CLEVELAND (AP) -On the subject of the NBA's infatuation with pregame pyrotechnics, smoke and noise, commissioner David Stern was loud and clear: He's had enough.
``I think they're ridiculous,'' Stern said Monday before Game 4 of the Cavaliers-Celtics second-round playoff series. ``I think that the noise, the fire, the smoke, is a kind of assault that we should seriously consider reviewing in whether it's really necessary given the quality of our game.''
His comments came just a few minutes before Cleveland's over-the-top player introductions, which include fire - hot enough that fans can feel the heat in the stands - shooting out of four swords on the scoreboard.
Such pyrotechnic displays have become common around the league. The barrage of fireworks in Boston is so intense it leaves a fog hanging over the court for most of the first quarter.
``It may be that these are the maniacal rantings of a fan from a different era and I recognize that, but you know I'm sitting there waiting for the next cannon to go off and then the fire heats up the arena,'' Stern said, ``so the temperature in the arena raises by 15 degrees. That's if you can see it because you're still waiting for the smoke, which is chemical, to clear.''
Cavs forward Ben Wallace says the smoke in Boston contributed to the dizziness that forced him to leave Game 2. Wallace didn't go onto the court for Game 3 in Cleveland until the onslaught of smoke and fire had ended. Anderson Varejao ran onto the court in his place.
The special effects aren't limited to pregame introductions. White residue from fire extinguishers delayed Game 1 of the Spurs-Hornets series for 19 minutes between the first and second quarters after a mascot soared through a ring of fire for a dunk in New Orleans.
Another thing that annoys Stern is the nonstop loud music and other noise that isn't generated by fans.
``I always bite my tongue because I say, 'Well, maybe I'm not the demographic that likes to be assaulted by loud rap, smoke, pyrotechnics and chemicals,''' he said. ``I'm outdated, but I think it's time for us to say, 'Hey guys, lets look at it one more time.'''
There's rarely a quiet moment in Cleveland's arena where the video screen routinely displays a meter registering over 100 decibels, as loud as a rock concert.
Stern, more of a Simon and Garfunkel fan, says he's got nothing against hip hop and the music appreciated by younger audiences, but says the volume is over the top.
``What's happened is that very well intentioned people feel that it's their obligation to root their team on to victory, to urge them ... they think if you turn up the loudspeaker it's going to help them perform better even though there are babies in the building,'' he said.
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AP Sports Writer Tom Withers contributed to this report.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
