Posted on 11/21/2004 3:21:07 PM PST by Dan from Michigan
My letter to the NBA Players Associayion:
Dear Sirs,
I hope you will do your jobs and oppose the draconian punishment being meted out to Pacer players and the franchise by David Stern. Considering the level of provocation the Pacers, and particularly Artest, suffered from the Pistons and their fans, a full season suspension of Ron Artest is outrageous. 25 games for Jermaine O'Neal? A gross outrage considering the lack of security and the vulnerability the Pacer players were experiencing. Fans coming on to the court wanting to fight with players and they cannot defend themselves and their teammates?
This is a terrible price for a franchise to pay and one that is clearly not fair. It is the Pistons themselves that benefit the most from the penalties the league has imposed against the Pacer's three top scorers. Why don't owners just pay thugs to start fights with the players to ruin their opponents season?
This is an outrage!
Charles McFarling
892lley Vista Court
Avon, IN 46123
cmcfarling@mcfarling.com
They do not get paid while they are suspended.
And the fans will be arrested by the regular police, and probably get on a no-fly list and barred from the rink. Or whatever you call the place where they were. That's what happens in hockey when this kind of thing breaks out, anyway.
Amen! And... Praise God! There is a "variety" of news.
For instance, the moderators here were kind enough to allow us horse racing fans threads on all three races in the Triple Crown series.
It never fails to amaze me that some posters believe they have sole knowledge as to what is and is not news. These same people also are able to stop at a thread they aren't interested in and don't believe is news to comment on how they aren't interested and don't believe it's news.
I'm glad that the moderators here know the difference.
I'm suspicious of the timing of this.
Why? What if Artest had actually killed that guy? Would the NBA suspension be adequate "justice" for that?
The fact is that he went into the stands and committed an assault. That's a crime. If a construction worker went into a crowd around a construction site and beat on an on-looker, would you feel the same way about it? How about if a musician or an actor went into the audience? To some extent, you look the other way if it's another player, but a fan? No WAY should the DA look the other way...
Thanks, that seems right.
Friday night was probably the biggest brawl in American sports history. And it was players vs. fans. ESPN shows the brawl (still) every hour.
Here's an article about the brewhaha
As for jail time, prosecution is possible but generally what happens on the court or immediately adjacent to the field of play in professional sports are things that prosecutors are loathe to bring charges about.
That's over in Vancover.
NBA = Nether Basketball Lowlives
what have you been smokin?
I think the fans should also be suspended for the season.
Where does the DA draw the line. Is every hockey fight going to be charged? That's what worries me.
Jesse and Al Sharpton will get involved. How many white players were suspended? Zero. Ipso facto racism.
Any player who went into the stands to attacks the fans should be banned from the NBA, imo.
It's called:
Different strokes for different folks!!!
If I am not interested in a particular article I move along to something else. Others should do the same don't ya think!
absolutely jesse and al are on the way funny how they are VERY silent about the racist remarks against Dr. Rice but I'm sure they will be out their defending a buffoon like Artest.
I guess this crapper rapper will now have plenty of time to promote his new CD.
Stern is on ESPN News. He says that anti-social behavior by fans needs to be addressed. How about focusing on basketball? These guys really cannot play the game, if they could they would not have embarrassed themselves in Athens by proving that they were more spoiled babies than professional athletes. The loud music, the light shows, and all the stupid hype was not necessary when great players like Tiny Archibald and Oscar Robertson were showing what skilled players that they were. Of course the salaries are so obscene and the ticket prices, parking, and concessions are so obscene, that they have tried to convince fans that they are having an out of body experience rather than watching a basketball game.
Good points. Those who follow basketball know this brawl is very unusual. Most seasons have a few pushing contests and maybe a blow thrown. Otherwise, the NBA is nothing like baseball or hockey.
Are there any products I'm supposed to stop buying because of this? :-/
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