PORTLAND, Ore. – She needs six more ejections to match
Rasheed Wallace's total, but a fan was tossed out of Sunday's Trail
Blazers playoff game against the Los Angeles Lakers for refusing to
give up her sign disparaging Portland general manager Bob Whitsitt.
Katherine Topaz, who attended Game 3 with her 8-year-old
stepson, held up a handmade sign that read "Trade Whitsitt,"
referring to the executive's series of questionable personnel moves
that backfired on the Blazers this season.
Topaz was sitting in the 10th row, and her sign was in full view
of Whitsitt, who was sitting next to owner Paul Allen on the other
side of the Rose Garden.
During halftime of the game, which the Blazers lost 99-86 to get
swept from the best-of-5 series, a security guard asked her not
to show the sign. A second guard asked her to hand it over. When
she refused, she and her stepson were escorted out by a group of
guards.
"These players get ripped on all the time, and the general
manager can't take a little joke? Come on," Topaz told radio
station KFXX on Monday morning.
Blazers spokeswoman Sue Carpenter said the team has the right to
confiscate any sign it deems objectionable or not in good taste.
About 10 signs were confiscated Sunday, Carpenter said, including
one that read "Shaq's a jerk."
Whitsitt referred questions about the incident to the team's
marketing director and building personnel, but said, "I understand
she had the opportunity to stay and chose not to."
The Blazers finished the season losing 10 of their final 13
games, and Whitsitt joked that the sign should have suggested he be
fired instead of traded.
"I don't think you'd get anything if you'd trade me," he said.
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AUDIO VIDEO
 Portland GM Bob Whitsitt feels responsible for the Blazers' woes.
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