Smush Not To Make The Trip With Heat

Posted by Jeff Sack under Main

There are three sides to every story, Your side, My side, and the Truth, which usually falls somewhere between Your side and?My side. Unfortunately perceptions also come into play, even though the old bromide exists “You can’t judge a book by its cover” most people unfortunately still do. Racial, Ethnic, and all sorts of other profiling affect us on a personal, and on?a professional level. Throw in a litigious society, where many people are “sue happy” and looking to make that easy money, and you have all the recipes for a crisis. Something unfortunately that Miami Heat backup point guard Smush Parker is going through as I write this article.

Thursday reports surfaced that Parker had been put on the inactive list by the Miami Heat, following an altercation that allegedly took place Tuesday morning. Parker according to reports got into an argument with a parking lot attendant over whether Parker had paid his parking fee the night before.?Parker said he had, the attendant said there was no record of payment. Police were called to the scene, although no charges were or have been filed. Parker was not present for the game Tuesday night, nor was he at shoot around on Thursday. After the shoot around, the Miami Heat issued a statement by head coach Pat Riley: “We are currently investigating the reported incident. Until we have concluded it, Smush will not be with the team. He has not been suspended and is currently on our inactive list. This is a legal matter and we will have no further comment until the legal process runs its course”

Friday the Miami Herald reported that Parker would not play in the game against Boston Friday night. The report also said that Smush would not accompany the team Saturday as they embark on a six game, eleven day road trip. Parker’s agent Billy Ceisler told the paper that his client would do what ever the Heat wanted until the situation is rectified.

The Herald also gave more information about what allegedly took place on Tuesday morning. According to the paper Parker tried to get his keys to his vehicle Tuesday morning. The attendant on duty, a woman named Yamaira McKenzie said she would not give him the keys until he paid the 12 dollar parking fee at the condominium complex located on Biscayne?Boulevard. Parker told the woman he had paid the fee the night before, she said there was no record of payment. He demanded his keys, she demanded?the money. According to the police report Parker then pushed a podium, and grabbed the woman’s arm in an attempt to get his keys. Parker told police that he had paid the fee the night before but there was no record of payment according to the officers report.?Parker was not arrested or charged with any crime. The attendant’s attorney says that McKenzie will file charges with the Miami-Dade State Attorneys Office, which will then conduct an investigation into the allegations.

Friday after shoot around when Parker was still not in attendance, Riley told reporters that Parker would not play against the Celtics. He also told them that Parker would not rejoin the team until the situation is rectified. According to reports, Riley said “We don’t have a time frame ourselves until we get all of the facts as to what is going to happen. There’s an accusation of assault, OK. From there, we have to continue to investigate until either formal charges are going to be brought. But still, it’s conduct detrimental to the team. That’s all there is to it. It isn’t just cut and dry. We want to make sure the facts are correct. That’s all. But from what I understand, there’s a police report and we’re continuing to collect evidence and the facts.”

I have been around professional coaches for over a dozen years, and I think I can read between the lines pretty well. But it does not take great detective skills to figure out that Riley is distancing himself, and the team from Parker. There has been no mention of support or sticking up for the player at all. Now as I said, at the top, there are three sides to every story and perhaps Riley is privy to information that he has not made?public. But on the other hand there have been no charges filed or arrest made. If?Miami-Dade County?police thought that an assault on a woman took place by a professional athlete, do you think there would have been any chance that he would not have been at least brought to the station for questioning?

As I also said at the top, we live?in a very litigious society. Unfortunately, there are many people that would look to make money on a suit whether valid or not. Now I do not know this woman, in fact was not aware of her name until just moments before I started writing this article. I am certainly not saying that this woman is filing these charges, in order to get them on record so she can proceed with a civil suit. But it certainly would not be the first?time that something like this took place. Again three sides to every story, your side, my side, and the truth. Only two people know what went on in the incident.?

I just wrote that I have never met this woman, I do however know Smush Parker, having covered him his rookie year with Cleveland. Remember what I wrote about perceptions, and not “judging a book by it’s cover”? Smush has braids, but he’s about as “gangsta” and I’m a 51 year old Caucasian Sports reporter who’s been married 24 years next month, and lives in the boondocks of central New York! As I wrote on my piece on Thursday, Parker is a articulate, bright, soft spoken, well mannered, young man. You can fool me for a week, but not for a year, Smush Parker is a good man! Unfortunately Riley is starting to talk about Parker in the same vein he talked about Antoine Walker days before he was traded to Minnesota. I would say that Parker’s days in Miami are numbered, I just hope he is given a second chance some where else in this league.

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Comments

One Response to “Smush Not To Make The Trip With Heat”

peaches on January 16th, 2008 5:00 pm

you’re a very fair reporter and wise..you are right about parker..he’s definitely a gentleman..and chooses his words wisely…i met him when he playd for Cleveland…”what’s in the dark will come to the light” and I do hope to see Smush play his best for whatever nba team is going to let him Shine!

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