Latrell Sprewell's grievance hearing began in Portland,
OR, yesterday "with three of the people closest to his
attack on P.J. Carlesimo telling their versions of what
happened," according to David Steele of the S.F. CHRONICLE.
The proceedings continue today with player testimony, but
"at least" two Warriors -- guards Bimbo Coles and Brian Shaw
-- said last night that they "had considered declining to
testify" before arbitrator John Feerick. The players have
"feared repercussions" from Warriors management if they side
with Sprewell. While Feerick has the "power to subpoena
witnesses," a source close to the situation said that it is
"unlikely that Feerick would use the subpoena power" (S.F.
CHRONICLE, 1/28). Coles: "My agent [NC-based Sean Holley]
doesn't want me to do it because he thinks testifying with
management there might hurt me in the long run. It's
something I feel I need to do, and something I want to do.
But I don't know" (Jesse Barkin, S.J. MERCURY NEWS, 1/28).
ESPN's Mark Schwarz reported, "An NBA source tells me that
agents of players on both teams [Warriors and Blazers] have
discouraged those players from testifying against P.J.
Carlesimo -- the theory being there will be negative
repercussions for any player that steps forward to blast an
NBA coach." Schwarz went on to quote one source in the
Warriors organization as saying, "This is a toilet we
thought we'd flushed" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 1/27).
DAY ONE: Warriors Assistant Coach Bob Staak, strength/
conditioning coach Mark Grabow and G Muggsy Bogues testified
yesterday for a "combined" total of "nearly six hours" (S.F.
CHRONICLE, 1/28). While there is a gag order on discussing
the proceedings, Mike Wise of the N.Y. TIMES reports that a
participant "said the first day came and went without any
intriguing developments." Grabow, the "first person to
intervene" in Sprewell's altercation, "spent 90 minutes
testifying and withstood a barrage of questions" from NBPA
attorney Jeffrey Kessler (N.Y. TIMES, 1/28). In S.J., Jesse
Barkin: "A source painted the proceedings as 'slower than
expected,' which doomed already faint hopes that the
hearings could end before the weekend" (MERCURY NEWS, 1/28).
PARTICIPANTS: Sprewell arrived with his lawyer Jeffrey
Kessler. NBA Chief Counsel Jeffrey Mishkin arrived with
fellow NBA lawyer Rick Buchanan, Warriors lawyer Bob
Schiebelhut and the league's outside counsel Shep Goldfein
(Thomas Heath, WASHINGTON POST, 1/28). In Chicago, Lacy
Banks notes that Sprewell, wearing a suit and tie, "almost
looked like one of his lawyers." Banks: "Attorney Johnnie
Cochran did not accompany Sprewell. Since hiring Cochran,
insiders said Sprewell has received advice from teammates,
relatives and friends to clean up his act and push Cochran
into the background." Sprewell has since "spruced up his
image" and retained L.A.-based labor attorneys Joseph Kaplon
and Jeffrey Cutler for the hearing (SUN-TIMES, 1/28). TNT's
Craig Sager said last night that Feerick "has taken total
control of this case." While Feerick issued a gag order on
both sides, Sager said, "It is apparent by the way people
have left and not made comments that yes, he is in total
control of this situation" ("Inside the NBA," 1/27).
HUNTER: NBPA Exec Dir Billy Hunter was profiled by
Vittorio Tafur of the OAKLAND TRIBUNE. Tafur: "As the one
person who has gained in stature since Sprewell choked
Carlesimo last month, Hunter has avoided rhetoric and
mudslinging at all costs." In his 18th month on the job as
Exec Dir, Hunter "appears to have succeeded in unifying the
players association" (OAKLAND TRIBUNE, 1/27). Hunter, on
the hearing: "The best outcome will be Sprewell returning
and let us end things where they are. Maybe he suffers a
$4-million setback, and his contract is reinstated, and he
can sign with a team tomorrow" (NEWSDAY, 1/28). Hunter said
that 5% of NBA players have clauses in their contracts that
protect them from being fired for misconduct, like Sprewell
was: "Everyone else is vulnerable" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/28).
