# Merged: Francis Kicks Photographer; Suspended Indefinitely



## hobojoe (Jun 20, 2003)

*Francis, photographer tangle* 
Magic star denies kicking allegation



> Orlando Magic guard Steve Francis allegedly kicked a courtside photographer in the fourth quarter of last night's game at KeyArena.
> 
> Francis denied it after the game, but photographer Jeff Reinking said that he was kicked by Francis, who had fallen on top of Reinking on the baseline beneath the Magic's basket with 8:49 left in the game. Reinking spoke with an NBA security official, Robert Sale, who was making a report of the incident.
> 
> ...





> Francis was asked about the incident after the game in the locker room, although a team public-relations spokesman had conferred with Francis before he spoke.
> 
> "He threw my legs down, man," Francis said. "That was it."
> 
> ...


LINK 


Just some more great news surrounding Steve Francis. I think the Magic should suspend Steve for at least one game and make him watch the game on TV so he can see how fluidly the offense runs without him on the court holding the ball and stopping everything. The Magic would probably win for once, too.


----------



## X-Factor (Aug 24, 2004)

*Re: Francis Kicks Photographer?*

The neverending saga of crap from Steve Francis.


----------



## Shanghai Kid (Mar 7, 2003)

*Francis Suspended Indefinetly*

Read on another site that Francis has officially been suspended indefinetly for kicking a camera man last night. 


This will hurt his trade value a little bit.


----------



## thegza (Feb 18, 2003)

*Re: Francis Suspended Indefinetly*

His trade value is pretty low right now, at one point, he looked like he had matured both on and off the court. Now, he's back to his old ways, and it tells me a lot about his character that he is doing this right in the thick of things during a mid-season crisis when his team needs him most to build a playoff push.

I still expect Orlando to atleast be the 8th seed, though.


----------



## Captain Obvious (Jun 15, 2003)

*Re: Francis Suspended Indefinetly*



Shanghai Kid said:


> Read on another site that Francis has officially been suspended indefinetly for kicking a camera man last night.
> 
> 
> This will hurt his trade value a little bit.


Not necessarily. I heard about this earlier, but nobody I've talked to who watched the game last night saw it happen. Rodman got like 10 games for the same kind of thing, so considering his past history and the fact that the incident wasn't caught on tape (as far as I know), he should only be out a couple of games. I'll be very interested to see how the team plays without him.


----------



## YoYoYoWasup (Nov 14, 2004)

*Re: Francis Suspended Indefinetly*

This could be a blessing in disguise and hopefully it gets Howard more touches.


----------



## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

*Re: Francis Suspended Indefinetly*

Wow, that happened quickly.


----------



## ToddMacCulloch11 (May 31, 2003)

*Re: Francis Suspended Indefinetly*

http://www.nba.com/news/francis_050319.html


----------



## hobojoe (Jun 20, 2003)

*Re: Francis Suspended Indefinetly*

Thank you. No, seriously I'm glad this happened. I posted in the other thread I started about this incident that If I were the Magic I would suspend Francis, and well it looks like the league did it. Expect a lot more ball movement tonight without Francis out there to stop everything, expect a big night from the rookies, and most importantly expect a win.


----------



## X-Factor (Aug 24, 2004)

*Re: Francis Suspended Indefinetly*

God I'm really starting to hate this guy, because he is not providing our team with any advantage by having him. I say trade him as soon as his stock rises up a little.


----------



## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

*Re: Francis Suspended Indefinetly*



Minnesota Magician said:


> God I'm really starting to hate this guy, because he is not providing our team with any advantage by having him. I say trade him as soon as his stock rises up a little.


Sadly, that seems to be the consensus around here now a days. He had his chance to win our support, but now it seems pretty much everyone hates him.

<marquee behavior=scroll direction=up>Trade Francis!</marquee>


----------



## X-Factor (Aug 24, 2004)

*Re: Francis Suspended Indefinetly*




JNice said:


> <marquee behavior=scroll direction=up>Trade Francis!</marquee>



Join the club


----------



## hobojoe (Jun 20, 2003)

*Re: Francis Suspended Indefinetly*



JNice said:


> Sadly, that seems to be the consensus around here now a days. He had his chance to win our support, but now it seems pretty much everyone hates him.
> 
> <marquee behavior=scroll direction=up>Trade Francis!</marquee>


<marquee behavior=scroll direction=left>Trade Francis!</marquee>
<marquee behavior=scroll direction=right>Trade Francis!</marquee>
<marquee behavior=scroll direction=up>Trade Francis!</marquee>
<marquee behavior=scroll direction=down>Trade Francis!</marquee>


----------



## Babir (Jan 10, 2005)

Let's see how we ll play without "Steve-O"...I think better...

TRADE FRANCIS!TRADE FRANCIS!TRADE FRANCIS!TRADE FRANCIS!TRADE FRANCIS!TRADE FRANCIS!TRADE FRANCIS!TRADE FRANCIS!TRADE FRANCIS!


----------



## Idunkonyou (Feb 23, 2003)

I found out about this before the game and the funny thing was, I'm not mad. With Francis out, the Magic will probably win.


----------



## Piston-PiercePower (Nov 20, 2004)

Well, you guys won last night without him.

How long do you guess he'll be out? 

And why the heck would he kick a photographer?!


----------



## thegza (Feb 18, 2003)

Piston-PiercePower said:


> And why the heck would he kick a photographer?!


He's an idiot. No need to put it in any fancy terms, Francis is still a childish fool.

This will probably actually do Orlando more good then anything else. They now know they cannot count on "The Franchise" when they need him most, and I feel they have found themselves a true PG in Nelson, and just need to trade the cancer for a decent SG. From there on out, things should improve if given time.


----------



## Idunkonyou (Feb 23, 2003)

theLegend said:


> He's an idiot. No need to put it in any fancy terms, Francis is still a childish fool.
> 
> This will probably actually do Orlando more good then anything else. They now know they cannot count on "The Franchise" when they need him most, and I feel they have found themselves a true PG in Nelson, and just need to trade the cancer for a decent SG. From there on out, things should improve if given time.


I got to agree with that. When Francis does get back, Jent should have him come off the bench as a backup PG for Nelson. Nelson has been playing better than Francis any way.


----------



## X-Factor (Aug 24, 2004)

theLegend said:


> He's an idiot. No need to put it in any fancy terms, Francis is still a childish fool.
> 
> This will probably actually do Orlando more good then anything else. They now know they cannot count on "The Franchise" when they need him most, and I feel they have found themselves a true PG in Nelson, and just need to trade the cancer for a decent SG. From there on out, things should improve if given time.



Hit the nail on the head theLegend.


----------



## X-Factor (Aug 24, 2004)

Piston-PiercePower said:


> Well, you guys won last night without him.
> 
> How long do you guess he'll be out?
> 
> And why the heck would he kick a photographer?!


1.) Why yes, yes we did.

2.)He'll probably be out 'till towards the end of the season. Rodman did the same thing way back when and he got an 11 game suspension.

3.)He kicked the photogropher because he is a whiny baby and he was frustrated with officiating. He tried to make it all secretive but he was caught on camera. I'll laugh at whatever team has him at the begining of next season.


----------



## Hustle (Dec 17, 2003)

"NBA senior vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson suspended Francis indefinitely Saturday, causing him to miss the Magic's game in Portland against the Trail Blazers. Jackson's security staff is conducting interviews and reviewing the video footage -- both Sun Sports Network and Fox Sports Northwest have shots of the incident -- and a final ruling on the suspension is expected to be handed down today. "Steve is a very intense individual and he plays with a lot of passion and intensity," said Chris Jent, whose second game as the Magic's interim head coach was without the team's leading scorer. "But when he steps between the lines he becomes something that makes you great. But if that energy and spirit goes in the wrong direction it can hurt you." Florida Today


----------



## Captain Obvious (Jun 15, 2003)

It's 3 games:

http://www.nba.com/magic/news/

I'm a little surprised, I thought it'd be about 5 games.


----------



## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

Captain Obvious said:


> It's 3 games:
> 
> http://www.nba.com/magic/news/
> 
> I'm a little surprised, I thought it'd be about 5 games.


Aw, thats it? I was hoping for more. :biggrin:


----------



## Bl_ckB_st_rd (Mar 21, 2005)

Personally I didn't think it looked like he kicked him but whatever. I'm suprised at the backlash aimed at Francis seeing as how he's far and away their best player (although it would probably be Hill if he didn't have glass ankles). Yes, he dominates the ball but that's what happens when you have a SG playing the 1. Im sick of seeing him get ripped apart for not passing enough seeing as how the best part of his game is getting to the rim. I figured the Mobley trade (without question the worst trade of the year) would mean they'd have to move him to the 2 and leave him there but what do I know.


----------



## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

Bl_ckB_st_rd said:


> Personally I didn't think it looked like he kicked him but whatever. I'm suprised at the backlash aimed at Francis seeing as how he's far and away their best player (although it would probably be Hill if he didn't have glass ankles). Yes, he dominates the ball but that's what happens when you have a SG playing the 1. Im sick of seeing him get ripped apart for not passing enough seeing as how the best part of his game is getting to the rim. I figured the Mobley trade (without question the worst trade of the year) would mean they'd have to move him to the 2 and leave him there but what do I know.


Nobody questions his talent. It is his attitude that sucks. And after playing with Yao and constant talk that he wasn't any good at getting Yao the ball, the same type of things are happening with Dwight Howard. And Francis is less effective as a SG because he is used to dominating the ball and he is a defensive liability at SG, moreso than he is at PG.

But mainly it is his attitude ... and, especially this season, his pension for taking games off against the lesser teams in the league. He did that a lot earlier this season and if he didn't, Orlando's record would probably easily be 4-5 games better.


----------

