Finally, there’s a bit of comic relief to go alongside widespread speculation the fix was in during the ’02 Western Conference Finals. To wit, self prescribed vindication for MVN.com‘s Mr. Jackie Christie.

A champion is treated in a whole different light. They are valued in the locker room and commercially on a whole different level. For years, my wife and I have been ridiculed and talked about like we are weird, all because we did not fit the œmold of what the culture breeds in the NBA. It got to the point that these stories would precede us to the point that teams thought that I (i.e. we) would be a problem. That is bogus!!!! Respecting yourself, your family and being a team player is a problem? The point being that if the series would have went the way we all know that it should have, as a champion my relationship would have been praised because the œchamps are always shown in a good light. Just like now, you see Kobe and many players with their wives and kids right there hugging and kissing, now it™s œchic¦And not to knock any of the players, I am very pleased and proud that now all of them can feel ok about showing how they feel about their families in public. After my family and I took all of the bullets and were put through hell, our businesses suffered and ultimately the profession that I love so dearly has been taken away with lies and propaganda, just as that series was.

Are you kidding me? Last season (˜07/™08), I go in the gym with the Sonics and Trail Blazers (not to mention the GMs that I spoke to personally) and outplayed 90% of their guys. The only thing my agent told me they were interested in was my relationship with my wife, what happened before, or why did I leave the Clippers??? Truth be told, my family and I were dealing with the same old lies and workers starting trouble with us. I™m not willing to deal with that!

I just want to go and play the game that I love. So, that makes me weird, huh?!? Maybe if I was fighting with my wife and flirting with people, I would still be playing or at least going out on my own terms!

Doug’s got quite a point. Latrell Sprewell won a conference title with New York, and look how the media and GM’s alike hold him in such high regard. Once you’ve won a conference title, you’re pretty much set for life, right?