Since the advent of the internet, the very public worldwide forum has allowed otherwise normal (or, whatever you want to call New York Knicks guard J.R. Smith) people to do stupid things. The addition of cell phones that can take pictures that can immediately hit the internet only accelerated that level of stupidity. Smith wasn't exactly being incredibly stupid when he posted a picture of his girlfriend's large posterior while making a joke about how it was getting in the way of him watching a basketball game on Thursday night. He should have known better, considering his stature of a semi-celebrity, but it wasn't the worst thing he could do. The NBA disagrees, though. And they've decided to fine Smith $25,000 for his since-deleted NSFW Twitpic of model Tahiry Jose . And though we question Smith's line of thinking as he lined up his girlfriend for a pose she didn't know she was making, we're also not sure as to what jurisdiction the NBA has in fining the oft-disciplined Knicks guard. Though it was a bonehead move to post the picture to his 75,000 Twitter followers , this is his personal Twitter account, and not one affiliated with the NBA (a league he didn't join until a month ago for the 2011-12 season, as Smith worked a fitful year in the Chinese Basketball Association ). Freedom of speech doesn't mean Smith should be allowed freedom from criticism for his dumb "look at my girlfriend's butt"-brand of "speech," but how can the NBA point to some moral turpitude clause in this scenario while fining a player for making a joke that was more silly than lascivious?
