It's All About Image

There's a pretty good article about the hit the Spurs are taking on their Sunday School image. It's called, Spurs' image takes a hit against Suns in NBA playoffs by Mike Lopresti. Here's a teaser.

It has been an uproarious few days in the NBA playoffs, where suspensions have been debated with vigor usually reserved for nuclear disarmament discussions.
To many, the timeline of this outrage seems clear:
The Spurs conducted a public mugging of Steve Nash over several games . . . which led to the Suns being understandably touchy . . . which led to Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw wandering away from the bench late in Game 4 after Horry sent Nash sprawling . . . which led to Stoudemire and Diaw being suspended . . . which led to San Antonio winning Game 5, and probably the series . . . which means the Spurs played dirty and profited by it . . . which is not the American Way.
Unless you get away with it.
Let us be clear and brief. The legislation on players leaving the bench during on-court disputes -- freely agreed upon by league members for a decade now -- permits no gray area, no matter how close the series is, or how valuable the offenders might be.
Maybe it's a lousy rule as written. Then change it. Do not condemn the man who must enforce it.
David Stern does not get a big paycheck and nice office in Manhattan just for handing out trophies and opening the NBA draft.
He must in times of turmoil act with long-term thought and consideration, while those around him from locker rooms to coaching offices to courtside seats to talk shows to newspaper columns rage with short-term interests.
When the rulebook starts being altered not by due process but the current mood and tone and television ratings of a Western Conference semifinal, then there is no governance.
If there was a mistake made here, it was Bowen not being slapped down days ago for the knee to Nash's groin.
There is the omission that set the table for what followed.
The Spurs are doing what they always do. Playing hard and smart and advancing deep into the playoffs.
But curious thing. Yawns have turned to boos. Now they're the scoundrels. The Pirates of the Riverwalk.
The past few days, the Yankees have had more friends.