Pacers Pistons game ends up in major violence ... WOW

Fox Sports Midwest

[LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget]

Big time fist throwing. Fans, players and more. Any thoughts ?

[finnman69]

the white guy in glasses and the dark shirt that Artest jumper will be getting a very nice check from Mr. Artest.

[NYCVirago]

It's like that. Maybe it wasn't that bad at Pop Warner years ago, but I don't really see this incident as being linked with the coarsening of society and sport. And again, as people have pointed out, its MUCH worse outside the US.

The Pistons/Pacers' part of the brawl among each other was pretty tame, and it was pretty much over, at any rate, when the fans started throwing stuff. I blame the fans and the lousy security for the night getting out of hand. I don't blame the players for defending themselves. As for the attitude that it was no big deal to have beer thrown at you, it could have been a battery or a rock or something that could have seriously injured a player.

[Skywalk]

You're right, Artest pushed(didn't see an actual punch though) the wrong guy, but Jackson clocked the guilty party.

Not saying it's "right" but if you're on the street and some guy throws beer on you, I'm guessing he'd at least get a punch.

That said, Jackson was being an arse and was definitely needing to be restrained, even if he DID clock the right guy.

SOme of the other guys were innocent until they were attacked by fans(Tinsley, Jermaine O Neal, etc)

[mhking]

He should get the third most serious punishment behind Jackson and Artest.

"Third most" my foot. All three of them should be trundled out of the league. Period.

You don't go after fans. Period.

Stern has a responsibility to meet out the harshest punishment possible. And as far as I'm conerned, the trio should be banished.

If they want to play ball so damn bad, then they should find a playground somewhere. They have no business being called "professionals."

Just damn.

If you want on the list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget]

How so? Beer is just yeast piss. Not quite as processed as human piss. Piss nonetheless.

[RayChuang88]

And again, as people have pointed out, its MUCH worse outside the US.

One of the big problems with soccer games in Europe and Africa is that agitated fans can cause violence with horrifying results. In 1985, during a soccer match in Belgium between Liverpool (England) and Juventus (Italy) teams, a fan riot caused some 38 deaths, which resulted in English soccer teams being banned from European competitions for a number of years. This tragedy and one that occurred in England four years later forced every soccer team in Europe to seriously upgrade their stadiums with better seating and much better security; Arsenal, one of the best-known teams in English Premier League soccer, is about to open a brand-new stadium with amenities more like that of American sports stadiums.

What happened tonight in Detroit would be considered a minor skirmish by European standards.

[Dutchmafia]

As I see it, I just want to hold everyone accountable for their actions. Assault is assault. Let's not hold these NBA player's hands. They're not to be pitied.

[myvoice]

LOL. Way back when men would just take it outside and be done with it. Not that I think violence is a good thing.

[Doctorlawyer]

Only a naive observer would conclude that "throwing a beer out of the stands" is just juvenile. Under some circumstances, such an "action" could be viewed as criminal battery.

[finnman69]

[Mr. Mojo]

Listening to Jim Gray's recap right now, and he seems extremely unnerved. ....voice shaking bigtime.

Never liked that guy.

[SouthTexas]

I don't know how lying on the table is a "taunt."

It's more of a slap in the face of the fans. As we tell those in the music industry who dabble in politics, "shut up and sing". The fans paid to watch him play, not recline on the sidelines.

[finnman69]

you have a point...

[NYCVirago]

They showed little kids in the stands. There was one little boy about 5 years old being comforted by his older brother. The little boy was crying and his older brother was holding him and stroking his head. What a good big brother. Poor kids.

They said on ESPNews that those were one of the player's kids, but they didn't say which player. How scary for those kids.

[Voss]

Reads like a pretty accurate play-by-play of what I watched on ESPN four or five times. But it took me at least a couple of viewings to realize that it really escalated once the fans got involved.

[80skid]

lol, lol. Never have either.

[Skywalk]

What? He wasn't lying on the table during play, he was reclining while the jawing and fighting died down.

Please, hold him responsible for running into the stands at first, but don't start making stuff up.

[MonaMars]

"Going into the stands at a sporting event is one of the dumbest things a professional athlete can do."

And yet I love that footage of Mike Milbury (NHL) beating a fan with the fan's own shoe. A true sports brawl classic. No NBA melee could ever top it.

[Skywalk]

Well, it doesn't help if you know some jerk threw a bottle of beer at a ref. But yes, most sports fans do not like Jim Gray, though occasionally he does provide some entertainment with an annoying question.

[NYCVirago]

Can anyone tell me how much tickets to NBA games go for these days? Whatever it is, it's too much when paying spectators are subjected to being attacked by players.

I don't care how much the tickets cost. It doesn't give the fans the right to throw stuff at players.