Top > Sport > 2006 > October > 2006-10-27

NBA cracks down on guns

In a move to clean the NBA`s reputation, League Commissioner David Stern said Wednesday that he would prefer his players leave their firearms behind when they go out. Stern`s comment comes nearly two years after the infamous Pacers-Pistons brawl, which hurt the league`s reputation as a sport, and following off-season incidents involving Indiana`s Stephen Jackson and the Celtics` Sebastian Telfair.

Just as last year`s Dress Code, which required of players to wear business casual for all events related to league business, the new plea by Stern has some players upset. So does a Zero Tolerance policy, which has players fined for excessive players` whining and grumbling. The new rule has refs call technical fouls for complaining, as well as a $1,000 fine, which increases after five T`s and could reach as much as $2,500.

Stern can`t stop players from owning guns, but he indicated he`d like to keep them from carrying them. The NBA`s collective bargaining agreement allows players to own licensed guns, but they can`t carry them on any league or team business. Stern would prefer players own guns only to protect their homes, and not take them on the streets.