Stephen Jackson has been a victim of being typecast. After being involved in the “Malice at the Palace” the news stories seemed to write themselves. Words like “thug”, “clown” and “classless” were thrown around quite liberally. That story is what most of the casual sports fans accepted as fact. That’s not what I saw.

I saw a guy that was a teammate first and a businessman second. Jackson put his paycheck on the line in order to have his team’s back. The majority of the players stayed right in their seats but Jackson went into the crowd and protected his teammate. That told me everything I need to know about Big Shot Jack. He’s a fighter that cares about all the corny stuff they teach in Disney movies. Jackson is about unity, competitive fire, and winning. These things also happen to be the major tenants of Larry Brown’s approach to coaching the Bobcats this season. Can it work? Well, we’ve seen what Brown did with a previously disgruntled Boris Diaw. How about Brown getting through to the enigma that is Rasheed Wallace? I think Brown can reach Jackson.

If you’ve played pick up basketball in any shady area of any city then you understand a guy like Stephen Jackson. Basketball courts are filled with “Captain Jacks”. He hates losing more than he loves winning and it shows in every game he plays. He’s a versatile guy who will never really be a star in the NBA but you will have to respect him. He’s going to fight for every questionable foul call. He’s going to put some onus on teammates to handle their responsibilities. He’s a supportive arm around the shoulder when you’re feeling discouraged and a firm kick in the ass when you’re playing foolishly. Most importantly for this team the nine year veteran cherishes the big play at the end of the game.

The Bobcats have always been shrinking violets late in the game. I love Felton’s heart but he’s not a guy you want taking the last shot. Wallace is a hard worker but he’ll never get the respect from the refs that a player a polished a Stephen will. Contrary to popular belief you can’t always let your game do the talking. Sometimes you have to curse a ref out. Sure we’ve always have a team full of high character nice guys but it’s more than a coincidence that we’ve always finished near last. Jackson can change that attitude. I hope it translates to wins but I’ll settle for playing with heart for now.

Lost in the narrative of how Jackson left Golden State was the fact that he requested to no longer be team captain. While some people will try to spin this as disrespect for the title of captain I see it as the complete opposite. When the losing started to wear Jackson down and he saw that Golden State was no longer interested in winning games Jackson was ready to leave. He asked to no longer be captain and then demanded a trade. He’s not interested in giving up on a season and accepting losing. He’s a fighter.

Go back and think about that footage from the melee in Detroit. The lesson I learned: If you’re willing to fight, Stephen Jackson will always have your back no matter the circumstances. I know that Jackson’s heart will be in the right place I only wonder if the rest of the Bobcats will be willing to follow suit. After watching 20 home games from 10 feet away last year I’m fed up with a team of nice guys.

I’m at the point where they could bring in the roster of Birdy’s team from “Above the Rim” and I’d respect them more than our current players. I want guys like Chandler and Jackson who are willing to grab a jersey or throw a bow in order to get the W. That’s my definition of “playing the right way”. What’s yours?