Stephen Jackson, Caught in a Few Lies About that Skirmish Outside of a Strip Club
By Jason McIntyre
The real story, which is an absolute must-read, will surely send any Indiana Pacers fan to the bathroom for a good preseason hurl. Here’s a brief breakdown of the events, courtesy of the Indianapolis Star:
* Jackson, three Pacers, and “friends” go into a strip club named “Rio,” which has some decidedly mediocre talent as this NSFW link will show
* Pacers and “friends” are heckled by a group – let’s call them “street toughs”, but claim to “ignore” them
* Pacers and “friends” leave the strip club, and are followed outside by “street toughs”
* Standard, Materazzi-like trash talk ensues; Jackson lifts his shirt to reveal a gun tucked into his waistband (leading us to believe that he rolls into a strip club packing heat. Who does this guy think he is, Bruce Willis in The Last Boyscout?)
* According to Jackson, a man with a deformed arm from the “street toughs” starts the fight [Ed. Right. Because guys with deformed arms always pick fights with 6-foot-8 NBA players.]
* Jackson kicks the man with the deformed arm in said deformed arm
* Someone yells “Dump” (there’s some new slang for us), which apparently means “shoot”
* Deformed arm guy manages to get to his car, and drives it at Jackson; Pacers guard rolls up on the hood and off, resulting in a fat lip and various cuts and bruises
Two last vital pieces of information: Remember that small bag of weed found in the car of Jamaal Tinsley? Of course it wasn’t his – it belonged to one of their “friends.” That friend is someone named Ramel Mattox. In addition, Mattox is being charged with a bunch of shit, including starting the fight. Anyone else feel like this Mattox fellow is about to be Shyne to Jackson’s Puff Daddy?
And here’s the other one: The other three Pacers told police they heard gunshots, but weren’t sure who was shooting. Playing dumb. Always works. Deny, deny, deny.
(Aside: You have to figure Michael Irvin really wishes he could run with the Pacers… then, the crack pipe under the Playmaker’s seat could actually belong to someone else!)
Lastly, we have Pacers boss Larry Bird checking in: “He knows it’s a major embarrassment for the franchise,” Bird said. “This is a big blow for Stephen. He didn’t expect this.”
Pacers’ Jackson charged in strip club fight (Indy Star)
Pacers’ Jackson charged with criminal recklessness (ESPN.com)