Charlotte Bobcats' Stephen Jackson issued $50,000 fine
Charlotte Bobcats guard Stephen Jackson was fined $50,000 for verbally abusing referees after a Friday night loss against the Detroit Pistons. The veteran guard, who has become the newest
target of the NBA's crackdown on misbehaving players, said that the fine was undeserved and that he is considering filing an appeal.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Jackson said, "Everybody should be shocked – $50,000? If you all saw what happened, $50,000, that's a lot of money. But welcome to the life of
Stephen Jackson.''
Referee Steve Javie called Jackson for a technical foul during the third quarter of the 97-90 loss. Jackson complained that he was fouled while scoring a basket.
"After the game, he made inappropriate comments towards the game officials,'' said NBA spokesman Tim Frank said.
Jackson, however, insists that referees were "reading his lips." Charlotte Bobcats coach Larry Brown attest to Jackson's statement.
'I got fined for talking to myself'
"I walked off the court upset about the outcome of the game. I guess they had a camera following me all the way to the tunnel and I wasn't even in sight of the referees and read my lips.
I guess I can't talk to myself. I got fined for talking to myself," Jackson said.
The fine is the latest in a string of punishments issued by the league against demonstrative players. Jackson has had a hard time keeping mum on calls he doesn't agree with. In the past
six games, Jackson has been called for two technical fouls. Last season, Jackson was tied for fifth in the league in technical fouls with 13.
"People don't like when you speak your mind. And they have the power to fine me or not fine me and they decided to. I can't do nothing but to live with it. But I'm going to continue to
speak my mind,'' Jackson said.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Brown said that referees should show the same kind of respect that is demanded of players. "It blows me away. For me to say, 'Wow,' and a (referee)
to go, 'I gotcha,' there is no recourse. They were lip-reading as he was walking 50-feet away. I just don't know," Brown said.
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