Josh Howard’s Near-Fatal Faux Pas

By: D.K. Wilson

Was Josh Howard on drugs? How could Josh Howard, with his team down 2-0 to the New Orleans Hornets and Game 3 hours away, agree to go on the Michael Irvin Radio Show and reiterate to the world that he smokes marijuana during the offseason? And further, reiterate that he thinks most of the players in the league smoke pot.

And yes the question is not, are you crazy? The question is, Josh Howard, are you on drugs?

Josh, I understand some creep from the Dallas Morning News with nothing better to do other than rehash news from a year old interview where, among many, many other things, you briefly mentioned getting high:

One theory I heard about why you went as low as 29th is that some teams were concerned that you might have a problem with marijuana.
I think a lot of people have that problem. How that could stop me from getting drafted, though? How many guys in the lottery smoke pot? The weed thing, just about everybody smokes.

Why Brad Townsend felt the need to submarine you, stick a knife in your back, attempt to blow up the Dallas Mavericks’ psyche before the most important first round playoff series in the history of the Mavericks franchise, is beyond comprehension. The last time a writer did something this nasty to an athlete it turned out, according to notes kept by a bookie in the Mile High City, that she - a Denver Post columnist - was a steady cocaine user who was betting - and losing - on Denver Broncos games (too bad no links to this story exist; it seems to have disappeared down the memory hole).

Whatever Townsend’s reasons for this subterfuge, with this 24-hour feed the beast sports news spin cycle, he knew well what would result from reopening this can of worms.

And sure enough, exactly one year after the blogpost, but one week after Townsend’s article, here comes ESPN, the television arm of the media monolith, about two hours before a do-or-die Game 3 for Dallas pumping the hell out of a story from one of their own people that they completely bypassed during last season’s playoffs.

And why?

Because you, Josh Howard, felt the need to go on Michael Irvin’s radio show and blather about your marijuana use and speculate about whether or not other players use.

But why did you have to tell the world again today you puff bud? To answer Townsend’s oddly-timed piece of trash? And why did you tell the world that you feel that the majority of your peers are rollin’ on the chronic bus?

So you get high in the offseason - let me amend that; got high. The Lig will not stand for someone to just bump his gums about tree use and let it slide:

Two sources close to the situation told ESPN.com Howard will almost certainly be entered immediately into the NBA’s marijuana program — which would require him to submit to much more frequent testing — but it would appear that he is not at risk for a suspension unless he has failed two previous tests.

And don’t you know that the press just loves a fool like you? You just made ESPN’s and every other columnist in the country’s month.

Here’s a favor to you Josh. Here’s what a lot of people, mostly white but believe me, some black, are thinking about you and your peers right about now…

Ahh yes, NBA players. Those high-jumping, slam-dunkin, And1-dribblin’, Rap video clothes-wearin’, bling-blingin’, makin’ it rain, Reefer Madness stereotypical Knee-Grows. No wonder the NBA is full of thugs; they can’t keep their hands off the herb.

No wonder the game is so bad that the international game has surpassed ours to the point where we can’t win a gold medal. No wonder we complain that players coming into the league lack the necessary fundamentals to play proficiently. The first thing an NBA baller buys with his brand spankin’ new contract is one of those butt-ugly new pre-fab lookin’ alleged mansions with the semi-circular so you can display all your whips driveways and greet the video crew from MTV Cribs and show ‘em your frig full of Cris, your freezer full of mac-chee,

And off-camera you show off that other first thing you buy with your contract - that fully encrusted, Jacob the Jeweler-designed bong - and the “fe-male” house cleaner you hired just to clear the chronic resin from that bong piece.

Yeaaah boooy! Knee-Grows cain’t wait to get to the dressin’ room to get your uni on. Get the socks just so. Get that new fluffy wristband, the extra white one. Make sure those personalized, patent leather Nikes with your number on ‘em gots the right gleam, get that top pulled out so it falls just so - and finally put on that head band an’ gets it on the perfect angle that makes you look like a 27-year old newborn girl.

Knee-Grow.

Can’t shoot a free throw, can’t shoot layups with either hand, can’t run a 3-on-2 fast break without effin’ it up, got no mid-range J, and shoot 37% from the floor, but damn you look good when you make that Sportscenter highlight when you hang on the rim after that reverse slam.

Dont’cha Knee-Grow.

No wonder you mad when Stern wanna tell you what to do. You high, Knee-Grow! An’ when you high that’s the las’ thing you want is a nigga up in yo ear an’ yo biz-ness.

True dat.

All you wants is to get your ball on, sweat out last night’s alcohol, so you can get to the Gold Club in whatever city you in, get your lap dance and drink on - right Knee-Grow? But if some fans get yellin’ names at you during the game, you don’t mind gettin’ your brawl on, either - or gettin’ your spit on or talkin’ ’bout they mama; let ‘em know you plenty street.

That is today’s NBA according to the Gospel of Josh. It is a place where all the “brothers” are millionaires and play millionaire games. It’s a place where they can keep it street, keep it real, and show all that street, all that realness off to white fans, white writers, white team owners, and white corporate sponsors. A place where “lemme hit that” has nothing to do with the clutch shot and everything to do with the joint being passed around the room.

Josh Howard, you are not a dumb man, but you set yourself up for this and you opened up your peers for undue scrutiny. Fortunately your team won Game 3, but don’t think the talk will go away.

At Game 3 in Dallas, Howard’s very good friend, Devin Harris, showed up to lend support to his embattled friend. It was a laudable gesture, albeit a dicey one.

Harris plays for the New Jersey Nets and his team’s season is over. If he knows what’s good for him, he’ll stay far away from Howard, unless he too is indulging in the Bob Marley. No matter, his presence in Dallas might have earned him some summer time drug testing.

Hope he’s not as unthinking as Howard.

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D.K. Wilson is a freelance sports writer. He is better known on the internet as "DWil," and writes for Sports On My Mind.

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2 Comments

  1. This article is a disgrace.

    Comment by Michael on April 28, 2008

  2. Real clever, Why Tea.

    It’d be less racist to just go ahead and use the N word.

    Do you really think white basketball players don’t smoke pot as much as blacks?

    Knee Grow Up!

    Comment by Ken on April 29, 2008

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