Sunday, October 7, 2007

Al Sharpton promised to lead protests against Madison Square Garden unless Knicks Coach Isiah Thomas apologizes for saying whites and blacks should be held to different standards regarding the use of certain derogatory language.

"If, in fact, that's what Mr. Thomas said, he's wrong," the activist minister said at the weekly Harlem gathering of his National Action Network.

In a videotaped deposition introduced at his sexual harassment trial, Thomas said: "A white man calling a black female 'bitch,' that is wrong with me. I am not accepting that. That's a problem for me." But he added he wouldn't be as angry if the same words came from a black man.

"I'm sorry to say, I do make a distinction," Thomas said.

Sharpton said the action network would organize picket lines around the Garden during Knicks home games unless Thomas apologized or proved he had not made the comments.

Sharpton said Thomas phoned him yesterday and said his words had been misinterpreted. Sharpton said during their conversation Thomas complained that his videotaped deposition had been "spliced" in a way that took his comments out of context.

¿ OUT: Warriors G Monta Ellis was released from the hospital in Hawaii after injuring his neck in practice and was expected to sit out yesterday's workout.

-- From News Services