WE HAVE OUR FIRST FINE!

I knew someone was going to get a fine or something in this finals series and your winner is.................Gary Payton!

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2 ... id=1817581

I'm pretty sure he is mad because he was the only Laker starter to play all 82 games and he had to play alot of games and lead the team. If he stop whining and play some ball then he can get some stuff done. I mean scoring 3 pts in 31 mins doesnt get you nowhere. I would really like for the Pistons to beat the Lakers in this series and that way I know for sure that GP is leaving. I hate to say who else will leave

How lame is that, so what if he didnt feel like talking, tch...stupid NBA.

That is just sad. He has his own free will of he wants to do.

stupid NBA

Last edited by Jay-Peso on Thu Jun 10, 2004 4:47 am, edited 1 time in total.

I think he should have his own free will too. It's just like when right after the game they are forced to speak. Those players played their hearts out, and they're dying to get to the shower, but they have to stop and answer all these questions, some of them they don't want to answer.

I feel sorry for GP... he doesn't fit well in the triangle, has a paycut, and his playing time is severely shortened... I wish he'd have a breakout game and dominate.

fined for not addressing the media.... that's....

poo

Just wait when someone passes over (and maybe dies) from standing asking questions, things will change.

On one hand, I can understand the NBA always fines players for not being available to the media at certain times, but it would be fairer to allow the players to say "I have no comment" and leave it at that. On the other hand, if players didn't have to make themselves available to the media, some probably never would.

And all of u thoght China was bad!... I thought ppl get their own right to talk or not... isnt a free country?! The NBA sucks! lol Joking!

Yeah, like they are multi millionaires thanks to basketball and NBA and they can't stop just to answer some questions...please

Yeah, like they are multi millionaires thanks to basketball and NBA and they can't stop just to answer some questions...please

Thats what I think too.
The media stuff is part of their job. You don't always do what you want to earn money, and they're much more than well-paid.
I can lose my job if I'm on the phone and I hang up on a customer, or if I'm late for job.
That's what Payton did. He told the reporters he'd be back, but he did not come back.

And all of u thoght China was bad!... I thought ppl get their own right to talk or not... isnt a free country?! The NBA sucks! lol Joking!

Very bad comparison

Yeah, like they are multi millionaires thanks to basketball and NBA and they can't stop just to answer some questions...please

Once in awhile, if you're not feeling upto it, let it go. Sheesh...the guy was just not in the mood for talk, so he went home. After a grueling loss to a good team, not playing your best game, I would want to go home to the comfort of my wife/bed. To fine him because of that, is lame.

well i guess it was the fact that he lied and said he would be out in a minute or somethin like that he said, made them fine him. he couldve just said i dont wanna speak right now and they MAY have left him alone.

as for him getting playing time, i feel sorry for him as well because when there wasnt no kobe, shaq or malone, he was averaging around 20 ppg so if you give him enough touches then he can do alot. i also feel sorry for him because he got those blisters in his butt for sittin on that oak for too long

well i guess it was the fact that he lied and said he would be out in a minute or somethin like that he said, made them fine him. he couldve just said i dont wanna speak right now and they MAY have left him alone.

Last time I checked, US was a free country, people still have the right to change their mind. Maybe he decided to not go through with the press conference. Big deal, like I said, I find it pretty lame for fining the guy.

Last time I checked, US was a free country, people still have the right to change their mind. Maybe he decided to not go through with the press conference. Big deal, like I said, I find it pretty lame for fining the guy.

I believe its a part of the NBA contract players sign that they need to go to the press conference if they are wanted their no matter how good or bad a game was. I know they get paid so many millions not just for playing ball, but also the other stuff that come with being on the big screen such as press conference and everyone knowing about your history.

Well if it's in the contract, I guess the fine is fair enough, it is after all a contract violation.

But, but if it wasn't...ugh to the NBA.

I'm pretty sure it's in the contract that you have to talk to the media. I think it's stupid that they have to, but they signed it.

I'm pretty sure it's in the contract that you have to talk to the media. I think it's stupid that they have to, but they signed it.

not stupid when the money comes after the season

Freedom of choice still needs to have its limits. We all have certain responsibilities that may impose upon our right to make our own decisions, but we are often obliged to fulfil those responsibilities.

To throw out an extreme example, by law parents are not allowed to choose not to look after their children as long as they are minors. They have certain responsibilities that they cannot choose to neglect as long as they have children in their custody. Even in a society that allows freedom of choice, they are not allowed to choose to be neglectful of their children.

More appropriate to this scenario, if your employer asks you to perform a task that is within your job description you cannot choose not to do it simply because you don't feel like it. Well, you can, but you won't be employed for very long.

Even though I can sympathise with GP's frustration and desire not to talk to the media, we all have commitments, obligations and responsibilities to fulfil. Perhaps the NBA could be fairer by offering a compromise when it comes to a team and players making themselves available to the media. But like I said before, even though the current system is a little unfair/demanding of players and coaches, if they were free to choose not to speak to the media, most of them probably never would.

Yeah, like they are multi millionaires thanks to basketball and NBA and they can't stop just to answer some questions...please