Hot off the Press: josh howard
Appearing on “The Michael Irvin Show” in Dallas Friday, Maverick Josh Howard admitted that he smokes marijuana during the offseason. ESPN.com’s Henry Abbot talked to Josh Howard about his use of marijuana more than a year ago.
Now, I’m fine with people debating the relative merits of marijuana. That’s probably healthy. I’m a little sad that people will judge Josh Howard by this one element of his character. Especially when - what is the news here exactly? It’s hard to even find presidential candidates who haven’t done what Howard says he has done.
A YouTube video from a charity flag football game in July has Dallas Mavericks’ forward Josh Howard in hot water yet again. Dallas Mavericks forward Josh Howard has been arrested in his hometown after police said he was drag racing on a Winston-Salem street. Now, Mavericks’ star Josh Howard was caught on camera at a July charity event, during the National Anthem saying, “The Star-Spangled.
A year ago, ESPN blogger Henry Abbott published an interview with Josh Howard at ESPN.com. Today, ESPN is promo’ing the Hades out of a Sportscenter segment on the subject, roughly two hours before Howard’s Mavericks tip off Game on ESPN. Tuned-in Brinson quotes the promo:”And did Josh Howard admit using marijuana in a radio interview? Oh-ho. You bet he did! Don’t miss his shocking comments!” The radio interview? On Michael Irvin’s ESPN Radio show. “Once I hear the interview and talk to Josh about whatever was said, we’ll go from there.” Johnson did add, however, that Howard’s decision to consent to the interview and invite questions on this topic on the day of a playoff game was “what I call poor timing and poor judgment.”
Howard has struggled mightily in the series, averaging 15 points on 29 percent shooting from the floor. The discussion about marijuana with Irvin came at Howard’s urging - as the station stressed repeatedly during subsequent programming - to clarify the statements he made to The Morning News. Asked by Irvin’s co-host, Kevin Kiley, if he fears that his struggles in this series will be linked to his marijuana admission, Howard said: “Oh yeah, I understand that. The Morning News addressed the TrueHoop interview with Howard in an article that appeared in last Saturday’s editions. The Morning News quoted Howard as saying that he received no flak for the interview. When asked to quantify the extent of his marijuana use, Howard told the paper that he got “a little crazy” in high school but uses it “less” now and never during the season.
I jumped at it because I knew him to be a frank talker. I have this notion that one thing the world does not need is more athletes saying the same meaningless things again and again. I did a bunch of homework, watched video, and got ready for the interview. It became clear that one big untold story about Josh Howard was how he ended up on the Mavericks at all. He was drafted 29th, even though just about everyone had him ranked as a top ten talent, and he has always played as one. We all knew that, too. It has been reported again and again in various ways. Not too long ago, a Deadspin post cited this very same Josh Howard interview, and declared that pot use was too mundane to get anybody upset anymore. (Another tiny example: check out this interview about the champion 1977 Portland Blazers.) Howard is, by reputation, a straight shooter, and a truth teller. Someone who speaks like a regular guy, even if it means getting his hands dirty once in a while. (We all know that scene from Bull Durham, right, where the veteran teaches the rookie how to never say anything interesting. That is not Josh Howard, and I applaud that.) Now we’re in a situation where the marijuana part of the story has been separated from the “getting to know Josh Howard” part of the story. People by and large thought Josh Howard seemed like an interesting and refreshingly honest guy. Same goes for Josh Howard. He’s one of a zillion pro athlete pot smokers.
Howard had insisted before the game that the fallout from his interview “hasn’t been a distraction,” thanks in part to the support of teammates. He was then cheered supportively by Mavericks fans during pregame warm-ups and again when he converted a first-quarter layup for his first basket.
After the game, Howard was contrite. “I’m sorry things have gone the way they are,” Howard said.
Marijuana is “nothing I’m needing,” Howard said. He contrasted that to some NBA players who he says “have to have it.” One source close to the situation told ESPN.com that the league likely “can’t” suspend Howard for simply talking about marijuana usage. It was not immediately clear what sort of punishment Howard could face for his candor, either from the league office or his team.
Added Howard, “Like I was saying to the, it has nothing to do with what I do as far as basketball, when I go out there and perform. That’s how I feel about it.” “What can I say?” Howard told the paper. “If you can do it and it’s not affecting your everyday life, why stop? If I’m able to do it, but not while I play basketball, it lets you know I can quit whenever.”
The Dallas Morning News brought up that interview in weekend story and sparked Friday’s conversation on “The Michael Irvin Show”. He explained: “What I was stating was just a random question he asked me about the marijuana use. I just let him know that most of the players in the league use marijuana and I have and do partake in smoking weed in the offseason sometimes and that’s my personal choice and my personal opinion.
Little attention (and no attention from ESPN) has been paid in the week since one of the nation’s largest newspapers ran a story - with a direct quote admitting use - on the matter. Today the subject is headline news? ESPN waited a week so they could get both their own soundbite and the proper marketing platform. despite having the scoop a year ago. Get your favorite NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, NASCAR and College sports news from AOL Sports.
In a blurred way, Howard does the real fans a favour by making the NBA more authentic. Or this all is nonsense.
