# The way of the thug



## ltsook (Jun 8, 2003)

Check out my article on Varejao's elbow at

http://mundobasket2006eng.blogspot.com/


----------



## Diable (Apr 26, 2005)

Video courtesy of a Greek fan...I can't read his mind,but it looks intentional.I would guess that FIBA will have to take some action.


----------



## BucketDawg (Jun 30, 2006)

Im sorry about the loss of Zisis, he is a great player with a lot of heart. I'm a Cavs fan and I am disappointed in this display by Varejao. He is very hard-nosed but this is the first time I have seen him intentionally elbow someone, but he was out of line. Anyway thanks for the site and good luck to the Greeks and hopefully we'll see a Greece-USA semi final.


----------



## ltsook (Jun 8, 2003)

Thanx for visiting and for the link.

Let's hope Zisis get better soon. Varejao will probably get run over by Ron Artest next season as divine justice...


----------



## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

Andy actually does have a mean streak. People think it's all samba and good times. Dude has attempted cheap shots on guys he thinks deserve it before. He won't take crap. Go watch some Pistons-Cavs games from the regular season. In particular Andy's attitude towards Rasheed.

I think if Andy did this then the greek guy probably had it coming. Andy doesn't just randomly attack people(I do think the elbow was intentional, though he probably didn't mean to crush the guys face). But he will send messages and stick up for his team. He is a very prideful player.

I could see Andres Nocioni doing the same thing.


----------



## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

Just read your article. I think you are off base to bring Kermit Washington's name into this. Karl Malone maybe. But not Kermit Washington. Kermit Washington basically ended a guy's career and it was during and actual fight, not during a game. Even though it was a cheap shot by Andy, it was still a basketball play. It was not a punch. Plays like that happen a lot in basketball when teams start getting chippy, but not everytime does the guy break his face, that was just an unfortunate side effect.

If anything it was more like Karl Malone nearly killing Isiah Thomas in the 80's, but not as violent.


----------



## ltsook (Jun 8, 2003)

Nobody has something like that coming. A straight punch would be more clean. That was a cheapshot.

Washington threw a punch in the middle of a fight. That to me is more acceptable.

Anderson's elbow is plain dirty and if it was a little higher it could have ended Zisis career too. It was premeditated and he should have been disqualified.

I'd appreciate it if you could give me more info on Malone's shot at Isiah. Thanx.


----------



## Perseas (Aug 24, 2006)

futuristxen said:


> I think if Andy did this then the greek guy probably had it coming. Andy doesn't just randomly attack people(I do think the elbow was intentional, though he probably didn't mean to crush the guys face). But he will send messages and stick up for his team. He is a very prideful player.


If you mean that he had it coming because he had him pinned down in defense for most of the game then, yes you are probably right. Varejao was irritated because he could not get anytihng right in that game. zero points, four turnovers. So what does he do? Act like a spoiled brat that does not get his favourite toy in time... Nikos Zisis, is probably one of the most mellow characters on and off the court. Yes, he plays with heart but he is not dirty or unsportsmanlike in any way. I've seen the video more than a hunderd times (literally), trying to stay as objective as possible. It is intentional, there 's no doubt about it. It's not intended for Zisis specifically, but he was the one in front of him that time. Sure, it's not a fight but it could have been carreer-ening. Nikos's sight in that eye was restored 16 hours after the incident and the doctors are worried about an airbubble having formed between the brain and the cheekbone. He should be allright but he did not deserve this. And he definately DID NOT have it coming....!!!


----------



## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

Obviously I didn't see the whole game, but going on having watched Andy for his entire career as a Cavalier and what he usually does, I agree it was intentional, but I do not agree that Andy intended to put the guy's career in jeopardy. He wanted to send a message, and an accident happened in terms of the severity. There was a play in the Italy game where an Italian player deliberately undercut DWade and he is now injured because of it, but it isn't serious. But if he had landed wrong he could have broken his kneck. But I don't think the italian player intended that.

I guess it's similiar to Kermit Washington's in that Andy intended to hit the guy, but he obviously didn't intend to break his face.

As for the Karl Malone thing, Karl Malone deliberately elbowed Isiah Thomas and nearley killed him in a game back in I think 89. Split Isiah's skull right open.

There's many instances in NBA history of this sort of thing happening. It's a physical game, and sometimes emotions get the best of players. But I do not put a cheapshot on the same level as a fight. Cheapshots are a dark part of the game, but they are taken within the context of the game, whereas throwing a punch isn't in the context of the game.

What Andy did happens almost every game in the NBA. In the NBA they don't just let you go through the lane without giving you a shot. Some are more physical than others, but guys have gotten planted before.


----------



## ltsook (Jun 8, 2003)

They take shots at each other in the paint wherever the game is played but not on a guys face. He took a big risk and he lost. Now he's the villain and he will probably be punished.

Anyway thanx for the Malone-Isiah tip, i'll try to find out more.


----------

