NETS HAVE BEEN BRINGING ON DA' NOISE, BRINGING ON DA' FUNK

          The Nets "have long been piping in artificial crowd
     noise through loudspeakers to pump up the fans, energize the
     Nets players and intimidate the opposition," according to
     Michael James of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS.  Nets Head Coach &
     Exec VP/Basketball Operations John Calipari, admitting to
     the imitation noise said, "Some of this stuff is
     embarrassing."  Calipari, on the pumped-in sounds: "Do we
     need to do that?  How about standing and cheering on our
     people and all that stuff?  But we'll get there, though. 
     It's going to take all of us creating that (real) kind of
     environment, and we just haven't done that yet."  One "team
     insider" said the noise has "been going on for a long time
     and everybody (other NBA teams) does it."  A spokesperson
     for NBA Commissioner David Stern claimed she "had no
     knowledge of the practice."  Spokespeople for the Knicks,
     Pacers, Magic and Raptors also "denied ever using such a
     ploy" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/21).