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Blog*Spot ArchivesContactRichard Ceccarelli Josh Mandir |
Friday, November 19, 2004Motown MayhemThis makes the Oakland bullpen incident look like a tea party. Ron Artest and Steven Jackson are going to be suspended indefinitely, natch. I'd bet that this was the last time we see Artest in a Pacers uniform. In addition, Ben Wallace should get 10-15 games for starting the whole thing. As for the fans, the NBA (and all American sports, for that matter) should take a page from FIFA (the world's soccer governing body) and start forcing teams to play behind locked doors in empty stadiums in response to fan violence. Not so much as punishment for the fans themselves, but for teams who can't keep their fans under control. The Pistons should have to play one game in an empty house after refunding anyone who has already bought a ticket. Looking forward, security at the Palace clearly needs a major overhaul, as I didn't see a single security guard in that whole mess. One thing is for sure - the people of Detroit should be ashamed of themselves tonight. UPDATE: A Pistons official was just on ESPNews attempting to lay all the blame on the Pacers. Yes, players should always stay out of the stands. When they do go into the stands they deserve to (and will) be shit-hammered by the league. But at the same time, we must realize that there is a limit to human restraint. Getting hit in the face with a cup of beer is just about at that limit. Honestly, who among us wouldn't have a similar reaction given the circumstances? I know from personal experience that I would have done the same thing. Why should athletes be the only ones held to such an impossible standard? Ron Artest is going to get the punishment he deserves, but I can hardly blame him for what happened. |
