If you are reading this, then you have probably seen the video posted to YouTube where it appears that Bruce Bowen attempts to trip or kick Amare Stoudemire as he goes up for a dunk. This video shows the incident from one angle, multiple times, in multiple speeds and zooms. Many people felt this looked like a very dirty play on Bowen's part. Before anyone passes judgement on the play, I feel they need to take two other things into account.
1. You need to see another angle of the play. ESPN has shown an angle from the baseline that gave me a different take on this incident. This side angle makes it seem like Bowen is trying to get to Amare fast to foul and prevent the easy bucket. He then realizes he can't make it in time and puts on the brakes to avoid a weak foul and an and1 situation. At no point is he looking down at Amare's foot to aim for contact. There is incidental contact. No tripping motion, however.
2. After watching the clip many times, I caught something else. The contact was apparently weak enough that it didn't affect Amare's jumping motion at all. He jumped STRAIGHT UP. At the height of his jump, as he's dunking, he realized that he had felt some contact from behind and kicks his right leg way out in an effort to get the whistle blown. This causes him to come down hard on the left foot. Luckily he wasn't injured. But if he had been, I believe that he would bear some of the responsibility himself for trying to embellish the foul. The fact that he didn't give Bowen or an official a look or a shrug after the play supports the idea that he thought the contact was insignificant at the time.
Hey Spurs fan nice try your dreaming ! I watched both and Bowen looked down to step on the back of Stoudemire heal. He was already too late ! He did that to distract him going up to get off his shot.
But what can you expect from a Spurs fan.
jaysisko the dreamer
####. First it was Manu trying to trip up Amare and possibly wrench his knee and then Bowen tried. Obviously you only were looking for whatever you wanted to see. With that being said. I am a suns fan but I still think they lack the killer instinct to win this series. they still are at least one strong inside presence from winning a championship. They will make a fight of it but there is too much complaining and not enough toughness. Also the officiating is a bunch of ####. It is obvious the Spurs are getting the best of the calls but that has to do with experience and respect. The Spurs have won 3 championships and the decisions are like a boxing match....they are going the way of the champion and the Suns will have to be decisive if they are to come out on top....Oh well cant win em all. I will still be a Suns fan till death do us part....Good luck
You can line up the top players who have publicly WHINED about Bowen being "dirty" -- from Ray "He Got Crying Game" Allen, to Stephon wanna-be a "Star" Marbury, to the latest Amare StoudeCRIER claim -- and they all have ONE THING IN COMMON:
NOT ONE RING BETWEEN THEM!!
- and only Amare (if he grows up) has a chance at one. How many does Bruce have --oh yeah, TWO.
Then look at a player like Kobe Bryant (THREE RINGS) - harrassed for years by Bowen -- and he uses words like "tough competitor" and "hard-worker" to describe Bowen and his play.
Do you see a pattern here? Players who haven't been to the top of mountain often have to look for EXCUSES as to why they can't get there -- instead of looking at themselves for the answers.
It's no wonder that Bowen was ranked #1 perimeter defender by his peers in the recent SI poll. The writers have long been biased and even though Bowen may be the Brides's maid in Defensive POY the last few yrs running -- his dedication to TEAM PLAY and work ethic (LONGEST ACTIVE START STREAK in NBA) are something all these whiners need to learn from.
RESPECT THE GAME. PLAY HARD AND PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!
This blogger is a New Yorker, born and raised. I'm a huge sports fan, following pretty much every major sport out there. Sadly, this does not include hockey, NASCAR, or boxing. Hockey lost my affection during the lockout, NASCAR is not a sport, and boxing has become incredibly boring since the dawn of MMA. If you want to talk football, baseball, basketball, or MMA, then I'm your man. I could also debate NASCAR with anyone, but we would probably end up just going around in circles...
