They Called LeBron A Crybaby, But DC's Crying Now
 Monday, May 5th, 2008

The Washington Wizards, out of Washington, D.C., were dishing out fouls left, right and center in their playoff run against the Cleveland Cavaliers - specifically, against Cavs' star player LeBron James.  Some of the fouls were called; other fouls were completely ignored.  When LeBron finally complained about getting struck by the hard fouls, Wizards' center Brendan Haywood called LeBron a crybaby.  Shortly thereafter, Papa John's Pizza printed t-shirts with the number 23 (LeBron's number), that said "CRYBABY."

On April 21st, Wizards' Brendan Haywood committed a flagrant foul on LeBron James.  He was automatically ejected from the game on a flagrant 2 for shoving LeBron to the ground.

On April 27th, Wizards' DeShawn Stevenson got a flagrant foul 1 for hitting LeBron James in the head.

In Game 6, Wizards' reserve forward Darius Songaila punched LeBron James with a backhand to the chin.  He was suspended for what NBA executive VP Stu Jackson reviewed many times and concluded was "intentional contact."

And in those six games, there were other fouls against LeBron - including a fairly blatant one by Caron Butler - that ref's apparently didn't see, and were not mentioned after the games by officials.  Every game, James was getting hit and jostled by Wizards' players, and it was obvious that that it was purposeful.  We were surprised that the NBA Commissioner David Stern hasn't taken any action to punish the players that did this - I mean, these games do get reviewed afterwards - eyes, arms, and elbows were following LBJ instead of following the ball.

This is the NBA, not the UFC.  Children watch these games.  It's supposed to be about hard work and sportsmanship, not by any means necessary.  It doesn't matter if it was LeBron or any other player; no player deserves to chance intentional bodily injury.  It's a dark cloud over a basketball court of stars.

As smutty as Washington politics, DC's Wizards thought they could make their ascent in the playoffs by playing dirty ball.  They made star player James their target, and the playoff series of Cavs vs. Wizards became reminiscent of the WWE, where opponents elbow and stomp each other when the ref's not looking.

Oh, and Papa John's Pizza:  you do Cleveland wrong.  Papa John's has been treated well in Cleveland, with customers going to 40 of their pizza shops across Northeast Ohio.  To taunt fans, and then adding insult to injury, use it as a way to make money off of them.  Their corporate public relations director announced today that all of these 40 shops will offer a large, one-topping pizza (for pick-up only) to Ohioans on Thursday for just 23 cents (limited to one pie per customer), and will donate $10,000 to the Cavaliers Youth Fund, to make amends for their "crybaby" t-shirts in DC.

Newscasters announced it, beaming over the cheap pizza deal.

Thanks, but no thanks.  This is no different to us than pizza companies who celebrate their 25-year anniversaries by offering 25-cent large pizzas.  It's all just as much of a promotional opportunity as anything else.  They figure you'll add pop, breadsticks, maybe more pizzas to that; maybe you'll like it and become a new repeat customer.

Apparently, they don't know Cleveland's golden rule:  Never, never diss LBJ.

Moving on.  Despite the Wizards' underhanded magic tricks, the Cleveland Cavaliers have beat the DC team and the Cavs will move on in the playoffs.  Who's crying now?

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