Importantly nut crackers are allowed in the league, they just want to protect the nose
That is as intentional as something could get and somehow stu thought it was a natural basketball movement. He is not into reading people's mind ofcourse, maybe he thought he might offend the gay community if he punished a player for encroaching into another players private area.
Though i would like to try and read Stu's mind
Stu thought that the bruce lee bowen kick to Wally's face is alright since it was not an elbow and just a foot flying in from 6 feet away.
Stu thought that Bruce lee waiting for a player to land on his feet are natural basketball movements and part of the game
Stu thought that Shaq's space clearing with elbows are natural basketball movements and Mutombo's nose was in the wrong place at the wrong time
I am not defending kobe's actions by any means, he intentionaly hurts people to clear space when he has the ball and the defender is crowding him. He intentionaly flails his arms to get calls after releasing a shot. But it is the double standard that the league adopts.
But I think this is all a setup from the league for something to happen later in the season. I have made my predictions during the begining of the season and I think Stern is adding some drama along the way, thats all there is to it. One big show in Vegas
Did anyone read what Derek Fisher said a couple of weeks ago after Kobe took 24 FT attempts - "This is a business and is run as a business" regarding the nba. Clearly the league sees the fan base as pro lakers and anti lakers and pretty much that is the case most of the time. Even fans who are rooting for a lottery pick want to beat just the lakers for the sake of it, there are fans who come to watch a game because the lakers are in town and in particular Kobe is in town. This season Kobe has been getting the best support in arenas outside of LA and has been hearing MVP chants all over the place.
Why not create a sympathy wave for the victim here

. I see that even some of the kings fans are sympathetic to Kobe in this thread (I know there are those die-hards who will see things their way all the time) and feel that he didnt deserve that punishment. Imagine the sentiment across the nation, poor Kobe. When the playoffs are around it is better to get that sympathy to take care of the business
