Unsportsmanlike Conduct: NBA Execs Get into Act

Unsportsmanlike conduct is a time-honored tradition in every pro sport.

There's spitting in baseball (Robby Alomar's phlegm, meet umpire John Hirschbeck), kicking in basketball (Dennis Rodman vs. court-side photographer), near-decapitating in hockey (Marty McSorley vs. Donald Brashear) and ear-chewing in boxing (Tyson vs. Holyfield).

And of course, this week, we had a taste of fans behaving badly, when a teenage Philly fan ran onto the field and ran into an officer's Taser.

Now, team execs are getting into the act. First, Chicago Bulls VP John Paxson attacks coach Vinny Del Negro in his office. And yesterday, Celtics GM Danny Ainge was fined $25,000 for tossing a towel in a bid to distract Cavaliers forward J.J. Hickson as he shot a free throw. (You can watch it here.)

Paxson's off-the-court scuffle proved effective. After the altercation, the team went on a winning streak and made the playoffs. Sure, the Bulls got hammered by Cleveland in the first round but Paxson had sent his message. (And he sent another one when he fired Del Negro after the season ended.)

By contrast, Ainge's weak attempt at terry cloth psychological warfare failed. J.J. Hickson was unfazed by the towel toss and sank his free throw (he missed his non-towel-impaired attempt).

Ainge's bush-league antics aren't exactly a surprise. The former Celtic guard's prickly style of play has had a habit of annoying people. Detroit fans wore "I Hate Danny Ainge" t-shirts before a 1987 playoff game. Even his alma mater's magazine (BYU) acknowledged he was one of the NBA's "most-booed players."

The GM's lame towel toss isn't a big deal considering players deal with far worse distractions at the free throw line. Furthermore, he clearly didn't get his money's worth. If you're on the sidelines and want to stop an opposing player from scoring, take a tip from this indoor football coach: trip him.