September 14, 2007

Pacers Suspend Williams

Larry Bird is speaking sense. Shawne Williams, a 21 year old Pacer, was pulled over with two of his friends from Memphis. One friend had a gun, one friend had some weed. Williams not only didn't have a driver's license, he apparently has never had a driver's license. Although the police let Williams off with a misdemeanor, Larry Bird suspended him for the first three games of the season.
"We are making it clear to our players and our fans that this franchise is going in a different direction," Bird said in a statement. "Shawne put himself in a position that placed the franchise in a poor light. He's a good kid who made a bad decision. Our franchise is in a position now where the responsibilities, conduct and standards of the players off the court weigh as heavily as they do on the court."

Although I think a longer suspension or big fine would have been better -- what does $40,000 mean to someone making over a million a year? -- at least the Pacers are trying.

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