Hooped Up

Ron-Ron can’t catch a break!  A few days ago in the game between the Rockets and Mavericks. Artest picked up a suspect technical foul when he ran to the aid of teammate Yao Ming as a peacemaker after a hard Josh Howard foul . Immediately after the game, the Rockets appealed the call but according to the Houston Chronicle the NBA has decided to upheld the technical foul ruling.

I call shenanigans on this one! Josh Howard hit Yao Ming like he asked him to sing the Star Spangled Banner and the ref was more concerned about Ron-Ron. 

Shenanigans!

Yesterday, Josh Howard offered up some information that everybody already knew, calling himself an idiot.  This information is as shocking as Eddy Curry turning down a meal.

“Whether it’s damage control, a healing process or simply doing the right thing, Josh Howard took Step 1 Monday, calling himself an “idiot” for his videotaped disparagement of the national anthem. “I know that’s not me,” he said. “I love this country. If it wasn’t for this country, I wouldn’t be out here playing basketball. For me to have that opportunity is the greatest. “That’s not me. That’s not Josh Howard. That was an idiot.”

Dallas Morning News

Somewhere even DeSean Jackson is shaking his head on this one. There is nothing I can say regarding this clip, that Josh Howard can’t say for himself at 1:42 at the Allen Iverson Celebrity Summer Classic flag football game that took place in July.  
Josh Howard is having a summer to forgot, leading the pre-season league in “oh, my bads” and overseas clubs are surely lick their collective chops. The main selling points in clubs approaching Howard to sign an overseas deal when he becomes a free-agent deal are now:

A) No Star Spangled Banner anthems  anywhere
B) Access to the Autobahn 
C) Amsterdam, sweet, sweet Amsterdam

Via Deadspin

Just when you thought things couldn’t get worse for Josh Howard…

Mavericks forward Josh Howard was arrested Thursday night in his hometown of Winston-Salem, N.C., after police said he was street racing.

Howard is charged with reckless driving and with speed competition – the legal term for drag racing – after police said he was going 94 mph in a 55 mph zone. He was released from the Forsyth County jail on a written promise to appear in court Sept. 23.

The Mavericks had no comment on the incident. A message left with Howard’s agent was not returned.

A police officer saw a black Lexus and a silver Volkswagen speeding along U.S. 421 in Winston-Salem late Thursday night. Howard was identified as the driver of the Lexus. Authorities did not identify the other driver.

Dallas News 

Tru-Warrior might have to get comfy in Sacramento. One things for sure, it looks like he won’t be in Dallas anytime soon.

The Sacramento Kings have expressed interest in acquiring Dallas Mavericks forward/guardJosh Howard in a trade for All-Star forward Ron Artest, but the Mavericks aren’t interested, according to an NBA source. The Mavericksreportedly were willing to offer forward Brandon Bass and guard Jerry Stackhouse for Artest. But the Kings wanted Howard included in the deal, halting the discussions. Because the Mavericks won’t budge on Howard, a potential trade for Artest is all but dead, the source said.

Dallas Morning News

In case you didn’t hear what J-Ho had to say, have a listen.

Josh Howard and Joakim Noah should Facebook each other in these crazy high times.

Mark Cuban went on the Dan Patrick Show and was asked whether he cared that Josh Howard smoked pot.

“You know, I’d be a hypocrite if I said yes,” Cuban said. “I’ve inhaled, and when I inhaled, I coughed a couple lungs out. So I was never a big fan of smoking. But if I’ve tried it, I can’t look at somebody and say, ‘How can you try it?’”

The issue really isn’t that J-Ho lights up an occasional off-season blunt, although Cuban acknowledged that such activity did present legal and conditioning concerns. Hey, as Howard said, smoking weed doesn’t make him unique among NBA players.

Dallas Morning News