LATimes
Monday, June 11, 2001

Croce Won't Cave in, Not Even to Clinton

By STEVE SPRINGER, Times Staff Writer

PHILADELPHIA--Bill Clinton? Pat Croce wasn't impressed. Not even the former president could get into the private box of the Philadelphia 76er owner for Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

"I don't have any room," Croce said. "No way." Croce also turned down a request from Clinton to sit courtside in the second half.

"I'm not moving any of my season ticket-holders," Croce said.

Another luxury suite was made available for Clinton and his party of about 50.

"The only people in my box are family and friends," Croce said. "We get about 25 people in there. And I rotate so I get my biker friends in there, my karate dudes, my shore [presumably the Jersey shore] dudes.

"You never know, one of my biker friends might try to welcome the president and get shot by the Secret Service."

Did Croce hesitate about snubbing Clinton?

"I don't care," Croce said. "He never called when we were losing. In my box, I only want people who support us."

So Croce, who never has met Clinton, didn't care about shaking his hand?

"I don't think he wants to shake my hand," Croce said. "He just wants good seats."

Would Croce, who wouldn't reveal his party affiliation, have the same attitude if President Bush had called?

"I don't answer hypothetical questions," Croce replied.

At least Croce can't accuse Clinton of wasting his ticket.

After getting in the spirit by stopping off for a cheesesteak sandwich while en route to First Union Center, Clinton arrived before the opening tipoff and stayed past the final buzzer.

And it was clear he paid attention.

He allowed a reporter to briefly join his Secret Service escort out the door so that he could analyze the game.

"The key was Robert Horry," Clinton said. "You've got to give it to him. He played a great game and he hit those two big three-pointers. And Kobe Bryant had a great first half."

So is Clinton a 76er fan or a Laker fan? That much he wouldn't reveal.

This past week, Clinton has shown himself to be a well-rounded sports fan. In a span of five days, along with Sunday's game, he attended the French Open tennis tournament and the Belmont Stakes in New York.

And somehow, he always managed to get a good seat.



-- Anonymous, June 11, 2001

Answers

Amazingly astute game analysis. What a mind!

-- Anonymous, June 11, 2001

Yeah, that depth of profundity is rare, innit?

-- Anonymous, June 12, 2001

Like, he has lots of agents around. i'm sure one or two helped him out by letting him listen to them.

This Croce dude sounds real kewl. LOL

-- Anonymous, June 12, 2001

And here's a big LOL! NYDailyNews

Clinton Rebounds From Rebuff To Follow the Bouncing ... Ball

Even from a distance, Bill Clinton finds a way to stay close to the action.

On Sunday, the nation's former chief executive was in a luxury box at the First Union Center in Philadelphia watching Game 3 of the NBA Finals. You may have heard that Philadelphia 76ers owner Pat Croce chose not to give Clinton a seat in the owner's box. Croce also reportedly turned down a request to put Clinton in a courtside seat during the second half.

No problem. Clinton found a seat in a Comcast skybox, and it was there I saw him twice grab a pair of binoculars when the action on the floor warranted a closer look.

What was he looking at?

Trust me, it wasn't Allen Iverson or Kobe Bryant. Clinton first picked up the binoculars with 2:33 left in the first quarter — during a timeout. The Sixers Dance Team, a collection of hard-bodied young women reminiscent of Madison Square Garden's Knicks City Dancers, had just taken the floor.

The next time I saw him go for the binoculars was with 1:43 remaining in the fourth quarter … again during a timeout and again when the dancers were strutting their stuff.

-- Anonymous, June 12, 2001

American Spectator

Bill's Postgame Show

Playboy After Hours

Bill Clinton was quite the camera hog in Philadelphia on Sunday night after attending the Los Angeles Lakers-Philadelphia 76ers game. Reporters exiting the First Union Center were mildly surprised to see the ex-president posing for photos with skimpily clad women. "These were women that were hanging around the Lakers bench and the Sixers bench before and during the game," says a sports columnist for an East Coast newspaper. "You see them all the time at NBA games, kind of hangers-on. Given Clinton's reputation, and the fact that Hillary is a senator, I'm surprised he'd pose with women like that."

The women seen asking Clinton to pose were all attractive and "scantily" dressed, says the reporter. "If I were single, I'd jump at the chance to meet girls like that. Now, my wife would kill me."

In the past, especially during Hillary's campaign, Clinton was careful not to be caught in embarrassing photo opportunities. "In fact he really tried to avoid any picture that might have included young women in the shot," says a former Clinton aide. "I guess he feels he's in a comfort zone right now, kind of untouchable. Plus, he's having a great time. One day he's posing with horses at the Belmont, next it's beautiful women. Which would you choose to be photographed with?"

(Posted 6/12 at 12:05 a.m.)

-- Anonymous, June 13, 2001