Posted on 11/21/2004 4:05:38 PM PST by El Conservador
NEW YORK (AP) -- Ron Artest was suspended for the rest of the season Sunday as the NBA came down hard on three members of the Indiana Pacers for fighting with fans when a melee broke out at the end of a game against the Detroit Pistons.
Overall, nine players from the teams were banned for more than 140 games, including some of the harshest penalties the league ever issued. Artest is the first player to be suspended for nearly an entire season for a fight during a game.
``The message the league sent was so powerful to players that they'll never do that again,'' Pistons CEO Tom Wilson said.
Indiana's Stephen Jackson was suspended for 30 games and Jermaine O'Neal for 25. Detroit's Ben Wallace -- whose shove of Artest after a foul led to the 5-minute fracas -- drew a six-game ban, while Pacers guard Anthony Johnson got five games.
``I'm sick about that for Indiana. I'm devastated for them,'' Pistons coach Larry Brown said. ``And we lost our heart and soul.''
Four players were suspended for a game apiece: Indiana's Reggie Miller, and Detroit's Chauncey Billups, Elden Campbell and Derrick Coleman.
All of the suspensions are without pay.
Artest, O'Neal and Jackson -- who all threw punches at fans in the stands or on the court at the end of the nationally televised Pacers-Pistons game Friday night -- began serving their suspensions Saturday. Indiana, limited to just six players because of the suspensions and injuries, dropped an 86-83 decision to Orlando.
``The actions of the players involved wildly exceeded the professionalism and self-control that should fairly be expected from NBA players,'' NBA commissioner David Stern said in a statement, adding that the league must not ``allow our sport to be debased by what seem to be declining expectations.''
The NBA also has to ``redefine the bounds of acceptable conduct for fans attending our games and resolve to permanently exclude those who overstep those bounds,'' Stern said.
He added that security procedures in all NBA arenas will be reviewed and rules need to be added to prevent a repeat of what happened at Auburn Hills, Mich., on Friday.
For Sunday night's home game against the Charlotte Bobcats -- Detroit's first outing since the melee -- the Pistons doubled the number of armed police to about 20 in the arena and increased other arena security personnel by about 25 percent.
When some spectators lined up to take pictures with Pistons guard Lindsey Hunter on the court before the game, two police officers stood just a few feet away.
The brawl was particularly violent, with Artest and Jackson bolting into the stands near center court and throwing punches at fans after debris was tossed at the players.
Later, fans who came onto the court were punched in the face by Artest and O'Neal.
Nine people were treated for injuries, and police are investigating possible criminal charges.
Wallace began the fracas by delivering a hard, two-handed shove to Artest after Wallace was fouled on a drive to the basket with 45.9 seconds remaining. After the fight ended, the referees called off the rest of the game.
The initial skirmish wasn't all that bad, with Artest retreating to the scorer's table and lying atop it after Wallace sent him reeling backward. But when a fan tossed a cup at Artest, he stormed into the stands, throwing punches as he climbed over seats.
Jackson joined Artest and threw punches at fans, who punched back. At one point, a chair was tossed into the fray.
The most recent example of an NBA player going into the stands and punching a fan came in February 1995, when Vernon Maxwell of the Houston Rockets pummeled a spectator in Portland. The league suspended him for 10 games and fined him $20,000.
Among the harshest non-drug-related penalties in NBA history was a one-year suspension of Latrell Sprewell -- later reduced to 68 games -- for choking Golden State Warriors coach P.J. Carlesimo at practice.
Kermit Washington of the Los Angeles Lakers drew a 60-day (26-game) suspension in 1977 for a punch that broke the jaw of the Houston Rockets' Rudy Tomjanovich during a game, while Dennis Rodman was suspended 11 games for kicking a courtside cameraman in the groin and six games for head-butting a referee.
Artest was benched for two games this month for asking Pacers coach Rick Carlisle for time off because of a busy schedule that included promoting a rap album.
Artest was suspended twice by the NBA last season, once for leaving the bench during a fracas at a Pacers-Celtics playoff game; the other for elbowing Portland's Derek Anderson. During the 2002-03 season, Artest was suspended five times by the NBA and once by the Pacers for a total of 12 games.
Artest also once grabbed a television camera and smashed it to the ground after a loss to the Knicks two years ago.
Updated on Sunday, Nov 21, 2004 6:42 pm EST
Already well underway in this household, and untold others. I heartily recommend the banishment of all tattooed gangsta morons from one's life ... it feels good.
Are you sure he punched the guy who threw the beer.Looked like he just picked the biggest loud mouth and attacked.If you look at the video while he was laying on the scorers table you can see the guy he attacked.His hands are empty.He also swung at the fat guy on the floor before the guy gave any indication of attacking him.Then his buddy sucker punched the fat guy.This has nothing to do with which team anyone supports, but I have to wonder about the ethics of anyone who tries to make excuses for these thugs.
Professional athletes (figure skating is an exception)
are generally speaking above the law, especially regarding crimes involving violence or sex.
The police and prosecuting attorneys who allow this are a disgrace to their profession and our nation whose laws they are sworn to uphold (but I bet they get plenty of comps to athletic events, signed balls etc.)
This pattern frequently starts in high school.
Kudos to OSU for its recent going against the grain on the athlete crime issue.
"Shoving another player is not criminal, smacking a fan in the mouth with your fist is a criminal act. No comparison."
Even worse if it's the wrong person one is assaulting!
Give me a break. Not all NBA players are like Allen Iverson. There are great players and a lot of all around good guys in the NBA. Just because there are some idiots in the NBA doesn't mean that all are bad. You don't call the entire Congress a bunch of idiots just because of Ted Kennedy and Nancy Pelosi.
What would you recommend for the fan that tossed the drink?
I don't know, but as a longtime Lakers' fan, I have heard P.A. announcer Lawrence Tanter repeatedly give a pre-game address similar to the following:
"Ladies and gentlemen, in the spirit of good sportsmanship, and as a courtesy to players and spectators, the NBA requests that you please refrain from throwing any objects, either on the court, or in the stands. Such actions can cause serious injury; violators will be ejected and subject to criminal arrest.
"Also, the Forum (Staples Center) would like to remind you that any fan who goes on to the court, or otherwise disrupts play in any manner, will be ejected, and subject to criminal arrest."
Now, I don't exactly know what part of all that they don't get....
On an extremely sarcastic note (saving me the /sarcasm tag at the end), it's Bush's fault, Tom Daschle is deeply saddened, I find the timing suspicious, and there is no terrorist threat.
Yeah, running up into the stands and attacking the wrong guy is legitimate self-defense.
My brother had an interesting take on all of this. Basically, Indiana's team is destroyed for the rest of the season. They are out of contention. Being that Detroit and Indiana were the top two teams, the Detroit fans, security, etc. actually succeeded in destroying the opposition. What kind of message does that sent to other nutty fans from other cities who might want to provoke opposition players. The guy who got the least amount of punishment is the guy who started it all. I don't really care, not an NBA fan, but I thought might be interesting to those of you who do.
But Artest didn't fight Wallace back.
Right. What is the reason for Wallace's 7 game suspension though? He shouldn't be responsible for the actions of O'Neil- Artest- and jackson...
I think the NBA should have kicked Jackson out for the season too.
I don't know what Artesat makes a year-- but due to his uncontrollable manner- it will cost him 10 Million in lost salary--- O'Niel probbaly makes 15 mil a year-- so him jacking that guy in the face will cost him close to 5 Million--
Idiots!
As to the rest of it, were there any monetary fines in addition to the suspensions? If not, there should be.
And the fans who throw sh*t should face some sort of civil fine, penalty, jail time, etc. You can't yell "fire" in a crowed theater and you damn well shouldn't be allowed to throw whatever onto the court, field or anywhere else.
Not even close champ.
A 6'-7", 250# halfwit gets hit with a cupful of ice and goes off on everybody in sight.
Because he knew he'd get his a$$ kicked. So instead he took out his rage by jumping some smaller fans. Now he's scored some major points with his gangsta rap customers.
Arrest and prosecution.
Denial of access to future games.
Full rights of prosecution of whoever may have assaulted him.
I guess the hip hop culture of the NBA blew up in a lot of faces. It's about time people wised up to the thuggery that passes for basketball these days.
The only people more disgusting, idiotic, and criminal than the players were the fans.
Ben Wallace threw the towel that incited the melee. If he does not throw the towel, the fan never throws the beer. More importantly, if he never unjustly retaliates for a hard foul, none of this never occurs.
ROFL!
Thug #1 you mean?
Ben Wallace is a tiny step up from the criminals that pass for Pistons fans.
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