Issel Outburst Leads To Suspension; Hispanic Community Upset

Nuggets President & coach Dan Issel was suspended for four games and will lose $112,000 in salary for shouting "a profanity and insensitive racial remark at" Hispanic fan Bobby Bowman after Tuesday's game against the Hornets at the Pepsi Center, according to Thomas Harding of the CO Springs GAZETTE, who notes the exchange was "caught on tape" by KUSA-NBC. Issel apologized yesterday at a news conference and called his comments "very stupid and regrettable" (CO Springs GAZETTE, 12/13). Issel reportedly said to the fan, "Hey, go buy another beer. Go drink another beer, you (expletive) Mexican piece of (expletive)." NBA Commissioner David Stern said that the team "responded promptly and forcefully and the NBA would take no further action" (Oscar Dixon, USA TODAY, 12/13). However, Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President Victoria Barela said, "We demand that the Nuggets fire [Issel]. The Nuggets' handling of this situation is completely laughable. We as Latinos find that the four-game suspension is totally unacceptable" (CO Springs GAZETTE, 12/13). But Bowman said of Issel's suspension: "He got what he deserved. I didn't want to see him lose his job over this" (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 12/13). To view Issel's apology, please click here.

JUST CAUSE: In Denver, Michael BeDan cites team GM Kiki Vandeweghe as saying that the Nuggets "did consider firing" Issel. But, with the "blessing" of Nuggets Owner Stan Kroenke, they "settled on the suspension without pay." Vandeweghe: "What action do you take? Do you forget about the 25 years that preceded this and all the wonderful and great things that he's done for this community, for this organization?" Kroenke Sports Enterprises President Don Elliman, on the suspension: "Trust me, we agonized over that. ... We had to make a difficult choice, and we made the choice we made after a tremendous amount of deliberation" (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 12/13). State Sen. Rob Hernandez said, "I think Dan Issel needs to lose his job. There are consequences for saying things. Being suspended for four games isn't sufficient for remarks of this magnitude" (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 12/13). But Elliman said, "Here's what I have to say about political correctness: Let thee who have never sinned cast the first stone" (DENVER POST, 12/13).

SHOULD HE STAY OR SHOULD HE GO? In Denver, Jim Armstrong writes, "Since [the story] won't go away, Issel has to. And the sooner the better" (DENVER POST, 12/13). But in Denver, Mark Kiszla writes, "Firing Issel for being a foul-mouthed boor would have been oh-so convenient for the Nuggets. ... Citing bigotry as the reason to dump Issel ... would have been a cop-out by an NBA franchise far better at pointing fingers than building credibility" (DENVER POST, 12/13). TNT's Charles Barkley: "We can't overreact everytime somebody says something in the heat of the moment. (Issel) apologized. What more do we want?" But TNT's Kenny Smith said, "There still is a line that you still don't cross, and I think he did cross that line in the heat of the moment" (TNT, 12/12). ESPN's Tony Kornheiser, on Issel: "There are some people who will say this is a slap on the wrist. I say it is not." ESPN's Michael Wilbon: "I think it was a very appropriate penalty" (ESPN, 12/12).

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