Hoops McCann doesn't punch and tell
The NBA has suspended 31-year veteran referee Joey Crawford indefinitely for his conduct towards San Antonio Spur's power forward Tim Duncan. Last Sunday, on national TV, Crawford assessed Duncan his second technical foul -- triggering his ouster from the game -- after the All-star, who was sitting on the bench, snickered at one of Crawford's calls.
Crawford then made a bad situation worse by challenging the docile Virgin Islander to a fight. When I heard about this aspect to their confrontation I immediately thought of JSB basketball correspondent Hoops McCann -- perhaps the only man in the world who has fought both Joey Crawford and Tim Duncan.
It is only through others that I have heard the details of two throw-downs -- which took place decades apart. I believe one had to to with Walt Frazier, a long fur coat and a crowded Harlem night club, while the other was a parking space dust up at the annual South Texas Man of the Year Award ceremony.
But when I called McCann he seemed reluctant to speak of past battles. Instead Hoops, who has turned to Buddhism to even his temper, started mumbling about the Four Noble Truths. Luckily I was able to get him away from the pain of his dukkha, and instead convinced him to a file a dispatch on Tim Duncan, the man, legend has it, Hoops once beat viciously with a black marbleized recognition plaque. Here is Hoops's latest dispatch on Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs.
Crawford then made a bad situation worse by challenging the docile Virgin Islander to a fight. When I heard about this aspect to their confrontation I immediately thought of JSB basketball correspondent Hoops McCann -- perhaps the only man in the world who has fought both Joey Crawford and Tim Duncan.
It is only through others that I have heard the details of two throw-downs -- which took place decades apart. I believe one had to to with Walt Frazier, a long fur coat and a crowded Harlem night club, while the other was a parking space dust up at the annual South Texas Man of the Year Award ceremony.
But when I called McCann he seemed reluctant to speak of past battles. Instead Hoops, who has turned to Buddhism to even his temper, started mumbling about the Four Noble Truths. Luckily I was able to get him away from the pain of his dukkha, and instead convinced him to a file a dispatch on Tim Duncan, the man, legend has it, Hoops once beat viciously with a black marbleized recognition plaque. Here is Hoops's latest dispatch on Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs.
