Pistons v Pacers Brawl!

[coxon]

s.jackson's swinger

 

[WoD]

Got to respect 'Sheed - even as little as 1-2 years ago he would have been throwing cut lunches like there's no tomorrow. His restraint was unbelievable.

i agree, totally, i cant belieive sheed restrained himself, very impressed with him completely

 

[WoD]

Wallace should get maybe 5 or 6 games

Artest, Jackson and O'Neal should get months. Even if provoked, u don't punch fans. Artest is a ********ing tosspot

no way should players have to put up with that, yes they are professionals and they have to put up with taunting but under no cirumstances should they be threatened physically

 

[Thewlis Dish]

no way should players have to put up with that, yes they are professionals and they have to put up with taunting but under no cirumstances should they be threatened physically

Correct.

At the same time, there is no way a professional sportsman should go after fans in the stands. I don't care if they were provoked in any way, shape or form, they are professional athletes, and they have no place doing what they did. The worst fans involved should be banned for life, but people excusing the actions of JO, Artest and Jackson with lines like "They were only sticking up for themselves" and "I would have done the same thing" is laughable. This isn't a playground game where if someone hits you, you hit back and defend your mates, this is a professional NBA game, where the players have no place reacting like that. If they can't restrain themselves, then they shouldn't be out there playing.

When Artest was hit by that bottle, every Indiana player should have headed straight to the lockerrooms and refused to come back out on the court. As was mentioned before, can you imagine if an AFL player jumped into the stands to remonstrate with a fan after being provoked? The player would get a life ban.

 

[WoD]

Correct.

At the same time, there is no way a professional sportsman should go after fans in the stands. I don't care if they were provoked in any way, shape or form, they are professional athletes, and they have no place doing what they did. The worst fans involved should be banned for life, but people excusing the actions of JO, Artest and Jackson with lines like "They were only sticking up for themselves" and "I would have done the same thing" is laughable. This isn't a playground game where if someone hits you, you hit back and defend your mates, this is a professional NBA game, where the players have no place reacting like that. If they can't restrain themselves, then they shouldn't be out there playing.

When Artest was hit by that bottle, every Indiana player should have headed straight to the lockerrooms and refused to come back out on the court. As was mentioned before, can you imagine if an AFL player jumped into the stands to remonstrate with a fan after being provoked? The player would get a life ban.

at no time was i excusing artests actions, i just hope the nba realises wallace is just as guilty as artest is when they are handing out suspensions

 

[Thewlis Dish]

at no time was i excusing artests actions, i just hope the nba realises wallace is just as guilty as artest is when they are handing out suspensions

How so?

Wallace should be suspended - it was a cheap foul with the result already decided, but he had no place reacting like that. But there is a huge difference between fighting with another player and going into the stands and fighting amongst fans. Whether Wallace started the whole thing or not, he wasn't in the stands fighting fans.

 

[WoD]

of course he wasnt, he didnt have cups, chairs, popcorn, drinks, and fists thrown at him

 

[mattyc2422]

"I know him as a kind-hearted person," Popovich said. "There is a toughness about him, but I just hated seeing him out there in the stands swinging. I wish he could have done like Mike Brown, who was up there trying to hold guys back.

"I know you're never supposed to go into the stands, but in a melee like that you do what you can to break it up. I just hated seeing Jack like that."

 

[BB gun]

If that happened in the AFL the fan (who through the liquid) would be banned for life and Artest suspended for a year. The NBA works differently though, the indefinate suspension will be lifted before you know it and Artist will be back playing.

"NBA player going into the stands and punching a fan happened in February 1995, when Vernon Maxwell of the Houston Rockets pummeled a spectator in Portland. The league suspended him for 10 games and fined him $20,000."
while "Dennis Rodman was suspended 11 games for kicking a courtside cameraman in the groin and six games for head-butting a referee".

J Hird( who earns much less than Maxwell) got fined more for making comments about a umpire.

 

[WoD]

vernon maxwell was never physically provoked and assaulted though

 

[stmookeyj]

MY 2 CENTS

Sure, suspend the guys for what they did. That certainly should not happen and they deserve every week or game they get.

BUT WHY HAVEN'T THE NBA DONE ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT SPARKED THE SCENES IN THE CROWD? (After the Wallace-Artest hargy bargy) NOTHING. I'm sorry, and I know it's no excuse to biff a paying fan, but would you react in that manner if you were pelted with beer? Of course you would (unless you were KO'ed or Very Deeply Religious). The NBA must either make the Pistons play in an empty arena OR make them play home games in a location 200 miles away. It's no excuse to belt fans, but it is also no excuse to try and get a reaction by launching projectiles. Indeed if I was a coach or owner, I would not want to play in Detroit for fear of my own or my club's safety.

 

[Thewlis Dish]

vernon maxwell was never physically provoked and assaulted though

Nope, he was subject to racial remarks and taunts about the death of his kid. And that still didn't excuse his actions.

The league suspended the players involved because they knew straight away who there were. They'll be studying hundreds of hours of footage to pick out the main offenders before they take action on the crowd situation, but it's not as if people are going to get off scot free.

 

[WoD]

as i said in the other thread, how does maxwell get 10 games and artest gets 72

 

[mattyc2422]

"There was a time at the bus where they were telling us to turn off the lights because they were afraid people would shoot at our bus," Harrison said.

 

[Booze Hound]

In the Maxwell case I understand the League showed some sympathy noting the nature of the comments relating to his dead daughter. He also showed a degree of contrition afterwards.

In this case:

What would have a happened if Artest had left the drink thrower to the stadium authorities, as he should have done?

1. The 'fan' gets a long, maybe life, ban from NBA matches.

2. Ben Wallace gets a ban for for few matches.

3. The game we love is not tarnished to the extent of making headlines in papers who normally give it minimum coverage.

There are conceivable reasons for a player going into the stand (one happened in British basketball years ago when a player thought his brother was being physically attacked) but this is well short of that line.

These bans mean there is a chance of the father and his tearful young son whose picture I saw remaining fans.

The NBA Clubs need to announce before every game that spectactors being overly abusive to players, throwing any item or stepping on court will be removed and further action may be taken.

The Clubs should also regularly remind their players of their responsibilties.

Will we see Artest in the NBA again?

 

[Adrian Shelton]

Who hears the appeal? I think the guy that threw $hit at Ron-Ron should be banned from all basketball(and maybe all other pro sports arenas) for good. Plus how did that fat ******** get down to the court? 30-40 games for Ron maybe but not the whole season, wonder if he'd have a civil case against the guy for loss of earnings?

 

[Thewlis Dish]

30-40 games for Ron maybe but not the whole season, wonder if he'd have a civil case against the guy for loss of earnings?

The situation wasn't threatening to anyone until Artest actually went into the crowd, and even if he did/could sue, he'd lose a lot more if the fan he wrongfully jumped decided to sue him too.

 

[Daytripper]

as i said in the other thread, how does maxwell get 10 games and artest gets 72

Simple really.
Maxwell was provoked and attacked the right guy.

Artest was provoked and attacked the wrong spectator.

Fans, rightly or wrongly, may feel that they can attend a NBA game and get attacked by a player leaping the stands simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

If Artest had attacked the spectator that provoked him he may have got off easier.

 

[Colonel Matrix]

Simple really.
Maxwell was provoked and attacked the right guy.

Artest was provoked and attacked the wrong spectator.

Fans, rightly or wrongly, may feel that they can attend a NBA game and get attacked by a player leaping the stands simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

If Artest had attacked the spectator that provoked him he may have got off easier.

Artest hit the right guy, as soon as he turned around and ran at the crowd they all parted and were pretty much all looking at the guy sitting by himself who was crapping in his pants over what he did.

 

[Portmanteau]

No, he didn't hit the right guy. If you've got the video, the guy to the left of the guy who he grabs (wearing a blue Pistons jacket/vest thing, and white hat) is the guy who threw the beer. He seems braced for impact ready to go before Artest grabs the guy in the black shirt (who I'm pretty sure he doesn't punch, just grab around the collar).

The guy who actually threw the beer, amongst others, then surround Artest... and this is when Stephen Jackson starts getting involved.

 

[krisholio14]

as a detroit fan, im devastated by this occurance. we do deserve the empty stadium treatment for at least 10 home games. we dont need yobbos like this inciting people. the thing that hasnt been mentioned here is, yes artest was on the table, but i believe the spectator has picked his target fully knowing he'd snap like a twig. it woulda been like throwing a pie at robbie muir back in the 70's at moorabbin. artest is not going to show restraint in this situation because yes, he is a nutter, but you shouldnt have to cop that crap.

i think hes been raped by the NBA also, and if there are any law suits from fans as a result of this, ill find it hard to watch another NBA game.

too many fans these days are following the homer simpson motto 'this ticket gives me the right, no, the duty, to make a complete ass of myself' just coz we all pay to watch, does not give us the right to violate.

 

[monarch4]

Been sitting here for the last few minutes reading the replies to this particular topic and some points have come to mind.

I'm thinking in this day and age of the nba (high player salaries etc, etc, etc) high stakes are involved. Watching this particular brawl on espn and what took place in the 72 hours after, i find disturbing that what started as a push and shove after a soft foul evolved into the scenes we viewed on tv.

I don't condone this sort of behaviour whatsoever and i feel the penalties dished out by the nba commision to be justified. And I believe the throwing of the water bottle from the spectator involved was a very cowardly act and should be dealt with accordingly.

I'm thinking to myself watching this episode is what are we teaching our kids........that violence in sport is o.k............i don't believe it is.

 

[- PC -]

Been sitting here for the last few minutes reading the replies to this particular topic and some points have come to mind.

I'm thinking in this day and age of the nba (high player salaries etc, etc, etc) high stakes are involved. Watching this particular brawl on espn and what took place in the 72 hours after, i find disturbing that what started as a push and shove after a soft foul evolved into the scenes we viewed on tv.

I don't condone this sort of behaviour whatsoever and i feel the penalties dished out by the nba commision to be justified. And I believe the throwing of the water bottle from the spectator involved was a very cowardly act and should be dealt with accordingly.

I'm thinking to myself watching this episode is what are we teaching our kids........that violence in sport is o.k............i don't believe it is.

Agree 100% ...if your going to look at the player why cant we look at the fans?

Krisholio I understand your frustration but the player MUST keep his temper in check no matter how much of a Homer the fan is.

Are Detroit an aligned club with Richmond?

 

[monarch4]

Agree 100% ...if your going to look at the player why cant we look at the fans?

Krisholio I understand your frustration but the player MUST keep his temper in check no matter how much of a Homer the fan is.

Are Detroit an aligned club with Richmond?

I heard they had a host club arrangement

 

[Boomerfan99]

Has anyone watched the doco that just dropped on Netflix? Fantastic watch, but didn't change my mind at all. Artest shouldn't have run into the stands.

Still hilarious watching that 5 foot 5 guy run onto the court and challenge a worked up Artest. Got everything that was coming to him.