Calipari’s Comment Costs Him $25,000

The NBA, punishing non-game-related speech for the first time in league history, fined New Jersey Nets coach John Calipari a record $25,000 and Miami Heat broadcaster David Halberstam $2,500 on Wednesday.

Calipari was fined for calling reporter Dan Garcia of the Newark Star-Ledger “a (bleeping) Mexican idiot” during a heated argument after a Nets practice last Thursday. The coach has since apologized, maintaining it was an ill-advised attempt at humor.

Halberstam, who has been Miami’s announcer for five years, was fined for remarks he made last Wednesday while broadcasting a game against Golden State.

Remarking on a pass thrown by guard John Crotty, Halberstam said:

“Thomas Jefferson would have been proud of that pass. When Thomas Jefferson was around, basketball was not invented yet, but those slaves working at Thomas Jefferson’s farm, I’m sure they would have made good basketball players.”

Rodman sidelined with knee injury

Dennis Rodman will miss the remainder of the regular season with an injured left knee.

Rodman suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament on Tuesday night with only 3 seconds remaining in Chicago’s 94-92 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

The injury occurred when Rodman collided with A.C. Green as both players attempted to grab a rebound. Rodman, who had 21 rebounds, limped to the locker room after the game.

Shinn offers to buy Charlotte Coliseum

George Shinn, frustrated in his efforts to have the city of Charlotte build a new downtown coliseum for his NBA team, offered to buy the Charlotte Coliseum from the local government.

Shinn wants the city to build more luxury boxes in the coliseum and give him a cut of the revenues generated by the boxes, saying he needs the money so he can attract high-priced free agents to make his club more competitive.

Sportswriter honored

The Detroit Pistons are honoring a sportswriter who died last week by wearing black patches on their uniforms for the rest of the season.

Corky Meinecke, 44, who had cancer, covered the Pistons for the Detroit Free Press. Meinecke’s seat on press row will remain empty for the rest of the season.