http://www.theindychannel.com/sports/5555221/detail.html Artest Goes To Radio To Explain Himself, Slams Magic Johnson POSTED: 3:55 pm EST December 16, 2005 UPDATED: 6:10 pm EST December 16, 2005 INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana Pacers forward Ron Artest took to the radio airwaves in an effort to defend his reasons for wanting to leave the team. Speaking to WIBC radio Friday, Artest expressed hints of regret about how the trade talk started. Artest spoke with WIBC's Vince Welch and admitted he might have handled the situation poorly, RTV6's Wil Hampton reported. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Previous Images: Pacers React To Artest's Trade Demand -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I kind of messed up. I kind of did it the wrong way," Artest said Artest told the radio audience that he should have talked with coach Rick Carlisle before going public. "I should have done that. It's important to have a relationship with the coach. Ever since coach got here, I never had a close relationship with him," Artest said. Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh has tired of Artest's antics. "I haven't heard any of the interviews, so I don't know what was said," Walsh said. "When I spoke with Ronnie, I said, 'Look, you've asked for a trade. I'm going to go forward with that.' It'd be in our interest if we both didn't say a whole lot about this." Artest doubted there is any chance he could ever get back in good graces with the Pacers. "I think I've dug myself in a hole and there's no grip. I can't get back up," Artest said. Artest said some of the criticism he has received has been unfair. Former NBA great Magic Johnson said Artest doesn't deserve a second chance in the NBA. "It's like saying, 'Magic, should your wife give you another chance?'" Artest said "He's saying Ron Artest should have no more second chances. What's worse -- me saying I want to be traded or you cheating on your wife?"
First of all, Magic said he has one more chance with his new team. If he messed up there he would be out of the league. RIGHTFULLY SO!!!!! second....that was a LOW LOW LOW blow by Artest.
Now that is funny. He should have said.. "What was worse, me asking to be traded, or cheating on my fiance and catching a deadly virus?" That would have been cold blooded.... DD
Artest says a lot of stupid things. But I actually respect this comment. Puts things in perspective. Magic might not have deserved that harsh of a comment. But he had it coming.
No stranger to a minority opinion... Magic's critique of how Artest handles his professional life does not in my book give Artest carte blanche to critique Magic's personal life. Further, IIRC Magic said something to the effect that Artest was down to his last chance. And I've got a hunch a whole of GM's agree.
That's ridiculous. Magic didn't say Artest doesn't deserve another chance. He said that if he screws up one more time AFTER this trade, he won't GET another chance. He just stated what he thought was going to be a fact. He didn't opine on whether or not Artest deserved a chance, and certainly not regarding the present. And he didn't own Magic. He just showed himself to be more of the classless, imbecile that he has always been. Magic has to live with the repercussions of his poor personal decisions every day in the form of something called HIV. You don't attack someone's personal life like that when the subject is career related, especially when you don't even have the story straight.
Artest going with presonal attacks on a legend of the game is really classy. This guy is really screwed up. The Rockets need to stay way away from him. I hope he goes to Dallas or Memphis and implodes their team. Artest makes Dennis Rodman look like a choir boy.
Even when Artest is trying to be diplomatic he still comes off sounding like an ass. I do think people like Magic, Worthy, Kidd, and Kobe should be called out once in a while to face their mistakes. But Artest is probably not in a position to offer any criticism.
Did anyone else see the title of this thread and half expect an attack or something? I could just see Artest wandering into the TNT studios and calmly and slowly choking Magic to death with no expression on his face whatsoever.
Wow!! That's a pretty low blow from Artest. This guy is says he's already dug himself into a hole, well, that hole is getting deeper and deeper everytime he opens his mouth.
When Artest gets traded, that will basically be his third chance in the NBA. This year was his 2nd chance to redeem his career, and he blew it by demanding a trade. Magic didn't say he didn't deserve another chance, he just said that he wouldn't get what amounts to a fourth chance in this league. Second chance my ass.
