After an "internal meeting earlier in the day," Nets
senior officials "stressed" that team VP/Head Coach John
Calipari's "job is not in jeopardy over" remarks he made to
Newark Star-Ledger beat writer Dan Garcia, according to Fred
Kerber of the N.Y. POST. Calipari last night "issued
apologies both verbally in public and in writing" to Garcia,
whom he referred to as "a (expletive) Mexican idiot." Nets
President Michael Rowe said that any actions taken by the
team "will be kept internal," and declined to comment on the
matter. Kerber: "Calipari will almost certainly receive an
organizational reprimand for his remark -- and the NBA
could, if it felt it necessary, order sanctions such as a
fine or a suspension. But neither loomed likely last
night." NBA VP/Int'l PR Terry Lyons: "We've talked to the
parties involved and we're hopeful something constructive
will take place." Although Rowe "stressed" that Calipari's
job is not in jeopardy, Kerber notes "there has been damage
inflicted upon the organization by the remarks" (N.Y. POST,
3/25). Garcia said that Calipari had not personally
apologized to him and added that he has sent a letter of
complaint to the NBA (Michael James, N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/25).
REFUSE TO MOVE? The N.Y. POST's Peter Vecsey writes
that the Nets "firing" Calipari is "the only principled way
to counterbalance their coach's racist remark, not to
mention the irreversible damage he's done to ... the
franchise" (N.Y. POST, 3/25). The N.Y. DAILY NEWS' Mitch
Lawrence: "The Nets should have suspended their VP-coach
without pay for last night's game and the next three. ...
Show some smarts and guts for once" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/25).
Mike Lupica notes the remarks of Calipari, along with Heat
announcer David Halberstam and Tiger Woods: "There is
instant outrage all over the field because these people
should know better" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/25).
