Worthy Owes No Explanation

Just so you know, this is how this James Worthy thing will go.

The Lakers return home to the Forum tonight, at which time Worthy’s introduction probably will be met by a resounding ovation, probably a standing one, probably a short one.

This will enable Worthy’s public to acknowledge that they are willing to stand beside him during difficult times, the way friends should, the way sports crowds usually do.

It has nothing to do with approval. It has to do with support.

And everybody at the game will have an opinion.

Somebody will turn to somebody else and say: “You know, I’ve lost a lot of respect for James.”

And somebody else will turn to somebody else and say: “Why aren’t those Houston cops out catching real criminals?”

And somebody else will tell somebody else the latest James Worthy joke making the rounds:

--”Jump ball? I thought you said jump bail!”

--”Do you know what James’ favorite fast break is? The two-on-one.”

--”NBA Action--It’s Even More Fantastic Than We Thought!”

And somebody will say that a gentleman named Worthy no longer is either . . . Worthy or a gentleman.

And I will have opinions, just like you.

Already do.

And I will tell jokes, just like you.

Already have.

And then I’ll move on to something or somebody else, just like you.

I’ll address James’ shame, then let it be.

At least in my case, it’s my job. I don’t like it much, but it’s my job. I think the world of James Worthy, but I don’t know the man. He’s a basketball player. He’s polite. He’s smart. He’s a great, great, great basketball player. That’s what I know.

Beyond that, he has a life. Any understandings or misunderstandings between him and his wife, I don’t know and I don’t want to know.

He doesn’t owe anybody else an explanation. If he wants to give one, I’ll listen. He doesn’t owe anybody else an apology. If he wants to make one, I’ll listen.

I have enough trouble making sure my own life is spotless. Making sure my own glass house is squeaky clean.

Still, a Los Angeles Laker got arrested Thursday, and that’s not something I can just dismiss.

The reason this does not remain a private matter is not that a Laker is a public figure. No, the reason is that this person was booked by the police and is out on bail. That is a very public matter.

This isn’t a Wade Boggs thing, where somebody was caught having an affair. (Although there are a lot of people who would tell you that what Boggs did was worse.) This is a man charged with a crime.

We have forgiven people for worse. Most of us recognize the difference between weakness and ruthlessness.

The rest of us jump to conclusions. We hear what Gary Hart did one day, what Rob Lowe did another day, what Steve Garvey did yet another day, and we make up our minds. We decide for ourselves how important it is. All we know is what we know. What we know is all we know.

I’m not much different from anybody else. When I first heard about a certain baseball player’s affairs, I was surprised by his behavior. But when I read a book by this player’s ex-wife, I was surprised he didn’t have more affairs, and sooner. In fact, I would have gladly fixed him up with dates.

I have opinions. I make jokes. I mess up. Just like you.

We all want to say or do the right thing, based on available information. For example, there is a television newscaster I admire in Los Angeles. She seems bright and classy. In that respect, I like her the same way I like James Worthy.

This woman closed her 11 p.m. newscast Thursday by saying: “Our hearts go out to Angela Worthy.”

It was a sincere, well intentioned sentiment. But, my goodness, talk about inappropriate and disproportionate. This very newscaster left her husband to take up with another newscaster who had to leave his wife. Should our hearts go out to them? Of course not, because we don’t know all the facts, and because it is not our place to take sides.

I can’t blame her, though. She was simply being human. Or perhaps the sympathy--or even empathy--she expressed was merely for the situation Angela Worthy now found herself to be in, a public scandal.

It must be a frightening thing to wake up one day and suddenly find yourself being discussed by Geraldo or Oprah or Maury Povich. Your attitude probably depends on how much you brought it on yourself, how guilty you feel, how thick is your skin.

Maybe you can tune out the rest of the world and go about your work, as James Worthy did Thursday and Friday on basketball courts in Texas. Maybe he possesses a steely resolve that will carry him through all the madness until his appointment in a court of another kind.

Until then, James’ job is to play basketball, and my job is to watch him play basketball, and that is that.

I’m sorry it happened, and that is my last public word on this subject.