LAKERS NOTEBOOK: MALONE ON MILLER: 'BANDWAGON' REMARK NO INSULT.Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer When the time came for free agent Hall-of-Fame types to go trolling (1) Surfing, or browsing, the Web. (2) Posting derogatory messages about sensitive subjects on newsgroups and chat rooms to bait users into responding. (3) Hanging around in a chat room without saying anything, like a "peeping tom." for offers this summer, Gary Payton
Reggie Miller Reginald Wayne Miller (born August 24, 1965, in Riverside, California) is a retired American professional basketball player. Miller spent the entirety of his 18-year NBA career with the Indiana Pacers. chose either money or loyalty, depending on one's perspective, stayed in Indianapolis, and lauded himself for the decision. ``I didn't want to be like some other guys who jump on another team's bandwagon just to get a ring,'' Miller said in July, after re-signing with the Pacers, the only team he has played for in a 16-year pro career. There was no misinterpreting the remarks. Miller fed the comments directly to the Pacers' public-relations department, which printed the statement in a press release. Miller repeated the sentiment for TV cameras afterward. There was no misinterpreting his target, either. Malone and Payton, each in search of his first championship, sacrificed millions of dollars to join the Lakers. Miller's only chance at a title was crushed by the Lakers in 2000. So Malone smiled and forced an exaggerated yawn yawn v. To open the mouth wide with a deep inhalation, usually involuntarily from drowsiness, fatigue, or boredom. n. The act of yawning. when reminded of the comments. ``I lost a lot of sleep about it, man,'' he said. ``No, I don't even worry about it. I think every guy is entitled to do what they want.'' If the comments were intended as an insult, Malone refused to feel insulted. ``I don't really look at it as that. I just look at it as maybe he was bored,'' he said. Others have questioned whether the dual acquisition by the Lakers was somehow unfair, and coach Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson (born September 17, 1945 in Deer Lodge, Montana) is the current coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, an American professional basketball team. has found himself defending the moves more than once. ``The whole spirit of free agency is that players should be able to have that choice themselves at some particular point in their life, in their career, to pick and choose where they want to play,'' Jackson said. ``L.A. is one place where players like to come and play. Obviously, the kind of players that we have here made it attractive. And the fact that we've won (championships) previously I think made it attractive, too. But (winning a title) that's not a given.'' --Good enough: The Lakers reached Dec. 1 with the best record in the West, as good or better than Jackson anticipated back in training camp, when he called corralling four Hall-of-Fame talents the toughest challenge of his career. The only surprise setback was a road loss at Memphis. On the flip side Flip side In the context of general equities, opposite side to a proposition or position (buy, if sell is the proposition and vice versa). , the Lakers have been unbeatable at home. ``We're just about where I thought that we could be when we started out this season,'' Jackson said. |
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