Players shocked after 'racial slurs'
Jackson, Richardson believe Jazz fans went too far with insults
Geoff Lepper, MEDIANEWS STAFF
Article Last Updated: 05/11/2007 10:32:45 AM PDT

OAKLAND — At times during the first two games of the Warriors' Western Conference semifinal with the Utah Jazz, the sound generated by the home crowd at EnergySolutions Arena has reached ear-ringing levels.
But even that much noise didn't keep Stephen Jackson and Jason Richardson from hearing some ugly language come through loud and clear from the sold-out stands.

Jackson and Richardson both said Thursday that they had been subjected to racial slurs from the predominantly white crowd of 19,911 during Game 2 on Wednesday night.

Neither player would repeat what specific insults were used, but Jackson said they included a six-letter word.

"That was something new," Richardson said. "It shocked all of us. We weren't expecting that. I mean, (Jazz fans) were trying to get into our heads any way they can, but I couldn't believe anybody would stoop that low. It's nonsense."

No Warriors mentioned any such problems after the game on Wednesday. The topic came out only when Jackson was asked Thursday about the difference between playing at Oracle Arena versus Salt Lake City.

"Well, we're not hearing racial slurs, we're not hearing people wishing for me to go to jail," Jackson said. "That's the difference for me. I'm loved here in Oakland. I'm John Gotti in Utah."

Jackson, who spoke calmly about the topic, took the brunt of the fans' ire as the Warriors' lightning rod.

"I heard all kinds of stuff the second game, which is good because I know I've got fans," Jackson said. "They're paying my salary, so it's cool. I just thought people would carry themselves in a better way. They always worry about how we're going to act towards fans, but they never consider what we've got to sit there and take. Which is cool. I mean, I don't mind taking it. But at the same time, it gets aggravating, to the point where you want to do something about it, but you can't."
To Warriors president Robert Rowell, such language could hardly be considered "cool."

"We will certainly look into their comments," Rowell said in an e-mail. "For what I observed, the fans in Utah are well-behaved and passionate. There is no place for inappropriate fan conduct in the playoffs."

A Jazz spokeswoman reached Thursday said that the team hadn't heard anything about any abusive language prior to a reporter's call.

Warriors Players Heard 'Racial Slurs' From Jazz Fans
Posted May 11th 2007 1:42PM by Brett Edwards
Filed under: Warriors, Western, NBA Fans, NBA Gossip, NBA Playoffs, Jazz, Breaking News

The series between the Warriors and Jazz has been nothing but feel-good stories so far, but unfortunately some fans in Utah had to go and ruin that for us. According to Stephen Jackson and Jason Richardson, Jazz fans crossed the line and subjected both of them to "racial slurs" during Utah's Game 2 victory. Jackson mentioned this when he was asked about the difference between playing in Utah and playing at Oracle Arena:

"Well, we're not hearing racial slurs, we're not hearing people wishing for me to go to jail," Jackson said. "That's the difference for me. I'm loved here in Oakland. I'm John Gotti in Utah."
Jason Richardson confirmed the fact that Jazz fans went to the race card when they were yelling at the Warriors' players:

"That was something new," Richardson said. "It shocked all of us. We weren't expecting that. I mean, (Jazz fans) were trying to get into our heads any way they can, but I couldn't believe anybody would stoop that low. It's nonsense."
While it's not exactly shocking that a couple of idiots in a predominantly white crowd would do something like this, it's certainly disappointing. The Warriors' fans have made themselves a story in these playoffs by passionately supporting their team, and basically willing them to victory at home. It's too bad that the fans in Utah found an uglier way to get themselves into the spotlight.

TMC wrote:That's nothing. You should hear the kind of slurs that happen during a soccer game each weekend in Europe or South America...


btw, nice sig, migya.

migya wrote:I was in Portugal the first time I went there some 19 years ago and I remember going to a division 2 game just outside of Lisbon and there was a group of about 4 guys in the crowd that kept yelling out racial slurs at the two black guys on one of the teams. There definately is alot of that stuff, always has been but noone really pays or did pay much attention to that over there

TMC wrote:

migya wrote:I was in Portugal the first time I went there some 19 years ago and I remember going to a division 2 game just outside of Lisbon and there was a group of about 4 guys in the crowd that kept yelling out racial slurs at the two black guys on one of the teams. There definately is alot of that stuff, always has been but noone really pays or did pay much attention to that over there

Things have changed a lot, then. Now you're lucky if you find a group of 4 guys NOT yelling insults at the players or the refs.