Technical Fouls Will Not Change Stephen Jackson

Refs can T up Cap’n Jack all they want, just don’t expect him to change his ways (despite pleas from everyone in the Bobcats organization.) The AP reports: “At the end of a shootaround last week, Charlotte owner Michael Jordan yelled across the floor lamenting about how his Bobcats often play a man down when guard Stephen Jackson gets preoccupied with the officials. An exasperated coach Paul Silas said Sunday all he can do is take his top scorer out of the game when he starts mouthing off. And as Jackson keeps piling up the technical fouls, he’s losing not only significant money, he’s also approaching an automatic one-game suspension. But for Jackson, it’s about right and wrong, fairness and not losing his emotional edge. Don’t expect a calmer Captain Jack anytime soon. ‘No, I get techs because I want to. I don’t care,’ Jackson said Sunday. ‘I’m not getting techs for no reason. It happens.’ When the NBA announced it was cracking down on player behavior this season, Jackson appeared to be one of the targets. Jackson played a starring role in a video distributed to teams showing demonstrative actions that would result in technical fouls. Jackson also feels his past – he served a lengthy suspension for his role in the infamous Pacers-Pistons brawl in 2004 and has had other run-ins – is a significant factor in how he’s treated. ‘My reputation is the main reason why a lot of things don’t go my way on the court,’ Jackson said. ‘I can’t really pout about it and complain about it. I know I put myself in those situations. I went in the stands. I had those incidents off the court and I’ve got to be responsible for them. I just have to be professional and try to get through it.’ It’s not going very well. The volatile Jackson has lost $172,000 this season thanks to 11 technicals, a one-game suspension without pay following an ejection and a separate $50,000 fine for verbally abusing a referee. A little over a month after sending a letter of apology to Bobcats season-ticket holders for his behavior, Jackson is quickly collecting technicals again.”