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City of New Orleans fed up with Phil Jackson
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AP Photo/Jack Dempsey
Los Angeles Lakers head coach Phil Jackson has something to think about this weekend other than his team's first loss of the season. Apparently, New Orleans has heard enough from Jackson after his recent comments about the city.
Jimmy Smith of the The Times-Picayune wrote a column telling Jackson to keep his mouth shut when it comes to New Orleans, and I can't say I blame him. Smith lists a series of comments from Jackson about post-Katrina New Orleans that just leave a bad taste in your mouth.
No one comment is particularly abrasive or disrespectful, but the combination makes you say, "enough already, Phil." Jackson is known for his trademark sarcasm and humor, even in the most inappropriate of times, but this time he may have crossed the line. Anyway, here are the comments and context from Smith's column so you can judge for yourself.
When the Lakers traveled to the Hornets' temporary digs in Oklahoma City for a game, Jackson related his considerable joy at being there instead of here.
"Well, " Jackson told reporters before the game, "it smells better in Oklahoma, I have to say that. I miss that mildew smell from New Orleans that permeates the air, and the revelry that goes along with being in New Orleans is certainly missing in Oklahoma. I feel blessed, there's no doubt about it, that we're here."
Weeks later, when Jackson discovered that a Lakers-Hornets game originally scheduled for Baton Rouge in March was being relocated to fully repaired and functional New Orleans Arena, in what would be the first professional sports event held in the Crescent City after Hurricane Katrina, he could hardly contain his ill-humor.
"Hopefully, " Jackson said, "they've drained the mud out of the building and the termites aren't going to eat the building away by the time we get down there."
Also part of that published conversation was Jackson's opinion of New Orleans as a basketball town.
"I have an unbiased and non-prejudicial view of New Orleans, " Jackson said. "I've always had a wonderful time in the city. However, it is tough for them to support NBA basketball.
"There are not a lot of corporate businesses, and it has become a corporate business situation that has made the NBA successful. I never thought after the Jazz left (in 1979) they'd be able to support an NBA franchise again.
"I think New Orleans is a spectacular entertainment town, but it takes a real consistency to hold an NBA franchise. You really need to have a solid group of people who want to go to 41 home games."
Now, during his latest visit, Jackson was taking issue with signage in and around the visitor's locker room advertising one of the Hornets' corporate sponsors, Harrah's Casino, especially in light of the recent betting scandal involving disgraced referee Tim Donaghy.
"We talked about it last year, " Jackson said. "We thought it wasn't a good message at all."
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