This is why you should never pass up an opportunity to rant and rave.

[kellinator]

For a couple of weeks now I've been wanting to post my thoughts on the new NBA season, but just haven't had time to do it right, or so I thought. Well, big deal now, because all anyone's going to talk about for the rest of the season is the Pacers/Pistons fight. Seriously, like twenty people in nbafans   posted the suspensions like they thought they were breaking the news. So I got to see it on my friends list at least twenty times. Which is maaaaybe a tiny part of why I had to go to skip=900 to catch up. But I digress.

But... yeah. Sad. A few random thoughts:

• What the fuck was Ben Wallace thinking? Starting stuff with Ron Artest is like playing with matches in a fireworks factory. Wallace isn't stupid...
• ...therefore my really cynical side wonders if the Pistons were hoping to start something that would get Artest suspended and the Pacers down in the standings. But probably I've just been smoking too much crack.*
• Kobe Bryant should send Ron Artest the biggest bouquet of flowers he's ever seen as a thank-you for taking over the NBA's Public Enemy Number One spot. Maybe one of them big diamonds too.
• Though I'm hardly the first to mention it, I'm still digging the irony of Rasheed Wallace and Rick Mahorn trying to break up a fight.
• Am I the only one betting Terrell Owens is secretly pissed that this has gotten everyone to forget about the Monday Night Football kerfuffle? Which I still can't believe. I saw a lot more than that as a kid watching soap operas with my mom. If you want my opinion (and you probably don't), that was all about race. Beer-drinkin' football-watchin' rednecks like my dad don't want to see a blue-eyed blond throwing herself at a big black athlete. Truth be told, I thought the skit was pretty funny.
• The fans who ran out on the court were trying to provoke shit so they could file lawsuits, and I hope they won't be able to work the system.
• All the talk that this is going to destroy the NBA is ludicrous. Is it bad for the image? Of course. But so was Latrell Sprewell choking his coach, and he went on to be an All-Star and fan favorite. And face it, as Artest would say, you can't buy this kind of publicity. Hi, I'm Mark Cuban! Only not really so the NBA can't fine me for what I say in my blog. Which is good because I ain't got no money. I'd call myself the poor man's Mark Cuban except I don't think even I'm that crazy.
• Finally, it's kind of troubling to me that for all the talk from the commentators about what a great organization the Pacers are, apparently nobody ever sat down with Ron Artest to talk about getting some help. If he was limping in practice they would have sent him to a doctor; why didn't they at least try here? Is it because of the mental-health stigma? Or they didn't think he would do anything about it? Even from the most mercenary standpoint, you'd think they would want to protect their investment.

 

 * The Kellinator does not actually smoke crack, nor does she condone the smoking of crack. Crack is wack.

Comments

[bossieboots.livejournal.com]

Do be a milk drinker. Don't be a crack addict.

[kellinator.livejournal.com]

Kay Howard, how I love thee...

So, are you feeling the MunchenKay? Or is that one just me?

[bossieboots.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's TOTALLY there. I'm not too far along in season 5, but season 4 is chock full. Especially that DANCE...

[sempereadem.livejournal.com]

As much as I don't condone the NBA players beating up on the fans, I am even more disgusted at the fans. You throw things at people, and you're surprised that it pisses them off? They should be ashamed.

[kellinator.livejournal.com]

I agree absolutely. I'm also annoyed that they will try to milk it for money. But it sounds like charges may be filed against the fans as well as the players.

[raistlinbrown.livejournal.com]

What the fuck was Ben Wallace thinking? Starting stuff with Ron Artest is like playing with matches in a fireworks factory. Wallace isn't stupid...

You get out on the court with your adrenaline up, and you tend to abandon reason and act on instinct. Artest's aggressive style of play probably has gotten on a lot of players' nerves. Even the most level-headed players have snapped from time to time. That said, I like your conspiracy theory. :- )

Though I'm hardly the first to mention it, I'm still digging the irony of Rasheed Wallace and Rick Mahorn trying to break up a fight.

You were the first one I heard mention it. That is very funny.

If you want my opinion (and you probably don't), that was all about race. Beer-drinkin' football-watchin' rednecks like my dad don't want to see a blue-eyed blond throwing herself at a big black athlete. Truth be told, I thought the skit was pretty funny.

I agree that a lot of bigots were annoyed because they perceived racial undertones. But never underestimate the prude factor in this country. I genuinely believe just as many people were upset by the sex on behalf of their kids.

I thought the skit was a clever cross-promotion, too, but while I've seen much worse as well in the afternoon soaps or on Jerry Springer, I think the distinction lies in the expectations for the programming. You might have someone who lets his/her kids watch the NFL but not a show like Desperate Housewives. As such, I can see how it could be an unpleasant surprise.

If he was limping in practice they would have sent him to a doctor; why didn't they at least try here? Is it because of the mental-health stigma? Or they didn't think he would do anything about it?

Some people just won't let themselves be helped. That recent incident Artest pulled about producing a record and taking time off from the team illustrates that the Pacers weren't connecting with him on all levels.

I know what you mean, though. If the NBA were like any other job, there would be a lot less leeway for its employees. The problem is that the "employees" in this star-driven business end up holding far more leverage than the employers. That's not to say I'm anti-union and pro-ownership; I just think it's a function of the system where you're idolizing these kids at 17 with free shoes and a myriad of other perks. It's just too much, too fast.

[kellinator.livejournal.com]

You might have someone who lets his/her kids watch the NFL but not a show like Desperate Housewives. As such, I can see how it could be an unpleasant surprise.

True dat... but I've been very uncomfortable with the tone of some of the people claiming that. One guy (don't remember who) was railing about how wrong it was; when someone called him on the cheerleaders in skimpy outfits, he said that was totally different because it's part of the game. Which I fail to understand. Part of me wonders if it's sexism, if women are supposed to be scantily clad and shaking their groove thing while gazing adoringly at the players, but one taking control of her own sexuality is scary. And hey! She disrupts the football game to boot! She's obviously evil!

I wish I could have found a way to make a career out of riffing on pop culture and its underpinnings. I might have in grad school if I hadn't choked under all the theory.

[ariedana.livejournal.com]

TO actually told a newspaper yesterday that he was glad this happened because it points directly to his "I'm no hoodlum - look at them!" example. And he does have a point there. Plus he was sick of talking about it, supposedly, although I doubt TO has ever been sick of doing anything involving a microphone and a writer's notebook.

And incidentally, as the person who gets the feedback email for an ABC affiliate, I didn't get one email about Desperate Housewives before the MNF promo. NOT ONE. After that aired, suddenly we got emails saying that we were promoting "sluts". Do I think that it's a race thing? Hell yeah! If parents are so concerned about sexual symbolism in their football games, then they need to get TiVos to delete every commercial and every promo. This one just pushed buttons, and it's disgusting how two-faced our society is.

Finally, it's good that they punished the guys for going into the stands, but those fans have to get cracked down on. And I'm not just talking about the guy who threw the cup and the ones who came on the court to fight Artest and O'Neal. I'm talking about the guys who threw everything but their firstborns at the players as they tried to get into the tunnel. That's something I saw a lot of on ESPNews on Saturday but hasn't been addressed at large. The whole crowd turned into hooligans, and they need to be treated just like hooligans are treated in international football (or, for that matter, in high schools across the country.) Make the Pistons play without a home crowd for a few games. Not only does that teach the fans a lesson, but it takes a bite into the Pistons' revenues, which they deserve. Their security sucked big-time that night, and honestly they're very lucky that no one died.

The Pacers *would* have gotten Artest some help...

[underwhelming.livejournal.com]

...were it not for the all-powerful NBA players' union. The Pacers would've caught 9 shades of hell from the union the moment they confronted him with, "Ron, we think you have a problem..." Unfortunately, the time bomb had to explode before anyone could approach the idea of detonating it. Same goes for the NFL, NHL and MLB unions.

[yendi]

Wallace's older brother died earlier that same week (maybe the week before), which would likely make even a normally-nice played a tad grumpy. Having a perennial bad boy/asshole commit a hard and deliberate (if not technically flagrant) foul was probably more than enough to set him off.

[kellinator.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, you're right. I had forgotten about that. That would certainly do it. :(

[ariedana.livejournal.com]

On the other hand, another one of his brothers is supposedly one of the people most involved in the fighting in the stands (according to ESPN Radio today.)

[misanthropist.livejournal.com]

Wallace got a cheap-shot in on Artest moments before, as did Rip Hamilton on Tinsley. It wasn't like Artest went crazy all of a sudden (this time).

And the foul was not that hard. Sorry.

[kelvinator.livejournal.com]

Ben Wallace strikes me as a generally nice (if built like a Mack truck) type o' guy. Artest, on the other hand, has Issues.

As for Rick Mahorn intervening, I copped a grin at that one too ;) - not too many people mention that once Rick established his presence the 'riot' kinda died down pretty fast. (I missed the cosmic irony of 'Sheed getting in there too - that takes it to another level) :) I'm left to wonder if Jim Brown was unavailable that night. It reminds me of an epic quote from when Big Rick was finishing his playing days with a young philly squad complete with a young, flashy, cornrowed point guard. Philly was playing Indy in the playoffs and losing bad. Rick, who was more assistant trainer than player, got called on to spell some stiff in the post. The quote went "Rick Mahorn checked into the game, and predictably, Pacers players soon started stumbling and falling all over the court." As Isaiah once said - 'he may be an asshole, but he's our asshole'.

I agree wholeheartedly on the two-face issue. If you sell beer, you're gonna have problems. Also - the fan started shit. Find him and make him pay. Better yet - make him do community service. With Ron Artest.

[misanthropist.livejournal.com]

Want to hear something bad? I like Ron Artest. What he did was wrong, but I think understandable for someone that is at best mentally limited, and at worst unbalanced.

The fans on the court got what they deserved. All.

Stephen Jackson, I thought, deserved the biggests suspenion. Artest was at least somewhat provoked.

Suspensions were unavoidable, but I have a problem with the end result for the Detroit fans being that their team no longer has any competition (sorry Miami) in the East. That seems unfair.

Any chance you'd want to take up managment of a fantasy team? I know you wanted to play,and we had someone quit on us...the catch is that your stuck with their roster. I know they have Dirk and Shaq, though, which is a pretty good starting point. Let me know.