George O'Brien
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Houston Chronicle
March 16, 2004, 12:40AM
Stoudemire goes for jugular
Suns forward calls Francis `idiot' after being hit with forearm
By MEGAN MANFULL
Amare Stoudemire stood beside his locker still baffled and angry. He didn't understand what prompted Steve Francis to approach him in the third quarter of Monday's game and thrust his left forearm into Stoudemire's throat.
Stoudemire, the second-year Suns forward, had just completed a dunk over Yao Ming that cut Phoenix's deficit to nine points. After dunking, Stoudemire turned toward the crowd and screamed. When he turned back toward the court, Francis nailed him in the throat.
"It was out of nowhere," Stoudemire said. "I don't know why would he even think of doing something like that when I didn't even dunk on him. You know what I mean? I guess he got a little upset that we were coming back. I mean, why would he put his forearm around my throat? That's not being a professional basketball player. That's being more of an idiot. And I got really angry after that."
The dunk pumped up Stoudemire and his teammates, who went on to upset the Rockets 99-97 at Toyota Center.
The victory did not make Stoudemire forget about the confrontation, however.
As upset as Stoudemire was with Francis, he was just as angry with the officials who handed out a double technical and did not eject Francis. Stoudemire said the officials told the Suns' bench that Stoudemire was handed the technical for not walking away.
NBA rules allow referees to talk to a pool reporter about rule interpretations after games, but the officials declined the media's request on Monday.
"Steve initiated contact first, so there should be no double technical on that," Suns forward Shawn Marion said. "The refs have got to look at that and judge that. I'm pretty sure they know that it shouldn't have been two technicals.
"(Stoudemire) had the right to retaliate for that. If someone comes up and shoves you like that, you can retaliate. (Francis) should have been gone. Honestly, he should have been ejected from the game. But the referees judge that, and that's what we're stuck with."
Stoudemire was infuriated after Francis hit him, but he didn't retaliate. Instead, Stoudemire clenched his fist at his side and took a step toward Francis. Francis didn't budge and pushed Stoudemire away again. Officials and teammates intervened to keep the two apart.
While the Suns were upset about the incident, Francis dismissed it as something that wasn't worth discussing.
"It was nothing; it was just something within the game," he said. "Something that happens between players. It's not personal. I left it on the basketball court."
So did Stoudemire. He didn't attempt to land a punch, but he delivered a bigger blow by helping his team erase a 21-point deficit to beat the Rockets in overtime. Stoudemire, who finished with 24 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks, hit a key hook shot with 27.6 seconds left in overtime to give the Suns a 97-96 lead.
"If something like that happens, just walk away from it and take it out on them on the court," Stoudemire said.
Stoudemire did want to send a message to the league after the game, however. He made it clear that he thinks players who throw punches -- or elbows or forearms -- should be ejected.
League rules say that if a punch is thrown -- even if it doesn't land -- above the shoulders, the player should be ejected. If a punch is thrown below the shoulders, officials decide whether to eject the player. The rules specifically mention fists and elbows when talking about punches, but there is no mention of forearms.
"In this league, if you put your hands on somebody you have got to get ejected," Stoudemire said. "I mean, that's like a fight. You know what I mean? If anybody puts their hands on anybody else after the play and it's a fighting gesture, you have to go. You have to go.
"He put his forearm at my throat. Come on, man. That's not the game of basketball. That shouldn't be in any sport."
March 16, 2004, 12:40AM
Stoudemire goes for jugular
Suns forward calls Francis `idiot' after being hit with forearm
By MEGAN MANFULL
Amare Stoudemire stood beside his locker still baffled and angry. He didn't understand what prompted Steve Francis to approach him in the third quarter of Monday's game and thrust his left forearm into Stoudemire's throat.
Stoudemire, the second-year Suns forward, had just completed a dunk over Yao Ming that cut Phoenix's deficit to nine points. After dunking, Stoudemire turned toward the crowd and screamed. When he turned back toward the court, Francis nailed him in the throat.
"It was out of nowhere," Stoudemire said. "I don't know why would he even think of doing something like that when I didn't even dunk on him. You know what I mean? I guess he got a little upset that we were coming back. I mean, why would he put his forearm around my throat? That's not being a professional basketball player. That's being more of an idiot. And I got really angry after that."
The dunk pumped up Stoudemire and his teammates, who went on to upset the Rockets 99-97 at Toyota Center.
The victory did not make Stoudemire forget about the confrontation, however.
As upset as Stoudemire was with Francis, he was just as angry with the officials who handed out a double technical and did not eject Francis. Stoudemire said the officials told the Suns' bench that Stoudemire was handed the technical for not walking away.
NBA rules allow referees to talk to a pool reporter about rule interpretations after games, but the officials declined the media's request on Monday.
"Steve initiated contact first, so there should be no double technical on that," Suns forward Shawn Marion said. "The refs have got to look at that and judge that. I'm pretty sure they know that it shouldn't have been two technicals.
"(Stoudemire) had the right to retaliate for that. If someone comes up and shoves you like that, you can retaliate. (Francis) should have been gone. Honestly, he should have been ejected from the game. But the referees judge that, and that's what we're stuck with."
Stoudemire was infuriated after Francis hit him, but he didn't retaliate. Instead, Stoudemire clenched his fist at his side and took a step toward Francis. Francis didn't budge and pushed Stoudemire away again. Officials and teammates intervened to keep the two apart.
While the Suns were upset about the incident, Francis dismissed it as something that wasn't worth discussing.
"It was nothing; it was just something within the game," he said. "Something that happens between players. It's not personal. I left it on the basketball court."
So did Stoudemire. He didn't attempt to land a punch, but he delivered a bigger blow by helping his team erase a 21-point deficit to beat the Rockets in overtime. Stoudemire, who finished with 24 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks, hit a key hook shot with 27.6 seconds left in overtime to give the Suns a 97-96 lead.
"If something like that happens, just walk away from it and take it out on them on the court," Stoudemire said.
Stoudemire did want to send a message to the league after the game, however. He made it clear that he thinks players who throw punches -- or elbows or forearms -- should be ejected.
League rules say that if a punch is thrown -- even if it doesn't land -- above the shoulders, the player should be ejected. If a punch is thrown below the shoulders, officials decide whether to eject the player. The rules specifically mention fists and elbows when talking about punches, but there is no mention of forearms.
"In this league, if you put your hands on somebody you have got to get ejected," Stoudemire said. "I mean, that's like a fight. You know what I mean? If anybody puts their hands on anybody else after the play and it's a fighting gesture, you have to go. You have to go.
"He put his forearm at my throat. Come on, man. That's not the game of basketball. That shouldn't be in any sport."
