan tried to steal my date.)

Again, you are putting words in my mouth. I never said I believed the story, I just explained to Laddas why the fan was taking the matter to court.

It is not a Freudian slip, it's not my subconscious thought. You are simply trying to stir up trouble and cause an argument. I'd appreciate it if you didn't.

You are taking some jackass' statement as fact.

Show me where I said "This is what happened, Antoine Walker is guilty". All I said was this is what is supposedly happened, which is why the matter is going to court. I never said anything about believing the guy. You're twisting my words around and putting words in my mouth, claiming this to be a Freudian slip, just to have an argument with me.

I suggest you read things more carefully and don't jump to conclusions.

It's about the player, not the facts.

No, it's about explaining to Laddas what is alleged to have happened. I didn't see it happen, so I didn't say "This is what happened". I simply stated the allegations which I had read about. I never once said Walker was guilty of anything.

It's clear that you'll use any vehicle to take a shot at me, to try and make me look foolish and start an argument. Please don't, I'm sure we're both above all that.

paul_pierce_the_truth you are very touchy aren't you? Perhaps your antoine walker?..lol..chill man.

Guess I need to settle down a bit, too.

I assure you, I have nothing against Antoine Walker, and I don't believe I've blamed him for anything, nor said he was guilty of anything. I simply made a comment on the incident, since I found it strange that the NBA didn't pay it much attention, when normally they slap the player with some sort of reprimand, in the name of preserving their image.

My intention with my most recent post on the matter was just to say what I heard the allegations were. I didn't say I believed them, or that Walker should be punished - I'm just stating why it's going to trial.

I feel that you read my posts wrongly, or perhaps I worded them in such a way that they sounded like accusations or attacks on Antoine Walker. If that's the case, then there's been a misunderstanding. My intention in making this topic was never to condemn Antoine Walker. I don't think any of my posts say what you suggest them to be saying, but in any event, I apologise for any misunderstanding.

But please try to understand why I might get defensive or object to some of the accusations in your post.

Andrew wrote (reported, stated):

Rasheed Wallace yells expletives at a referee, and supposedly the referee yells some back, and he's hit with a six game suspension.

Antoine Walker goes into the stands after a fan, and not only does the NBA not fine or suspend him, but the Celtics will revoke the fan's tickets.

NBA finds no evidence against Walker

Seems to me there's at least enough evidence to suggest an incident took place, but neither the NBA or Celtics seem to agree. Still, as long as they don't curse at referees, I guess it's OK for players to enter the stands and confront fans.

(Note: I'm not a Rasheed Wallace fan, and I have nothing against Antoine Walker. I just find it strange that the NBA is taking no action, especially given their past firm stance on these kinds of incidents.)

Antoine Walker goes into the stands after a fan
Still, as long as they don't curse at referees, I guess it's OK for players to enter the stands and confront fans.
I just find it strange that the NBA is taking no action, especially given their past firm stance on these kinds of incidents

Are you saying Antoine Walker went into the stands?
Are you saying so long as you do not curse referees, it's ok for Antoine Walker to go into the stands, by way of League approval?
Do you find it strange the NBA is taking no action?

When you say, "he did this and the league didn't do this", that is not telling someone what was reported, sorry. That is stating that you believe something and drawing conclusions from you belief. That is the point isn't, that is why you say what you say isn't?

If you make an analogy that so long as a player doesn't curse a referee it's ok to go into the stands, are you not being sarcastic, but essentially saying he went into the stands and nothing was done, isn't that your point?

If you say you find it strange that action wasn't taken against Walker, do you at least conceed that you must first believe he did something wrong and that they are going easy on him? I mean isn't this your point?

If I am wrong, maybe I just don't understand what points you were trying to make here.

All I am saying is that when a trusted journalist reports something about his Royal Highness, it’s made up and quickly dismissed as false, but when this bonehead fan comes forward with these allegations, you reiterate them as noteworthy or at least believable enough to discuss, therefore I stand with my position that it’s the player, not the facts.

I am not just creating trouble or stirring up some noise. I am offended that you call him “Wallace”, that you dismiss the whole Jordan story, like it came from season ticket holder.

I am not throwing stones, or just looking for trouble. You have said things about a star player on my favorite team and I took his side, because you are some moderator or something this is not allowed or something, because you do not want to believe the story about Michael Jordan, you quickly chalk it up as a lie.

I am not going to just sit here and let this sort of one-sided fact reporting take place.

The fact that the Boston Celtics, David Stern and the NBA Offices did nothing about Walker is ignored by you, not that you don’t point out how strange it is for them to do nothing, you do, but you don’t draw the conclusion they draw, that I draw, that the Boston Celtics draw, you draw your conclusions directly in the face of the facts.

I am not saying he didn’t touch him, I am not saying I was standing right there, I am saying the league would have done something, which is still possible, but did not, has not and appears to be less interested than you.

I again have done nothing wrong, unless you think pointing out the views of the NBA and the Boston Celtics are wrong, or coming to the defense of a star player on my favorite team is wrong, or pointing out how easy one can dismiss a story if it involves their favorite player and how they point to a less reliable source and his wild fanatic allegations.

I am not a jerk nor am I making trouble.

Are you saying Antoine Walker went into the stands?

I was stating what was reported.

Are you saying so long as you do not curse referees, it's ok for Antoine Walker to go into the stands, by way of League approval?

No. I was saying it was interesting that the league investigated an incident involving a referee, but was quick to brush aside one involving a fan. I did not mean it is a knock on Walker, whom I have nothing against.

Also, you said nothing about this before, and my original post was made May 13th. You only posted after I mentioned the incident going to trial.

You also conveniently forgot to mention:

Afterthought: What the fan was doing wasn't admirable (heckling a player on his home team), and it's not as if there was a violent exchange. And you don't punish a player for what might have happened, or what they might have done had they not been restrained. Whether Walker did actually lay a hand on the fan has not been confirmed (though the fan maintains he did).

I'm not saying Walker should be punished, I just find it odd that the NBA is so quick to dismiss the incident - normally, they punish for even the slightest altercation.

If you make an analogy that so long as a player doesn't curse a referee it's ok to go into the stands, are you not being sarcastic, but essentially saying he went into the stands and nothing was done, isn't that your point?

I don't know how many times I have to say this. Altercations of any kind are usually a big deal for the league. I was surprised, not angered, just surprised, they didn't really think much of it. In fact, we should all be pleasantly surprised the league sided with the player for once.

If I am wrong, maybe I just don't understand what points you were trying to make here.

I'm pretty sure that's the case. I did not mean to make this topic an attack on Antoine Walker - which is why I added the afterthought after my first post.

All I am saying is that when a trusted journalist reports something about his Royal Highness, it’s made up and quickly dismissed as false, but when this bonehead fan comes forward with these allegations, you reiterate them as noteworthy or at least believable enough to discuss, therefore I stand with my position that it’s the player, not the facts

I admit, I am not familiar with the journalist that wrote that story. But I am familiar with the media, and to me it seemed like an urban myth - perhaps it was just the way it was written. I did concede that it could very well be true - but that discussion went off on a different tangent anyway, regarding tipping and charity.

I am not just creating trouble or stirring up some noise. I am offended that you call him “Wallace”, that you dismiss the whole Jordan story, like it came from season ticket holder.

Actually, this is the first time I've noticed I wrote Wallace rather than Walker. The problem is, I type quickly, I submit my message, and I return to the topic without viewing my message. Even still, it wasn't a Freudian Slip.

Walker and Wallace are pretty similar names. It's possible to make a mistake without it "revealing subconscious thought". I thought I wrote Walker. But here, you accuse me of a Freudian Slip, of trying to attack Antoine Walker. You haven't exactly taken into account the possibility that I made a human error.

I am not throwing stones, or just looking for trouble. You have said things about a star player on my favorite team and I took his side, because you are some moderator or something this is not allowed or something, because you do not want to believe the story about Michael Jordan, you quickly chalk it up as a lie.

Don't start that whole "I can't disagree with you because you're the admin" business again. In my last two posts, I have not threatened deletion - I merely asked for a peaceful resolution, one forum member to another.

I am not going to just sit here and let this sort of one-sided fact reporting take place.

As I said, I made an error, a typo, not a Freudian Slip or an attack on Antoine Walker. It's not one-sided reporting - I simply used the wrong name in my haste.

The fact that the Boston Celtics, David Stern and the NBA Offices did nothing about Walker is ignored by you, not that you don’t point out how strange it is for them to do nothing, you do, but you don’t draw the conclusion they draw, that I draw, that the Boston Celtics draw, you draw your conclusions directly in the face of the facts.

No, I'm not. I made a careless error that anyone could make if they don't re-read things carefully, something I do too often unfortunately. And like I said, in some areas, I probably used the wrong words, something I acknowledge.

I am not saying he didn’t touch him, I am not saying I was standing right there, I am saying the league would have done something, which is still possible, but did not, has not and appears to be less interested than you.

Actually, I was just trying to make conversation. I was never trying to start any arguments or demean Antoine Walker.

I again have done nothing wrong, unless you think pointing out the views of the NBA and the Boston Celtics are wrong, or coming to the defense of a star player on my favorite team is wrong, or pointing out how easy one can dismiss a story if it involves their favorite player and how they point to a less reliable source and his wild fanatic allegations.

You continue to ignore me every time I say, I'm not trying to attack Antoine Walker, I was just repeating what I had read. I never said what you did was wrong. I never threatened you because of what you posted in this thread. All I said was you got the wrong idea from my post.

I am not a jerk nor am I making trouble.

You say that a lot, but you didn't just correct me, you came out and accused me of attacking Antoine Walker and holding certain beliefs. To me, that felt like you were trying to make an argument out of a misunderstanding.

Clearly, I didn't express my point of view clearly, clearly I made a careless error typing "Wallace" instead of "Walker", and clearly I've used the wrong choice of words, which has made it appear that I hold a different point of view altogether.

I'm sure that you can appreciate human error as the cause of this misunderstanding - a genuine, accidental error.

fin

paul_pierce_the_truth you are very touchy aren't you? Perhaps your antoine walker?..lol..chill man.

I think he's the fan