Intensity in sports can be a good thing. It can be drive. It can be focus. It can be quietly controlled anger. It can be the difference between a win and a loss.
It can also be the thing that ends up making you a complete ass.
Kevin Garnett finds himself somewhere in the vicinity of the last comment. If not ‘destination arrived’ yet, he’s at least in the area code.
Those last two sentences will evoke strong emotive reactions from some. “HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT???” “KG ROXORZ”. I’ve probably ruined any chance of ever being welcomed in Boston (not that this’d ever be widely enough read to actually achieve that).
Don’t get me wrong… the Kevin Garnett of a few years ago was a perfect sportsman. Intense, focused, but never to the point of being worthy of a “punk act” label. Class act. Anyone who stated they hated KG at that time only hated him because of how good he was. I was a fan. One of my favourite players, I kid you not.
Now?
The swipe at Andrew Bogut was pure goon. See here for yourself – ball’s long gone, Bogut has just come down on top of him, and Garnett throws a hand into Bogut’s face. Not an act worthy of someone as storied as The Big Ticket.
His behavior post winning the championships last season wasn’t something we’d be encouraging our children to imitate. As a wise man once said to me: “…at least act like you’ve been there before, or are likely to be there again.” (thanks Dad)
Still, worse yet was his taunting of Jose Calderon. Perhaps the most juvenile display I’ve seen from someone considered to be a superstar within his sport in many years.
Unbelievable. Indefensible, and unfathomable from someone of his stature.
Kevin Garnett is listed as 6’11”. One would think that he’d done all the growing up he could.
Apparently not.
With Malice... 
As is so often the case, I am a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll on this one.
I thought the KG/Bogut incident was handbags at 10 paces and a suspension was not warranted. Bogut went up hard, got hit, flailed his arms around a bit and got whacked in the face for his trouble. I’ve looked at the video several times and feel like Bogut took a few liberties with his arms to and around KG’s melon. End result? Hit ’em both with fouls, tell ’em to put their handbags away and get on the game.
The Calderon incident was a whole different kettle of fish. I have huge respect for KG and what he has done throughout his career. I was thrilled when the Celtics signed him and felt that he became the spiritual leader of the team the moment he pulled the uniform on. But…… the taunting of Calderon was nothing less than bush league. He should have recieved a T on it straight away. How can you get a T for taunting by hanging on the rim after a dunk and not get one for this???
KG is a veteran and leader on his team. Too early to label him a punk, but the warning light is flashing.
Rob – almost a given that you’d be leaning at least a lil’ to the “nay” side… and I understand. You bleed green.
The thing about KG/Bogut is that with Bogut, the ball was there. He got fouled, and came down hard on KG. But the ball was there. With KG, ball’s long gone, and he’s retaliating for getting arms in his face.
Most sports will come down harder on someone who retaliates. Same thing here. Worth noting that Bogut was ejected for his part in it (he was T’d up, and already had a Tech) – KG’s slap got him a week in review.
KG should’ve had more class. Just wave bye-bye and point to the scoreboard.
A slap in the face is just classless.
I’m not saying that what KG did was right, just that I didn’t think there was much in it from either guy. Didn’t think Bogut deserved a T, although I do think he knew exactly what he was doing with the follow through (long after the ball had gone…..) and didn’t think there was too much in KG’s response.
However, you are bang on when you say he should have let it go. KG is better than that – or at least he should be.
Puhlease, no should defend thugG, that suspension was long over due. Brumbygg9, don’t you remember that 7 game Hawks series? Heres are reminder.
Another thing I find ironic. Bogut was given 2 T’s that game. The 1st one came for stare down another Celtic player. Where was the T on KG against Caulderon?
Soph, Rob. Rob, Soph (or do we use your real name here?).
Rob’s a die-hard C’s fan Soph, you’ll never get full condemnation until he runs outside, jumps in his Hummer, drives it back on to the court and runs someone down. Even then, it’ll probably earn his ire if KG backs it up, and runs over whoever a second time.
I reckon the KG Bogut incident would have gotten KG a reprimand in the AFL, if he pleaded guilty and had no prior record. All in all though, 1 game off for contact to the face well after the ball has gone is not that harsh…
You can use my real name. It’s all good. I just use Soph, for quick identify ability. Greg
Rohan, as in Team Rohan?
Heh…
I agree man, he’s lucky – especially the free pass he got on Calderon. 1 game? Doc should have just shut up, put his hands together, looked upward and mouthed “Thank you.”
And cool – Greg, Rob – Rob, Greg.
I agree, about Doc.
Hi Rob.
I’m not a Celtic’s hater. I like just about every team. I’m more of a players fan.
I like Ray Allen, Leon Powe. I did like Pierce and KG up until last season.
i never liked KG’s game “intensity”. i’ve always thought of of it as little over-acting. I guess winning the NBA title last season inflated his head pretty big.
[…] Vote KG – Big Ticket, or big punk? « With Malice… […]
nice to see some active debate about the world’s greatest team….
when I was a kid and came home late from school my mother would ask me why I was late. Often i would tell her I was given detention which usually ended up with a clip over the ears. Some of the times the detentions were unjustified (not that often i admit) and I would tell me mother that I didn’t deserve either the detention or the clip over the ears because i was innocent. My mother’s standard response was that I had probably gotten away with something else and it was just setting the record straight.
KG got away with the Calderon taunting (how does the ref not blow a T on that????) so the 1 game for Bogut balances the ledger.
Don’t expect me to be so conciliatory when we get to the pointy end of the season!
@brumbygg9
it’s not about balancing out the calderon – bogut issue. the point of the matter is, garnett shouldn’t be acting that way at all. he’s already a veteran in the league and acting that way is just not right.
yep, agreed – see above where I have done so. I was resonding to Don’s point about Doc shutting the hell up and being thankful. KG dodged one with the Calderon issue so he was due which was all I was saying. KG needs to get of this this out of his game. He doesn’t need it, the C’s don’t need it and, as stated before, some of it is just bush league.
Soph – watched the tape of game 7 vs Atlanta from the playoffs last season. Nothing dirty about it, a solid hit that sent the message to get out of KG’s house. I kinda like it…. but as Don said, he’s gotta drive that hummer onto the court and back up for a 2nd go before I agree that it’s wrong. And that comes with a caveat if it’s Kobe or Le Bron where he is allowed 3 passes at them!
Alright maybe im just showing my Celtic pride, but i cant see why the taunting on Calderon is really any worse than anything else we have seen trashed talked on the hardwood since God knows when. I expect a little more from KG. Just a little. But the man has an MVP and a ring and hes giving it to a guy whos fairly new in the NBA but is having a killer season. Childish? Agreed, but thats basketball. Unsportsman like? No doubt. But a champion dishing it out, isnt that his right? Isnt that why you become a champ, to let the world know?
Sorry Mark, but no.
Let’s imagine that it was Kobe who won the title last season, and then he acted like a jerk in winning it.
Let’s imagine that Kobe slapped someone’s face after the ball caromed away.
Let’s imagine that it was Kobe taunting someone like what we saw in the second video.
People would be going nuts.
Hell, imagine it was LeBron – then everyone would be declaring him to be “not the man we thought he was”. Same thing with Chris Paul.
Sheesh… even imagine it was Paul Pierce – then everyone would be calling him a complete jerk. Why the free pass for KG?
Class.
I expect more from KG. I expect a helluva lot more. Thing is, he’s not big on delivering of late.
Im personally am not saying we give him a free pass for being a tool. Im a Celtic fan and ive always thought he was a tool. Dont get me wrong, we wouldnt be champs without him. (I dont like Kobe either but i would love seeing him in the green and white…..) KG was king in Minnesota and he didnt mine calling it to. Now hes a won an MVP and a ring it just makes him a big tool because hes a cocky $hit.
And James is going to become a cocky $hit to. That dunk he pulled in the Bucks game was pure showboating. Watch this space…
I think someone is already jealous of the King’s greatness.
And the sarcasm flows!
Sheesh Greg, I think you’re gonna like it here! Waddaya reckon Rob?
he seems to fit right in to the mix…
but it will all be on the line when the Cs take on the Fakers for the first time this season. that’s when you take the measure of the man!