[d0ubled0wn]

The NBA ruling:

Ron Artest - out for season
Stephen Jackson - 30 games
Jermain O'neal - 25 games
Anthony Johnson - 5 games
Reggie Miller - 1 game
Ben Wallace - 6 games
Elden Campbell - 1 game
Chauncey Billups - 1 game
Derrick Coleman - 1 game

[ManOfSteal]

Originally posted by d0ubled0wn:
The NBA ruling:

Ron Artest - out for season

Ron Artest - out for career

[d4nth3m4n]

reggie? wasn't he in a suit? does this even matter at all? or does the suspension start once he's off the IR?

EDIT: who was the guy in the suit punching the guy before o'neil knocked him out cold?

[rezzi]

That means when Reggie comes off IL (injured list), he still has to sit out one game. Why? All he did was play peacemaker. He's always been a class act, and I hope he appeals his decision. No big surprise at Artest for gettin' kicked for the season, though.

[olePigeon]

Damn, I was hoping they were going to shut down the NBA.

[macintologist]

I never realized Artest was considered a top player in the league.

He probably has a huge ego and that partly hurt him and influenced his actions.

[rozwado1]

Originally posted by IceEnclosure:
you DON'T square up with said 7' tall guy AFTER he's been in a ruckus over having a drink thrown on him. ("square up" = prepare to fight. in this case, i'm speaking of the spanish looking guy, short stocky, that jumped in front of Artest - on the court). that guy came on the court to start trouble. should have not left his Bud Light and stayed in the stands like a good boy.

That kid actually went to a competing high school of mine in the Detroit area. He's arabic btw, with a ridiculous temper to match. He was always the jackass trying to start fights at high school parties. He was a little meaner looking back then - looks like he put on about 40lbs. He probably wishes he had his 'boys' there to back him up.

It's too bad I wasn't at the game, but it's just as good to see that fat �uck get punched in the face, all across the internet. Good riddance.

[Agasthya]

Indiana just went from a title contender to a bottom feeder. Funny how Ben Wallace got off soft even though he started the whole situation.

[RGB]

Originally posted by rezzi:
That means when Reggie comes off IL (injured list), he still has to sit out one game. Why? All he did was play peacemaker. He's always been a class act, and I hope he appeals his decision. No big surprise at Artest for gettin' kicked for the season, though.

Since when has Reggie been a class act?

[Apple Pro Underwear]

Artest can work on his rap record now.

idiot

[rezzi]

He used to talk trash earlier on in his career, but could always back it up. Other than locking horns with Micheal Jordan once, has never been a bully or one to start fights.

[rezzi]

Originally posted by rozwado1:
That kid actually went to a competing high school of mine in the Detroit area. He's arabic btw, with a ridiculous temper to match. He was always the jackass trying to start fights at high school parties. He was a little meaner looking back then - looks like he put on about 40lbs. He probably wishes he had his 'boys' there to back him up.

It's too bad I wasn't at the game, but it's just as good to see that fat �uck get punched in the face, all across the internet. Good riddance.

You're gonna' be called in as a character witness for the defense. Don't do it unless they throw some green in your face.
And yes, Artest is an extremely talented player. Too bad he doesn't know how to keep his cool when necessary.

[vmpaul]

Originally posted by d0ubled0wn:
The NBA ruling:

Ron Artest - out for season
Stephen Jackson - 30 games
Jermain O'neal - 25 games
Anthony Johnson - 5 games
Reggie Miller - 1 game
Ben Wallace - 6 games
Elden Campbell - 1 game
Chauncey Billups - 1 game
Derrick Coleman - 1 game

All suspended without pay. I hate it when you hear a player has been suspended but still gets paid. That happens too often. Maybe they'll learn a lesson on self-restraint now. Can't say David Stern hasn't sent a message.

Wonder how the Players union will respond to this? Are they going to fight it?

[RGB]

Originally posted by rezzi:
He used to talk trash earlier on in his career, but could always back it up. Other than locking horns with Micheal Jordan once, has never been a bully or one to start fights.

Well keep in mind I grew up just outside of Chicago as a Bulls fan, and you can see why I wouldn't consider Reggie to be a class act

[ManOfSteal]

Help Wanted - Indianapolis

Preferably a 6' 5"+ athletic male who has a cool temper.

[rozwado1]

We gotta change the thread title to Basketbrawl.

[rezzi]

I'm in 'Pacer central' and say he is. Why not? They never defeated the Bulls when it really counted (but were the only team to defeat MJ & co. TWICE during the Bulls 72-10 season). And I'm still mad at Bob Costas for replaying that tape over and over of J. Rose leaving the Pacer bench during a mini-brawl with the Bulls, but returning without altercation. "There might be a suspension". No kiddin' Sherlock, you showed the replay enough times.

If not for that, I don't think Stearn would have ever seen it and I believe that is the only reason the Bulls won the east that year. Pacers were left short-handed. Reggie did give Spike Lee a good ribbing once. But that was because Spike provoked him for dropping 24 in third quarter alone against the Knicks. But uncle Reggie and Spike have since become friends, even shooting a NIKE commercial together.

[Agasthya]

Originally posted by d4nth3m4n:
reggie? wasn't he in a suit? does this even matter at all? or does the suspension start once he's off the IR?

I thought about that too. What the Pacers could technically do since Reggie is already injured is that they can activate him the day before he's ready to play and let him serve his suspension and when he is fully healthy he can then play.

Or are there some other NBA rules that prevent that?

[Shaddim]

Originally posted by ShortcutToMoncton:
I love all the naysayers predicting doom and death...."RIP NBA OMG!!!!!!!"

Out of curiousity, are you guys the same ones who were shocked and horrified over Janet's little mishap?



greg

Nope, I believe they should show Janet's boobs MORE often of TV.

The NBA is a complete wasteland of punks, pimps, and psychotic degenerates. The entire league should be scrapped and burned to the ground. It's nothing but a romper room full of over-paid primadonnas, playing a game that's almost as much fun to watch as a P. Diddy video. Currently, there is no real basketball beyond the college level. Fact.

As for this completely idiotic (yet not unexpected) little riot. At the very least, Artest should be banned from the game for life, along with all of the other thugs who went after the fans in the stands... the fans who are the entire damned reason that those neanderthals are even playing the game.

[zigzag]

Originally posted by scaught:
you might have to wait until theyre done pointing out all the non-white guys on the course.

There's obviously a subtext in all this of "Those dumb, spoiled black basketball players sure are violent." Wallace and Artest didn't exactly help to dissipate the stereotype. The irony, of course, is that it was suburban white guys who threw the beer, went onto the court, etc. Hanging is too good for those idiots.

While Artest should've kept his cool, I don't blame him for reacting the way he did - I would've done the same. But athletes are always getting stuff thrown at them (ever sat in the bleachers at a major league baseball game?) and they have to swallow their pride and deal with it or all hell breaks lose, as it did last night.

Did anyone notice Rick Mahorn? He was right in the middle of the fight in the stands, trying to break it up.

I'm just glad no one was seriously hurt.

[vmpaul]

from NYTimes:

Stern said he was confident the suspensions would hold; the appeals will be made directly to him. Billy Hunter, the executive director of the players union, said last night at the Garden that the suspension of Artest was unfair and that the length of the other suspensions was "a bit egregious."
...

If the suspensions stand, Artest will lose $5 million in salary, and O'Neal $4.1 million.

If the suspensions hold? This story is going to last a long time. Appeals and counter charges are going to drag this out.

Either way, if they do hold you can't say those guys aren't going to feel it.

[Kilbey]

It was a good thing the game was almost over. I'll bet the Palace was over half emptied out after a sell out crowd.

I was scheduled to attend this game, but Piston's management changed our ticket dates. I am glad it got changed as I was chaperoning a Church youth group to the event.

I am holding blame for the courts to decide. It looks like criminal charges should be brought up on a few people at the very least.

[OldManMac]

Originally posted by zigzag:
There's obviously a subtext in all this of "Those dumb, spoiled black basketball players sure are violent." Wallace and Artest didn't exactly help to dissipate the stereotype. The irony, of course, is that it was suburban white guys who threw the beer, went onto the court, etc. Hanging is too good for those idiots.

While Artest should've kept his cool, I don't blame him for reacting the way he did - I would've done the same. But athletes are always getting stuff thrown at them (ever sat in the bleachers at a major league baseball game?) and they have to swallow their pride and deal with it or all hell breaks lose, as it did last night.

Did anyone notice Rick Mahorn? He was right in the middle of the fight in the stands, trying to break it up.

I'm just glad no one was seriously hurt.

Who pointed out anything about "dumb, spoiled black basketball players....?"

Not blaming Artest for reacting the way he did, and saying you would have done the same thing is really part of the problem. Two wrongs have never made a right (although it appears that some are beginning to believe that more and more), and never will. If we are wronged, by assault (or any other illegal action) do we now decide what is an appropriate response? Do we take the law into our own hands, and decide that vigilante justice is the way to address the issue? What happens when someone decides they've been wronged by you, and they're mistaken, yet you suffer at their hand? You'd be the first to cry foul! Reactions based on heated emotion have no place in law.

[zigzag]

Originally posted by KarlG:
Who pointed out anything about "dumb, spoiled black basketball players....?"

I said it was a subtext. In America, especially where violence, basketball, and Detroit are involved, race is almost always a subtext. I thought this was the point of scaught's post, but even if it wasn't, I would say the same thing.

I don't mean to say that everyone who criticizes Artest is doing so for the wrong reasons - he deserves to be criticized - I'm saying that in this country, race invariably enters the picture on some level.

Not blaming Artest for reacting the way he did, and saying you would have done the same thing is really part of the problem. Two wrongs have never made a right (although it appears that some are beginning to believe that more and more), and never will. If we are wronged, by assault (or any other illegal action) do we now decide what is an appropriate response? Do we take the law into our own hands, and decide that vigilante justice is the way to address the issue? What happens when someone decides they've been wronged by you, and they're mistaken, yet you suffer at their hand? You'd be the first to cry foul! Reactions based on heated emotion have no place in law.

He's a human being, I'm a human being. I'm just saying that if someone threw a beer at me, unprovoked, I would react viscerally. I'm not trying to justify violence, I'm just trying to be honest. It's difficult to intellectualize these things, especially if you've ever played sports. Artest's actions were regrettable and he should be disciplined severely, but I'm more disgusted with the guy who threw the beer than I am with Artest.

[mydog8mymac]

Originally posted by spacefreak:
Oh, the Jeff Benedict book that selectively studied the past of 177 players (there were 417 players in the league at the time), and is based on accusations, not actual convictions.

The book was a great follow-up to his previous work that craps on Indian tribes and their building of casinos.

As a matter of fact, Benedict seems to take positions against every minority millionaire. He's founded an anti-Indian coalition that seeks to fight tribes' recognition, and his work is often praised and promoted by white supremisist groups.

There are thugs in the NBA just like there are thugs in every organization. But to call them all thugs based on the actions of a few is ridiculous.

Wow! Didn't know�thanks for the heads-up!

[sideus]

That QT movie of the brawl comes up as a protected movie (iDVD won't import it). How can it be unprotected?

[scottiB]

Originally posted by sideus:
That QT movie of the brawl comes up as a protected movie (iDVD won't import it). How can it be unprotected?

That's my fault. When I compressed it Cleaner, I accidently had the option checked to not be able to save. I'll post a new one at later tonight, when I get the chance.

[scottiB]

Check that^. Try it now--you should be able to save. I did post a new one.

[sideus]

Originally posted by scottiB:
Check that^. Try it now--you should be able to save. I did post a new one.

Ok, downloading now. Same link as previously posted?

[olePigeon]

Man, that was a better video. They showed all the people on the left and right getting into it. At first I just thought that one fan was getting his ass kicked (you could read his lips "OH SH*T!!!") But then they showed that huge black guy on the left gets in and kicks the ass of the other basketball guy.

I'd watch basketball if they had this more often.

You know people watch NASCAR for the crashes. Same thing.

[spacefreak]

Originally posted by spacefreak:
I'm amazed at how the ESPN announcer portrays the melee as all the fan's doing. A beer hits Artest, he charges and attacks a fan who is still holding his beer, and when other fans try to defend the fan that Artest is trying to kill, the ESPN announcer makes it seem like the fans are at fault.

WTF is a player doing beating on a fan in the stands?

Looks like I wasn't the only one who got that impression from ESPN...

A phone call from the boss can produce changes. Just ask ESPN's NBA studio announcers.

Criticism from ESPN executive vice president Mark Shapiro contributed to the announcers altering their stances and second-guessing their initial commentary on the brawl that occurred during Friday night's Indiana Pacers-Detroit Pistons game.

Shapiro called NBA Shootaround host John Saunders and analysts Stephen A. Smith, Tim Legler and Greg Anthony on Saturday after seeing replays of them criticizing the Detroit fans for tossing beverages and debris at the players but giving a pass to Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson and Jermaine O'Neal of the Pacers for going into the stands to attack fans.

"I wish the studio hadn't laid the blame solely on the backs of the fans Friday night," Shapiro said Tuesday. "In this instant-opinion culture, it's easy to make a knee-jerk reaction in the wrong way. But we're proud of the body of work over the entire weekend."

Pistons President Joe Dumars told The Detroit News for Tuesday's editions that the NBA had "read ESPN the riot act" over its coverage Friday night, but spokesmen Mike Soltys of ESPN and David Cooper of the NBA said Tuesday the league had not complained to the network.

Saunders at first called the fans "a bunch of punks" and said, "I don't blame the players for going into the stands." Legler, a former NBA player, said, "The blame should be put on the Detroit Piston fans."

Triggered partly by Shapiro's calls, the announcers later took on a more balanced tone.