Brawl Suspensions Too Long
By now I am sure most have you have seen the disgusting footage of what happened between the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons this past week. I have to admit that I found it kind of fun to watch, but you knew some heavy punishments were coming. Well, now the suspensions are being handed down.
While this was one of the ugliest moments in NBA history, I really think maybe this is a little harsh all things considered. I think Ben Wallace’s suspension is a little heavy for a guy who got into a small fight with another NBA player. I don’t think a little push on Artest after a hard foul in the closing seconds of the game was worthy of a full five games. I feel like this is a night in jail for running a stop sign. I guess it has been extended due to the horrible events that ensued after that push.
I am not sure that is fair either. On October 27th, the Washington Wizards’ Brendan Hayward was suspended for 3 games for throwing punches against the Bulls. In that same altercation, Larry Hughes was suspended for 1 game for starting the fight with a head butt on Kirk Hinrich. Ben Wallace pushed a guy and got 5 games due to the reaction of the fans.
In terms of the Pacers suspensions, I think that Artest deserves every bit of his suspension. He got hit with a cup of liquid and while that is unacceptable, I don’t think you can ever justify jumping into the stands. Fans need to be under control and they need to be reprimanded, but not by Ron Artest. As a result, this suspension is very important to set a precedent to other NBA players who might consider running into the stands any time in the future.
As for Jermaine O’Neal and Stephen Jackson, I understand the initial reaction of the NBA, but I think it is too harsh. Jackson needs to be suspended for entering the stands as well, but I don’t think we can judge him as harshly as he was attempting to help Ron Artest, a teammate, after Artest lost control. I think a 5 game suspension would have been acceptable in this case. 20 games, or almost 25% of an NBA season seems very long.
Jermaine O’Neal who landed a huge right cross on a Pistons fan was also given 20 games, but I think this is especially unfair because the fan was on the court. It appeared to me that O’Neal was on his way toward the locker room or at least the Pacers bench when a fan came up to him. There is no excuse for a fan to ever be close to, let alone on the court of an NBA game. I won’t go as far as to say there was nothing else that O’Neal could have done in that situation, but I think we should look at the scenario and the fact that arena security was basically non-existent before handing his suspension down. Again, I think 20 games is too long. I think that there is an argument that O’Neal was defending himself to an extent as the fan was on the court.
I am sure there will be some appeals to these suspensions and I realize that the players need to change, but I think the real issue here is that fans became overly involved in the game. Throwing a cup at an opposing player shouldn’t ever happen with appropriate arena security. Fans can’t ever be in a situation where they are on the court. I don’t know what changes the NBA needs to make, but it can’t begin and end with suspending these players.
Chris Said,
November 21, 2004 @ 6:00 pm
I don’t think I could disagree more. The NBA is in the process of a steep slide from premier sports brand towards Ultimate Fighting Championship. They cannot afford to have these guys acting like this on TV, at an NBA event. It’s not about what’s fair or who hit who first or whether a fan was on the court. It’s about marketing, and they have to roast these guys. And if you think the league sanctions are harsh, just wait until the personal injury lawyers get involved.
FilteringCraig Said,
November 21, 2004 @ 6:45 pm
I agree that Ron Artest needs to be rocked (and I just heard a news story that he has been suspended for the rest of the season) but I think the rest of them got killed for being involved in a situation.
Ron Artest is a notorious problem in the NBA, but the rest of the guys who were caught in the crossfire of this situation aren’t bad citizens in the NBA to my knowledge.
Justin Said,
November 21, 2004 @ 11:11 pm
Stephen Jackson did the exact same thing Artest did.
Jermaine Oneal cold-cocked a fan who was standing up from getting cold-cocked by Artest
Forget reputation. Artest isn’t more guilty because he’s been a dick in the past.
FilteringCraig Said,
November 22, 2004 @ 10:19 am
Artest is certainly more guilty. Repeat offender. He smashed a TV monitor either last year or the year before. He constantly gets technical fouls and was kicked out of more than one game if I remember correctly. How is it that he isn’t more guilty because he has been a dick in the past?
kiddicus decicivus Said,
November 22, 2004 @ 1:12 pm
i’m just glad that two of the Cav’s division rivals are shorthanded for a while, if not the majority of the season. I’m heading down to Detroit the next time to pick a fight with Ben Wallace… undoubtedly i’ll get my ass kicked but then the Cav’s will have more of a chance at the playoffs… taking one for the team!
Justin Said,
November 22, 2004 @ 3:11 pm
This wasn’t something outrageous because Artest has a history of being a dumbass. Most people didn’t know who the hell he was before Friday.
It’s outrageous because he went into the stands and starting kicking the shit out of fans. Which is exactly what Stephen Jackson did. Let the courts take pity on him if he’s a first-time offender. The league shouldn’t.
Every time Artest has done something before, he’s been punished with ejections, suspensions, fines and benchings. The only thing he needs to be punished for is attacking fans. Not his entire life up to this point.
Jackson should be gone for the year. They did the same shit.
kiddicus maximus Said,
November 22, 2004 @ 4:28 pm
they should just throw the pacers out of the league. and the pistons while they’re at it. GO CAVS