Basketball got a black eye... (page 2)

Big Tex

I think it's Washington that has a fan so obnoxious (lawyer naturally) that he was actually interviewed on Larry King. He deliberately gets season tickets behind the visitors bench just to yell profane and racailly charged insults all game, every game. I've read articles that there are similar 'people' in other cities, although I don't know about Detroit. I remember when Vernon Maxwell was suspended a few years ago the fan he attacked was ridiculing the death of Maxwell's daughter.

Ron Artest is an egomanical thug player, but then so is Ben Wallace. Both seemed to be already very angry over the pushing incident during the game.

Fault of the fans? I don't know about 99%, I come down more on 50/50 (pox on both houses). Jerks fighting jerks. I do think the NBA in particular needs to (1) beef up security as the fans are so much closer to the players and (2) deal with jerk fans who do nothing more than get drunk and yell obscene and racist remarks to players just because they think they can.

I don't think there is any excuse to go up into the stands, but the NBA can help matters greatly by cutting off the alcohol at halftime, increasing security and throwing out fans who want to cause trouble.

MelbaToast

Well, being from the hometown of the pacers, our whole city feels like we have a black eye. IMHO, players like Jermaine Oneal and Ron Artest (Who I both believe were signed straight from High School) showed their definate lack of maturity. Its a shame that we have to shield the players from the fans...and it does remind me very much of hockey.

I am at a loss for words on who is the guilty one, having grownup in Detroit! Its like a tug of war....so I keep my mouth shut about this issue....There is not a state bigger on basketball than Indiana, IMO, and if you don't watch every second of the game (which I don't) everyone around you has and knows what you didn't see. I didn't watch the game, I was busy wrangling my 10 month old, but from all the playback both local and national, Artest did snap.

For what its worth, the behavior on all sides were deplorable and if I had been at that game, you betcha I would be giving both the NBA and the corporation a big piece of my mind...there has been lots of talk about them fighting around kids...its such a shame that these people are supposed to be role models for our kids. Not on my watch....Id rather go see Sesame street live.

my .02

Melba

gypsywildone

I am only ever seeing bits & pieces, but it looked to me like the fans started it & the players finished it.

Artest was benched 13 times in his senior year of high school, suspended 10 times in the NBA. He clearly has an anger management problem. 40 % of NBA players have some serious criminal records, not shoplifting, serious stuff involving assault, etc. I heard this on a news show yesterday. Role models? No, they are talented at what they do, but for parents to hold them up to children as some kind of role model, is misplaced IMHO.

foreword

One basketball site seemed to think that basketball might become like hockey and a glass needs to be installed around the playing field(court)

The glass in hockey was not put up because of violence between players and fans, but for fan protection. Hockey pucks are hard (frozen before game time), small and travel at speeds of over 100 miles per hour. Sitting behind the goal without the glass would probably hurt you pretty bad if you got hit. Pretty much the same reason they have wire mesh behind home plate in baseball.

teejay

In the hockey note, there's been times when fans and players have matched punches before, but a season-ending suspension was never issued to the player. Why has the NBA made such harsh example of Artest when they are somewhat in neglect themselves for not taking the proper precautions to ensure something like this wouldn't happen?

A very good question, Kwin. I hope it get's addressed. I'm not optimistic.

confusedjw

40 % of NBA players have some serious criminal records, not shoplifting, serious stuff involving assault, etc. I heard this on a news show yesterday.

What news show may I ask? (I don't doubt you heard it.) I have a very hard time believing this. I'll go out on a limb and claim this to be false right now and possibly racially motivated.

Preston

Ya know, those 6 hunters that got killed up in Wisconsin would still be alive if it wasn't for the NHL!

teejay

Here's what I posted on another board:

Some so self-righteously say, from a perspective of emotional, physical, and psychological distance, that Artest should have let the physical assault slide and let security handle it. (...a big part of the problem, btw. Security was lax and way under-staffed at that game.) They also say that the ban was fair. Some say that the year-long ban wasn't long enough. These people are failing to take several facts into consideration IMO.

Artest has just gotten into a confrontation with Ben Wallace (who was acting quite the fool and should have been thrown out of the game). Despite his efforts to keep himself under control (by laying on the scorer's table) Artest's emotions were understandably running high. But he was clearly doing the right thing by not responding to Wallace's childishness. When the idiot threw the cup of beer from the stands ? that's when Artest was sent over the line.

Some say, "But it was only a cup of beer" (or whatever it was). Yeah it was only a cup of beer, but it hit Artest in the face, damn close to his eye, and people would be singing a different tune had it hit him IN the eye and jeopardized his ability to play pro sports ever again. (Anyone remember the referee who threw a flag ? a measly FLAG, for crying out loud!! ? but it hit a NFL player in the eye and ended that player's season?)

As Charles Barkley, a former NBA player who wasn't known for backing away from confrontations, said, "If I'm walking down the street and I throw a cup of beer in a complete stranger's face, I expect him to do something. It's human nature. People talk about the money NBA player's make, but we were men ? human beings ? long before we were professional basketball players." He had a huge point, imo.

It's easy to sit here and say it was wrong for Artest to go into the stands. But professional athletes have a right to safe working conditions. It's one of the three items they've negotiated with the League (wages and benefits being the other two). The purchase of a ticket entitles fans to say whatever they want (subject to public decency), but when they cross the line and hit or throw something at a player ? and certainly when they walk onto the court ? they threaten the safety of players. By not having sufficient security at the game, the NBA is somewhat at fault for not protecting the players/entertainers, but you won't hear Commissioner Stern say much about that.

Lastly, some apparently haven't noticed yet (despite the tape's repeated running on TV), but when Artest when into the stands and got to the wrong guy, all he did was force the fan down onto the seat. He never swung at him and he never hit him (the wrong fan). It was the other player, Stephen Jackson, who did, but only after second fan threw beer in Artest's face ? who was being held by several people.

Personally, I am delighted that *that* fan got slugged. Frankly, I hope he was knocked the hell out. That's what *should* happen to punks who confront giants. Same for the idiot that got slugged TWICE who walked onto the court and whose actions at least Artest could have viewed as threatening. Walk onto the court? Walk onto the football or baseball field? Get out on the ice at a hockey game? You deserve whatever comes to you. Your ticket does not entitle you to go out onto the field/court. You put yourself at risk of at least a lawsuit and permanent banning from all future games. Period.

Like I said before (somewhat facetiously), I hope Artest has a good lawyer. He shouldn't have gone into the stands, but there are mitigating factors for him doing so.

Swan

I missed seeing this incident on TV, but I know a guy who went to the fights and a basketball game broke out!

Tammy

confusedjw

Here's what I posted on another board:

I agree with everything you said.

Basketball got a black eye...

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