500th Reminder That Bruce Bowen Is Dirty
For a guy with a very limited skill set, Bruce Bowen has had himself one hell of a career. He’s won titles, and has earned the reputation as one of the better one-on-one defenders in the League. It’s a shame that, years from now, he’ll mostly be remembered as perhaps the dirtiest player of his generation.
Last night, while playing in his 500th career game, Bruce decided to play a little soccer with Chris Paul’s body as CP3 laid on the ground. Click here for the video evidence. The worst part of the whole thing is the “What-I-didn’t-do-anything” look on his face afterwards.
‘’They did a good job coming out and trying to be more physical with us,'’ Paul said. ‘’They tried to switch Bruce Bowen on to me, who I know likes to hold and grab and things like that, but we tried not to let it affect us.'’
You forgot that he likes to kick people in the face, Paul.
The fact that Bowen, in spite of all his nonsense, has yet to get himself Kermit Washingtoned is one of the great mysteries of all time. Right up there with Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and Isiah’s job security.
95 Responses to “500th Reminder That Bruce Bowen Is Dirty”
Mar.13 at 9:04 am
The Second Coming says:
damn! i was just about to do this exact column! well done MM
Mar.13 at 9:04 am
thesubwayconnection says:
Wow. I didn’t watch the game, but that video’s pretty telling. I think it’s time he got suspended. I think he’s pretty dirty.
Mar.13 at 9:06 am
TADOne says:
I’ll be the happiest person when someone finally gives this dude back what he deserves. He should get fined and suspended for this crap. But I am quite sure he won’t.
Mar.13 at 9:12 am
snyper48 says:
Maybe is time to create a NBA Comission to investigate all the dirty Bowen has done all these years,what you think Pop?
Mar.13 at 9:13 am
maio says:
Coaches should simply advise minor contributors on their teams to elbow the crap out of BB in every game. See who gets tired first. He has played way too many consecutive games anyway.
Mar.13 at 9:14 am
PolowthaJon says:
Byron should have had Birdman out their to defend CP3! He would have cracked Bowen’s head!
Mar.13 at 9:15 am
Eboy says:
It looked like a smaller version of Mourning/Van Gundy.
Mar.13 at 9:20 am
BETCATS says:
Dont push Wade down, Bruce. Udonis will handle you. Same with Lebron
Mar.13 at 9:22 am
riggs says:
at least he didnt put his foot under cp3 to roll his ankle, right vince carter?
Mar.13 at 9:32 am
Logan says:
how come this guy has never been suspended for his ‘physical’ play? ridiculous
Mar.13 at 9:32 am
Ryan Jones says:
I’m not sure how it all connects, but maybe this is delayed payback for Chris punching Julius Hodge in the balls back in college.
Mar.13 at 9:34 am
BETCATS says:
Dont talk about what he did then Jonez. Am i the only one who thinks Hodge would be a good POINT GUARD?
Mar.13 at 9:34 am
Logan says:
man they really need to suspend this guy….loved the fact that NO beat the crap out of the Spurs..
Mar.13 at 9:36 am
KOT says:
i would love to watch a slapfest between bowen and raja bell..both pretending to be doing ‘great defense’
Mar.13 at 9:37 am
Logan says:
the last shove with the foot per say was uncalled for….
Mar.13 at 9:40 am
Ryne Nelson says:
Finally, realized I was on moderation, for some reason….I honestly believe Bowen is a good person and model citizen (extensive community service work, ambassador for raising child obesity awareness, the Bruce Bowen Foundation, etc.). It’s his on-court play that earns him his death wishes. He probably can’t walk anywhere outside of San Antonio without three security guards. I love his intensity on the defensive end - rarely do we see this in players any more - but I can’t stand questionable plays like this.
Mar.13 at 9:44 am
Cub Buenning says:
BET, the Nuggets’ did try to turn Hodge into a point. I agreed with it, as well, because i thought he had great all-around basketball sense (ACC POY as JR, right?) and a tall long active body.
Just sucks that his career was derailed by a stupid person with a gun.
Mar.13 at 9:44 am
Ken says:
500th consecutive game, not career.
And yeah, Bowen is awful. There are so many dirty plays on video of kicking and undercutting…the man is just horrible.
Mar.13 at 9:45 am
Cub Buenning says:
If I was in Pop and RC’s ear, I would tell them to pick up Antonio Anderson from Memphis and groom him to be their next “Bowen.” Same ability, maybe even more upside.
Mar.13 at 9:46 am
Cub Buenning says:
Bowen’s aggressive/dirty play was the norm back in the 70s/80s.
Mar.13 at 9:47 am
Mendel says:
Man that last paragraph put me on the floor in laughter
Mar.13 at 9:47 am
BETCATS says:
Cub yall shoulda kept him
Mar.13 at 9:47 am
Ryan Jones says:
You shouldn’t punch people in the balls, is my point.
Mar.13 at 9:47 am
maio says:
My theory is that if you consider yourself a “good person” you need to be “good” all day, every day. Show class, honor, respect and fairness in all areas of your life. I don’t buy that crap “oh on the court he’s different” - that IS him. It’s in him and it needs to be Mutomboed out.
Mar.13 at 9:52 am
Sesa says:
Where’s the Spurs fan to defend Bowen?
I’m not a Spur hater but sooner or later Bowen gonna stained the image of San Antonio Spurs.
Better trained Ime Udoka soon.
Mar.13 at 9:52 am
the brown guy says:
someone needs to hit him, i vote for primoz brezec to do the honors
Mar.13 at 9:54 am
Cub Buenning says:
BET, I think he plays pro ball in Australia, so I bet he hasn’t gotten his sh*t together–both mentally and physically– since that fateful night north of the city.
I wish the best for Julius. Boss Man Ben, have you heard from him lately?
Mar.13 at 9:54 am
Ryan Jones says:
Let me put it this way: If I’m running for president — I’m not, but if I were — I’m running on a platform of “no balls punching.”
Mar.13 at 9:55 am
Eboy says:
You guys ever think it pays to have a “dirty” player on a squad that always competes for a title? Think back to all the teams that have won them in the last 25 years or so. It’s nothing new.
Mar.13 at 9:57 am
Cub Buenning says:
I must second Professor’s feelings on testicular violence.
Also, Bowen’s play bugs me to no end, but i have no real problem with the way he plays. Players “push the envelope” on the rules in every sport and it is not their job to self-police their own professional morality. If the refs/league outlawed/suspended him more, he wouldn’t play that way….. and then hours later, he would be out of the league.
Mar.13 at 9:59 am
Cub Buenning says:
E, and the Pistons had an entire roster of ‘em!
Mar.13 at 10:00 am
Lazy Lew says:
could some one explain the offensive foul on chris paul?
Mar.13 at 10:03 am
Lazy Lew says:
if jermaine o’neal gives bowen half the hit he gave that piston’s fan, bowen’ll learn his lesson.
Mar.13 at 10:03 am
Eboy says:
So did the 90’s Knicks, Cub.
Mar.13 at 10:18 am
mat smith says:
I wanna see shaq pull his head off mortal kombat style “finish him”
Mar.13 at 10:27 am
TADOne says:
The late 80’s, early 90’s Pistons were my hero’s. Of course, this should surprise no one. At least they didn’t hit anyone in the balls. Well, maybe Laimbeer did.
Mar.13 at 10:28 am
Kevin says:
maybe its the Phoenix fan in me speaking but wow, i really hate Bruce Bowen.. don’t really know how he gets away with it all the time..
Mar.13 at 10:31 am
Captain America says:
Ryan, Bowen has been involved in far too many “questionable plays” for them to be “questionable plays” anymore.
Mar.13 at 10:35 am
Kevin says:
i want to see Bowen diving to the floor for a loose ball and Shaq straight-up falling down on his ass and sitting on Bowen. i would probably buy a copy of that game footage from the NBA to keep forever.
Mar.13 at 10:37 am
BETCATS says:
dirty dirty
Mar.13 at 10:51 am
ericmontross says:
They review officiating, and flagrant fouls why not review player conduct. Bowen steps under more jump shoots, trips more, and is generally dirtier than anyone this side of the Bad Boys, yet I can’t remember him being suspended for much.
Mar.13 at 10:56 am
Slobodan Chutzpah says:
There’s a world of difference between pushing the envelope when it comes to rules and trying to hurt someone on purpose. Bowen has a well-documented history in regard to the latter, this latest case being just one more example. It’s amazing he seems to get away with it so much.
Mar.13 at 10:56 am
Cub Buenning says:
E, I thought you were talking about championship teams?..?..
1 hour until Big East tourney action! Anyone from the DOME playing hooky and heading down to MSG?
Mar.13 at 10:58 am
Cub Buenning says:
Slo, I agree, but then why doesn’t he get fined/suspended more? Probably because he knows what he can/can’t get away with. It’s not like he can go NFL lineman and get dirty “under the pile.” Its all on tape.
Mar.13 at 11:02 am
WhaHuh says:
Paul started it but Bowen knows how to finish
Mar.13 at 11:05 am
Eboy says:
I was Cub, but just wanted to put out the thug squad elite from the 5 boroughs.
Mar.13 at 11:19 am
riggs says:
if only david west had bodyslammed him
Mar.13 at 11:32 am
ciolkstar says:
I know people are gonna cry about this but Kobe and Steve Nash are only slightly less dirty than Bruce Bowen. As a Spurs fan I am officially scared of the Hornets.
Mar.13 at 11:34 am
5mooth says:
i guess he loved watching “Karate Kid”
Mar.13 at 12:02 pm
Steve says:
I actually despise Bruce Bowen so it feels strange to defend it, but I have to say, anyone who calls that a kick is pathetic. Did he need to do it? No. Was it as bad as is being made out? Hell no
Mar.13 at 12:10 pm
matt the jazz fan says:
anyone else notice on the video how byron goes into the patented annoyed cross-armed look after about 10 seconds?
Mar.13 at 12:19 pm
G Diesel says:
Bruce Bowen is dirtier thant Eliot Spitzer!
Mar.13 at 12:21 pm
Mikey says:
Bruce putting his foot in it again! If I was Chris I would have kicked his cunt in.
Mar.13 at 12:41 pm
Zee says:
And thats why they got that ass stomped last night. Bowen is a joke.
Mar.13 at 12:50 pm
Matt Wens says:
bruce does what it takes to win, i hate the man. But does he not help winning teams? bad boys 08? maybe not, but respect. im a cavs fan btw, i just vomited.
Mar.13 at 1:18 pm
Krayze Bone says:
The ref is an unbelievable moron. He had the best angle on the play. That should have been a defensive fould and a T. Offensive foul? Good work purging the league of bad offcials DS. And Eliot Spitzer isn’t that dirty, just an unbelievable hipocrit
Mar.13 at 1:22 pm
Dark says:
Well, no Spurs fan here . . . but doesn’t Paul kind of kick him first, at 0:26? I’m with Steve on this - there’s no defense for his earlier antics, but this one I just don’t find on the same level at all.
Mar.13 at 1:25 pm
what says:
Bruce Bowen defending Mike Dunleavy might produce the greatest basketball-related Youtube clip of all time. Just imagine the possibility for facial expressions.
Mar.13 at 1:26 pm
RedRum says:
did you notice that CP3 was called for an offensive foul? maybe the refs saw something that PAul did that the camera did not get? anyway, I love bowen, he has taken dirty to become an art, this is how championships are won
Mar.13 at 1:57 pm
Tommy Patron says:
I think the reason nothing bad has ever happened to Bowen on the court is the fact that he’s never really in a position to get hammered. He doesn’t go to the hole, get out in transition (other than straight to the corner), or make many cuts. He’s obviously a p*ssy.
Mar.13 at 2:19 pm
whooo! says:
i’m a spurs fan, and to be honest, this was completely uncalled for. but it’s much the same way as that ray allen kick. neither would’ve hurt the guy, but it was to f’ with their heads and throw em off (i think paul only scored 8 in the 2nd half). bowen is straight up like dennis rodman on defense, minus the creepy (rodman ran his finger up ppl’s cracks, didn’t he?). the thing that’s annoying with bowen is his “oops, i didn’t mean to” reactions.
Mar.13 at 2:21 pm
whooo! says:
and yes, you can be a good human being and be a complete asshole on the court. have you seen kg!? the man does good charity work, and then is the biggest a-hole to the opposing team.
Mar.13 at 2:28 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Any of you guys ever been punched in the balls? I haven’t — not literally punched — but it must suck, right?
Mar.13 at 2:28 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Ball punching. Yeesh. No thanks.
Mar.13 at 2:29 pm
Ryan Jones says:
It would be funny if there was a band called Chris Paul and the Ball Punchers. I would not download their songs, though.
Mar.13 at 2:32 pm
Slobodan Chutzpah says:
@Cub: The Lig is crooked, that’s why. (Maybe Bowen has some dirt on the Sternbot. Pics of him wearing ladies’ undergarments, perhaps? And no, I don’t think that’s far-fetched at all.)
Mar.13 at 2:36 pm
Slobodan Chutzpah says:
How about Bruce Bowen and the Achilles Tendon Stompers? (Could be some kind of prog-metal.) I bet getting punched in the balls doesn’t hurt half as much as getting kicked in the balls.
Mar.13 at 2:36 pm
Slobodan Chutzpah says:
It’s not very catchy though.
Mar.13 at 2:43 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Chris Paul and Reggie Evans should play together in a two-on-two tourney.
Mar.13 at 2:52 pm
dma says:
i hate bowen’s tactics and his stupid face. matter of fact, all of the spurs have that same look “WHO ME?” with both arms up palms out.
Mar.13 at 3:08 pm
Justin Rands says:
Why doesn’t a second rate player just take him out one time? Don’t even try to be sneaky about it. As he’s coming around a screen, throw a shoulder into him and level him, pick him up, and throw him. Then raise your hands in the air and smile to the camera. Every NBA player who has ever played against Bowen will be thanking you. Since I’m a Laker fan I’m going to nominate Didier Ilunga-Mbenga.For these reasons:
1. He doesn’t play. At all.
2. He’s a monster. Bruce could not handle him.
3. He’s ugly. (I guess that doesn’t count)
LETS DO IT!
Mar.13 at 3:16 pm
Weapon X says:
Bowen=Biotch
Mar.13 at 3:19 pm
Tommy Patron says:
Well, Jason Terry is definitely a ball-punching All-Star.
Mar.13 at 3:20 pm
rene says:
Hey what’s with all the Bowen hating. This man is one of the greatest defenders in the league. Call him what you want but just remember that he has three rings.
Mar.13 at 3:28 pm
Jonah Lehmann says:
No Doubt! Bruce is definately the dirtiest player in the history of the League!!!
Mar.13 at 3:43 pm
TADOne says:
Ryan is weirdly obsessing about testicle boxing today.
Mar.13 at 3:53 pm
speedy says:
Call the the jumpball early and everything is fine .
Mistake of the refs.
Mar.13 at 4:02 pm
albie1kenobi says:
is it wrong to laugh at the face kick on wally? that was hilarious! who the fcuk plays defense like that?
also i wish the clip of CP3/bowen battling is in better quality (not to mention better camera angles), but it seems like CP3 ain’t no slouch himself. there was a lot of movements from his arms and legs right around bowen’s crotch. (that just sounds wrong in so many levels.) though i’m not saying what bowen did afterwards was right, of course.
and Mr Jones has an obsession with ball punching. that’s all he talked about on this post.
Mar.13 at 4:28 pm
albie1kenobi says:
and i found a clip of the hodge sack punch. it was a nice slick play. quick short jab sucka punch and paul didn’t even look anywhere towards the direction of julius, no wonder all the refs missed it. to CP3’s defense, it doesn’t look like he was exclusively aiming at the package though.
Mar.13 at 4:40 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Here’s a quote that really says it all:
“I punched Julius Hodge in the balls.”
-Chris Paul
Mar.13 at 5:23 pm
Daniel says:
Shouldn’t it be “get himself Rudy Tomjanoviched”? Not that anybody’s in favor of that.
Mar.13 at 5:51 pm
Bro. D. says:
In Bowen’s defense I’d take extra precautions too if CP3 was around my meat and 2 veg.
Mar.13 at 6:07 pm
hursty says:
he’s dirty? no way. just good defence.
Mar.13 at 7:52 pm
the biggest shaq fan eva says:
remember last year in the playoffs against the suns when he need steve nash in the rong spot?
Mar.13 at 7:52 pm
tealish says:
Being a dirty player is one thing… but I just hate the incredulous look afterwards. He knows there is instant replay, right?
Mar.13 at 7:53 pm
the biggest shaq fan eva says:
i agree with dma
Mar.13 at 8:04 pm
whooo! says:
here’s from yahoo’s behind the box score: “*The clip I linked to doesn’t give the best angle, but an angle provided later by the Hornets TV coverage (I didn’t have time to record it, something about literally nine games being aired at that point may have had something to do with it) clearly showed Chris Paul smacking Bowen in an area Paul isn’t that unfamiliar with (almost three years to the day) - some dude’s nuts. Paul nailed Bowen in the crotch, to these eyes, and was smacking him in the right thigh when Bowen kicked back. Remember this, when ESPN pulls out the Bruce Bowen highlight reel.”
Mar.13 at 11:36 pm
shooterthree says:
They called Chris Paul for the foul?
Mar.14 at 3:06 am
to: bruce bowen HATERS says:
Just keep on hating, yall just finding crap just to get on Bruce Bowens case, but what you should be complaining about is the NBA referees they should be the one on the spot light. If i was the NBA commissioner i would be cutting their pay for every bad call…..
Mar.14 at 3:10 am
Miggy says:
BOWEN IS SOMETHING ELSE.
Mar.14 at 3:16 am
to: bruce bowen HATERS says:
yeah bowen does do so crazy stuff but if i was racked in the balls i would do something back to CP3, but CP3 should not be acting like the innocent one……
Mar.14 at 6:54 am
Slobodan Chutzpah says:
Dma, you’re absolutely right. Every Spur does have that “WHO ME?” look every time the whistle blows, with, of course, Duncan being the main culprit in this regard. The Big Bulged-Eyes already had the routine perfected when he came into the league.
Mar.14 at 1:19 pm
Pais says:
His Flying Eagle style is quite impressive, I think poor Wally is yet to fully recover.
May.14 at 8:47 am
marcgar says:
wow i’ve never seen so many pansies complain before. if bowen was on any one of yalls teams yall would think he was the greatest defensive player in the league. paul is not an angel he’s just as dirty whens hes driving in the paint with his elbows and knees. the refs give paul way too much credit and let him push and elbow way more then what bowen would ever be able to do. yall need to stop crying and enjoy watching a real old school basketball player in action. pay closer attention to paul and how dirty he is and how much he crys and complains even though he gets his way with the refs.
May.14 at 8:56 am
marcgar says:
one more thing… if you look at the video with the angle of bowens back while they’re going for the ball you can see pauls arm go up into bowens crotch trying to hit him. pauls arm is pretty much all the way in bowens butt. i would have kicked paul harder then what bowen did. but yall dont see that yall are just looking at the kick.