NBA Commissioner David Stern puts a leash on Orlando Magic’s coach Stan Van Gundy
It seems that National Basketball Association Commissioner David Stern has finally silenced Orlando Magic’s coach Stan Van Gundy. The outspoken coach, who certainly does not mind ruffling a few feathers while offering his opinions, told the media on Friday
that he has been told to stay quiet on his rising confrontation with Stern, which has witnessed personal prods from both sides. When asked who told him to cease, Van Gundy re-iterated that he has been told not to comment.
The problem began back on Monday, when Van Gundy in his rant to defend his star player Dwight Howard, who was suspended after receiving his 16th technical foul of the season, went geopolitical and took on the NBA Commissioner.
In a verbal onslaught, a frustrated Van Gundy implied that Howard has been a target of hard fouls and that the NBA referees were too quick to pass on their judgements. But, he went a bit too ahead and launched a direct attack on Stern.
"This is the system David Stern and his minions like," Van Gundy said. "So that's the system you have. ... I certainly can't have an opinion because David Stern, like a lot of leaders we've seen in this world lately, don't really tolerate other people's
opinion or free speech or anything. So I'm not really allowed to have an opinion. So it's up to him."
Later Van Gundy tried to clarify his statement that he was not contrasting Stern with any particular dictators, but it was too late, as the damage was done.
Although Stern responded three days later, it was quite evident that he was not pleased with the highly opinionated Magic’s coach. Stern, who had fined Van Gundy $35,000 in January after his altercation with the match officials, did not fine him this time around.
Rather, he has indicated that a course of action will be decided after he meets people from the Magic’s front office.
In a statement he said, "It didn't bother me personally. I see somebody whose team isn't performing, whose star player was suspended, who seems to be fraying."
"I would render a guess," Stern added, "that we won't be hearing from him for the rest of the season. When he stops and reads what he said and realizes what he did, he will say no more."
It seems now that Stern meant every word of what he said as Orlando’s Coach is now rendered speechless on the matter.
As far as Howard's issues with technical fouls are concerned, it is something which is not new. Van Gundy's irritation though seems valid as on none of the 593 occasions that Howard has been issued a technical, has the opposite number been charged.
For the moment though, it seems that ‘Stern and his minions’ have overwhelmed the outspoken emotions of the dogmatic Orlando coach and we surely will not be hearing an emotionally charged complaint from him any time soon.
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