Monday, November 22, 2004
Looks like Artest will have time to focus on his music career
The fallout of the Pacers/Pistons brawl is about what one would expect, if not slightly on the harsher end. Suspending Ron Artest for the entire season draws a clear line in the sand and puts the rest of the league on notice. The players association will appeal the length of the suspension, along with all the others handed out, no doubt, as in Artest's head, he was defending himself. The mentality between athlete and fan is radically different and even though going into the crowd is wrong, period, there is validity to Artest's argument. Stephen Jackson, who also rushed into the stands with Artest, only got 30 games. He should thank his lucky stars it wasn't more. The guy was uninvolved until that point and only had intentions of the worst kind. Jermaine O'Neal, Indiana's best player by a mile, got slapped with a 25 game suspension for nailing a fan on the court. Fighting a fan? Okay, given, it's a bad thing. BUT, that dumbass fan ran on to the court. He was looking to antagonize. He was looking to start trouble. I think he got just what he deserved when O'Neal socked him in the face. Under those circumstances, I thought O'Neal's suspension was maybe a little rough. Ben Wallace of the Pistons getting six games is excessive. Players who have done exactly what he did in the past have rarely received more than one or two games.
So what happens to the Pacers now? According to Cesar's Palace, they just went from 12-1 favorites to win the title to 100-1 longshots. Who are they going to get to field their team? O'Neal and Artest are their two best players? Somebody get me a Pacers beat writer. I'd get one myself, but this stupid Mac is hyperlink-retarded.
I think the Pistons organization got off lightly, as their fans proved to be of the worst kind. A couple months back, the Italian soccer team AS Roma had to play a European Champions League match at home in front of an empty stadium. Why? Because in their previous home game one of their fans threw a beer bottle that hit the referree in the head, causing the game to be abandoned. That is what the NBA should do to Detroit. Hold their fans and poor security accountable. Make them take a hit financially. It's the only way you'll be able to send a message to that rogue element of fans who are out to ruin it for everyone. The fans who attacked Kansas City Royals first base coach, Tom Gamboa, on the field. The fan who stabbed Monica Seles during a match against Steffi Graf. Nothing happens to these assholes! In most cases, they walk off scott-free, like the German douche who stabbed Seles. Now, the Detroit police is reporting that nine fans in the brawl on Friday are claiming to have been assaulted. Anything for a buck, right? Disgusting. Make the Pistons play a game in front of an empty home arena, save for press. It's the right thing to do.
Know what I'd love to see? Ron Artest get voted as a starter in the All-Star game. The game itself is a farce and the fan voting is even worse. Their record speaks for itself. Continually voting in Vince Carter (most overrated "superstar" in the league) as a starter. Voting Grant Hill as a starter when he's played less than ten games (once, only four!). So the fan balloting reveals idiocy on a grand scale, but everyone has a chance to redeem themselves if they vote Artest in as a starter. That would be divine.
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So what happens to the Pacers now? According to Cesar's Palace, they just went from 12-1 favorites to win the title to 100-1 longshots. Who are they going to get to field their team? O'Neal and Artest are their two best players? Somebody get me a Pacers beat writer. I'd get one myself, but this stupid Mac is hyperlink-retarded.
I think the Pistons organization got off lightly, as their fans proved to be of the worst kind. A couple months back, the Italian soccer team AS Roma had to play a European Champions League match at home in front of an empty stadium. Why? Because in their previous home game one of their fans threw a beer bottle that hit the referree in the head, causing the game to be abandoned. That is what the NBA should do to Detroit. Hold their fans and poor security accountable. Make them take a hit financially. It's the only way you'll be able to send a message to that rogue element of fans who are out to ruin it for everyone. The fans who attacked Kansas City Royals first base coach, Tom Gamboa, on the field. The fan who stabbed Monica Seles during a match against Steffi Graf. Nothing happens to these assholes! In most cases, they walk off scott-free, like the German douche who stabbed Seles. Now, the Detroit police is reporting that nine fans in the brawl on Friday are claiming to have been assaulted. Anything for a buck, right? Disgusting. Make the Pistons play a game in front of an empty home arena, save for press. It's the right thing to do.
Know what I'd love to see? Ron Artest get voted as a starter in the All-Star game. The game itself is a farce and the fan voting is even worse. Their record speaks for itself. Continually voting in Vince Carter (most overrated "superstar" in the league) as a starter. Voting Grant Hill as a starter when he's played less than ten games (once, only four!). So the fan balloting reveals idiocy on a grand scale, but everyone has a chance to redeem themselves if they vote Artest in as a starter. That would be divine.
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