Sep

29

Howard Admits To The Error Of His Ways

Posted by Jeff Sack under NBA Off The Court Issues 

Dallas Mavericks forward Josh Howard has courted the bright lights of controversy since last Spring. Monday he publicly admitted to pulling some foolish stunts over the last few months and apologized according to the “Associated Press“. Howard realizes he has offended lots of folks over the last few months. Monday was his first step in trying to get back in the good graces of the Association, NBA fans, and Americans in general.

You may remember back in April Howard decided to tell the planet via a Dallas radio show that he partakes in marijuana in the off-season. Howard was being interviewed on the “Michael Irvin Show” on the ESPN affiliate in Dallas. Howard said that the media and the fans were aware that many players partake in smoking marijuana, and that he himself enjoys it in the off-season.

When asked what Mavericks coach Avery Johnson (who was dismissed after the season) and Team Owner Mark Cuban felt about his honesty in admitting to smoking, he said that they trusted him enough as a person to allow him to make his own decisions. Not only is the possession and use of marijuana against the law in Texas, and the USA, it is also a violation of the Association Drug rules.

Howard next made headlines at the end of July. The Mavericks forward was arrested after engaging in some drag racing. He was clocked doing 94 mph in a 55 mph, Howard was charged with speeding, careless and reckless driving, and a speed competition. Police reported seeing a black Lexus racing against a silver Volkswagen.

The incident was eerily reminiscent of the tragic accident that claimed the life of Charlotte Hornets player Bobby Phills. Phills was racing against teammate David Wesley when he lost control of his vehicle, and crashed into another car. Phills was killed in the incident, in January of 2000.

Howard did not win himself any fans when he played the fool at a flag football game that took place in July as a charitable event put on by Denver Nuggets guard Allen Iverson. A video of the event surfaced recently on YouTube. On the video Howard is captured on a cell phone saying “‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ is going on. I don’t celebrate this (expletive). I’m black.”

If you could seperate your emotions from the video as you watched it, you could clearly see Howard was just joking with his fellas. He deepened his voice and tried to come off as the angry militant young black man. But unfortunately for Howard we now live in 2008, a time that the technology has basically taken away private moments. Especially when someone is recording it on a cellphone. As Mavericks Team Owner Mark Cuban told Howard, cell phones are not an athlete’s friend.

The “joke” backfired, big time as immediately Howard’s patriotism was called into question. It was not a thing that you say in this politically charged era that we live in that is going to win you friends and influence people. For a public figure to say that was purely stupid, even if it was a joke.

Howard told reporters on Monday that he took full responsibility for his actions. He read a prepared statement before taking questions from the media. The former Wake Forest player said “I’d like to say that I’m truly and really am sorry for everything that’s happened in the last five months. This is not the way I carry myself, not how I want to be portrayed. I’m sorry to everybody I’ve offended. I’m upset with myself and the way I’ve acted.”

Howard did say that he was joking when he made the comments. He said “It was me joking around. Guys were out there making fun and I decided to get along in it. I wasn’t using my head. I guess the valuable lesson I did learn is that words really do hurt. You’re held accountable for what you say.”

Especially when you are one of a select few Josh that has the privilege of playing in the NBA. You know all too well that there are lots of “haters” out there. And by your actions the last few months you have given them plenty of ammunition.

Ironically, Howard’s childhood was just the opposite of the man on the video. He told reporters “That’s not me. I went to military school. I have friends that served in the military. I know how it is to wake up and salute the flag. The national anthem every game, I have my hand over my heart.”

The press conference Howard held Monday was just the beginning of the healing process. He realizes he has lots to do to try to repair his damaged reputation. He wants to prove to the fans of the Association he is not that militant they saw on their computers. Howard told reporters “I’ll try to win them back (the fans.) Whatever it takes me to do that, I’ll do it!”

Josh you dug yourself into a canyon over the last few months. However maybe the lessons that you have learned and will learn on the way to rehabilitating your rep, may do you some good in the long term. They say that what ever does not kill you makes you stronger. Hopefully that is the way it will turn out for you.

© Copyright 2008 thesackattack.net



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