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[ScoobyDoo]

The guy has more toughness and attitude in him than half the guys on our team put together. He's the type of guy you just "don't" want to get into a scrap with, no matter your size.

To me Rondo is  areal throw back player in terms of on court toughness and his attitude toward the competition. He's gotta little Cowens and Bird in him and i think it's a great thing.

The toughest guys we've had on this team over the last five seasons are Perkins, Powe, PJ Brown, Tony Allen, James Posey and Rajon Rondo. 

When you have guys like that on your team, other teams think twice about really messing with you.

I know Doc has a "non-confrontational" approach when we take hard fouls, but I completely disagree with it. Rondo's taken a lot of hits over the years without our bigs immediately going over to the guy that whacked him and introducing themselves. Meanwhile, I've see Rondo get after more big guys on the other team when they have taken shots on our bigs  - than our own bigs.

Rondo doesn't take crap and he doesn't care how big you are, you will hear from him.

I loved it and I think we could use 2-3 more guys with the same attitude on the team - like when we had Perkins, Posey and TAllen, etc. It's a very important element to a successful team.

And I am in no way saying we should be a bunch of punks, taking cheap shots at guys, not at all. But when someone gets whacked and it's BS, the other team needs to hear a message loud and clear. To me, it's like Basketball 101, the kind of stuff you learn when you get on the playground and you or your teammates are getting whacked by some guy on the other team.

I thought Rondo's shove was perfectly reasonable and as not punches were thrown I don't see why any of the players should be suspended more than even one game.

PS: I think Bradley is a tough guy as well and he will help in that department when he comes back. Guys like that rub off on other players.       

[wdleehi]

I love Rondo, but not for this.



It is OK to go to your teammates aide, but do it smart.  A little pushing a shoving is OK.  Going UFC style, not smart.

[Bahku]

This whole thing just highlights for me some of the ways that the NBA has changed for the worse.

We used to have regular such scraps from elementary school basketball on, and it's such a common thing to get frustrated and chippy to this point when you're playing such a physical game.

I understand why they've instituted the rules the way they have, but it's gone way too far, and this whole thing was so far from suspension-worthy that it's just plain laughable, (were it not for the consequences, especially the streak).

Not the smartest of plays by Rondo, (or what you'd expect from your leader), as he's aware of the rules, but completely understandable, and I'm not about to judge the guy harshly for it.

[ScoobyDoo]

I also agree that going UFC on guys is not the answer - but I'm a big advocate of a little pushing and shoving, especially when one of your guys has gotten whacked.

I actually fault Humphries more than Rondo for the way things played out last night. He could have simply just backed away and said yeah, yeah, you're right, I whacked KG. From the replay it looked like Rondo intent was a shove to say "not cool" and then it looked like he was on his way to help KG when Humphries shoved him back and it escalated from there.

I hate the way the league referees these things. If you want to put an end to flagrant fouls or on court melees, go hard after the guy who initially instigated and less so on the guys that react to it, unless punches are thrown by someone - that is not cool.

For example - give Humphries, or any/all players that commit a flagrant (that is also reviewed by the league and considered valid) an automatic suspension and an automatic 5 game suspension without pay. I do care who you are, you're going to think twice about whacking someone.

A shove to someone who has whacked one of your teammates is not suspension worthy at all - maybe a double tech and an ejection if you want.

There is always an instigator in these things and I think it's real BS that it usually ends up with all who get involved getting roughly the same penalties. I think it should be heavily weighted, punishment wise, on the instigator as nothing would have happened without the original act...

Anyway, there's a big difference between dirty and tough. The Bad Boy pistons and Knicks were dirty. Bird, Jordan, Rondo, Cowens - just plain tough. You just have to draw the line in the sand on the court or you're going to continue to get whacked all season.