Zach Randolph was in the news.
Not just the sports news, but the national news as well.
Flick on any TV channel, and you'd see self-righteous people tearing into him. It was beyond mere condemnation; he was being reviled by the masses.
Not a single media outlet showed any understanding for his actions. Under no circumstances could a player publicly shoving his coach to the ground from the bench be forgiven.
Moreover, Randolph didn't exactly have a positive image to begin with. All his past negative press was dredged up: street racing, alcoholism, fighting with teammates, attending his "aunt's funeral" at a nightclub... Everything pointed to him being a notorious character with a long history of misconduct.
Furious Portland fans labeled him a cancer on the team, blaming him for all the Trail Blazers' failures in recent years.
The Trail Blazers' management quickly came out and announced a 10-game internal suspension for Randolph.
