Posted on 11/21/2004 8:30:36 AM PST by Stew Padasso
Artest To Get 30-Game Suspension For Brawl, Station Reports
WDIV-TV In Brawl Says 4 Players Suspended
POSTED: 10:24 am EST November 21, 2004 UPDATED: 11:17 am EST November 21, 2004
The National Basketball Association suspended four players involved in Friday night's fight at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
WDIV-TV in Detroit is reporting today that Ben Wallace of the Pistons and Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson and Jermaine O'Neal of the Pacers will be suspended for the following number of games:
Ron Artest -- 30 Games Stephen Jackson -- 20 Games Jermaine O'Neal -- 20 Games Ben Wallace -- 5 Games
The NBA is expected to formally announce the suspensions as early as today for their roles in the ugly brawl at the end of a Pacers-Pistons game.
Indiana's Ron Artest, Jermaine O'Neal and Stephen Jackson, and Detroit's Ben Wallace were suspended indefinitely by the NBA on Saturday.
League officials continue to examine videotapes of Friday's fight.
It all started in the final seconds when Wallace went in for a layup and was fouled hard from behind. Wallace then spun around and pushed an Indiana player in the face. The benches emptied and punches were thrown. Fans got involved by throwing popcorn, beer and even a chair.
"No one can condone the level of incitement and violence we all witnessed. Clearly, there's a need to institute measures and safeguards to improve the safety of players and fans alike, to ensure that an incident like this never occurs again," said G. William Hunter, executive director of the NBA players' association.
NBA Commissioner David Stern called the brawl "shocking, repulsive and inexcusable." The Oakland County prosecutors office is reviewing videotapes of the incident after police questioned witnesses. Authorities plan to talk to the players involved.
Police said Saturday about a half-dozen people have been treated for injuries after a fight between Detroit Piston fans and Indiana players.
Most were treated at the Pistons' home arena, while two went to a local hospital. Michigan police are talking to witnesses and reviewing videotape, and officers also plan to talk to the players involved.
An Auburn Hills deputy chief said police hope to present the case to prosecutors "before Thanksgiving." He said the Oakland County Prosecutors Office will then decide whether to file charges.
Meanwhile, on Saturday night the undermanned Indiana Pacers found themselves on the losing end of an 86-83 decision against the Orlando Magic on Saturday at Conseco Fieldhouse.
The punishment should have gone:
Ron Artest -- 10 Games
Stephen Jackson -- 10 Games
Jermaine O'Neal -- 5 Games
Ben Wallace -- 5 Games
What about criminal charges?
Wow that's a lot of games. Someone must be steamed!
Jail time should also be added.
Nonsense, the punushment fits the crime. The NBA is sending a message to the players. Do not fight the fans.
Better yet, cancel the season altogether. Artest can concentrate on his rappin'.
I'm outraged that the suspensions are so light. They should have been banned for the remainder of the season - at a minumum. Personally, I think that the thug who first chased that fan into the stands should be banned for life.
Who gives a crap about how the Pacers might do this season without them? Surely they can find replacement players who are capable of dribbling a ball.
All those players should have been suspended for the rest of the season and had criminal charges filed.
The players who went into the stands should be permanently barred from the game, imo.
And criminal charges will probably be filed and some people who were punched by the thugs who call themselves athletes will be awarded a lot of $$. Which is good.
You are "stupid."
A decision by police on those is still pending. Sorry, but the three Pacers players should have been booted out for good. Sooner or later one of these idiots is going to kill someone.
Agreed.
Artest got off lucky, I thought it was going to be 40 games..
Well now he has all that time to promote his rap album, just like he wanted. Methinks this is a case of "don't throw me in the briar patch, B'rer Rabbit."
In real life, if an employee was provoked by a customer (say, the customer threw a cup of ice at him) and the employee slugged the customer, the employee would be fired on the spot. After word got out about what had happened, the fired employee wouldn't be hired by anyone. He might have to start his own rap label to make a living.
That's with no pay, right?
Hope the police come down hard on these thugs.
Civil suits will follow...paid for by the team & not the players.....unfortunately.
(Ironic statement, considering my tagline, huh?)
BTW, reading the comments from around the NBA, I see that the rest of the league doesn't really consider these guys to have done anything so awful. That's exactly why the commissioner should have kicked 'em out for the rest of the season. There needs to be a complete attitude change in the league. If not, I'm boycotting the NBA until further notice. That includes the playoffs and the championship game. I'm serious.
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