Caron Butler fined $15,000 for "obscene gesture"

Milwaukee Bucks forward Caron Butler was fined $15,000 for making an obscene gesture during Friday night's 105-98 win over the Boston Celtics.

During the fourth quarter, Butler sank a key three pointer to tie the game at 93 and did the 'big balls dance' popularized by former NBA guard Sam Cassell and originated in the movie 'Major League 2'.

Brooklyn Nets center Andray Blatche was fined $15,000 for the same offense earlier this month in a game against the Miami Heat.

As a fan I say let the players express themselves a little instead of having them be robotic.

NBA might let the Heat and Nets wear jerseys with nicknames

The NBA is kicking around an idea that might get fans to buy more jerseys.

For one game the league may let players wear nicknames on the back of their jerseys. Members of the  Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets have been told that the league may have them wear "nickname" jerseys in one of their four matchups this season.

Miami's Ray Allen, who would have "Jesus Shuttlesworth", his character from the movie "He Got Game", on the back of his jersey seems to be a fan of the idea.

 "It shows growth in our league and it shows we do adapt to what's going on around us," said Allen, the Heat guard who plans to wear Shuttlesworth on his jersey, a nod to his character from the "He Got Game" film. "And we're still kids, playing a kids' game. Even though we're now men playing a kids' game, we still remember where we come from. Everybody had a nickname and it's a way to let the fans in a little bit more."  

"Fans will like it and so will a lot of the players," Allen said. "Guys will get a good kick out of it."

Miami and Brooklyn is expected to be a marquee matchup this season so the league would put the idea into play with two of the more marketable teams in the league. I think it's an idea that would go over well with the fans and players alike.There's also the possibility of getting the league more publicity and exposure, also more sales of jerseys, but I don't know if the league would put the nickname jerseys on the market.

Robert Parish thinks it's awkward for Paul Pierce to be playing for the Nets

As a basketball fan it just won't seem right watch Paul Pierce in a Brooklyn Nets uniform. Just like it was strange watching Hakeem Olajuwon and Karl Malone in a Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Lakers uniform. It just doesn't seem right after watch him play for the Boston Celtics for so many years.

Longtime Celtic great Robert Parish knows a little about being in a different uniform. Parish spent his final years as a member of the Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls.

In an interview with Sean Deveney of the Sporting News, Parish said that Paul Pierce being on the Nets 'will be awkward' and he also compared Pierce's situation to his last few years in the NBA.

“Just accept the fact that it is going to be awkward initially. That’s all. Because he has worn the Celtics green for so long and it is going to be really awkward for him. But it was time for a change and what I do like about what the Celtics did for Pierce and Garnett, they didn’t send them somewhere to another situation that is not going to be successful. They sent them someplace where they are going to win. Garnett and Pierce have earned that right.” 

Parish spoke about his time in Charlotte and how he felt about it.

“Un-com-fortable,” Parish said (of wearing the Charlotte uniform). “In my mind, I would always be a Celtic. I was very thankful and humbled that the Hornets saw fit to allow me to play a couple more years, but the only time I thought of myself as a Charlotte Hornet was game time. Other than that, when the jersey came off, I still felt like I was a Celtic.”


When Pierce eventually goes into the basketball hall of fame he'll more than likely go in as a Celtic. But as long as the Russian billionaire is cutting the check in Brooklyn I'm pretty sure Pierce won't be feeling too awkward.

Only when he comes back to Boston.

Phil Jackson ready to go back to work

Apparently former Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson has had enough of retirement. After nearly two seasons in retirement, Phil Jackson has become increasingly interested in working in the NBA next season, according to sources familiar with his thinking.

Jackson turned down the Brooklyn Nets coaching job earlier this and has said that he's finished coaching. That still won't keep teams that are interested in his services from asking. Jackson is reported to be interested in a front office job taking on a role similar to Pat Riley's in Miami or Larry Bird in Indiana.

Jackson has been mentioned for a front office job for the ownership group in Seattle attempting to buy the Sacramento Kings.    

The Nets provide the best opportunity to come in and have wide-ranging powers. GM Billy King has been Mikhail Prokhorov's man in the rebuild, but there's a way to give Jackson president powers while keeping King as the point man on deals. It would be interesting and innovative to see Jackson as part-time coach, full-time president, without having to do the actual negotiating. But if anyone's willing to make exceptions and put the money together for a part-time coaching position for Jackson so he doesn't have to travel with his health issues, it's the devil-may-spend-er Prokhorov.

Jackson has never held a front office or personnel position so that may be a deterrent in hiring a man with 11 championship rings to his credit