David Stern has had to put up with a lot over his 25 years as NBA commissioner, but he’s probably never had to endure the wrath of a player’s angry grandmother.
That’s about to change, courtesy of Joel Przybilla’s granny, who has apparently vowed to write Stern every day until she gets a response. Why is she so ticked off? Stern gave her grandson a $7,500 fine for his role in an incident during the Blazers-Hornets game on Friday that resulted in Tyson Chandler getting kicked out of the game. Not only was Przybilla not tossed, he ended up shooting free throws. So why the fine? Video of the brouhaha after the jump.
Here’s the incident, which in addition to an ejection earned Chandler a one-game suspension:
You can see why nana’s so upset. Przybilla did get in a couple of shoves, but it’s clear that Chandler was the instigator of the situation, and the referees agreed. Somehow, Stern still decided that Przybilla needed to pay for having the gall to get in the way of Chandler’s flailing forearm.
Jason Quick brings us the news of the subsequent letter-writing campaign in his OREGONLIVE blog:
Remember the movie “Shawshank Redemption”, where Andy Dufresne wrote a letter every week to the state to get books for the prison library? Well, the same concept is underway with the grandmother of Blazers center Joel Przybilla. The octogenarian plans to write NBA commissioner David Stern a series of letters complaining about the $7,500 fine Przybilla received for his part in an altercation with New Orleans center Tyson Chandler on Friday.
Przybilla says he was “stunned” by the fine but was otherwise handling the news OK. Grandma? Not so much:
“She said she is going to keep writing Stern until she hears back from him,” Przybilla said smiling. “And believe me, she will.”
More from SPORTSbyBROOKS, (Sports celebrity gossip updated every day!):
Arizona Cardinal’s secret nudie model wife!
Lingerie Football League player sues ex-boyfriend over nude cellphone photos!
Russian Figure Skater Anna Semenovich buys huge new boobs, joins girl group!
Olympic Champion Pole Vaulter (photo below): “If We Are Ugly Nobody Will Be Interested.”
The best butt in women’s tennis revealed!
And be sure and check out the EXCLUSIVE SPORTSbyBROOKS Girls!
6:40 pm on January 6th, 2009
How sweet. But wouldn't emails be faster?
6:42 pm on January 6th, 2009
I miss "The Golden Girls".
7:21 pm on January 6th, 2009
Dunder:
This Przybilla incident would make for a good episode. And it ends with Bea Arthur somehow making the game-winning shot over Chris Paul!
7:32 pm on January 6th, 2009
Wish my grandma was that supportive.
8:23 pm on January 6th, 2009
AZT:
Emails can be instantly deleted. But handwritten letters take more effort to be opened & thrown in the trash can.
7:19 pm on January 7th, 2009
If you actually watch the very first two seconds of the video (it is hard to catch), Przybilla gives the first shot to Tyson Chandler. That is actually the shot the refs missed all together, but I'm sure Stern saw it.
8:26 pm on January 7th, 2009
I hope grandma doesn't get writers' cramp.
9:15 pm on January 7th, 2009
jitahadi if you watch Chandler hits him in his broken wrist first..
10:03 pm on January 7th, 2009
Is Stern catering to Chandler or what? There was nothing that Joe did that he shoud have been given a fine for! Go Gramma!!!
12:04 am on January 8th, 2009
totally chandler's fault. he started it. he took a chop at joel's broken wrist first which joel didn't really complain about except for a little shove to say that he caught that. then tyson just swings at joel for nothing.
12:21 am on January 8th, 2009
It's easy to explain Przyblla's white!
2:10 am on January 8th, 2009
Did I miss something? I saw Pryzy shove Chandler who RETALIATED. He should not have thrown a punch but he was clearly provoked and the ruling is correct.
2:33 am on January 8th, 2009
Oh Boy…. Look at Anonymous, pulling the white card remark, grow up, look at this as an adult sports issue, not racism, there is always the anonymous one blaming it on the color of the player…. please…
2:35 am on January 8th, 2009
This was a correct call by Mr. David Stern.
Clearly Tyson was provoked by Joel striking him first, but everyone seems to look pass that by the impact of Tysons blow in retaliation
In the game of basketball players get frustrated at their apponents use hand check techniques just to keep up with them, so Tyson knocked his hand off of him.
Clearly you cant initiate a fight by throwing a blow first and expect zero fines in return.
Actually David couldve ejected both of them fairly. So in other words Joel got off better than he shouldve
2:41 am on January 8th, 2009
poor little white biy throws the first blow and then cries like a little girl when the big black man charged his ass!!!! lol lol… it's a contatc sport man up and have granny take a nap!
3:03 am on January 8th, 2009
I agree with Nick, don't pull that racist crap "Anonymous" <—– for a reason $tern best rethink this fine, no reason for J to get the shaft with a fine
4:40 am on January 8th, 2009
howabout the sweeters
5:59 am on January 8th, 2009
I see why grandma is upset, he got robbered for $7,500 buck.
6:16 am on January 8th, 2009
Przy so deserved the minor fine- basically a slap on the wrist (no pun intended) for the player and a reminder to everyone else to be sure to bring their big boy panties to the game.
6:52 am on January 8th, 2009
pushing and shoving and jockeying for position is a part of basketball, thats not likely to change; however, trying to intentionally injure another player has no place in sports (with the exception of boxing and the like of course). furthermore the fine seems like a tactical move by mr. Stern, takes two to tango after all. im sure Joel's salary can handle it.
6:54 am on January 8th, 2009
Watch the replays in slow mo closely! I initially thought Prz started it but it clearly shows him guarding him with his arm out and Chandler taking a wack at his injured wrist. Prz pushes him for it, then Chandler takes a cheap shot at him in the chest. Glad he got ejected and Prz def doesnt deserve a fine.
6:56 am on January 8th, 2009
Those who claim Prz took threw the first blow obviously didnt see him intentionally getting wacked on the wrist simply for guarding the guy.
12:52 pm on January 8th, 2009
good call Iam sure joel makes more than 7500 a game so win win
1:15 pm on January 8th, 2009
Well, i can guess what color Damara is…..mooli…..
the guy got fined for that lil arm check he did after Chandler hacked his wrist. then chandler took out that 400 yrs of repressed anger with a forearm. This is what happens in basketball, its a "darker" sport lol
5:25 pm on January 8th, 2009
that was a cheap shot from chandler, and a very bad one at that , race has nothing to do with this its just bad sportmanship by chandler. he lucky to get off with just one game suspension. joel shouldnt have reacted but its hard not to regardless of what sport you are playin
10:20 pm on January 8th, 2009
That reminds me of the episode of Everybody Loves Raymond when Robert was applying for an FBI position and his mother started faxing in what a good boy he was. If I was Pryzbilla, I wouldn't want any family making any offers in the interests of that exchange because Pryzbilla didn't want anything to do with that. Chandler threw one punch and Pryzbilla was already backing up. He might be a good back-up center but he got punked there.
5:15 am on January 9th, 2009
Are you all blind? Those that think Joel started this need to seriously sit and watch it over and over again, because he was guarding, and Chandler hit his broken wrist, which is when the little shove from Joel come in and then, Chandler threw the fore arm… Joel should not have been fined, he was guarding like he was supposed to, and a cheap shot to the wrist, and then to the chin by chandler…
3:24 pm on January 9th, 2009
Chandler deserved more….cheap shot taken on a broken wrist is a coward's behaviour. Chandler is a big coward and a big loser. Maybe he should use his anger against whites in building New Orleans. Chandler hates white people.