Danny Ainge: “It’s very simple. I regret that. That was very unprofessional.”
He jumped up, he tossed a towel, the only thing missing was a balloon or a pinwheel...
Two days after getting caught trying to distract J.J. Hickson's free throws with his baseline antics just to the right of the basket, Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge is apologizing for acting like a fan.
He tells Boston radio station WEEI:
"It's very simple. I regret that. That was very unprofessional. I was having fun with the hecklers and the crowd that was sitting around me. There's no excuse. It was unprofessional. I regret doing it. The biggest reason I regret it is, you guys should be talking about the great play of the Celtics instead of talking about a towel incident. I'm shocked that it's become this big a deal but I regret doing that.
I should never have done that. It's that simple."
It may not end with an apology. Ainge expects he'll have to pull out the checkbook and pay to the order of David Stern's favorite charity.
"Usually when things become public like this, you hear from the league. I don't think David Stern cares really that a towel was thrown but because it's become such a public story, I'm sure that there will be something. I'd like to give my charitable contributions to those of my own choice but I am confident that the league does well with our money."
Having spent some time next to Ainge on press row, he rarely showed much emotion other than a shake of the head at a referee's call. Then again, it was BYU basketball's press row and not the franchise whose wins and losses dictate his continued employment.
UPDATE: Stern drops the hammer the next morning with a 25 thousand dollar fine.
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