Did Hollyweird WIN and UFC LOSE RONDA ROUSEY? - (Screen shot - photo)

Former NBA star Charles Oakley was wronged when, by the insistence of the NBA's New York Knicks owner James Dolan, he was assaulted by security guards when he attended, his former teams game via a ticket Oakley PAID FOR! - (flickr user shgmom56 - photo)

SPORTS NOTES - RONDA ROUSEY OPS OUT of UFC? & NBA's CHARLES OAKLEY BRAWL RAW

James Loving/National Radio Text Service

Two star athletes were beaten up but the circumstances were very different. Ronda Rousey is at a crossroads of a career choice, the UFC or acting - Former NBA star Charles Oakley was assaulted by a team that he spent 10 years of his life giving his blood and guts for… HE WAS WRONGED

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

IS FEAR A FACTOR FOR YOU? IT COULD BE FOR RONDA ROUSEY

Since her second straight beat down, this time at the hands of Amanda Nunez, Ronda Rousey has been spotted protesting against the oil pipeline that is being built in the Midwest sections of the United States. She was later spotted at a gun shop in Reno Nevada. Now the word is that Rousey had been given a one episode acting role in a TV series which she accepted.

As we previously stated a fighter can't do both in fighting mixed martial arts and play with Hollyweird. The result is an athlete gets too soft and loses their fighting edge and the dedication it takes to be a champion.

UFC honcho Dana White halfheartedly commented that he feels that Rousey is done with fighting although Rousey had not officially said so. The end result is Hollywieird once again has chewed up and spit out another athlete.

To her credit Rousey has put women fighting on the map as being a worth while enterprise. In her own way by her talent and example she has led to job opportunities that prior to her success never existed. She is a true pioneer and a credit to sports overall. She SET THE STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE.

Given her talent and beauty she deserves the right to move on to the next step in her life which is attempting to be an actress. She has raw talent and doesn't have to prove anything to anyone by fighting again.

OALKEY WRONGED

Former NBA star Charles Oakley was wronged when New York Knicks owner James Dolan had the Knicks players bodily thrown out of Madison Square Garden. The word is that Dolan is offended by negative remakes Oakley supposedly made about the organization.

On February 8, 2017, Oakley was involved in an altercation at Madison Square Garden as the Knicks faced the visiting Los Angeles Clippers. After refusing to stop yelling at James Dolan, Oakley was ejected from the arena after shoving security personnel. He was charged with three counts of misdemeanor assault and criminal trespassing. In a statement, the Knicks stated that Oakley "came to the game tonight and behaved in a highly inappropriate and completely abusive manner. He has been ejected and is currently being arrested by the New York City Police Department.

Dolan claims that Oakley had a drinking problem. His charges have yet to be substantiated.

The topper is after played 10 season with the Knicks Oakley had to pay for a ticket to get entrance into the game. That is an insult to a player that gave his blood and guts to the Knicks who were title contenders during his stint.

Dolan summed security guards to remove Oakley who was sitting near Dolan's seat. The guards physically assaulted Oakley by pushing him into his chest. Oakley responded (lip read) get your hands off of me. The guard than backed away and another guard came forward and took his place instructing Oakley to leave the building. Oakley refused and he was then swarmed by several guards who manage to push the 6'8"(2.03m), 245 lb (222 kg) former power forward to the ground and carried him out of the building.

The entire scene was embarrassing to watch and from my experience with Oakley the attack was unwarranted. The incident conjured up a conversation I had with former Los Angeles Lakers forward Tommy Hawkins.

Hawkins was a 1st round pick (3rd overall) of the Minneapolis Lakers in 1959, one year before they moved to Los Angeles. He had two stints with the club and four others with the Cincinnati Royals and was a teammate with Oscar Robertson. Hawkins returned to the Lakers for three years before retiring.

At the time I talked to Hawkins he was an executive with the Los Angeles Dodgers. I was discussing my experience with the Lakers regarding my credentials to cover the team. The recently fired Lakers VP of media John Black challenged me prior to game on of the 1991 NBA playoff between the Lakers and Houston. At that time Black was a new hire since the Lakers fired their long time media boss Josh Rosenfeld who granted me my credentials.

Black interrupted me when I was heading for the Lakers locker room for the last 15 minutes of the time allocated for media to interview players before the game. Black informed me that he didn't like a reporter from a paper in the San Gabriel Valley. He said that he called the reporters boss and insisted that he send another reporter. The inference is that Black also had a bone to pick with me, for some unstated reason, and I then let him know that he could stick his credential where the sun doesn't shine.

Black also noted that it was a PRIVILEGE (HONOR) TO COVER THE LAKERS to which I was thinking I was trained to do my job as a reporter and get the stories. I was not a fan of the Lakers or a cheerleader of any team. Black's comments gave me the impression that the Lakers want only positive reviews if not you would be categorized as persona non grata.

What is odd is at that time I was supplying nine networks covering over 1000 stations and writing an NBA column for the French basketball magazine Maxi Basket.

Hawkins then informed me that he had no trouble getting into the Forum for Lakers games FOR FREE and that shocked me. I then recalled that he was a Laker for six of his nine year NBA career which then made sense.

But that goes full circle back to the Oakley incident. Why the Knicks would put a player who gave his blood and guts to a team for 10 seasons (1988-1998) and not give him free entry into the arena. That is as insulting as it gets.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver got involved and had a sit down with Oakley and Dolan as well as including Michael Jordan via a teleconference call. Dolan then agreed to permit Oakley back into the building but the damage was done.

To top things off immediately after Oakley was kicked out of the arena Dolan had as his guest two black high profile as his guests for a game. One being Larry Johnson and the other Latrell Sprewell.

The oddity of this arrangement is Sprewell was fined and admonished by the league. In 1997 he choked then Knicks coach P. J. Carlesimo during a practice. Sprewell's career came to an unexpected end in 2005.

Spreewell had a reputation for being a hot head. Oakley was recognized as a nice guy but an enforcer on the court. When he was with the Chicago Bulls a part of his job was to protect Michael Jordan.

My experience with both is Sprewell wasn't co-operative to give and interview Oakley was. One thing that stands out is Oakley carried himself with dignity and was a smart dresser. One thing I recall was one time he wore a PURPLE SUITE and looked great in it.

The bottom line is Oakley conducts himself like a man and Dolan has something to be desired in that department. Inviting Sprewell and Johnson as his guests was as if he was trying to sell that he was a friend of black people.

The league now has 75 % black players. When Tommy Hawkins cam into the league it's doubtful that 7% of the players in the league were black. Oakley was wronged and Dolan is not right in his head.

When Oakley was offered to be the guest by Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert for the CAVS home game against the Knicks Oakley was interviewed by a TV reporter. The interviewer served up several softball questions and then went hard ball. He asked Oakley if he would return to the Garden and be the guest of Dolan. Oakley seemed uncomfortable with the question but stated that he hadn't planned on it and that (to paraphrase) would have to heal and more needed to be done to rectify the wrongs that were put upon him.

Oakley received support from numerous former NBA players and was received warmly by Cavaliers players. The result is when someone has been embarrassed and offended as was Oakley what can be done and how long will it take to heal those wounds, Stay tuned…

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