Is Karl Malone the dirtiest player in the NBA?

[lazarus]

Well, no question, but what to do about it? The rules state that any foul where a player's elbow hits another player's head should result in immediate ejection, but that never seems to happen. He's busting people in the face right and left this year, and he's likely to cause more damage before it's all done.

FWIW, check where his eyes are focused in this old picture. One would expect him to be looking at the basket, right? Instead, he appears to be aiming his foot, rather than the ball.

[HEyHEY]

1. ask his wife

:-)

[PROGRESSIVE1]

2. Yes, also he is a right winger!

.

[POed_Ex_Repub]

3. He's up there, but number one has to go to...

Bill Lambeer (sp?).. Now that guy played DIRTY. I think special consideration also has to go to Shaq (sorry Lakers fans). I think you could just about call an offensive foul on every other play with him. I also think you can play too "clean" if that makes any sense. Imagine how good Yao Ming would be if he just played more aggressive!

[CatWoman]

4. well

this picture speaks 3,000 words, doesn't it?

I never liked Malone, so I'm biased!!

oh yeah: :hi: LAZ!!!!!!! :D

[lazarus]

6. Y'know

I never liked Robert Horry until he started playing for my beloved Spurs, but I really have sympathy for him in that picture.

Did you know Horry is from my hometown of Andalusia, AL? Tiny little town, only 10,000 people out in the middle of nowhere.

Howdy, Cat!

[Catholic Sensation]

5. Isn't he a pro-wrestler?

IT'S NOT REAL!

[grannylib]

7. Malone is dirty but Stockton is dirtier and gets away with it more

'cause he's a little cornfed whiteboy cherub...
Laimbeer was an ass too...

[catzies]

11. You say "little cornfed whiteboy cherub" like it's a bad thing.

;)

And, did you know he's retired, so you can't refer to his playing in the present tense anymore?

[Redleg]

8. A lot of Jazz bashing going on here.

Many of the superstar players commit fouls all the time and are not penalized for them. Lots of charging going on.

As for Malone, I agree he is an aggressive player but he gets hacked almost every time he gets the ball under the hoop. I would be throwing elbows too to get those hackers off me.

Yes, I am a Jazz fan, having lived in Utah for a good many years.

[LeftistGorilla]

9. I haven't seen him...

up close...
of course playing basketball can make anyone gamey...

[Sean Reynolds]

10. No.

Even though I HATE Malone now that he turned his back on Utah fans, I can't say he's dirty. Malone and Stockton came from a different era, where players actually played harder than they do today. Malone isn't dirty, he's just tough.

[catzies]

12. I used to have a standard answer for this. Changing it now.

I've -- as a longtime deeply loyal Jazz fan -- heard this for years, from other fans of other teams. I've refuted it on other boards so many times I almost have my rebuttals memorized, but I'm not going to repeat them.

I now have something new to say, in light of Karl leaving the Jazz and becoming a Laker.

I live in the LA area, and have put up with Malone-bashing by Lakers fan for years. Well, let me tell you that after reading the LA Times every day and seeing nearly every game this season, ain't it funny how things change??

Karl Malone in LA is exactly the same as Karl Malone in Salt Lake. The only difference is that when he played AGAINST the Lakers, he was called "dirty" by Lakers fans. Now that he's not only a Laker but being the same Mailman who delivered every damn night for 18 years (except for suspensions) Lakers fans now adore him, saying he's "a savvy veteran."

Lazarus, I believe the Spurs courted him last summer. So, if the Mailman were delivering in a Spurs uniform, would he still be "dirty?"

[stevedeshazer]

13. As a JailBlazer fan

Since 1970, I am qualified to say that Karl Malone is not only the toughest SOB in the league ever, he is the best flopper in all of basketball. That's respect, BTW, it's a special skill he has.

The leading thug right now is Danny Fortson.

Bill Laimbeer had his day, too.

The Lakers wouldn't be sh*t right now without Malone and Gary Payton. Shaq is strong, but not tough, and Kobe is a showboating puss.

[democracyindanger]

14. As long as we're admitting it...

I, too, am a Jailblazer fan. Or as I like to call 'em, the Fizzlers. And having a long history observing Malone, I say he's as dirty as they come. He uses his elbows every chance he gets. Players have complained about it for years.

Flopping, I can accept. It's an acting job, and nobody (aside from the flopper) gets hurt. But Malone uses his elbows on purpose, with intent to harm.

Look how pissed Duncan got when the Fakers played the Spurs. Malone's so dirty, he can get Tim-freakin-Duncan livid.

And Karl Malone wasn't tougher than Buck. You know who I'm talkin' bout, Stevie...

[lazarus]

16. I have a problem with flopping

It's used to fool the refs, which is actually against the rules. But then, if the rules were actually used, Shaq and Malone wouldn't play but about 30 games a year.

[lazarus]

17. I have a problem with flopping

It's used to fool the refs, which is actually against the rules. But then, if the rules were actually used, Shaq and Malone wouldn't play but about 30 games a year.

[lazarus]

15. Nope

We did no courting of him, primarily because he is a dirty player. He's talking a big game now about how we courted him, but he was way, way down the list of people we wanted. FWIW, it took Spurs fans a lot to get used to having Robert Horry on our team, and he's not even considered that dirty.

Just look at that picture and tell me he was focused on shooting the ball, and not kicking balls.

Ever hear of David Ramer?

(no link I could find)
From the December 6, 1984 Washington Post:

Rice junior center Dave Ramer will undergo reconstructive surgery Friday in Houston to repair multiple injuries suffered in what Coach Tommy Suitts says was an intentional elbowing incident in Monday's game against Louisiana Tech. Ramer has a depressed cheekbone, fractures above and below his right eye socket and a collapsed sinus after the incident involving Louisiana Tech's Karl Malone.

Ramer required plastic surgery to reconstruct his face and never played basketball again. The stories going around are that Malone's coach made him go out and apologise.

He's broken ribs, knocked out teeth, caused concussions, required plastic surgery; it's not just hard play, it's dirty play.


BTW, this isn't Jazz bashing. I'm truly impressed with the way the Jazz are playing this year; I had them pegged to be as bad as Orlando has turned out, but they're playing incredible ball. I'm just glad I can respect the team now that the two dirty players are gone.

[RebelOne]

18. Yep, he certainly is and in a lot more ways than just basketball.

[aQuArius]

19. I was raised in Utah.....

I don't know where you got this picture, but its obviously old. You can tell he's wearing #32 and its a Jazz uniform, not Lakers. This, however, does look painful anyway.... but its definetly an old pic. by the way, no, I am not Mormon, and I do NOT live in Utah anymore with all the Mormon Republicans...... THANK GOD!

[MojoKrunch]

20. If I played against Karl

I'd damn well wear a cup and keep an eye out for his elbows.

I saw what he did to Isah Thomas that one time... and frankly, I don't believe he does it maliciously... I think he's just a big oaf.
When he came into the league he was bigger than any other power forward out there... now he looks normal in comparsion.
This isn't by accident.

He is not a graceful man... unlike say, KG.

And is it his fault that guards keep running into his elbows?
lol
What was that Simpsons where Bart starts swinging his arms in circles saying something like "I'm going to swing my arms like this and walk around and if you just happen to be in the way, Lisa, oh well."
When Karl clears the boards he reminds me of Bart.

I'm from the "no blood, no foul" school of bball.
If you can't handle the pain, stay out of the paint.

I went to school at ULL(Ragin Cajuns) and saw Karl play his senior year at a home game.
We almost beat 'em.
We almost beat Hakeem and Houston too.

Mojo

[YellowRubberDuckie]

21. I've hated him since the '98 NBA championship...

...when the team he plays on went up against the Bulls, in what was supposed to be the last year Jordan was to play. He was dirty then, and I hated him mainly because they were playing the bulls. Now I could care less about Basketball, but I still believe Malone is shady, and I really don't like the guy.
Duckie

[GOPisEvil]

22. David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Robert Horry probably think so.

He certainly has smacked a few folks with, er, um, "timely" elbows.

But then, I'm a Jazz and Laker hater, so I'm biased. :evilgrin: