BOISE, Idaho — THIS DAY IN SPORTS…February 4, 2001:
Miami fan Jimmy Buffett is kicked out of a Heat game for using profanity during a 103-100 overtime loss to the New York Knicks. Referee Joe Forte claimed he didn’t know who Buffett was. When Miami coach Pat Riley tried to explain to the ref how Buffett’s followers are called “parrotheads,” Forte thought Riley was calling him a “parrothead,” and slapped him with a technical foul. And did you know? Former Boise State star Chris Childs saw it all. Childs played 24 minutes in the game for the Knicks and scored two points.
Childs is easily the most successful Broncos hoopster of all time. He started and finished his nine-year NBA career with the New Jersey Nets. In between he played for the Knicks and Toronto Raptors. Childs’ most successful season was his second with the Nets in 1995-96, when he averaged 12.8 points and 7.0 assists per game, earning him a six-year, $24 million free agent contract with the Knicks.
At Boise State, Childs was the centerpiece of the Broncos’ run in the late 1980s. He played on Bobby Dye’s teams, which didn’t score as much as the ones before and after them. So Childs is just seventh on Boise State’s career scoring list with 1,602 points.
Buffett has long been a fan of South Florida teams. In 2009, when the Miami Dolphins home was called LandShark Stadium, he rewote the lyrics to his 1979 song “Fins” in honor of the team. It’s still played at what is now Hard Rock Stadium after the Dolphins score a touchdown. Buffett is still a Heat fan and still attends games. A week and a half ago, he was seen gesturing at LeBron James after the Lakers superstar complained about a call. LeBron probably knows who he is.
(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment during the football season on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra. He also anchors four sports segments each weekday on 95.3 FM KTIK and one on News/Talk KBOI. His Scott Slant column runs every Wednesday.)
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