San Francisco Beat; A Warriors Fan Tried To Fight Charles Barkley Over OKC Pick

Warriors Beat OKC 120-111 in Game 5

The Golden State Warriors, who, you may have heard, won an NBA record 73 games this season, are being pushed to the brink by the upstart Oklahoma City Thunder, trailing 3-1 in a series where theyve been dominated up and down the court, losing their trio by an outrageous margin of 58 points. So needless to say, the outlook on the court appears pretty dire for the history makers against the Artists Formerly Known as the Seattle SuperSonics.

Off the court, their fans are locking up against even fiercer competitionthough fortunately outside sources prevented a knockout similar to the ones weve seen on the hardwood over the past week.

Legendary loudmouth and Space Jam thespian Charles Barkley, one of the few who saw the Oklahoma City storm coming (pun very much intended), almost came to rue that decision following the Game 3 defeat on Sunday night, a 133-105 OKC walloping. According to Sam Amick of the USA Today, an unifdentified Warriors fan ran into the current NBA on TNT analyst at a hotel near Chesapeake Energy Arena, and flat out challenged Sir Charles to a duel. According to Amick

There was pressure building on Sundaynight at a hotel bar not far from the Thunders home, where a wayward Warriors fan was so enraged that TNT analyst Charles Barkley picked the Thunder to win the series that he challenged him to an actual fight.

Amick later continues to say that Dubs owner Joe Lacob had to be separated from confrontation from a loud OKC fan during the same sorrowful defeat. (Amicks full piece can be found here).

Well, I can only imagine how this fan wouldve reacted during the Jason Richardson/Adonal Foyle days. Its sad enough to watch when history is denied to a all-time legendary team (groups such as the 2001 Seattle Mariners and 2007 New England Patriots can sympathize), but to see the off-court aspects of the 2015-16 Warriors fall apart at the seams is just a little too much. It showcases the negative aspects of sports and ruins it for the rest of us, well-behaved fans.

On the other hand, the tenacity shown by both Lacob and his would-be minion may come just in time to help another Bay Area championship contender, one that had much more success in its semifinal round.

Of course, the sport of hockey is known for its need of experienced fighters on the roster, and the newly crowned champion of the NHLs Western Conference happens to hail from nearby San Jose. No matter who the Bay Areas Shark face in the Stanley Cup Final, its bound to be a physical series. Well say hello to your two new enforcers, Shark Tank!

The Warriors bid to stay alive commences tonight at home in Oakland (9 PM, TNT).

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffMags5490

Source: http://www.sportsgrid.com/nba/san-francisco-beat-a-warriors-fan-tried-to-fight-charles-barkley-over-okc-pick/

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Oklahoma lawmakers OK bill criminalizing performing abortion

OKC Thunder vs Golden State Warriors - Game 1 - 1st Half Highlights - May 16, 2016 - 2016 NBA Finals

Oklahoma lawmakers have moved to effectively ban abortion in their state by making it a felony for doctors to perform the procedure, an effort the bill"s sponsor said Thursday is aimed at ultimately overturning the U.S. Supreme Court"s 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide. The bill , which abortion rights group Center for Reproductive Rights says is the first of its kind in the nation, also would restrict any physician who performs an abortion from obtaining or renewing a license to practice medicine in Oklahoma. It passed 33-12 Thursday with no discussion or debate; a handful of Republicans joined with Democrats in voting against the bill sponsored by Republican Sen. Nathan Dahm. Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin, an anti-abortion Republican, has until Wednesday to sign the bill into law or veto it. Spokesman Michael McNutt said she also could also allow the bill to become law "without approval" after the five-day period has elapsed. He also said she will withhold comment until her staff has time to review it. Dahm made it clear that he hopes his bill could lead to overturning Roe v. Wade. "Since I believe life begins at conception, it should be protected, and I believe it"s a core function of state government to defend that life from the beginning of conception," said Dahm, R-Broken Arrow. But abortion rights supporters - and the state"s medical association - have said the bill is unconstitutional. Sen. Ervin Yen, an Oklahoma City Republican and the only physician in the Senate, described the measure as "insane" and voted against it. "Oklahoma politicians have made it their mission year after year to restrict women"s access vital health care services, yet this total ban on abortion is a new low," Amanda Allen, an attorney for the New-York based center said in a statement. "The Center for Reproductive Rights is closely watching this bill and we strongly urge Governor Fallin to reject this cruel and unconstitutional ban." Thursday"s vote in the Senate comes as the Oklahoma Legislature nears a May 27 deadline for adjournment and is still grappling with a $1.3 billion budget hole that could lead to deep cuts to public schools, health care and the state"s overcrowded prison system. "Republicans don"t have an answer for their failed education policies, failing health care policies and failing fiscal policies, so what do you do in that situation?" said Senate Democratic leader Sen. John Sparks. "You come up with an emotional distraction. That"s what this bill is." Nearly every year, Oklahoma lawmakers have passed bills imposing new restrictions on abortions, but many of those laws have never taken effect. In all, eight of the state"s separate anti-abortion measures have been challenged in court as unconstitutional in the last five years. In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a case over an overturned Oklahoma law that would have required women to view of an ultrasound of her fetus before an abortion is performed. That same year, the Oklahoma Supreme Court struck down a law that would have effectively banned all drug-induced abortions in the state. In 2014, the state Legislature approved a law requiring abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals, but a challenge is pending before the Oklahoma Supreme Court. Also Thursday, the Oklahoma House approved a bill that requires the state Department of Health to develop informational material "for the purpose of achieving an abortion-free society," but lawmakers didn"t approve any funding for it. The measure, which now goes to the Senate, requires the health department to produce information about alternatives to abortion and the developmental stages of a fetus, but the bill"s sponsor says it cannot be implemented without any funding.

Source: http://www.koco.com/news/oklahoma-senate-passes-bill-to-suspend-licenses-of-doctors-who-perform-abortions/39627260

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