Pacers low balling Lance Stephenson

[Admin]

Drunk driving is nothing to play with.  Thousands of people lose their lives at the hands of drunk drivers every year, and is the #1 cause of accidents across the board.

 

Hell, didn't a major sports star in Atlanta ( Danny Heatley ) kill his best friend because he had a wreck while driving drunk?   He didn't go to jail for killing his friend.  He got probation, and had to speak to people about drunk driving for a few years.   I don;t think the team or the league even suspended him for that.  I may be wrong though.

 

Anyway, he went on to play like 10 more years in the NHL.  I think he's still playing in the league.

 

You give Bud a complete pass for driving drunk . . . but want to treat Lance like he's Hannibal Lecter for getting into it with his girlfriend?   Both are things that shouldn't be tolerated.  But both are things that can also be forgiven.

 

I'm not saying drunk driving is nothing. Honestly not trying to take away from how serious and awful that is.  But that's a stupid decision that most people have made at one time in their lives by having 1 too many. That's a FAR cry from sexually abusing a girl with a group of your friends or pushing your gf down the stairs, walking down and then slamming her head into the steps. That's not a mistake from having 1 too many, that's a conscious decision. 

 

And LMFAO for you referring to what he's done with women to "getting into it with his gf".  Getting into it with your gf is having an argument where your voices are raised, not where you do something that could have easily killed her.

[coachx]

 

Drunk driving is nothing to play with.  Thousands of people lose their lives at the hands of drunk drivers every year, and is the #1 cause of accidents across the board.

 

Hell, didn't a major sports star in Atlanta ( Danny Heatley ) kill his best friend because he had a wreck while driving drunk?   He didn't go to jail for killing his friend.  He got probation, and had to speak to people about drunk driving for a few years.   I don;t think the team or the league even suspended him for that.  I may be wrong though.

 

Anyway, he went on to play like 10 more years in the NHL.  I think he's still playing in the league.

 

You give Bud a complete pass for driving drunk . . . but want to treat Lance like he's Hannibal Lecter for getting into it with his girlfriend?   Both are things that shouldn't be tolerated.  But both are things that can also be forgiven.

Was Coach Bud convicted ?

 

I thought his alcohol level was barely above the legal limit. There is a DUI after 2 glasses of wine and than there is a DUI after 2 bottles of wine...........there is bashing your girl friends head into stairs as well. "Getting into it with your GF" is a verbal argument..........not a physical altercation.

 

I don't think Coach Bud was out of control or put any one's life in jeopardy unless my memory of the details are way off.

 

Call me crazy............but driving after 2 glasses of wine is no problem with me. Not saying I support drunk driving but a .06 is not drunk driving.  Raising your hand to a woman is much worse.

Edited July 2, 2014 by coachx

[Admin]

basketballreference is always off on that.

 

He was born Feb 10..........so he will be 30 years old near the all star game next season.

 

Oh really? I am very surprised they'd be off on a stat. 

[Duff_Man]

DUI is nowhere near as bad as beating a woman or sexual assault.

[WakaFlocka]

Drunk driving is nothing to play with.  Thousands of people lose their lives at the hands of drunk drivers every year, and is the #1 cause of accidents across the board.

 

Hell, didn't a major sports star in Atlanta ( Danny Heatley ) kill his best friend because he had a wreck while driving drunk?   He didn't go to jail for killing his friend.  He got probation, and had to speak to people about drunk driving for a few years.   I don;t think the team or the league even suspended him for that.  I may be wrong though.

 

Anyway, he went on to play like 10 more years in the NHL.  I think he's still playing in the league.

 

You give Bud a complete pass for driving drunk . . . but want to treat Lance like he's Hannibal Lecter for getting into it with his girlfriend?   Both are things that shouldn't be tolerated.  But both are things that can also be forgiven.

Comparing an unfortunate, everyday DUI to speeding around completely wasted in a Ferrari and physically abusing someone whom you supposedly love? Solid comparison.

 

Lance clearly has his issues, but if he could be had for $10m or $11m per year for 3 years you have to seriously consider it. If the Hawks sign Deng for around that amount and that's also what Lance ends up getting I'm going to be real pissed.

[Gianluca]

does CJ to a 4yr/18 mill deal officially close the door on Lance for the Pacers?

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Was Coach Bud convicted ?

 

I thought his alcohol level was barely above the legal limit. There is a DUI after 2 glasses of wine and than there is a DUI after 2 bottles of wine...........there is bashing your girl friends head into stairs as well. "Getting into it with your GF" is a verbal argument..........not a physical altercation.

 

I don't think Coach Bud was out of control or put any one's life in jeopardy unless my memory of the details are way off.

 

Call me crazy............but driving after 2 glasses of wine is no problem with me. Not saying I support drunk driving but a .06 is not drunk driving.  Raising your hand to a woman is much worse.

 

You think that was the first time that Bud ever got behind the wheel after having something to drink?  Or was it the first time he was CAUGHT.

 

But refused the breath test, because he said that he had just finished a glass of wine 15 minutes before getting behind the wheel.   15 minutes now.   He got arrested because the officer felt his speech patterns were slow, mumbled and slurred.

 

Here's Bud's arrest report

 

http://media.cmgdigital.com/shared/news/documents/2013/08/29/Michael_Budenholzer-Arrest-Page-2.pdf

 

Bud's lawyer gave a slightly different story

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/atlanta-hawks-head-coach-mike-budenholzer-arrested-charged-133742259--nba.html

 

 

Last night, Atlanta Hawks head basketball coach Michael Budenholzer was stopped by a Georgia State Patrol DUI Task Force officer for a broken taillight. He was stopped solely for an equipment violation and committed no traffic offenses. The trooper demanded that he submit to a breathalyzer, and when Coach Budenholzer asked to consult with an attorney first, he was immediately arrested and charged with DUI.

While at the jail, after consulting with an attorney by telephone, he immediately volunteered to take both a breathalyzer and also requested that a blood alcohol test be performed. His request for testing was refused. Immediately upon his release on bond, Coach Budenholzer went directly to Piedmont Hospital where his blood was tested at the earliest opportunity, albeit several hours after his arrest. The official report from the hospital blood test revealed that his blood alcohol concentration was less than .01, well below the legal limit of .08.

Coach Budenholzer has no prior criminal record and entered a plea of Not Guilty to all charges this morning in the Atlanta Municipal Court.

“I take my role as a leader very seriously and hold myself to a high standard. I apologize to the fans and to the Hawks organization for any negative attention this incident has brought upon my family and the organization while the legal process evolves and I contest these misdemeanor charges,” said Coach Budenholzer.

 

Neither Lance, nor Bud were convicted because of their arrest.  Nor were they disciplined by the league.  But one is somewhat more heinous than the other?   If Lance could've killed his girl by allegedly pushing her down some stairs, Bud could've killed somebody by having his driving impaired by allegedly having too much to drink

 

What if he's gotten behind the wheel of a car with a BAC much higher than what he got caught with?   What if he routinely did it in San Antonio, but cops let him off when they found out who he was?

Edited July 2, 2014 by TheNorthCydeRises

[Buzzard]

Lance, Deng, Parsons, Ariza....if they all got similar per year salaries, which are the best values?

 

My answer:

 

1-Parsons

2-Stephenson

3-Deng

4-Ariza

[macdaddy]

I've never seen Bud's police report before but its interesting that it doesn't say whether he failed the other 3 field sobriety tests.  Let's face it Bud's eyes are always red and watery so not sure that's damning.   Hopefully he's learned his lesson and has the uber app now.

[MaceCase]

No one blames him for everything that's gone wrong there.  He's the only one that's a FA right now so he's the only one we're talking about.

 

He needs to be corralled because he's had at least 2 lockerroom fights (allegedly) and can't keep control of his emotions on the court.  The assumption you made was that my issue with him was purely his behavior and you ran with it citing West and Bird as your champions for the 'Lance is A-Ok' squad.  I merely expressed to you that I have other concerns.  It's possible for me to respond to your comment while also having other beliefs on the subject.  And, no Bird & West are not enough because despite those endorsements, he's still the person he is.

I cited West and Bird first and you chimed in with them failing to "corral" him.....on the court.  There is little about him on the court that needs corralling, there is little to question about his actual game explicitly implied or not so the natural assumption has to be that this is yet again a question of his behavior.  "locker room" fights got nothing to do with the court but you brought it up.  The first was an on the sideline confrontation that George Hill instigated and they were separated but Lance is the "woman beater" so of course that has to be his sole fault.  How cameras, fans and reporters missed that display of fisticuffs?  I don't know, but don't f*** with the legend that is Lance.  The Evan Turner incident?  Turner was the one dragged off the practice court by teammates, DNPed through most of the playoffs and dropped by the Pacers like a bad habit at the start of free agency but Lance is the "sexual assaulter" so again, he needs to be "corralled".

 

This is what I'm pointing out.  Take any lil incident and fill in the blanks with their own opinions and half truths based on past events and worse, attempt to trump them up all while downplaying other activities and crimes.  You don't like him for the off the court stuff but recognize that he's a talent on it?  Perfectly fine with me and entirely respectable.  You want to say that you don't think he's enough of a talent on the court yet are citing his off the court jacket as the basis for this opinion but claiming that it is only "icing".....Not fine with me but aye, do you.

[Vol4ever]

does CJ to a 4yr/18 mill deal officially close the door on Lance for the Pacers?

 

 

I was thinking the same thing.  I think the answer is probably.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

DUI is nowhere near as bad as beating a woman or sexual assault.

 

Wow . . . just wow.

 

http://www.cbs46.com/story/21812706/2012-domestic-violence-deaths-in-ga-report-released

 

128 people killed in Georgia due to domestic violence in 2012 . . which is 10th highest in the nation.  Probably tens of thousands of other women ( and a few men ) were injured due to domestic violence.   About 1,200 women die from domestic violence every year.   That's horrible.

 

 

 

http://www.madd.org/blog/2013/november/2012-drunk-driving-fatalities.html

 

301 people killed in Georgia due to drunk driving accidents in 2012.   Probably tens of thousands of other people injured in drunk driving wreks.   About 10,000 people die from drunk driving wrecks every year.  But according to you guys, that's not as bad.

 

 

Once again . . in the Lance case, his girl was treated and released for her injuries.   And Lance, while being arrested, was not prosecuted for this incident.

 

Bud was arrested and charged with DUI.  He refused a breathalyzer test, which could've solidified that he was drunk ( and a smart move if indeed he was drunk ).   Despite being arrested, he has not been prosecuted for that crime ( as of right now ).

[DS17Fanboy]

Truth is the Hawks wont be considdered by a Lebron,  Melo, Howard, or Paul.

 

You can either suck real hard and get even luckier the next year by drafting a Michael Jordan, or you take your chances with a guy like Lance.

 

He could be a big ticket at a managable price. To me it seems exactly what the Hawks need. He could bust, not fiiting into his demanded role, but thats the risk part....and the what Hawks can get part....and the managable salary part.

 

If you pick between Lance and Deng for the same salary the decision should be clear.

Edited July 2, 2014 by DS17Fanboy

[Admin]

I can't believe someone would try and defend a woman beater and for lack of a better term high school girl rapist. 

[Buzzard]

Wow . . . just wow.

 

http://www.cbs46.com/story/21812706/2012-domestic-violence-deaths-in-ga-report-released

 

128 people killed in Georgia due to domestic violence in 2012 . . which is 10th highest in the nation.  Probably tens of thousands of other women ( and a few men ) were injured due to domestic violence.   About 1,200 women die from domestic violence every year.   That's horrible.

 

 

 

http://www.madd.org/blog/2013/november/2012-drunk-driving-fatalities.html

 

301 people killed in Georgia due to drunk driving accidents in 2012.   Probably tens of thousands of other people injured in drunk driving wreks.   About 10,000 people die from drunk driving wrecks every year.  But according to you guys, that's not as bad.

 

 

Once again . . in the Lance case, his girl was treated and released for her injuries.   And Lance, while being arrested, was not prosecuted for this incident.

 

Bud was arrested and charged with DUI.  He refused a breathalyzer test, which could've solidified that he was drunk ( and a smart move if indeed he was drunk ).   Despite being arrested, he has not been prosecuted for that crime ( as of right now ).

DUI's are bad; but at one time they were considered the status quo with officers giving drunk drivers a pass or even a ride home during the 70's and before...

 

We can say a similar thing about domestic violence in the 60's and before....

 

We can also say this: some people charged with either crime; do not go out and do it again. But some do....

Edited July 2, 2014 by Buzzard

[TheNorthCydeRises]

I can't believe someone would try and defend a woman beater and for lack of a better term high school girl rapist. 

 

The same way someone would try to defend a drunk with slurred speech, who got behind the wheel, 15 minutes after having a strong alcoholic drink

[nathan2331]

This is ridiculous. While a DUI is serious, I don't think Budenholzer was guilty of anything, unless I'm reading that report wrong. Stephenson on the other hand has legitimate concerns about his behavior. I want Stephenson on this team, but don't try to use Budenholzer to make him look better.

[DS17Fanboy]

I can't believe someone would try and defend a woman beater and for lack of a better term high school girl rapist. 

Well, I dont defend him. My stepfather almost broke my mothers back once etc, but life is to short and precious for holding grudges. I thought when I grow big enough I will woop his ass, but I didnt since we where long gone and the consequense would be crimminal charges or what have you on my own. How would that make things better? How would a mother feel when her son is ruining his future?

 

He also has two children with my mom, much younger than me. I was like the big brother/cool substitute father. I never said a bad word about that man to them, knowing him much differently when he was a workaholic/alcoholic/women and child beater. I wanted these kids to be having a chance to grow a healthy distant relationship with their father. Which didnt happen, but he send child support like he was supposed to and my mom financially eagirly needed.

 

So all in all everyone is a winner. We all made something out of ourselves. If I had kept grudges and went Lance Stephenson on him he would get my ass improsned and might stop sending that money that got my little sister to a conservatorium, who btw exames this coming saterday.

 

Holding grudges is not good and stands in the way of rationality. The Hawks need to be rational risk tackers, and after 3 years of staying from trouble I view Lance as a rational risk to take.

[Admin]

The same way someone would try to defend a drunk with slurred speech, who got behind the wheel, 15 minutes after having a strong alcoholic drink

 

Man I swear I really don't recognize the person you've come back to the community as. 

 

I'm sure you've never gotten behind the wheel of a car after having an alcoholic drink.  I'm not as good of a human being though so I can understand the situation Bud was in.

 

I can say though that I've never and would never put my hands on a woman. I was just raised to be a better man than that. 

[Admin]

Well, I dont defend him. My stepfather almost broke my mothers back once etc, but life is to short and precious for holding grudges. I thought when I grow big enough I will woop his ass, but I didnt since we where long gone and the consequense would be crimminal charges or what have you on my own. How would that make things better? How would a mother feel when her son is ruining his future?

 

He also has two children with my mom, much younger than me. I was like the big brother/cool substitute father. I never said a bad word about that man to them, knowing him much differently when he was a workaholic/alcoholic/women and child beater. I wanted these kids to be having a chance to grow a healthy distant relationship with their father. Which didnt happen, but he send child support like he was supposed to and my mom financially eagirly needed.

 

So all in all everyone is a winner. We all made something out of ourselves. If I had kept grudges and went Lance Stephenson on him he would get my ass improsned and might stop sending that money that got my little sister to a conservatorium, who btw exames this coming saterday.

 

Holding grudges is not good and stands in the way of rationality. The Hawks need to be rational risk tackers, and after 3 years of staying from trouble I view Lance as a rational risk to take.

 

Very good post! Not that I agree with taking on Lance but I appreciate the story you shared.