Magic’s Howard fined by NBA for comments on blog

Nov 10, 11:45 pm EST

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ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)—Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard(notes) has been fined $15,000 by the NBA for publicly criticizing officials on his blog.

The league made the announcement Tuesday.

The comments were posted on Howard’s blog after the Magic’s loss to Detroit last week. Howard fouled out in the game after playing a little more than 16 minutes.

He wrote on his blog: “How can that be, ya’ll? It was crazy. They called me for a charge on a flop, a push off when the defender was on me and two fouls on blocked shots.”

Howard also wrote that he hadn’t played “that little in a game since I was 10 years old in pee-wee ball.” He said, “What really bothers me is they are letting guys hammer me at one end of the floor, yet I’m being called for everything.”

Howard said after Tuesday’s win over Charlotte that he had talked to the league office.

“I guess I’ve got to follow the rules,” he said.

Updated Nov 10, 11:45 pm EST
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33 Comments

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  1. Paching
    33. Posted by Paching Wed Nov 11 10:06am EST

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    Thats why I was happy the refs contract expired, they needed......no,deserved to lose their jobs because of bad calls, non calls and favoritism toward certain players.David Stern doesn't have your backs,with that said I will be expecting a fine from the communist David Stern......
  2. Luxref Staff
    32. Posted by Luxref Staff Wed Nov 11 12:34am EST

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    Instead of fining people for talking about the refs, why don't they fine the refs for calling poor games?
  3. magic time
    31. Posted by magic time Tue Nov 10 11:19pm EST

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    lol at #26 thats the best comment i ever seen no one protected me from being criticized haha! but yea the nba is definitely rigged and david liar stern is doing everything he can to make money such as a stupid fine like this
  4. MarkK
    30. Posted by MarkK Tue Nov 10 10:50pm EST

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    Howard's right. Just watched the Bull's Denver game. In the fourth quarter they let Anthony trip Deng right in front of the ref. Replayed showed he watched the whole thing. Noah got a clear rebound that they called a jump ball. Then Miller hits a shot at the buzzer that is called good. The replay you just could not tell. So they overturned it. Bulls were at home should have gotten the call to stand. As far as I am concerned the refs and this league have sold their souls. Cleveland needs help catch the young starless Bulls so make sure they lose. I know what I saw and have been seeing for years and I am insulted that Stearn thinks we are all stupid!
  5. Steven
    29. Posted by Steven Tue Nov 10 10:21pm EST

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    hey number 19 i realize that it only took you 5 minutes to respond to my comment.were you waiting all day for me or something to make a comment. i mean whats next you are gonna fine out where i live and stalk me. i am sorry but i don't like man ok maybe tom cruise would be right for you.
  6. A-Bear
    28. Posted by A-Bear Tue Nov 10 10:11pm EST

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    If the refs called every foul someone made on Howard, there would be no one left on the other team; they would have fouled out. If the officials are going to call the pitty pat fouls, they need to call them for both teams. Dwight has every right to complain.
  7. PatrickR
    27. Posted by PatrickR Tue Nov 10 10:04pm EST

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    I'm so tired of refs. I can't hardly watch a game anymore. Inconsistency, preferential treatment, and just plain wrong calls are their motto. I don't care what their name is. By giving preference to players like Lebron and Kobe all the NBA is doing is making me want to watch less.
  8. jmlWU
    26. Posted by jmlWU Tue Nov 10 9:47pm EST

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    I think protecting the officials from criticism is the biggest piece of @#$% in all of professional sports. No one ever protected me from being criticized, even when I was a child. NBA refs are fragile like little children. Tim Duncan laughs at the fat one (allegedly) and gets ejected!
  9. <i>isaachall84</i>
    25. Posted by isaachall84 Tue Nov 10 9:34pm EST

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    Its insane he get fined for a blog comment. he didnt get ejected for yellin at refs. its his own personal blog and the nba shouldnt have any say.

    worse things have happend involving players off court and no league action has been taken.

    can david stern use a computer?
  10. Laker Fan
    24. Posted by Laker Fan Tue Nov 10 9:22pm EST

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    Props to Howard for speaking up, I wish more NBA players would do the same. I'd love to see that prick Stern get his panties in a wad.
  11. Bryce T
    23. Posted by Bryce T Tue Nov 10 9:18pm EST

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    must be nice to spit out 15gs for stating your opinion.
  12. hector g
    22. Posted by hector g Tue Nov 10 9:00pm EST

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    The magic are eastern conference champs! enough of the '"we have to learn" or "we are learning" boloni....d12 seems to be making waayyyy to many excuses. speak and act like a champ and you will become a champ....
  13. LeftCoastCrazy
    21. Posted by LeftCoastCrazy Tue Nov 10 8:56pm EST

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    David Stern is a crooked lawyer with too much power. He will threaten/fine/suspend anyone that disagrees with him. The NBA is 1 step away from the World Wrestling Federation thanks to him and his henchmen (refs) that control the game to produce a predetermined outcome.
  14. Phobia111
    20. Posted by Phobia111 Tue Nov 10 8:46pm EST

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    nba should build a robot referee!!!!!!!
    fkin rigging the game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  15. <i>jtkgilchriest</i>
    19. Posted by jtkgilchriest Tue Nov 10 8:40pm EST

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    Steven...you are and idiot that can't use proper grammar....they BEATED Cleveland because they played better....period.
  16. Steven
    18. Posted by Steven Tue Nov 10 8:35pm EST

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    damn it the magic complain too much they are nothing but cheaters and that is the only reason why they beated cleveland last year in the playoffs because the magic always bribes the refrnees.
  17. Jimmy M
    16. Posted by Jimmy M Tue Nov 10 8:15pm EST

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    That's BS. First of all, his blog wasn't bad at all. Second of all, whet ever happened to free speech?
  18. Giles
    15. Posted by Giles Tue Nov 10 8:11pm EST

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    Love the game! I can't stand David Stern and his undying loyalty or is it corrupt business dealings with league refs. Why isn't their at least a term limit on league officials? The Mavs/Lakers series a few years ago should be a poster ad for a federal investigation.
  19. dk r
    14. Posted by dk r Tue Nov 10 8:09pm EST

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    Looking at Howard's game I'd never call him a crybaby. I think he did the right thing to mention it because it is way early in the season for people to be hanging on to him like that. Day in and out of that treatment would even wear down the Diesel though he would probably have impaled some people for it by pivoting into them with an elbow.
  20. tsfboy
    13. Posted by tsfboy Tue Nov 10 7:59pm EST

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    $15k is like pennies to them... however i agree that refs are making some terrible calls all year. i see a lot of clean blocks called fouls, and hard fouls not called at all. these refs suck.
  21. Lew Ghost
    12. Posted by Lew Ghost Tue Nov 10 7:58pm EST

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    too much money for such a non comment, any one should be allowed to complain...
    and the people who call him a cry baby or whatever are just hypocrites
  22. Andrey
    11. Posted by Andrey Tue Nov 10 7:58pm EST

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    15K for that???? he didnt even mention any names or even the refs!!!! its better then getting a suspension though...i need him for my fantasy team!! lol GO CAVS!!!!
  23. Jason V
    10. Posted by Jason V Tue Nov 10 7:48pm EST

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    If you're gonna claim the Superman name, get ready for the Superman treatment. See Shaq's years in LA 1997-2004. There's really no big difference except, Shaq was bigger, stronger and more dominating than D12, but it's still early in D12's career to make that a fact. I do have a feeling D12 won't hold a candle Shaq when everything is said and done though.
  24. Nick M
    9. Posted by Nick M Tue Nov 10 7:45pm EST

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    $15000 just for that????? are you joking??? thats just messed up. he didnt even use any foul language. whats wrong with that?
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