Reggie Miller: "You shouldn't stand behind a player that is ......

[23]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2618878


INDIANAPOLIS -- Former Indiana Pacers star Reggie Miller said Tuesday he doesn't understand why Stephen Jackson's teammates are standing by him following a violent incident outside an Indianapolis strip club.
Reggie speaks out
Reggie Miller has never been shy about expressing his opinion, and now he's not happy about the behavior of Stephen Jackson.

Police said Jackson fired a gun in the air in apparent self-defense early Friday after he was slugged in the mouth and struck by a car that sent him tumbling onto the hood.

Miller, who played 18 years for the Pacers and is the NBA's career leader in 3-pointers, spoke out about the incident Tuesday on Dan Patrick's ESPN Radio show.

"That's ridiculous," Miller said. "That is a black cloud. That is a punch in the gut for [team CEO] Donnie Walsh and [team president] Larry Bird.''



The Pacers have an aggressive preseason publicity campaign, with television ads and billboards featuring players and the "It's up to us" slogan.


"You shouldn't stand behind a player that is someone slapping you guys in the face during the middle of training camp being out at a strip club at 3 o'clock in the morning shooting it up like it's the Wild, Wild West."

Reggie Miller



Even Jackson, who was suspended 30 games for his role in the brawl with Detroit Pistons fans two seasons ago and often was at odds with coach Rick Carlisle last season, talked about spending a summer "soul-searching" and returning with a positive attitude.

The Pacers didn't even make it to their preseason opener before their latest public relations mess. The Pacers have rallied around Jackson, and Miller disagreed with that on Patrick's show.

"You shouldn't stand behind a player that is someone slapping you guys in the face during the middle of training camp being out at a strip club at 3 o'clock in the morning shooting it up like it's the Wild, Wild West," he said.

Miller, now a TNT basketball analyst, ended his career following the 2004-05 season. He was a five-time All-Star, led the NBA in free throw percentage five times and is No. 12 on the league's career scoring list.

[WilliamWilliamson]

Re: Reggie Miller: "You shouldn't stand behind a player that is ......

He's wrong on this one

[PlayaHataSupreme]

Re: Reggie Miller: "You shouldn't stand behind a player that is ......

He's wrong on this one

PlayaHataSupreme seconds this.

[jake44np]

Re: Reggie Miller: "You shouldn't stand behind a player that is ......

How is he wrong, why is a guy at a strip club at 3am?
If I was a NBA player there is no way I hang out at strip clubs at 3 in the morning!

[muggins]

Re: Reggie Miller: "You shouldn't stand behind a player that is ......

He's wrong when he's trying to show that the organization should try to be classy instead of what it has been the last few years?

heh.

[fsquid]

Re: Reggie Miller: "You shouldn't stand behind a player that is ......

He's wrong on this one

HOW?

[PlayaHataSupreme]

Re: Reggie Miller: "You shouldn't stand behind a player that is ......

How is he wrong, why is a guy at a strip club at 3am?
If I was a NBA player there is no way I hang out at strip clubs at 3 in the morning!

Just because you support your teammates doesn't mean you have to agree with everything they do.

Reggie is saying that you should not support these guys...... it depends on the viewpoint that we are speaking from. If it's the teammates' standpoint, yes, Reggie is wrong.

As players, the most important thing is that they have to stick together, show some form of support for one another. They are in this season for the long haul. At the same time, they need to make sure that these guys don't make the same mistakes again and again, and then move forward to preparing for the season.

What is showing no support for their teammates going to solve??? The only thing it will ensure is that the Dallas Mavericks will win more games this season than the Pacers will the rest of this decade.........

No, I don't agree with the players' actions........ but as the slogan says, "It's up to us." They are all they have.

If it's from the owners'/front office standpoint, it's their call......... personally I think their cycle in the success spotlight has passed and they should clear cap space and get some fresh blood in there...... not sure if they have cleared cap space or not, I would tend to think so looking at their roster. If it's from Larry Bird's standpoint, I would probably be with Reggie.

If you as a fan are saying that the Pacers should just tear down house and start over, that's another story............

And I know we don't have all the details (besides the recent arrest of someone in the incident) but it sounds like other than being at the wrong place at the wrong time, that Jackson hasn't done anything wrong.........

I do agree that it should be something of a wake up call, though. Sometimes being places that you shouldn't be can be fatal in and of itself. A balance of enjoying life and being sensible is needed in several of these NBA players and they need to realize that they are targets and that some people out there want to see them fall off......... there are plenty of crabs down in that barrel...........


I just need to make sure that you guys don't think that I'm all for Stephen Jackson doing this, because I'm not. But there are right ways and wrong ways to handle everything........... personally I think the Pacers just need to shake things up and start over anyway, this image along with the fact that they don't seem to have the talent to compete with the best of them anymore is making me say that.

[Tha_Kid]

Re: Reggie Miller: "You shouldn't stand behind a player that is ......

HOW?

Tha_Kid seconds this.

[luv_mist]

Re: Reggie Miller: "You shouldn't stand behind a player that is ......

He's wrong on this one

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I think he's right. Too many times people get the pass only because of their status in society, and not fairly for the situation at hand. First and foremost, for him to be going to a club and all isn't really a good example for those other ones on the team. Not a good example as one of the "vets" on the team. It's cool to have unwinding time but picking it wisely because you're in the public's eye should be a consideration for the nightly events. Not a good place in the first place.

[23]

Re: Reggie Miller: "You shouldn't stand behind a player that is ......

I absolutely agree with Reggie.

You don't support wrong no matter who it is. Stephen Jackson has been constant problems in that city going on 3 years now.

What is it going to take because at this rate sooner or later you begin to bring the organization down with you

[fsquid]

Re: Reggie Miller: "You shouldn't stand behind a player that is ......

Just because you support your teammates doesn't mean you have to agree with everything they do.

Reggie is saying that you should not support these guys...... it depends on the viewpoint that we are speaking from. If it's the teammates' standpoint, yes, Reggie is wrong.

As players, the most important thing is that they have to stick together, show some form of support for one another. They are in this season for the long haul. At the same time, they need to make sure that these guys don't make the same mistakes again and again, and then move forward to preparing for the season.

What is showing no support for their teammates going to solve??? The only thing it will ensure is that the Dallas Mavericks will win more games this season than the Pacers will the rest of this decade.........

No, I don't agree with the players' actions........ but as the slogan says, "It's up to us." They are all they have.

If it's from the owners'/front office standpoint, it's their call......... personally I think their cycle in the success spotlight has passed and they should clear cap space and get some fresh blood in there...... not sure if they have cleared cap space or not, I would tend to think so looking at their roster. If it's from Larry Bird's standpoint, I would probably be with Reggie.

If you as a fan are saying that the Pacers should just tear down house and start over, that's another story............

And I know we don't have all the details (besides the recent arrest of someone in the incident) but it sounds like other than being at the wrong place at the wrong time, that Jackson hasn't done anything wrong.........

I do agree that it should be something of a wake up call, though. Sometimes being places that you shouldn't be can be fatal in and of itself. A balance of enjoying life and being sensible is needed in several of these NBA players and they need to realize that they are targets and that some people out there want to see them fall off......... there are plenty of crabs down in that barrel...........


I just need to make sure that you guys don't think that I'm all for Stephen Jackson doing this, because I'm not. But there are right ways and wrong ways to handle everything........... personally I think the Pacers just need to shake things up and start over anyway, this image along with the fact that they don't seem to have the talent to compete with the best of them anymore is making me say that.

I could agree with this if it was Jackson's first time in trouble. He seems to have a bit of a temper problem.

[skitch]

Re: Reggie Miller: "You shouldn't stand behind a player that is ......

I absolutely agree with Reggie.

You don't support wrong no matter who it is. Stephen Jackson has been constant problems in that city going on 3 years now.

What is it going to take because at this rate sooner or later you begin to bring the organization down with you

Cosign. The guy obviously didn't do much "soul searching" like he said, but he needs to do something to straighten himself out.

[Air23]

Re: Reggie Miller: "You shouldn't stand behind a player that is ......

Glass houses, Reggie. Glass houses.

[thmst30]

Re: Reggie Miller: "You shouldn't stand behind a player that is ......

Hey I agree with Reggie. Yea you are supposed to stay behind your teammates, but they don't have to support what he did. Because what he did, and has been doing for a while, is crushing the team's image.

[HMcCoy]

Re: Reggie Miller: "You shouldn't stand behind a player that is ......

Yes, the team leadership should get at him about being out that late in camp, but your homie got beat up, and nearly ran over while reportedly trying to avoid a confrontation at a close associates function...not just out kicking it, at a friends special occasion. Was going out that late a bad decision? Yes. Did he do anything to deserve a media lashing? Based on what I've read...NO.

The Pacers are supporting the fact that Stephen was alledgedly(sp) the victim here, and shouldn't be made out to be the villain...not the fact that he was out late.