Normally, I love me some Sam Amick.  He has sustained my unhealthy Kings habit many a long summer day, and has contributed greatly to hours and hours of time spent at work doing anything but actual work.  But I'm feeling a little betrayed by his latest Artest interview and his presentation of said interview to the world.  First, my own brief summary of the offending chat:

Sam:  Hey Ron.  So, it seems like this trade is good for everyone, and everyone involved seems to be happy with it.  Can I get you to say anything that might ruin it all?

Ron: C'mon man, you knew when you dialed my number that I'd be saying all kinds of crazy things.  Is your recorder on?

Sam:  It's on.  So what if Yao Ming is a racist?  I'm not saying he is, and nobody's saying he is, but what if he is?

Ron:  I hate Yao Ming, man.  I mean, I love him, and I respect him, but he don't know Ron Artest.  I hate that.  How can I play with a guy that I don't respect?

Sam:  Nice.  So, everyone knows that the only way Houston is going to offer you a long-term contract is if they win the whole damn thing next year.  And by everyone, of course, I mean everyone but you.  Your agent knows it, but he's kind of afraid of you so he's not going to tell you.  In fact, thousands and thousands of people in Sacramento and in Houston right now are staring at each other with crazy paranoid glares wondering who will be the jackass that will screw this up by trying to talk to you as if you reside in the same world that we do, instead of some alternate plane of existence where reality is whatever you decide it is.  Allow me to be that jackass.

Ron:  Granted.  All I'll say is, unless there's a singing telegram from Rick Adelman waiting for me when I get home, there is no way I'm going to Houston.  And he'd better be in costume.  Not a lame costume either like a bear or a chicken.  There'd better be a man in a dragon costume singing to me when I get home, or I'm not going to Houston.  I mean, I'm going to Houston, I just bought a house there like 20 minutes ago, but if Tracy McGrady doesn't bake me a pie, I'll never play with him.  He knows what I like.

Sam:  Great stuff, Ron.  Anything you'd like to add?  I hear Houston is a smelly city... any comment?

Ron:  Nah, I'm done for now.  Hit me back in a couple of weeks though, say around the 13th.

Sam:  I'll bring the pie.

I think what irks me even more than the actual interview though is Sam's article that sprang from it.  I won't bother quoting from it or anything because I'm sure you've all read it and it speaks for itself.  It reminded me of some of the crazy political media stuff we've been seeing this year regarding the election.  Like the story was written first, and then it's supported by cherry-picking and spinning the facts to fit the agenda and the story as written, regardless of how the facts actually turn out.  Now, I know that Sam is just trying to make a living and I'd be naive to think that he'd put the best interests of the fans ahead of the best interests of his career, but I'm definitely feeling stung by this whole thing.  He did get his name thrown around ESPN.com a little bit, so I suppose it's already paid off.  I guess I just wasn't expecting this from Sam.  Maybe I'm being too hard on him, though.