Bad Boy

The WNBA has officially sunk to the level of the NBA. That's pretty bad. In the men's NBA, fighting has always been a trademarked highlight that filtered the league's classy guys from the knuckleheads who think they're still defending their ego in some schoolyard game. Kermit punching Rudy, the Knicks playoff brawl of '97, and of course the melee at Auburn Hills four years ago.



Well, the women have officially arrived with their own highlight. On Tuesday, July 22 with less than five seconds left in the game, the L.A. Sparks high-profile rookie Candace Parker and Detroit's Plenette Pierson tangled and quickly skirmished on the floor, clearing both benches and causing an impromptu players riot at where else? Auburn Hills, Michigan.
If you watch the footage, you'll see why 10 players were handed suspensions for multiple games along with fines. Also, during the fight, Detroit lost their all-star forward Cheryl Ford for the season due to torn knee ligaments as she tried to restrain other players and was wheeled off the court by medics after. So, who really received the raw deal from all this? Detroit assistant coach Rick Mahorn.

Mahorn entered the fight and cleared L.A.'s Lisa Leslie out by pushing her off the pile. Leslie after the game gave commentary on how Mahorn, for no reason, shoved her to the ground as she was simply going into the mess to "help up teammates." Stir into the mix the fact that the 6'9" Mahorn is twice the size of any female on the court and he's a retired former Detroit "Bad Boy", who used to make his living being a goon and brawling in the 80's for the Pistons on that very same court. Mahorn was handed a two-game suspension from the league, despite his efforts at being a peacemaker.

Did Mahorn jump into the middle of a fight with 20+ women on national television? Yes. Did he put his hands on one of them? Yes. Did he do it to escalate the situation? I highly doubt it. Mahorn is a proud father of four daughters and i'm sure that wasn't the first girlfight he's ever had to step in the middle of.

"It's unfortunate that players get suspended. These things happen. That's the way business works some days. I don't comment on suspensions because it's beyond my control. Except for Rick Mahorn. He was out there being a peacemaker, something happened and he was not involved and that's bad."

This was told by Detroit head coach Bill Laimbeer, who also was a former teammate and Detroit Bad Boy back in the hayday. Even L.A. Sparks head coach Michael Cooper backed Laimbeer, calling Mahorn a "peacemaker" as well.

In my opinion, Leslie's feelings got hurt as she was embarassed on ESPN by getting shoved and had no contribution in helping her teammates. The league quickly backed her cry of wolf and dished out punishment to put ice over their new black eye. I think its pathetic how Leslie's version of "damsel in distress" got someone else in trouble. If she put her pride aside and was able to look at what happened, she would see that she was doing exactly what Mahorn was doing, except he got to the task first and used Leslie for the first step of intervention. Shame on Leslie personally throwing him under the bus. Shame on the league for punishing Mahorn and shame on anyone who thinks he should sit out any time whatsoever.

Outside of the undersized basketball, high school-level scoring and complete lack of excitement, I guess I can throw one more reason why the WNBA doesn't deserve this sport fan's time of day.