The Rules of Pacers Digest
Hello everyone,
Whether your are a long standing forum member or whether you have just registered today, it's a good idea to read and review the rules below so that you have a very good idea of what to expect when you come to Pacers Digest.
A quick note to new members: Your posts will not immediately show up when you make them. An administrator has to approve at least your first post before the forum software will later upgrade your account to the status of a fully-registered member. This usually happens within a couple of hours or so after your post(s) is/are approved, so you may need to be a little patient at first.
Why do we do this? So that it's more difficult for spammers (be they human or robot) to post, and so users who are banned cannot immediately re-register and start dousing people with verbal flames.
Below are the rules of Pacers Digest. After you have read them, you will have a very good sense of where we are coming from, what we expect, what we don't want to see, and how we react to things.
Rule #1
Pacers Digest is intended to be a place to discuss basketball without having to deal with the kinds of behaviors or attitudes that distract people from sticking with the discussion of the topics at hand. These unwanted distractions can come in many forms, and admittedly it can sometimes be tricky to pin down each and every kind that can rear its ugly head, but we feel that the following examples and explanations cover at least a good portion of that ground and should at least give people a pretty good idea of the kinds of things we actively discourage:
"Anyone who __________ is a liar / a fool / an idiot / a blind homer / has their head buried in the sand / a blind hater / doesn't know basketball / doesn't watch the games"
"People with intelligence will agree with me when I say that __________"
"Only stupid people think / believe / do ___________"
"I can't wait to hear something from PosterX when he/she sees that **insert a given incident or current event that will have probably upset or disappointed PosterX here**"
"He/she is just delusional"
"This thread is stupid / worthless / embarrassing"
"I'm going to take a moment to point and
/ laugh at PosterX / GroupOfPeopleY who thought / believed *insert though/belief here*"
"Remember when PosterX said OldCommentY that no longer looks good?"
In general, if a comment goes from purely on topic to something 'ad hominem' (personal jabs, personal shots, attacks, flames, however you want to call it, towards a person, or a group of people, or a given city/state/country of people), those are most likely going to be found intolerable.
We also dissuade passive aggressive behavior. This can be various things, but common examples include statements that are basically meant to imply someone is either stupid or otherwise incapable of holding a rational conversation. This can include (but is not limited to) laughing at someone's conclusions rather than offering an honest rebuttal, asking people what game they were watching, or another common problem is Poster X will say "that player isn't that bad" and then Poster Y will say something akin to "LOL you think that player is good". We're not going to tolerate those kinds of comments out of respect for the community at large and for the sake of trying to just have an honest conversation.
Now, does the above cover absolutely every single kind of distraction that is unwanted? Probably not, but you should by now have a good idea of the general types of things we will be discouraging. The above examples are meant to give you a good feel for / idea of what we're looking for. If something new or different than the above happens to come along and results in the same problem (that being, any other attitude or behavior that ultimately distracts from actually just discussing the topic at hand, or that is otherwise disrespectful to other posters), we can and we will take action to curb this as well, so please don't take this to mean that if you managed to technically avoid saying something exactly like one of the above examples that you are then somehow off the hook.
That all having been said, our goal is to do so in a generally kind and respectful way, and that doesn't mean the moment we see something we don't like that somebody is going to be suspended or banned, either. It just means that at the very least we will probably say something about it, quite possibly snipping out the distracting parts of the post in question while leaving alone the parts that are actually just discussing the topics, and in the event of a repeating or excessive problem, then we will start issuing infractions to try to further discourage further repeat problems, and if it just never seems to improve, then finally suspensions or bans will come into play. We would prefer it never went that far, and most of the time for most of our posters, it won't ever have to.
A slip up every once and a while is pretty normal, but, again, when it becomes repetitive or excessive, something will be done. Something occasional is probably going to be let go (within reason), but when it starts to become habitual or otherwise a pattern, odds are very good that we will step in.
There's always a small minority that like to push people's buttons and/or test their own boundaries with regards to the administrators, and in the case of someone acting like that, please be aware that this is not a court of law, but a private website run by people who are simply trying to do the right thing as they see it. If we feel that you are a special case that needs to be dealt with in an exceptional way because your behavior isn't explicitly mirroring one of our above examples of what we generally discourage, we can and we will take atypical action to prevent this from continuing if you are not cooperative with us.
Also please be aware that you will not be given a pass simply by claiming that you were 'only joking,' because quite honestly, when someone really is just joking, for one thing most people tend to pick up on the joke, including the person or group that is the target of the joke, and for another thing, in the event where an honest joke gets taken seriously and it upsets or angers someone, the person who is truly 'only joking' will quite commonly go out of his / her way to apologize and will try to mend fences. People who are dishonest about their statements being 'jokes' do not do so, and in turn that becomes a clear sign of what is really going on. It's nothing new.
In any case, quite frankly, the overall quality and health of the entire forum's community is more important than any one troublesome user will ever be, regardless of exactly how a problem is exhibiting itself, and if it comes down to us having to make a choice between you versus the greater health and happiness of the entire community, the community of this forum will win every time.
Lastly, there are also some posters, who are generally great contributors and do not otherwise cause any problems, who sometimes feel it's their place to provoke or to otherwise 'mess with' that small minority of people described in the last paragraph, and while we possibly might understand why you might feel you WANT to do something like that, the truth is we can't actually tolerate that kind of behavior from you any more than we can tolerate the behavior from them. So if we feel that you are trying to provoke those other posters into doing or saying something that will get themselves into trouble, then we will start to view you as a problem as well, because of the same reason as before: The overall health of the forum comes first, and trying to stir the pot with someone like that doesn't help, it just makes it worse. Some will simply disagree with this philosophy, but if so, then so be it because ultimately we have to do what we think is best so long as it's up to us.
If you see a problem that we haven't addressed, the best and most appropriate course for a forum member to take here is to look over to the left of the post in question. See underneath that poster's name, avatar, and other info, down where there's a little triangle with an exclamation point (!) in it? Click that. That allows you to report the post to the admins so we can definitely notice it and give it a look to see what we feel we should do about it. Beyond that, obviously it's human nature sometimes to want to speak up to the poster in question who has bothered you, but we would ask that you try to refrain from doing so because quite often what happens is two or more posters all start going back and forth about the original offending post, and suddenly the entire thread is off topic or otherwise derailed. So while the urge to police it yourself is understandable, it's best to just report it to us and let us handle it. Thank you!
All of the above is going to be subject to a case by case basis, but generally and broadly speaking, this should give everyone a pretty good idea of how things will typically / most often be handled.
Rule #2
If the actions of an administrator inspire you to make a comment, criticism, or express a concern about it, there is a wrong place and a couple of right places to do so.
The wrong place is to do so in the original thread in which the administrator took action. For example, if a post gets an infraction, or a post gets deleted, or a comment within a larger post gets clipped out, in a thread discussing Paul George, the wrong thing to do is to distract from the discussion of Paul George by adding your off topic thoughts on what the administrator did.
The right places to do so are:
A) Start a thread about the specific incident you want to talk about on the Feedback board. This way you are able to express yourself in an area that doesn't throw another thread off topic, and this way others can add their two cents as well if they wish, and additionally if there's something that needs to be said by the administrators, that is where they will respond to it.
B) Send a private message to the administrators, and they can respond to you that way.
If this is done the wrong way, those comments will be deleted, and if it's a repeating problem then it may also receive an infraction as well.
Rule #3
If a poster is bothering you, and an administrator has not or will not deal with that poster to the extent that you would prefer, you have a powerful tool at your disposal, one that has recently been upgraded and is now better than ever: The ability to ignore a user.
When you ignore a user, you will unfortunately still see some hints of their existence (nothing we can do about that), however, it does the following key things:
A) Any post they make will be completely invisible as you scroll through a thread.
B) The new addition to this feature: If someone QUOTES a user you are ignoring, you do not have to read who it was, or what that poster said, unless you go out of your way to click on a link to find out who it is and what they said.
To utilize this feature, from any page on Pacers Digest, scroll to the top of the page, look to the top right where it says 'Settings' and click that. From the settings page, look to the left side of the page where it says 'My Settings', and look down from there until you see 'Edit Ignore List' and click that. From here, it will say 'Add a Member to Your List...' Beneath that, click in the text box to the right of 'User Name', type in or copy & paste the username of the poster you are ignoring, and once their name is in the box, look over to the far right and click the 'Okay' button. All done!
Rule #4
Regarding infractions, currently they carry a value of one point each, and that point will expire in 31 days. If at any point a poster is carrying three points at the same time, that poster will be suspended until the oldest of the three points expires.
Rule #5
When you share or paste content or articles from another website, you must include the URL/link back to where you found it, who wrote it, and what website it's from. Said content will be removed if this doesn't happen.
An example:
If I copy and paste an article from the Indianapolis Star website, I would post something like this:
http://www.linktothearticlegoeshere.com/article
Title of the Article
Author's Name
Indianapolis Star
Rule #6
We cannot tolerate illegal videos on Pacers Digest. This means do not share any links to them, do not mention any websites that host them or link to them, do not describe how to find them in any way, and do not ask about them. Posts doing anything of the sort will be removed, the offenders will be contacted privately, and if the problem becomes habitual, you will be suspended, and if it still persists, you will probably be banned.
The legal means of watching or listening to NBA games are NBA League Pass Broadband (for US, or for International; both cost money) and NBA Audio League Pass (which is free). Look for them on NBA.com.
Rule #7
Provocative statements in a signature, or as an avatar, or as the 'tagline' beneath a poster's username (where it says 'Member' or 'Administrator' by default, if it is not altered) are an unwanted distraction that will more than likely be removed on sight. There can be shades of gray to this, but in general this could be something political or religious that is likely going to provoke or upset people, or otherwise something that is mean-spirited at the expense of a poster, a group of people, or a population.
It may or may not go without saying, but this goes for threads and posts as well, particularly when it's not made on the off-topic board (Market Square).
We do make exceptions if we feel the content is both innocuous and unlikely to cause social problems on the forum (such as wishing someone a Merry Christmas or a Happy Easter), and we also also make exceptions if such topics come up with regards to a sports figure (such as the Lance Stephenson situation bringing up discussions of domestic abuse and the law, or when Jason Collins came out as gay and how that lead to some discussion about gay rights).
However, once the discussion seems to be more/mostly about the political issues instead of the sports figure or his specific situation, the thread is usually closed.
Rule #8
We prefer self-restraint and/or modesty when making jokes or off topic comments in a sports discussion thread. They can be fun, but sometimes they derail or distract from a topic, and we don't want to see that happen. If we feel it is a problem, we will either delete or move those posts from the thread.
Rule #9
Generally speaking, we try to be a "PG-13" rated board, and we don't want to see sexual content or similarly suggestive content. Vulgarity is a more muddled issue, though again we prefer things to lean more towards "PG-13" than "R". If we feel things have gone too far, we will step in.
Rule #10
We like small signatures, not big signatures. The bigger the signature, the more likely it is an annoying or distracting signature.
Rule #11
Do not advertise anything without talking about it with the administrators first. This includes advertising with your signature, with your avatar, through private messaging, and/or by making a thread or post.
Whether your are a long standing forum member or whether you have just registered today, it's a good idea to read and review the rules below so that you have a very good idea of what to expect when you come to Pacers Digest.
A quick note to new members: Your posts will not immediately show up when you make them. An administrator has to approve at least your first post before the forum software will later upgrade your account to the status of a fully-registered member. This usually happens within a couple of hours or so after your post(s) is/are approved, so you may need to be a little patient at first.
Why do we do this? So that it's more difficult for spammers (be they human or robot) to post, and so users who are banned cannot immediately re-register and start dousing people with verbal flames.
Below are the rules of Pacers Digest. After you have read them, you will have a very good sense of where we are coming from, what we expect, what we don't want to see, and how we react to things.
Rule #1
Pacers Digest is intended to be a place to discuss basketball without having to deal with the kinds of behaviors or attitudes that distract people from sticking with the discussion of the topics at hand. These unwanted distractions can come in many forms, and admittedly it can sometimes be tricky to pin down each and every kind that can rear its ugly head, but we feel that the following examples and explanations cover at least a good portion of that ground and should at least give people a pretty good idea of the kinds of things we actively discourage:
"Anyone who __________ is a liar / a fool / an idiot / a blind homer / has their head buried in the sand / a blind hater / doesn't know basketball / doesn't watch the games"
"People with intelligence will agree with me when I say that __________"
"Only stupid people think / believe / do ___________"
"I can't wait to hear something from PosterX when he/she sees that **insert a given incident or current event that will have probably upset or disappointed PosterX here**"
"He/she is just delusional"
"This thread is stupid / worthless / embarrassing"
"I'm going to take a moment to point and
/ laugh at PosterX / GroupOfPeopleY who thought / believed *insert though/belief here*""Remember when PosterX said OldCommentY that no longer looks good?
"In general, if a comment goes from purely on topic to something 'ad hominem' (personal jabs, personal shots, attacks, flames, however you want to call it, towards a person, or a group of people, or a given city/state/country of people), those are most likely going to be found intolerable.
We also dissuade passive aggressive behavior. This can be various things, but common examples include statements that are basically meant to imply someone is either stupid or otherwise incapable of holding a rational conversation. This can include (but is not limited to) laughing at someone's conclusions rather than offering an honest rebuttal, asking people what game they were watching, or another common problem is Poster X will say "that player isn't that bad" and then Poster Y will say something akin to "LOL you think that player is good". We're not going to tolerate those kinds of comments out of respect for the community at large and for the sake of trying to just have an honest conversation.
Now, does the above cover absolutely every single kind of distraction that is unwanted? Probably not, but you should by now have a good idea of the general types of things we will be discouraging. The above examples are meant to give you a good feel for / idea of what we're looking for. If something new or different than the above happens to come along and results in the same problem (that being, any other attitude or behavior that ultimately distracts from actually just discussing the topic at hand, or that is otherwise disrespectful to other posters), we can and we will take action to curb this as well, so please don't take this to mean that if you managed to technically avoid saying something exactly like one of the above examples that you are then somehow off the hook.
That all having been said, our goal is to do so in a generally kind and respectful way, and that doesn't mean the moment we see something we don't like that somebody is going to be suspended or banned, either. It just means that at the very least we will probably say something about it, quite possibly snipping out the distracting parts of the post in question while leaving alone the parts that are actually just discussing the topics, and in the event of a repeating or excessive problem, then we will start issuing infractions to try to further discourage further repeat problems, and if it just never seems to improve, then finally suspensions or bans will come into play. We would prefer it never went that far, and most of the time for most of our posters, it won't ever have to.
A slip up every once and a while is pretty normal, but, again, when it becomes repetitive or excessive, something will be done. Something occasional is probably going to be let go (within reason), but when it starts to become habitual or otherwise a pattern, odds are very good that we will step in.
There's always a small minority that like to push people's buttons and/or test their own boundaries with regards to the administrators, and in the case of someone acting like that, please be aware that this is not a court of law, but a private website run by people who are simply trying to do the right thing as they see it. If we feel that you are a special case that needs to be dealt with in an exceptional way because your behavior isn't explicitly mirroring one of our above examples of what we generally discourage, we can and we will take atypical action to prevent this from continuing if you are not cooperative with us.
Also please be aware that you will not be given a pass simply by claiming that you were 'only joking,' because quite honestly, when someone really is just joking, for one thing most people tend to pick up on the joke, including the person or group that is the target of the joke, and for another thing, in the event where an honest joke gets taken seriously and it upsets or angers someone, the person who is truly 'only joking' will quite commonly go out of his / her way to apologize and will try to mend fences. People who are dishonest about their statements being 'jokes' do not do so, and in turn that becomes a clear sign of what is really going on. It's nothing new.
In any case, quite frankly, the overall quality and health of the entire forum's community is more important than any one troublesome user will ever be, regardless of exactly how a problem is exhibiting itself, and if it comes down to us having to make a choice between you versus the greater health and happiness of the entire community, the community of this forum will win every time.
Lastly, there are also some posters, who are generally great contributors and do not otherwise cause any problems, who sometimes feel it's their place to provoke or to otherwise 'mess with' that small minority of people described in the last paragraph, and while we possibly might understand why you might feel you WANT to do something like that, the truth is we can't actually tolerate that kind of behavior from you any more than we can tolerate the behavior from them. So if we feel that you are trying to provoke those other posters into doing or saying something that will get themselves into trouble, then we will start to view you as a problem as well, because of the same reason as before: The overall health of the forum comes first, and trying to stir the pot with someone like that doesn't help, it just makes it worse. Some will simply disagree with this philosophy, but if so, then so be it because ultimately we have to do what we think is best so long as it's up to us.
If you see a problem that we haven't addressed, the best and most appropriate course for a forum member to take here is to look over to the left of the post in question. See underneath that poster's name, avatar, and other info, down where there's a little triangle with an exclamation point (!) in it? Click that. That allows you to report the post to the admins so we can definitely notice it and give it a look to see what we feel we should do about it. Beyond that, obviously it's human nature sometimes to want to speak up to the poster in question who has bothered you, but we would ask that you try to refrain from doing so because quite often what happens is two or more posters all start going back and forth about the original offending post, and suddenly the entire thread is off topic or otherwise derailed. So while the urge to police it yourself is understandable, it's best to just report it to us and let us handle it. Thank you!
All of the above is going to be subject to a case by case basis, but generally and broadly speaking, this should give everyone a pretty good idea of how things will typically / most often be handled.
Rule #2
If the actions of an administrator inspire you to make a comment, criticism, or express a concern about it, there is a wrong place and a couple of right places to do so.
The wrong place is to do so in the original thread in which the administrator took action. For example, if a post gets an infraction, or a post gets deleted, or a comment within a larger post gets clipped out, in a thread discussing Paul George, the wrong thing to do is to distract from the discussion of Paul George by adding your off topic thoughts on what the administrator did.
The right places to do so are:
A) Start a thread about the specific incident you want to talk about on the Feedback board. This way you are able to express yourself in an area that doesn't throw another thread off topic, and this way others can add their two cents as well if they wish, and additionally if there's something that needs to be said by the administrators, that is where they will respond to it.
B) Send a private message to the administrators, and they can respond to you that way.
If this is done the wrong way, those comments will be deleted, and if it's a repeating problem then it may also receive an infraction as well.
Rule #3
If a poster is bothering you, and an administrator has not or will not deal with that poster to the extent that you would prefer, you have a powerful tool at your disposal, one that has recently been upgraded and is now better than ever: The ability to ignore a user.
When you ignore a user, you will unfortunately still see some hints of their existence (nothing we can do about that), however, it does the following key things:
A) Any post they make will be completely invisible as you scroll through a thread.
B) The new addition to this feature: If someone QUOTES a user you are ignoring, you do not have to read who it was, or what that poster said, unless you go out of your way to click on a link to find out who it is and what they said.
To utilize this feature, from any page on Pacers Digest, scroll to the top of the page, look to the top right where it says 'Settings' and click that. From the settings page, look to the left side of the page where it says 'My Settings', and look down from there until you see 'Edit Ignore List' and click that. From here, it will say 'Add a Member to Your List...' Beneath that, click in the text box to the right of 'User Name', type in or copy & paste the username of the poster you are ignoring, and once their name is in the box, look over to the far right and click the 'Okay' button. All done!
Rule #4
Regarding infractions, currently they carry a value of one point each, and that point will expire in 31 days. If at any point a poster is carrying three points at the same time, that poster will be suspended until the oldest of the three points expires.
Rule #5
When you share or paste content or articles from another website, you must include the URL/link back to where you found it, who wrote it, and what website it's from. Said content will be removed if this doesn't happen.
An example:
If I copy and paste an article from the Indianapolis Star website, I would post something like this:
http://www.linktothearticlegoeshere.com/article
Title of the Article
Author's Name
Indianapolis Star
Rule #6
We cannot tolerate illegal videos on Pacers Digest. This means do not share any links to them, do not mention any websites that host them or link to them, do not describe how to find them in any way, and do not ask about them. Posts doing anything of the sort will be removed, the offenders will be contacted privately, and if the problem becomes habitual, you will be suspended, and if it still persists, you will probably be banned.
The legal means of watching or listening to NBA games are NBA League Pass Broadband (for US, or for International; both cost money) and NBA Audio League Pass (which is free). Look for them on NBA.com.
Rule #7
Provocative statements in a signature, or as an avatar, or as the 'tagline' beneath a poster's username (where it says 'Member' or 'Administrator' by default, if it is not altered) are an unwanted distraction that will more than likely be removed on sight. There can be shades of gray to this, but in general this could be something political or religious that is likely going to provoke or upset people, or otherwise something that is mean-spirited at the expense of a poster, a group of people, or a population.
It may or may not go without saying, but this goes for threads and posts as well, particularly when it's not made on the off-topic board (Market Square).
We do make exceptions if we feel the content is both innocuous and unlikely to cause social problems on the forum (such as wishing someone a Merry Christmas or a Happy Easter), and we also also make exceptions if such topics come up with regards to a sports figure (such as the Lance Stephenson situation bringing up discussions of domestic abuse and the law, or when Jason Collins came out as gay and how that lead to some discussion about gay rights).
However, once the discussion seems to be more/mostly about the political issues instead of the sports figure or his specific situation, the thread is usually closed.
Rule #8
We prefer self-restraint and/or modesty when making jokes or off topic comments in a sports discussion thread. They can be fun, but sometimes they derail or distract from a topic, and we don't want to see that happen. If we feel it is a problem, we will either delete or move those posts from the thread.
Rule #9
Generally speaking, we try to be a "PG-13" rated board, and we don't want to see sexual content or similarly suggestive content. Vulgarity is a more muddled issue, though again we prefer things to lean more towards "PG-13" than "R". If we feel things have gone too far, we will step in.
Rule #10
We like small signatures, not big signatures. The bigger the signature, the more likely it is an annoying or distracting signature.
Rule #11
Do not advertise anything without talking about it with the administrators first. This includes advertising with your signature, with your avatar, through private messaging, and/or by making a thread or post.
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Re: Insider Request
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Charlotte Bobcats | All Bobcats sitelines
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Chicago Bulls | All Bulls sitelines
No Bull: Paxson Hits Hot Topics
The Bulls have been the talk of the NBA after luring free-agent center Ben Wallace from Detroit. Since the news conference to welcome Wallace, the Bulls officially traded Tyson Chandler to New Orleans for P.J. Brown and J.R. Smith, shipped Smith to Denver for a pair of second-round draft picks and are about to re-sign veteran swingman Adrian Griffin. General manager John Paxson spoke to the Daily Herald to discuss the summer moves and what is in store. -- Arlington Heights Daily Herald
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Cleveland Cavaliers | All Cavs sitelines
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Detroit Pistons | All Pistons sitelines
Acker Has Offer From Greek Team
Guard Alex Acker has been offered a one-year deal worth $1 million to play in Greece next season. Acker, who flew to Athens to see the city and living conditions before signing the deal with Olympiakos, knows his role with the Pistons this season would be limited. The Pistons gave newly signed guard Flip Murray jersey No. 6, which Acker wore last year. The Pistons made a qualifying offer to Acker that would pay him $664,000 for 2006-07, which Acker most likely would spend mostly in the development league. The Pistons would still retain rights to Acker should he sign with Olympiakos. -- Detroit News
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Indiana Pacers | All Pacers sitelines
Armstrong Brings Leadership To Young Team
Sure, Darrell Armstrong comes to the Indiana Pacers as a player, a 38-year-old point guard who believes he still can contribute. But he'll be an untitled assistant coach as well, bringing proven leadership to a team that's thirsting for direction. "I see a team that's looking for some help," Armstrong said during an informal media gathering Wednesday at Conseco Fieldhouse. "You have to understand, losing Reggie Miller was big for this team. His presence, on and off the floor, was big for this team. I think (team president Larry Bird) sees the same qualities that Reggie had." -- Indianapolis Star
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Miami Heat | All Heat sitelines
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Milwaukee Bucks | All Bucks sitelines
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New Jersey Nets | All Nets sitelines
Time Running Out For Ilic
If the Nets don't bring over Mile Ilic for the upcoming season, he may not come here for at least one more. Sources said several top European teams have shown interest in the Nets' 2005 second-round pick. One could buy out the 7-foot-2 Serbian's contract with FMP and sign him to a multiyear deal that would keep him from joining the Nets until 2008-09 at the earliest. "Our first option is the Nets," said Ilic's agent, Marc Cornstein. "It just comes to a point where we just can't wait any longer. It would just be detrimental to him." -- Bergen Record
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New York Knicks | All Knicks sitelines
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Orlando Magic | All Magic sitelines
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Philadelphia 76ers | All 76ers sitelines
Snider's Patience Appears Bottomless
Is that it? Are we done? Did Billy King finish "changing the culture of how we play and the way we approach things" without telling us? Is your head spinning after counting all the new, young defensemen Bob Clarke said were coming? More to the point, what's Ed Snider's scorecard saying? Snider's patience with Clarke and King is nothing new. Clarke has had carte blanche to trade anyone and everyone off the Flyers' roster for 12 years. King has been around since 1997, and fully in charge since 2003. Let's say this up front: There's nothing inherently wrong with being patient. Most of the time, it's a positive characteristic. In sports, knee-jerk reactions fueled by sports-talk intolerance are a cliché, and unworthy of the person that actually signs the checks. -- Philadelphia Inquirer
Iverson Lending His Name To 'Vitaminwater'
With a lifetime contract with Reebok, Allen Iverson pretty much stayed out of the endorsement business. Until now. Until the billboards showing the 76ers star guard promoting vitaminwater started popping up, including along Interstate 95 and the Atlantic City Expressway. We're talking about an enhanced water drink, a business founded in Whitestone, N.Y., in 1996 by J. Darius Bikoff. Iverson is listed as one of the company's "athlete partners," all described as investors in the company. The group includes David Ortiz, of the Boston Red Sox; Brian Urlacher, of the Chicago Bears; David Wright, of the New York Mets; Tracy McGrady, of the Houston Rockets; and Ray Allen, of the Seattle SuperSonics. -- Philadelphia Daily News
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Toronto Raptors | All Raptors sitelines
Overhaul Continues By Adding Jones
Fred Jones, an unrestricted free agent who played the first four years of his NBA career in Indiana, was lured to Toronto by a three-year contract worth about $11-million (U.S.) and the opportunity to play a wide-open offensive style that Colangelo is said to favour. "I think we're going to have a lot of fun," said the stocky 6-foot-2, 220-pound Jones. "We're putting together a really competitive team and I think the sky's the limit for us. I know. . . I'm going to give you everything I got and I know the other players are going to do the same. Hopefully we'll do big things out here." -- Toronto Globe and Mail
Williams: Above All, Passion
If you ever saw Alvin Williams play, and if you knew of his plight, you had to be at least a little sad for him yesterday, when it was announced he'd been waived by the club after an 8 1/2-year tenure. The parting was, but for a classless oversight, a just one. While a provision in Williams' contract allowed the Raptors to release their injury-ravaged guard and pay him only half of the approximately $14 million (U.S.) remaining on his contract, Bryan Colangelo, the Raptors' president and GM, voluntarily negotiated a sweeter settlement for a loyal employee. Still, it was more than a little jarring to see free-agent guard Fred Jones arrive at the Air Canada Centre yesterday, just moments after Colangelo had announced Williams' departure, and hoist a Toronto jersey bearing the number 20. Williams, who'd occupied that jersey since February of 1998, was less than 12 hours removed from faxing over a signed copy of his walking papers in a midnight-hour rush. Considering he'd given the franchise all of his heart, not to mention both his knees and his ankles, putting the new guy in the old guy's number was a thoughtless, tactless display. -- Toronto Star
That's A Rap For Williams
The announcement of Alvin Williams' release came just before Fred Jones' signing of a three-year, $11-million US deal with the Raptors became official. Jones, like Williams, wears No. 20, and he posed for pictures with a Raptors No. 20 jersey. "It's not awkward," said Williams, who spoke to the media on a teleconference from his home in Philadelphia. "It's the business of the NBA. It's a fresh start for myself and a fresh start for Toronto. Basically, my attitude is a 'whatever' attitude." -- Toronto Sun
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
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Denver Nuggets | All Nuggets sitelines
Diawara Officially Signs, Sampson Next
Not many athletes turn down more money to choose another team, especially if it is their first NBA contract. Yakhouba Diawara, a native of Paris, turned down a reported two-year, $1.8 million offer from the Dallas Mavericks to sign with the Nuggets on Wednesday. Terms of the deal were not released, but it is expected to be a two-year deal at the league minimum. "His integrity and character jumped off the page," Nuggets director of player personnel Mark Warkentien said. "After verbally agreeing to a minimum deal with us, and being offered a bigger deal, he turned it down. He is the type of person we want representing Denver." ... The Nuggets are expected to sign free- agent center Jamal Sampson, possibly as early as today, to a minimum contract that could pay $798,112 for a player with four years of service, sources said Wednesday. -- Denver Post
Nuggets Keeping Van Horn In Mind
David Falk, Keith Van Horn's agent, said Wednesday the free agent forward continues to be on a lengthy fishing trip in Alaska. During the second week in August, Falk plans to have "a summit meeting" with his client about his future. That future could include the Nuggets. "I don't think there's any question I want a shooting big (man) next year," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "We need somebody to get people off (Carmelo Anthony). I would lean more toward a veteran. (Van Horn) has got to be one or two on that list." Falk said a "number of teams" have expressed interest in the 6-foot-10 Van Horn but wouldn't be specific. Falk said it helps the Nuggets' cause that Van Horn lives in Evergreen. -- Rocky Mountain News
Karl Now Foot Soldier In The War On Cancer
Not that the Nuggets coach is planning to get into politics anytime soon. But, if it happens, George Karl already has a platform. "I have no idea why there is no national program to cure cancer," he said Wednesday. "If I were a politician, that would be my first platform. Forty to 50 years ago, we said, 'Let's go to the moon.' Now let's cure cancer. Let's throw millions and millions of dollars in federal funding to wipe away the pain and the death that cancer causes." Karl, 55, knows firsthand about the disease. Friday marks the one-year anniversary of his surgery for prostate cancer. -- Rocky Mountain News
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Next For Novak: Strength
By using money left over from their mid-level exception after signing Vassilis Spanoulis, the Rockets were able to give Steve Novak a three-year deal instead of the standard two-year contract for second-rounders. "His shooting was the first thing that attracted us to him, no doubt," Dawson said. "I like his range. But I've also got to like a guy who shoots 97.4 percent (74-of-76) from the foul line for a whole season. Coach (Tom) Crean uses a pro set at Marquette. So from a style standpoint, I don't think it's going to be too difficult for him to get adjusted." But Novak will have to get stronger, Dawson said. -- Houston Chronicle
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Farmar Seems Right At Home
In seven summer-league games Jordan Farmar did more than say the right things. He led the team with averages of 16.7 points and 4.4 assists and recorded his first noteworthy moment as a pro. With the Lakers leading the Grizzlies by a point and fewer than 30 seconds to play, Farmar appeared to be running the clock before he crossed over his defender, penetrated and slightly turned his body to avoid two Memphis defenders for a reverse layup. "He wants to make the right decision," said Kurt Rambis, the Lakers summer league coach. "He wants to make the big plays." What Rambis seemed most impressed with, though, was Farmar's understanding of the triangle offense. "He's inquisitive. He already has a solid grasp of the offense," said Rambis, after two practices. "He's picked it up really quick." -- Orange County Register
Mihm's Surgery Goes Well
Lakers center Chris Mihm underwent successful arthro-scopic surgery Wednesday that removed scar tissue from his right ankle. Lakers spokesman John Black said the surgery "went fine" and that Mihm can start basketball activity in four to six weeks. Black also said Mihm should be ready in time for the start of training camp Oct. 2. Mihm, 27, will wear a protect-ive boot for two to three weeks while his injury heals. Mihm was injured March 12 against the Seattle SuperSonics when he fell awkwardly after trying to block a dunk in the final minute of the game. -- Riverside Press-Enterprise
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Youth Will Be Served For Griz, And Quickly
Youth, it appears, will be served. "We're hopeful this will be the beginning of something really exciting here," Jerry West said. "I can't reinforce enough how important it is to get people to come see us play ... "These young guys bring something entirely different to the table. Obviously they're going to have to make their mistakes, but I think we've added something significant to the future." And the future is now, ready or not. -- Memphis Commercial-Appeal
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Jackson Hopes To Remain Healthy
Bobby Jackson's career changed for the worse on Christmas Day 2002. Even now, he displays a hint of resentment toward Shaquille O'Neal when he peers down at his mangled left middle knuckle and agonizes over lost time. "It's a sore subject that you've got to talk about, but that's life," said Jackson, who officially signed his Hornets contract at a Wednesday afternoon press conference. Jackson has missed 93 games over the past four years, stemming from one injury after another. His string of misfortune started in Sacramento 3½ years ago, when former Lakers star O'Neal, a 7-foot-1, 330-pound center, took a swipe at the ball and left Jackson's left middle knuckle broken in three places. Jackson missed 23 total games that year, and his hand required a plate and nine screws. -- The Oklahoman
Hornets Finish Deals With Jackson, Butler
Bobby Jackson and Rasual Butler didn't command the money or the attention of the New Orleans Hornets' marquee off-season acquisitions, but they're a big part of the team's summer makeover nonetheless. ... Jackson and Butler are both expected to come off the bench, but their versatility and outside shooting will ensure that they get significant minutes in coach Byron Scott's rotation. Both signed contracts Wednesday after agreeing to terms with the Hornets earlier this month. Reportedly, Jackson's deal is for three years and $18 million and Butler's is for four years and $14 million. -- The Advocate
Shinn Wants Decision Soon
Owner George Shinn said Wednesday he is hopeful that the official announcement of where his team would play beyond next season is made soon. I'm hoping as early as September, maybe as late as December or January," Shinn said at a press conference to announce the signing of Bobby Jackson and Rasual Butler. The Hornets temporarily moved here last September, Shinn, as well as several NBA executives, have said that the plan was for the team to return to New Orleans once the city sufficiently recovers from Hurricane Katrina. -- The Oklahoman
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Coaching Miles Doesn't Worry McMillan
Had Darius Miles warmed up to the idea of coming back to the Blazers? "I really don't know," Nate McMillan said. "My main concern was to see if he needed anything, if we could help him with anything." McMillan said he offered to have one of his assistant coaches fly out to work out with Miles in the way the Bill Bayno is working out with Zach Randolph and Jarrett Jack this week. Miles declined. McMillan said he did not address Miles' desire -- or lack of desire -- to return. "I didn't get into that converstion," McMillan said. "Basically, just asking how was he doing, how was his family, where was he, where will he be, and if he needed anything. Just casual conversation." McMillan said he wasn't concerned about coaching a player who did not want to be on the roster. -- The Oregonian
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Sacramento Kings | All Kings sitelines
For Divac, It's No Stretch To Aid Needy Kids
Wednesday, flanked by Peja Stojakovic, Vlade Divac demonstrated he could tread water pretty well for a lanky fellow. He's certainly no Olympic swimming candidate in hoops retirement, but Divac did everything from bouncing off a trampoline to dog-paddling with youth hanging on for dear life as he and Stojakovic hosted a swimming pool free-for-all at Lembi Community Park in Folsom. "Hey, he's as graceful as an Olympian," Alex Dimitrijevic, Divac's longtime friend and business associate, said in his defense. "You know what Vlade is? He's normal. He's a 7-foot normal guy." Beyond normal, actually. In hightops, Divac goes down as one of the most gifted big men of them all, versatile and shrewd -- keeping elite company with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only NBA performers to achieve at least 13,000 points, 9,000 rebounds, 3,000 assists and 1,500 blocked shots in a career. Divac's best years were the six he spent with the Kings as the heart and backbone of a resurgent franchise. -- Sacramento Bee
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Spurs Hope Jackie Becomes Jackson
They need to get lucky on another bargain. They need an overlooked kid to become a power off the bench. They need a 6-foot-10 manchild named Jackie Butler to be this season's find. They need for Butler to be the next Stephen Jackson -- another McDonald's All-American who didn't play in college and needed the company of adults. The Spurs haven't been illogical this summer. They weighed dollars vs. productivity, and more teams should try it. An ESPN.com article recently said as much. Over the past two years, 34 different players have signed free-agent deals worth at least $35 million, and the writer estimated that 20 of those have been mistakes. -- San Antonio Express-News
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Team USA
Now It's Coach K Manning The Helm
The world order has been adjusted, if not completely reshuffled. All of which leaves Mike Krzyzewski -- after much soul-searching and brainstorming by a USA Basketball hierarchy headed by Jerry Colangelo -- in charge of an innovative three-year program that resumes with Phase II next Monday. There is no more dropping in for a few scrimmages and a duel of the egos. The plan instead is to maintain a sign-up sheet of 16 or so players willing to sacrifice summers, compete with their peers for roster spots and actually form an enduring and respectful relationship with the head coach. "It's a matter of adjustment for everybody," Krzyzewski said after Brad Miller and 15 others were named to the roster earlier this week. -- Sacramento Bee
Team Vs. Dream Test On Way
It's been my contention that the United States' slide in international basketball has as much to do with the lack of passion, effort and national pride on the part of our NBA players as with everyone else just catching up. I'm not going to say some of our guys didn't care. They just didn't care enough or cared for the wrong reasons. Don't misunderstand: I'm not saying that other countries have not improved dramatically in basketball. The influx and impact of foreign stars in the NBA is testament that the rest of the world can flat-out play. Yugoslavia is the reigning FIBA world champion, and deserves to be. Argentina won the 2004 Olympic gold medal on merit. Still, I'm not sure how much our players' laissez faire approach toward international competition has contributed to our downfall. -- Philadelphia Daily News
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Miscellaneous
Gathings Still Hoping To Land On NBA Team
Danny Gathings has certainly made his mark playing basketball in his hometown of Winston-Salem and in his home state. Now, Gathings - who led Parkland to the Class 3-A state title in 1999 and went on to a standout career at High Point University - is trying to make his mark playing professional basketball overseas. Home for the summer until late August, when he said he will leave for France and his second professional season, Gathings, 25, is chasing his goal of playing in the NBA. -- Winston-Salem JournalThis is only my opinion. Please hold it against me. -
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