Thunder: Perkins should start talking
I was like everyone else. Massive disappointment in the Kendrick Perkins story from last week. The Thunder center was charged in his hometown of Beaumont, Texas, with public intoxication and disorderly conduct. Perkins has proclaimed his innocence, through a public-relations spokesperson.
I have no idea if Perkins is guilty. I’ve liked Gran Torino since the February day he showed up in the trade from Boston. He talked straight. I liked that. Talked straight and changed a team’s culture and accepted responsibility for his own failures.
So I put a lot of stock in Perkins. Of course, I’ve also always put a lot of stock in peace officers, nationwide. We’ve got some clunkers wearing badges, but danged few. So I don’t know what happened.
But this I do know. I don’t believe any PR flack. Denise White, a publicist for Perkins, emailed our man Darnell Mayberry and proclaimed her client’s innocence and how Perkins feels he was wronged. She and Perkins’ lawyer prattled on about police brutality and getting the “real facts” out there. She also said Perkins would not be available for comment.
What a crock. Hey, Gran Torino, let me tell you what Clint Eastwood would not do in this kind of situation. He wouldn’t hide behind some shill. If he felt he was wronged, he would say so. Or at least, keep quiet and not let anyone else do his talking for him.
Here’s what we want out of Perkins. Tell us why your hometown police think you were drunk if you weren’t. Tell us why your hometown police think you were disorderly if you weren’t. And OK, maybe the city of Beaumont hired on some bad apples to tame the streets. But if so, tell us why you skipped the final day of your youth basketball camp and the banquet that night.
We know what White said; that doctors ordered home rest, because of dehydration. So then tell us why you skipped out on the kids but went out to a party — your shill’s word — with friends, where the legal problems began.
Looks bad. Looks real bad. Looks even worse when Gran Torino goes silent and lets someone else do his talking for him.
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