For Christies, defense played on, off court

By Gil LeBreton

Star-Telegram Staff Writer


There was a time, even as recently as two or three seasons ago, when the prospect of Doug Christie coming to the Mavericks would have been applauded without reservation.

Christie, after all, carries the reputation of a fierce defender, a 6-foot-6 swingman who can shuffle step-for-step with both the Nashes and the McGradys of the NBA world.

In the Mavericks' new gospel, coach Avery Johnson preaches defense. Christie plays defense.

What's not to like?

Or, let me phrase that in another, more meaningful way:

Is there anyone in this congregation who knows of any just cause or reason why this union should not take place?

The Mavericks appear to be poised to sign Christie to a bargain, one-year, $3 million contract. Arriving with Doug, alas, will be his wife, Jackie.

Lots of NBA players travel with baggage - and not the designer kind. Jackie Christie, in Doug's case, is like the suitcase that Houdini used to be locked in.

You could make a case that the Christies, married 11 years, set a loving example and could well be professional sports' most adorable and committed couple.

On the other hand, you could make a case that for 11 years, Doug Christie has been under a derivative form of house arrest.

The Christies were profiled recently by the award-winning HBO series, Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. The filmed report seemed to pass no moral or social judgments on the extreme inseparability of the Christies' relationship.

It also failed to plausibly explain why Jackie won't let go.

At each home game that Doug plays, Christie is in the stands. She doesn't just stand by her man. She talks to him, constantly, throughout the game, through a steady repertoire of prearranged hand signals.

And he talks back, gesturing to her sometimes even as he's dribbling the basketball or after grabbing a rebound.

As Jackie Christie told The New York Times, "When I make this sign, it means, `Drive to the hole.' When I make this sign, it means, `Smile, because you look a little sad on the bench.' He started making this sign and said, 'This means I love you,' and it developed from there.' "

Reporters who covered one of Doug's former teams, the Toronto Raptors, kept track one game of how many times the player signaled his wife. The final tally was 62.

She sends a note to him in the locker room before every game. He sends her one back.

According to the Times story, Jackie also attends 25-30 of Doug's 41 road games per season. As he rides on the team bus to the game, Jackie follows in a car behind, while the two talk to each other on their cell phones.

If a female reporter wants to interview her husband, Jackie has told team officials that she must be present. Some female reporters are not allowed to talk to her husband at all, the HBO report said.

Jackie Christie has also "intervened" when female fans have tried to get Doug's autograph. Some newspaper stories have reported that Doug is not allowed to look at or make eye contact with other women.

Jackie told the Times that that's not true but, "I would prefer that he didn't.""

"I just felt I needed to protect my territory in the beginning," Jackie said. "So I had a lot of issues. I have a jealous bone in my body, yes. It's probably as big as me. I'm very easygoing until I feel a threat."

And therein lies the concern if, in fact, Mr. and Mrs. Christie will soon be joining the Mavericks. What in Jackie Christie's jealous eyes constitutes a threat?

This media market abounds in female sports reporters - women who have performed professionally and impressively on every professional sports beat in this area. No player's wife has the power to deny these women the right to perform their jobs.

More than that, Mrs. Christie's insinuation is demeaning. Her actions imply that every woman, even the married NBA reporters that she has "banned,"" want to steal away her husband.

Certain to complicate things, too, is that the Mavericks themselves have a respected, professional public relations director who happens to be a woman -- Sarah Melton.

Doug Christie, who is 35, would be playing for his sixth NBA team. The number can't just be a coincidence.

Just two or three seasons ago, when the Mavericks could have used a younger Christie's rare dash of defense, and before the curious tale of his marriage was made so public, the notion of acquiring him for $3 million would have been a no-brainer.

Now, there's a report that the VH1 network wants to build a TV reality show around the Christies. The NBA reportedly has already given its approval to bring in the cameras.

Johnson is preaching defense, but the Mavericks would be wise to think this one completely through.

They are about to get not one, but two, new teammates.