This is absolutely ridiculous. So Artest can't do right right [sic]? The poor guy was calm and was being interviewed on the scorers table with a head phone on and he is now assumed of provocation? Utterly ridiculous folks. Jeez what is next? Artest is the satan?
he and his idiot friend went out on the court. both walking towards artest and one of em did that thing where you clench your fists and head fake or whatever and act like you're gonna do something.
Whats ridiculous is to sit there and play like Artest is Mr. Innocent who is always the victim. Artest may be insance, but he knows what he is doing.
Codell and anyone who feels the players are the only ones to blame: I kinda understand your opionion that players are getting paid by the fans and should never go into the stands to fight a fan. Picture youself working in a restarant, a very fancy one, where you get paid 200000+ a year on tips alone. One day you get into an argument with a co-worker. A customer who usually tips you 200 dollars per visit, but calls you names all the time and generally is very abusive verbally, decides to throw a cup of beer at you. You body slam the customer on the floor. Don't you think it's ridiculous to say you are to bear all blame in this case? I am not defending the players to the point where they would have no blame. The fans should take just as much blame. Do you agree?
Garbage time? Don't tell that to the Rockets. We lost 2 games now during alleged garbage time (garbage time at least in the mind of TMAC and JVG). Is there really garbage time in the basketball save for 20+ points blowouts with 77 seconds to go in the game?
The guy walks up to artest and bucks up to him...and at that point Artest is already heated..the guy must have been a moron to think he could come up like that and not get punched. Artest just through the first punch that's it. But the guy walked up and put himself in that situation and im sure Artest at that point thought he was going to throw a punch. None of these players are used to people being on the court like that and im sure they don't know what these drunk fans are capable of. At that point he is allowed to defend himself.
15 pt lead with 45 seconds left....yes thats garbage time. And not for nothing...the Pacers were ahead....so why the HELL was Artest fouling to begin with?
I'm flabbergasted that anyone would blame the players for what happened last night. The situation was under control until the Detroit fans took it to the next level. I hope anyone who got punched is in the hospital for a while because they deserve it for putting a black eye on an entire city because they were too stupid to control themselves.
It wasn't a hard foul and if anyone thinks it was they obviously haven't looked at the tape. If Wallace doesn't throw a punch, everyone here says that Artest is just playing hard to the end. Wallace could have just as easily not done anything.
detroit is a crappy city and this proved it. infact its upsetting that artest who really handled the situation as best he could have by not retailiating is gonna get screwed. obviously going into the crowd was wrong but as its been said ad nauseum we all woulda done it too. im going to the detroit game next week...i hope we boo the hell out of them.
No I don't, cause I wouldn't body slam anyone unless they physically touched me. There is NEVER a reason for an professional athlete to go into the stands, just like there is NEVER a reason for a fan to go onto the field of play. There is a reason why fans and players are separated by boundaries, so stuff like this didn't happen.
Mexican guy? Folks can we tone down these subtle derogatory jabs even if it is down inavertently atimes. He could be a Latino-American or Italian-American for all we know but.......whatever.
BTW ...anyone notice how Stephen Jackson taunted the crowd when walking off the court (waiving his arms in a "bring it on" fashion)? No wonder all this teamates were pelted with debris. That didn't help things and I hope the NBA adds to his suspension because of it.
thats ridiculous. I dont care what started the situation.. if a fan goes onto the floor its open game and I hope we gets the snot kicked out of him. If a player is stupid enough to go into the stands I hope he gets seriously injured .. you know what pisses me off if a fan touches a player he goes to jail.. if a player knocks out a fan he gets a fine and a suspension. Just because your a BB player doesnt put you above the law. Getting hit with a water bottle and getting pounded in the face is not the same or is it equal. I know if Artest rushed into the stands where I was sitting and he attacked anyone I was and hurt them I know for sure I would try my best to seriously injure him. J
listen, I agree with Big Ben and Jackson getting the biggest suspensions, but did anyone just see Jermanie O'Neal run accross the court and clock some fan.........this was after the altercation in the stands........That can't sit well with anyone, he's got to walk away from that. However, I know emotions come into play at that point, and if it were are team, and JJ was getting crap thrown at him, T-Mac went to back him up and just started pounding people, I know I'd want JHoward, or MoT, or Yao to step up and throw down for us too. The Pacers had to stick together there, it was them vs. the World at that point. And yeah, in all honesty, someone could havebeen killed with the horrible job Detroit security was doing.
Artest is the one who is gonna get owned because that fan wasn't even the one who threw the drink. What an idiot. I agree more with Codell. No, the fans aren't blameless. But if the players had an ounce of self- control then we wouldn't even be talking about this. Just because you get hit by a drink doesn't mean you are in physical danger. This self- defense stuff is a joke. I would do this if I was Stern: -Any fan who threw something- get banned for life (if possible) -Any player who went into the stands to attack fans- 10 game suspension at least -Any player who threw a punch- 2 game suspension at least
