THE TICKER: Shock-Sparks scuffle makes national headlines

Shock-Sparks scuffle makes national headlines Is it because it happened in Detroit? Or because Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn were involved? Otherwise, would Tuesday's scuffle between the Shock and the L.A. Sparks have garnered all the frenzied national attention it has? For a WNBA game? Stephen A. Smith said on ESPN.com: "more than anything else is where it took place, which was at the Palace of Auburn Hills, because that's where the real brawl took place. So obviously people are painting a picture that's far worse than it actually was, which is extremely unfortunate." Most of the heat has come down on Mahorn -- who also was on the scene for the Pistons' Malice at the Palace with the Indiana Pacers -- but exactly how did L.A.'s Lisa Leslie end up on the floor? He says he was just trying to restrain her and she fell; she says... [read full story]