Ron Artest Suspended for Season!

[winters in buffalo]

Were any fans arrested?

[CC97]

ARE THEY OUT OF THEIR FREAKING MINDS?!? Ron Artest had every right given to man to defend himself in that brawl. I cannot see how he is being punished for some lame-brained idiot throwing a cup on him and then being attacked by an angry mob. He had every right to defend himself, especially since all the fans were throwing beer, cokes, popcorn, and what else at him and the rest of the team. I'm sorry, but the NBA is very wrong to give this harsh of a penalty on this one. I hope he appeals this suspension, because he should.

Again I ask, is the instant reaction whenever you're hit by something to beat someone up?

Doesn't anyone have self control?

[sj32]

ARE THEY OUT OF THEIR FREAKING MINDS?!? Ron Artest had every right given to man to defend himself in that brawl. I cannot see how he is being punished for some lame-brained idiot throwing a cup on him and then being attacked by an angry mob. He had every right to defend himself, especially since all the fans were throwing beer, cokes, popcorn, and what else at him and the rest of the team. I'm sorry, but the NBA is very wrong to give this harsh of a penalty on this one. I hope he appeals this suspension, because he should.

Again I ask, is the instant reaction whenever you're hit by something to beat someone up?

Doesn't anyone have self control?

Average man on the street - Yes

Average gangsta athlete / entertainer - No

[CDunn]

The suspensions are more than legitimate claims. I agree with Creamer here.

It's the athlete's job to be the bigger man and walk away. That's part of the job. When you play in a professional sport, you have to understand the fact that sometimes fans might get out of control, but it is your job to not facilitate any return action. Walk away. It's easy. I've done it in hockey as a player and a ref. Two fathers have tried to fight me, once as a player and once as a ref. I walk away. Self control.

[Mac the Knife]

Is this another example of the majority lacking common sense?

It absolutely is, Chris. I'm among those who advocated a lifetime ban for Artest, and at least season-long suspensions for any player who went into the stands.

Fact is, provoked or not, there is never any excuse for a player to go into the stands, or for a fan to enter a field/court of play. Period. When either happens, those on whom their "territory" has been encroached have every right to defend themselves, by whatever means necessary.

Yes, Artest was hit by a cup. Does that justify him running into the stands and attacking a fan who, based on the videotape and eyewitness accounts, had nothing to do with it? Of course not.

Personally, I hope this results in about 40-50 civil suits. The police won't do anything, but maybe if some players shelled out millions from their own pockets (rather than millions in merely lost earnings due to suspensions), they'll wake up.

Unfortunately it'll also result in fans bringing stun guns or other things to defend themselves with - and if another situation like this occurs anywhere, a player won't get slightly banged up, they'll be maimed or killed.

[OnWis97]

Somebody hits you with a full plastic bottle when you're defenseless, what are you going to do?

When you're getting paid as much as he is, you do nothing, because that's a chance you take every time you go out on the court and you're paid to do it.

He gets paid a lot so people have the right to throw things at him?

I think it IS Artest's job to be bigger than he was, but I think the message the NBA is sending here is that fans can do whatever they want. Racial slurs, taunting players for their personal tradgedies, throwing things. Hey, why not? There is no way the player is coming after you now. I think 20 games for the three big Pacer offenders would have been plenty. That's a quarter of a season, a huge chunk of money and a huge blow to playoff chances/positioning.

It's time to start sending messages to fans. Not Stern's lame words, either. The teams have to be willing to start taking fans's season tickets back (even if it means a partial refund). EVERY fan on camera throwing anything should get a year-long ban from the Palace--court ordered so that they get arrested every time they are caught there. This should happen at every NBA/NFL/NHL/MLB arena to fans taht throw anything. Why do fans think they are a part of the game anyway?

And how bout the Pacer fans? Detroit fans get to ack like a bunch of clowns and watch their team go back to the finals. Pacer season ticket holders just became, for all practical purposes, expansion team ticket holders (for one year anyway).

Last thought: The fan who threw that first cup is a punk and a coward. Plain and simple. The sad thing is that he is probably so proud of himself for taking the Pacers out of contention.

[JQK]

It is alot like my job in working with these teens that are conduct disorders.

If some dude spits on me, or tries to bite me on the street in public, i'm pummeling him. However, when you have one of these kids trying to kick your ass, and trying to bite you, it's your job, it's what you deal with, you act professionally. THis is my profession. I act acordingly. Artest on the street would be in the right if he stomped on a dude who threw something at him. On the court? Doing his job, he should have acted professionally. Because now, instead of the fan who threw the cup being in serious trouble, Mr. Artest is the one who is out for the year and seen as the bad guy (well, he is a bad guy)

You can take the gangsta outta the street, but you can't take the street out of the gangsta. Artest is the perfect example of this.

[CDunn]

When either happens, those on whom their "territory" has been encroached have every right to defend themselves, by whatever means necessary.

I agree with you on everything you said except this. Only in an extreme life or death situation should a player on the court defend themselves. Let security handle the drunken fools, that's their job. Unless the guy has you around the neck, you can always just walk to the locker room.

As for if a player starts a fight with a spectator in the stands, then it becomes a stickier issue. Usually you still have the option to just walk away and the player will be stopped before getting to far. But if this guy is on top of you has landed, repeat landed, the first blow, then you have the neccesary right to defend yourself. This guy is a highly trained athlete in peak physical condition. He could easily kill you and not even mean it. When it comes to that situation, you then are in fear for your life and should defend yourself.

Defending yourself when your life is severely at risk I have no problem with. I'm just saying that 99 times out of a hundred, these aren't life threatening situations and both parties should be held responsible for any action other than getting out of there.

[CC97]

It is alot like my job in working with these teens that are conduct disorders.

If some dude spits on me, or tries to bite me on the street in public, i'm pummeling him. However, when you have one of these kids trying to kick your ass, and trying to bite you, it's your job, it's what you deal with, you act professionally. THis is my profession. I act acordingly. Artest on the street would be in the right if he stomped on a dude who threw something at him. On the court? Doing his job, he should have acted professionally. Because now, instead of the fan who threw the cup being in serious trouble, Mr. Artest is the one who is out for the year and seen as the bad guy (well, he is a bad guy)

You can take the gangsta outta the street, but you can't take the street out of the gangsta. Artest is the perfect example of this.

Very well put -- any of us would get fired for retaliating that way towards a customer.

[OnWis97]

Personally, I hope this results in about 40-50 civil suits. The police won't do anything, but maybe if some players shelled out millions from their own pockets (rather than millions in merely lost earnings due to suspensions), they'll wake up.

Oh, me too. Nothing would make me happier than to see a bunch of beer-throwing idiots cash in for six figures on two figures worth of damage just because these guys have deep pockets.

[CJR]

Somebody hits you with a full plastic bottle when you're defenseless, what are you going to do?

When you're getting paid as much as he is, you do nothing, because that's a chance you take every time you go out on the court and you're paid to do it.

He gets paid a lot so people have the right to throw things at him?

Did I say that? No. He has to be the bigger man. Let arena security do their thing, that's what they get paid for.

[JamesCraven]

"If you see anybody throwing things out on the field, find a security guard, point them out and we'll get them out of here. You don't live in Cleveland, you live in Cincinnati!"

That's what I would have done in Ron Artest's situation.

[quantum]

"Point them out.  You don't live in Cleveland, you live in Cincinnati!"

That's what I would have done in Ron Artest's situation.

Yes, other Pistons fans should have pointed out the people throwing drinks at the players.

[JQK]

"Point them out.  You don't live in Cleveland, you live in Cincinnati!"

A great moment in sports, in my opinion.

[quantum]

I predict that the suspensions will be scaled back. After appeals are filed, it will be found to be excessive in some instances. And the best part will be Stern can say he tried to discipline the players.

[JamesCraven]

"I predict that the suspensions will be scaled back. After appeals are filed, it will be found to be excessive in some instances. And the best part will be Stern can say he tried to discipline the players."

I'll predict and say that the appeal will be denied for Artest, S. Jackson and J. O'Neal. What they did was seriously bad for the NBA in Mr. Stern's eyes.

[gojetsgo]

What kind of society is teaching the best retaliation to getting liquid thrown at you is to beat the living snot of the other person?

Sad guys, very sad.

If I'm at work in the stands, and a fan throws pop at me, am I going to run after him and punch him? Hell no, I'm not an idiot. I'll probably yell at the fan for sure, and go get security to throw his ass out of the stadium, possibly even getting a fine from an officer.

Is this another example of the majority lacking common sense?

Agreed 100%. Fans throw stuff all the time. Then they get booted out by security. It's the circle of life. If the fan ran onto the court and went after Artest, that's one thing (like what happened at a Lions-Bombers game a couple years ago), but Artest retaliated to a cup of beer being thrown at him by running into the stands and beating the crap out of someone. He could have easily walked away.

Basketball players are payed alot of money, not just to play basketball well, but to uphold some degree of professionalism. That's not just an unwritten expectation, that's a standard part of most player contracts nowadays.

Also, I don't think it's EVER correct to pummel someone for throwing a cup of beer - on the court or on the streets. Somehow I managed to go through 23 years of my life without getting into a single fist fight. Fortunately, I never had to defend myself from being attacked. But, I think that most people who get into fist fights are looking to get into fights, whether they are "defending" themselves or not.

[slapshot]

It wasn't that Artest just got hit with a cup of beer. He was hit in the FACE. Almost in the eye. You turn the other cheek if someone hits you in the face?

Yes, this was a horrible, shameful display by everyone involved. And the punishments should be severe. But reasonable too. Just listen to David Stern's comments. It was a witch hunt, he had been looking for a reason to suspend Artest.

And the last video footage I saw (overhead footage), Artest grabbed the guy who he thought threw the cup, but he was restrained before he could throw a punch at him. O'Neal hit that guy, but if Artest did anything, it must have been kicks. The first person Artest actually punched was the guy in blue holding him, who punched Artest in the head at least 3 times before Artest retaliated.

[CC97]

It wasn't that Artest just got hit with a cup of beer. He was hit in the FACE. Almost in the eye. You turn the other cheek if someone hits you in the face?

On the job, I wouldn't run after a fan trying to attack him -- you might hear an oh-so-rare Creamer expletive, but common sense usually prevails when it comes to my thought process.

I've had lots of fans up in my face (you try telling a drunk Yankees fan he isn't allowed to do something) but what did I always do? I remembered what he looked like and pointed him out to security. Fan is ejected, I am nullified, I continue to work there and collect a paycheque.

Or I could do what apparently is the "right" thing to do, deck him! Which would surely result in having his friends attack me. Then I'd probably be charged by the police, fined by the Jays, and then to make things better fired (I don't think they'd bother with the suspension). Spending the remaining years of my life trying to find another job while justifying my reason for attacking a paying customer.

Which way is the better way to go? Honestly, I think this is a no brainer.

[gojetsgo]

It wasn't that Artest just got hit with a cup of beer. He was hit in the FACE. Almost in the eye. You turn the other cheek if someone hits you in the face?

Yes, this was a horrible, shameful display by everyone involved. And the punishments should be severe. But reasonable too. Just listen to David Stern's comments. It was a witch hunt, he had been looking for a reason to suspend Artest.

And the last video footage I saw (overhead footage), Artest grabbed the guy who he thought threw the cup, but he was restrained before he could throw a punch at him. O'Neal hit that guy, but if Artest did anything, it must have been kicks. The first person Artest actually punched was the guy in blue holding him, who punched Artest in the head at least 3 times before Artest retaliated.

Yes, I turn the other cheek. What are we, freaking neandrethals? Frankly, if you can't restrain yourself from something like that you are sub-human.

Someone throws a plastic beer cup that hits you in the face. That is not life threatening. Let security throw the guy out.

Did you see the video? Artest was restrained, then he hit that guy in blue, then, after at least 30 seconds of walking onto and down the court, he walked up to some fan in a pistons jersey and decked him. The guy was out of control. One season? That is nothing. He is lucky he's able to ever play again.

Like Creamer said, anyone do that on the job and they're fired. No questions asked. Honestly, do you think you would get away with that at YOUR job, without being fired - even if you were provoked? Nope. Your sorry arse would be gone. How are NBA players any different?