DAMON HARSHES HIS MELLOW

The swift suspension of Trail Blazers guard Damon Stoudamire, caught with
drugs yet again, is the right move from the new, improved management of
Portland's crime-plagued NBA team.

This indefinite suspension should last until fans see a definite resolution
to Stoudamire's drug problems. That resolution may be a meaningful jail
sentence, drug treatment, a trade or all of the above. When players break
the law or show blatant disrespect, the Blazer front office must ensure
players face consequences where it hurts the most.

On the court.

Stoudamire, of course, isn't the worst apple in the Blazer bunch. At 29,
the homegrown guard is still known as the nice kid from Wilson High School.
His volatile teammates Rasheed Wallace, Ruben Patterson and Bonzi Wells
have created far bigger headaches for the Blazers.

But Stoudamire can't seem to go six months without a run-in with police
over drugs. Last year, police reportedly found about a pound of marijuana
in his house while responding to a burglar alarm. A pound, for the record,
is enough for an entire NBA team, including assistant coaches, to get high.
Then in November, police pulled over his speeding SUV and cited him and two
others for marijuana possession.

On Thursday, still on probation, Stoudamire was arrested at the Tucson
International Airport and charged with possessing a bag of marijuana and
rolling papers. The off-season suspension, along with the $250,000 fine,
should be just the beginning. Damon, it seems, needs treatment, a little
jail time and a kick in the basketball shorts.