The Winkest Link

By Wink

The NBA has produced many exciting moments this year, but only one situation that can be truly described as a tragedy.

In Orlando, during the playoffs, Magic fan Ernest Provetti had secured two seats right next to the Magic bench, in row one, to watch the game with his 12 year old son, Nicholas. They probably cost him what, for a normal person, would have been a fortune. Or maybe someone gave them to him free. Who knows?

Little did he know the level of danger these prime seats exposed him to…

The tragic events that unfolded forced Ernest to write to the NBA office demanding an apology.

What “tragic event” you ask? Let me describe the sequence…..

The defending champion Boston Celtics were down two games to one in the best of seven series. A Celtic loss in game four would put them behind three to one, virtually assuring the end of their playoff hopes.

The Celtics were down by one point, and the last few seconds of the game were draining off the clock. With their top two options (Paul Pierce and Ray Allen) tightly guarded, the ball ended up in the very unlikely hands of Glen (Big Baby) Davis. The 6 foot 9 inch, 289 pound center had no choice but to try a 21-foot jump shot, that swished through as time expired.

As you might imagine, Davis, and the rest of the Celtics, were beside themselves with joy.

Davis had taken the shot from right in from of the Magic bench and drifted backward, toward the bench, while watching the shot go through. When it went in, he tried to run straight down the sidelines to celebrate at the Celtic bench, but an official was in the way so (still running) he took one step out of bounds…

In the path of this out-of-control behemoth basketball player, this calloused, uncaring freight-train of a man, stood poor innocent little 12-year old Nicholas…. The attached footage is not for the squeamish…

[YouTube Video]

The film doesn’t lie. Glen (Big Baby) Davis put his hand on the back of this child as he was going by, jostling him hard enough TO KNOCK THE HAT RIGHT OFF OF HIS HEAD!!!

Now you know why Ernest Provetti wrote to the NBA office to demand an apology. It is too late for little Nicholas, he had to pick up his own hat. But, with enough awareness, maybe we can prevent the next tragic episode.

It is of note that neither Ernest nor his son were safely in their seats. They were both standing right next to the court because, presumably, they wanted to be as close to the action as possible.

Ernest, if safety is so critical to you, maybe you could sit all the way back in row two or something…
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