Arthur Comes Clean...But the Stain Remains

Darrell Arthur was in Memphis immediately after being expelled from the Rookie Transition Camp to face the music and air his side of the story.

Darrell was quoted as saying he didn't use marijuana that night nor has he ever used marijuana in his life. He admitted to making a big mistake by allowing the women into his room but he wants everyone to know he did not partake in any drug use nor does he condone it. In fact he wants to speak to local youth groups about the evils of drug use and how even being associated with them can damage your reputation for life.

The story, written by Ron Tillery in the Commercial Appeal, is not getting near the amount of national exposure the rumor did when it was first released however. This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who understands how the national media feasts on negative news but is less than interested in the truth behind the story. Almost everyone was quick to jump on the idea that Arthur and his college teammate were using drugs at the camp. Hardly a word was wasted in defense of the players suggesting they may not have been using the drugs themselves. I for one appreciate Ron going the extra mile to get the story from Arthur and not simply relying on rumors and hearsay.

The question becomes will anyone believe him? I assume people will use this as a way to distract him when he is on the road but how will the locals respond to Arthur? Will they give him the benefit of the doubt and trust him or will they assume he is another young man living high with the sudden riches he received for his talent at playing basketball? Many people, including someone on this blog, believe the league is full of marijuana smokers. An interesting attitude considering basketball is one of the most physically demanding sports requiring both stamina and quick bursts of speed.

Here's hoping that Memphians give Arthur a second chance to prove he is dedicated to being the best player he can on this team. Arthur is a big part of the youth movement of this team. He is talented and should be able to work his way into the rotation this season barring any roster moves being made by the team. His development will go a long way in determining how well the Grizzlies fared in the Pau Gasol trade. He has made a mistake but if what he says is true then it was only a mistake in judgement not character. A mistake many 20 yr old men could make given similar circumstances. The punishment was swift, public and severe.

Now Arthur needs to show that it was a singular error in judgement and not the first step down a road of poor decisions.

Darrell Arthur Tossed From Rookie Transition Camp

Darrell Arthur was tossed out of the NBA Rookie Transition Camp today. Rumor is that it involved an illegal substance in their hotel room but the official comment was that Arthur and former Kansas Jayhawk teammate Mario Chalmers were excused for braking league rules.

The NBA Rookie Transition Camp according to the NBA Players Union contract is a mandatory meeting for rookies only. The 4 day camp is designed to help ease the rookies transition from colleg to the NBA. "The program is designed to teach players techniques to cope with unique stresses inherent in their lives and how to utilize the various resources available to them throughout their careers" according to NBA.com. There is also a mandatory Team Awareness Meeting which covers such issues as substance abuse, HIV awareness and gambling issues.

More on this story as it becomes available.

UPDATE: It now appears that the players were discovered with a lady in their room and this was the official reason for the players being expelled according to the Orlando paper. No comment yet on the veracity of the marijuana charge or if true whether it belonged to the players or not.

The Mike Conley Bowling Challenge

Via Grizzlies.com, we're proud to present the Mike Conley Bowl-N-Bash. Click the link for full details, but here's the quick and dirty version:

September 27th, 12:00-3:00 PM Funquest, Collierville Entry fees: Five-man team: $300 donation or $60 per person. Each bowler will receive a t-shirt, autographs, and a photo opportunity with Mike Conley.

For those unfamiliar with Conley's love of bowling, allow me to present this video:


Now, I'm something of a bowler myself. I own my own ball, bag and shoes -- you know, the whole bit. So I'm going to do something that can only be described as incredibly foolish. That's right! I'm calling you out Mike Conley! You name the time and the place, and I'll take you down a pin or two. Yeah, you might be a professional athlete, but I've been hanging out in stinky, smoke-filled bowling alleys since.....well, never actually. You see, the place I frequent is non-smoking and actually smells quite pleasant. But they do serve beer, so it still has that bowling alley feel to it. Well, that is, unless there is a kid's birthday party going on or something. Or if they decide to break out the midnight bowling black lights, even though it is the middle of the day and there is sunlight streaming in from the doors. But other than that, it is totally hardcore!

So I'm throwing down the gauntlet -- or dorky wrist guard thingy that bowlers wear, as it were. Are you man enough to step up MC? Or are you gonna duck my challenge and put one in the gutter? Just so you know -- I've been practicing this shot:

Ok, let's talk about team photos

By now, you have undoubtedly seen the picture and heard the outrage and indignation caused when the Spanish men's national basketball team took a picture for an advertisement in the Spanish newspaper La Marca. Because Marc Gasol is a member of the Memphis Grizzlies (and Pau Gasol and Juan Carlos Navarro are former Grizzlies), I feel compelled to mention it, but at this point, I'm not sure what else there is to say. No matter what the intent was at the time, I think that we can all agree that it was a dumb, ill-conceived idea that should have been stopped by any number of people along the way. The team and the courier company for whom the ad was created should apologize, rather than offering a feeble defense about their true intention of it being a friendly wink to their Asian counterparts -- whether or not they truly believe an apology is in order. That way we can all move on from it and the P.C. Police can go find something else to set their sights on. I think most of my own thoughts are echoed in Henry Abbott's take on the matter, so be sure to check that piece out.