Pistons BasketBrawl

[motortown]

Just wanted to get everybody's opinion on the Pistons-Pacers mini-riot that occurred at the Palace of Auburn Hills. People in the Metro Detroit area are pretty upset and sick over what happened. The majority of us have no tolerance for stupid, drunken fans who try to incite opposing players. Granted, you don't go into the stands. BUT YOU DON'T THROW CRAP AT PEOPLE EITHER!!! And going onto the court looking for people to sucker-punch?!! THAT'S INSANE!!!! I was at least glad to see that those classless idiots got their asses handed to them.

The Oakland County Prosecutor's Office will hopefully step up in a major way and find, prosecute, fine and/or jail the a-holes who thought that they could run around the Palace like it was a lawless colony just because some sh*t was happening on the court in front of them.

[Herfzilla]

That film was some of the wildest stuff I have ever seen. I still think that there is NO justification for a player diving into the stands and randomly throwing punches. Who knows if the guy you just nailed was the guy who threw the beer at you? The dudes who ran on the court, they were pretty much asking for a beatdown based on the circumstances. A lot of people used it as an excuse to show their collective azz, and that is reprehensible, too. Still, it is not pleasant to watch a millionaire NBA player blindside a fan and nail him in the face, even if the fan was a total ig-nor-a-moose and invaded the floor area looking for trouble. Anyone want to wager on how fast the first lawsuit gets filed?

[LasciviousXXX]

I see visions of litigations running amok through the NBA. Here we go again

[Bruce5]

I love Ben Wallace.... as a fan, not as a man!

[coppertop]

I am torn here. I totally agree with Motortown. But then again I agree with Herfzilla also. I think that both the athletes and fans need to be held responsible. We are all accountable for our own actions. I don't think a multi-millionare basketball player should rush into the stands and start whooping some azz. However, I don't think fans should get away with throwing beer and food at the players. Personally I blame this on the fans. Same goes with the Baseballl incident earlier this year (where a chair got tossed into the stands and a lady got her nose broke). I don't think the fans should get off with out some kind of fine. The players get fined, so should the fans. I know that the Pistons are looking to see if any of the fans who were involved are season ticket holders. And if they are they are going to pull them off the list......which I think is a good idea. But there should be other ways to punish the fans also. If your an a$$hole to a player, you should be kicked out and not allowed back for the next couple home games.


I don't watch the NBA anymore. Not because of this, but there is something lacking. IMHO I think basketball has gone down hill since Jordan left. I watched every game he played in. If it was on, I was watching it. He brought excitement to the game. To me, that isn't there anymore. I was and still am a huge Jordan fan. I think he is easily the best B-ball player of all time(right now of coarse). I don't think there is a person playing who could touch Jordan in his prime. Hell even after he came back he was still putting up 35 - 50 points a game.

[Brandon]

The fans were completely out of line and should not be allowed to anymore games for the season.

The players were even more out of line. They went after the fans like their lives were in danger... when they could have merely moved to the court and let security take care of it.

Someone brought up a point that I completely agree with. Say somebody threw something at a co-worker during a meeting, and the other person jumped across the table and started beating the chit out of the other person. That person would most likely be out of job that day.

What those players experience is part of their job and what they get paid to do. They had options other than jumping into the stands. It seems that the standards for acceptable behavior are different in our society if you are an actor, athlete, or have lots of money.

[coppertop]

I would agree with you Brandon. You make a great point.

[slowhand]

Artest should be banned for life. Along with Jackson. The fan who first threw the beer should be banned from the stadium. The players should be charged in a criminal court for aggravated assault. The fan, maybe minor assault for throwing the cup.

[(909)]

As a Hockey fan I would like to personally thank the NBA for filling my fall quota for sports related violence. I would also like to nominate Ron Artest for the Tie Domi award given to a professional sports figure that after being provoked, beats the hell out of a drunken fan.

Please God, bring back Hockey! I really need to see a Kings game!

[Pablo]

We all know Artest is a volatile character. What kills me is just how close Ron Artest was to being used as an example of how you SHOULD handle yourself in these situations.

His foul on Wallace was minor, and nowhere near flagrant. Wallace lost himself. Artest actually laid down on the scorers table as the melee started. If things calmed down right then and there, he would have been lauded by David Stern for his actions.

Instead the stupid drunk fanhole throws a full drink on him, and lights Artest's already short fuse. After that there was no turning back.

Everybody involved was at fault. The players have gotten theirs, I want to see some fans lose their season tickets, especially the jackoff who threw the drink.

[2chairs]

John Green was caught on tape throwing his cup of beer onto Indiana Pacers player Ron Artest. Green was identified over the weekend as "the fan in the white hat" who apparently threw the plastic cup of beer while Artest was sprawled on his back on a scorer's table. Green stepped aside and another person took the initial blow. The tape of Friday's fight then shows Green attacking Artest from behind.

Green has a criminal history, which includes the following offenses:

1986 -- Uttering and publishing, which is using a false, forged, altered or counterfeit record, deed or instrument to injure or defraud.
1986 -- Carrying concealed weapons
1989 -- Escape from prison
1989 -- Assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder
2003 -- Operating under the influence of liquor/operating while visibly impaired (second offense)

[kamikaiguy]

The problem is in the recruiting practices of the National Brawlers Association.

The Players are being recruited at younger and younger ages. Then they are given larger than life contracts. What do you expect from a 18 - 21 year old that is constantly praised as being great and not knowing any better. I say they should have to finish college and mature first. Then they can play. Even Rodman wasn't this bad.

Artest is just a thug. He was looking for a way to get suspended so that he could go and promote his album. This was his out.

[Wetterhorn]

Originally Posted by Brandon

The fans were completely out of line and should not be allowed to anymore games for the season.

The players were even more out of line. They went after the fans like their lives were in danger... when they could have merely moved to the court and let security take care of it.

Someone brought up a point that I completely agree with. Say somebody threw something at a co-worker during a meeting, and the other person jumped across the table and started beating the chit out of the other person. That person would most likely be out of job that day.

What those players experience is part of their job and what they get paid to do. They had options other than jumping into the stands. It seems that the standards for acceptable behavior are different in our society if you are an actor, athlete, or have lots of money.

Excellent points!

I agree completely that the fans were out of line, but to do what the players did is absolutely wrong. Ian O'Connor wrote the following in a commentary, entitled Brawl mirrors society:

"In the very building where the Pistons delivered a profound lesson in teamwork last June, their fans and their opponents opened an unforgettably vile window on the human condition.

"Stern indefinitely suspended Artest, Jackson, O'Neal and Wallace yesterday, and will drop the hammer in short order. Then the cops will have their say. Careers will be altered, people will be booked, and security policies will be changed.

"But a culture that knows no outrage lives on. We will continue to get apologies on Janet Jackson and Nicollette Sheridan from sports officials who package and sell sex and beer at every turn. We will continue to see boozed-up fans push the envelope in a push-the-envelope world, and we will continue to see frustrated athletes confront those fans in a most forceful way.

"How do we know this? Some two dozen people greeted the Pacers at Indianapolis International Airport in the small hours of yesterday, greeted them like returning heroes. Those people reportedly cheered the players, and the players reportedly waved and honked their horns.

"This is awesome," one 24-year-old man told The Indianapolis Star.

"What's awesome is the fact that nobody at the Palace died.

"But don't worry, that's coming in the next sports riot to end all sports riots."

There is something wrong with the culture, not only of the NBA, but of the culture withing the US that cultivates this sort of thing. The lack of civility is awful!

[galaga]

Originally Posted by (909)

As a Hockey fan I would like to personally thank the NBA for filling my fall quota for sports related violence. I would also like to nominate Ron Artest for the Tie Domi award given to a professional sports figure that after being provoked, beats the hell out of a drunken fan.

Please God, bring back Hockey! I really need to see a Kings game!

Isn't detox a b%tch --

[2chairs]

How twu. How twu.