Carlesimo

Neither Seton Hall nor the Portland Trail Blazers are commenting on published reports that P. J. Carlesimo is going to jump from the college ranks to become the team's new coach, and Carlesimo has made himself unavailable for comment.But Chuck Daly, who had Carlesimo as an assistant on the U.S. team at the 1992 Olympics, yesterday said that Carlesimo had spoken with him recently about coaching in the pros."I wouldn't want to divulge any parts of our conversation," Daly said by telephone from Houston.

Quentin Richardson had 34 points and 12 rebounds in one of his best games since coming to New York, and the short-handed Knicks held on to beat the visiting Washington Wizards, 122-117, last night. Antawn Jamison had 29 points and 13 rebounds for the Wizards, who dropped their fifth straight and fell to 1-10, the franchise's worst start since the 1966 Baltimore Bullets also opened 1-10. Caron Butler finished with 23 points, 19 in the second half. Richardson made seven three-pointers and fell a point shy of his highest-scoring game since the Knicks acquired him from the Phoenix Suns in June 2005.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- From a competitive standpoint, one would think that Washington Bullets guard Rod Strickland would be looking forward to playing here tonight against the Portland Trail Blazers, a team that he left bitterly over the summer.But if Strickland had things his way, he wouldn't even be here."If I could catch the next flight to D.C., I would, instead of going [to Portland]," Strickland said. "I'm not looking forward to it at all."Strickland has no idea what kind of reception he'll get tonight at 10 when the Bullets face the Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden.

NEW YORK - Latrell Sprewell cooled down yesterday afternoon after the New York Knicks ended a brief shootaround before their game against the Dallas Mavericks. This was the Knicks' final contest before the NBA's All-Star break. Sprewell, happily - some might say miraculously - was an All-Star again. In December 1997, Sprewell, then with the Golden State Warriors, became the symbol of everything that was wrong with rich, professional athletes when he choked his coach, P. J. Carlesimo. Today, Carlesimo is out of coaching, and Sprewell will be playing in one of the NBA's showcase events.

When the Portland Trail Blazers blew a 15-point, fourth-quarter lead and lost to the New York Knicks on Feb. 26, coach P. J. Carlesimo appeared on the verge of losing his job. At least that's what the New York Daily News reported the next day, saying the former Seton Hall coach wouldn't last another day after the Blazers had lost for the 10th time in 14 games.Three weeks later, Carlesimo is still with the Blazers. Guess you can't fire a coach who -- since that loss to New York -- has led his team to 11 straight wins (equaling the second-longest winning streak in franchise history)

OAKLAND, Calif. -- As P. J. Carlesimo approached the microphone at the end of the Golden State Warriors' holiday party for the homeless, it seemed that the club finally -- after two weeks of intense media scrutiny -- was going to get through a public event without hearing about Latrell Sprewell.But seconds after Carlesimo thanked the more than 500 people in attendance, a chant was starting in the back of the room: "Sprewell, Sprewell." Carlesimo later said he didn't hear it. However, it was a sign that the Warriors' scars are far from healed.

The identities of Arch Handy and Dr. Peter Carlesimo were reversed in pictures that appeared on the people page in last Sunday's Harford County section.The Sun regrets the error.

WASHINGTON -- To a fellow coach, Monday's Latrell Sprewell-P.J. Carlesimo incident was a "black eye" for the sport. To a couple of Carlesimo's former players, Sprewell's alleged assault actually wasn't all that surprising.So it went as the news spread: Golden State Warriors All-Star guard Sprewell twice attacked coach Carlesimo at the team's practice facility and reportedly threatened to kill him.On Monday, the Warriors announced they were going to suspend Sprewell for at least 10 games -- which would force him to forfeit approximately $940,000 of his salary.

IF IT WEREN'T for that guy Michael Jordan, I'd be boycotting the NBA big-time along about now. Eleven days ago, an arbitrator ruled that the NBA had treated the poor, oppressed, misunderstood Latrell Sprewell too harshly. The Golden State Warriors acted too harshly when they suspended Sprewell's contract. NBA Commissioner David Stern was being an old fuddy-duddy when he suspended Sprewell for a year.Sprewell only choked his coach. In the eyes of the arbitrator, John Feerick, that's not an offense warranting harsh treatment.

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- When Seton Hall coach P. J. Carlesimo rolls out the basketballs at the start of practice each October, the goal for his team is made clear."

IF IT WEREN'T for that guy Michael Jordan, I'd be boycotting the NBA big-time along about now. Eleven days ago, an arbitrator ruled that the NBA had treated the poor, oppressed, misunderstood Latrell Sprewell too harshly. The Golden State Warriors acted too harshly when they suspended Sprewell's contract. NBA Commissioner David Stern was being an old fuddy-duddy when he suspended Sprewell for a year.Sprewell only choked his coach. In the eyes of the arbitrator, John Feerick, that's not an offense warranting harsh treatment.

On one hand, you could say that the Golden State Warriors should be happy that Latrell Sprewell will be reinstated July 1, given that the team can now trade the three-time All-Star guard and receive compensation in return.But the club is not at all thrilled with the ruling last week by arbitrator John Feerick, although the Warriors say their displeasure has nothing to do with trying to get Sprewell's $8 million off the salary cap."There was no hidden agenda to put us in a better cap situation," said general manager Garry St. Jean.

John Feerick, the arbitrator in Latrell Sprewell's hearing, thought Sprewell was punished too harshly for attacking his coach, P. J. Carlesimo of the NBA's Golden State Warriors. OK. Fine. Let's take that and run a hypothetical experiment.Let's say Sprewell had choked Feerick instead of Carlesimo, threatened to kill the arbitrator and come back a few minutes later for more, all of which Sprewell did when he lost his cool and went after Carlesimo during practice on Dec. 1. How would Feerick feel then about the severity of Sprewell's punishment?

OAKLAND, Calif. -- As P. J. Carlesimo approached the microphone at the end of the Golden State Warriors' holiday party for the homeless, it seemed that the club finally -- after two weeks of intense media scrutiny -- was going to get through a public event without hearing about Latrell Sprewell.But seconds after Carlesimo thanked the more than 500 people in attendance, a chant was starting in the back of the room: "Sprewell, Sprewell." Carlesimo later said he didn't hear it. However, it was a sign that the Warriors' scars are far from healed.

Before last week, Latrell Sprewell was hardly a household name, but now he's joined Mike Tyson, Dennis Rodman and O.J. Simpson as a poster boy for bad behavior.Sprewell was a shooting guard for the Golden State Warriors until he attacked his coach, P.J. Carlesimo, during a stormy practice session. In a fit of anger, Sprewell choked Carlesimo, then left the gym and returned about 15 minutes later and threatened to kill the coach. He roughed up Carlesimo again.Ever since this ugly incident, people who don't know a double latte from a double dribble have been weighing in on Sprewell.

I could add my voice to the list of people who have excoriated banished National Basketball Association player Latrell Sprewell in the past two weeks. But the truth is, I don't give a hoot about Sprewell.Let's recap Sprewell's so-called "plight" for a few moments. On Dec. 1, Sprewell -- a guard with the Golden State Warriors -- treated his coach, P. J. Carlesimo, to a bit of spontaneous asphyxiation. Carlesimo -- apparently suffering from the delusion that as head coach he was actually in charge -- ordered Sprewell to "put a little mustard" on his passes, according to an article by Phil Taylor in Sports Illustrated.

NEW YORK -- As a senior at Elizabeth (N.J.) High, LutherWright was a McDonald's All-American. As a freshman at Seton Hall, Wright was an All-American at Burger King and Pizza Hut.You name it, Wright ate it."Coming out of high school, I was used to playing all the time, but when I got to college I couldn't do anything but go to class," said Wright, who sat out his freshman year because of Proposition 48. "I was kind of depressed. But that's all in the past."So are nearly 60 pounds. After his weight ballooned to 330 pounds as a freshman, Wright got down to around 300 last season.

John Feerick, the arbitrator in Latrell Sprewell's hearing, thought Sprewell was punished too harshly for attacking his coach, P. J. Carlesimo of the NBA's Golden State Warriors. OK. Fine. Let's take that and run a hypothetical experiment.Let's say Sprewell had choked Feerick instead of Carlesimo, threatened to kill the arbitrator and come back a few minutes later for more, all of which Sprewell did when he lost his cool and went after Carlesimo during practice on Dec. 1. How would Feerick feel then about the severity of Sprewell's punishment?

WASHINGTON -- To a fellow coach, Monday's Latrell Sprewell-P.J. Carlesimo incident was a "black eye" for the sport. To a couple of Carlesimo's former players, Sprewell's alleged assault actually wasn't all that surprising.So it went as the news spread: Golden State Warriors All-Star guard Sprewell twice attacked coach Carlesimo at the team's practice facility and reportedly threatened to kill him.On Monday, the Warriors announced they were going to suspend Sprewell for at least 10 games -- which would force him to forfeit approximately $940,000 of his salary.

When the Portland Trail Blazers blew a 15-point, fourth-quarter lead and lost to the New York Knicks on Feb. 26, coach P. J. Carlesimo appeared on the verge of losing his job. At least that's what the New York Daily News reported the next day, saying the former Seton Hall coach wouldn't last another day after the Blazers had lost for the 10th time in 14 games.Three weeks later, Carlesimo is still with the Blazers. Guess you can't fire a coach who -- since that loss to New York -- has led his team to 11 straight wins (equaling the second-longest winning streak in franchise history)