I hate to give the L*kers ANY kind of publicity when 40-50% of the conversation in the media is already about them even in years they stink, but I guess I've just read one too many stories about Phil Jackson ranting about the refs, such as this one by the great Dan Wetzel.
OK...history lesson for those who haven't followed. Phil Jackson has exactly two tricks in his bag: winning and whining. Having been given some of the greatest talent the league has ever known he's won nine championships. You can't take that away from him. He's excelled when coaching top guys. That's his specialty. But EVERY time his team loses a serious game--a game where he and his team got in over their heads and couldn't correct it--Jackson will pin it on the refs. He's done this for years, game after game, series after series, including in series against the Blazers that the L*kers eventually ended up winning. It's as predictable as the sun rising in the East.
You will recall, of course, that this is the same franchise and coach who benefitted from 25 free throws taken in the fourth quarter of an elimination Game 6 against the Kings back in 2001-02. Does anyone recall a peep coming out of his mouth then? Any empathy for the opposition? Even a mention that gosh, that was odd and we were fortunate? Of course not, because apparently blowing whistles for your team at a pace to make 100 free throw attempts per game is well-deserved. But when you lose...that's another story, isn't it Phil?
Guess what coach? You lost. You lost! That's it. That's all. End of story. You haven't even lost the series yet, just a couple games on the road! You can't face a two game losing streak without having to pin the blame on someone else? You have to throw a tantrum at a podium, refuse to acknowledge the opposing coach, and purposely make fun of opponents' names?
Do all the rest of us a favor and keep that crap to yourself and have just a thimbleful of graciousness in defeat just as opposing coaches have had to do for you, even in the face of questionable whistles (cough, cough Shaq forearm...cough, cough Jordan push-off). If you're going to be one of the best coaches in history, one who prides himself on his mystical focus and philosophy, you might want to start acting like it.
--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)