Detroit fans vs Indiana Pacers

[Joel]

I have to disagree with you on this point. They are paid obscene amounts of money to play in the NBA. They have a responsibility at all times to show good sportsmanship, and be role models on as well as off the court.
Playgrounds across America imitate the athletes of the NBA.

Good sportsmanship I agree with. But I don't get your correlation between salary and the responsibility of being a role model? Being paid millions of dollars mandates one to act a certain way?

 

[len3.8]

Agreed. Fans should be quickly ejected. And if harsher action is taken by a fan, formal charges.

But I can't think of ANY reason to get into a fight because of something someone said - or a beer thrown at me.



I have to disagree with you on this point. They are paid obscene amounts of money to play in the NBA. They have a responsibility at all times to show good sportsmanship, and be role models on as well as off the court.
Playgrounds across America imitate the athletes of the NBA.

What money they are paid has nothing to do with it at all.
They are paid the money they are paid due to the ability that they have. The owners pay them, just like your employer pays you. Based on what they are worth. The public chooses if they are going to contribute to there pay, by buying tickets are memorabilia... As far as role models, Pick one person in the NBA, NFL, or Professional Baseball that signed up as a role model. They are often looked upon by kids and adults alike, but I wouldn't call them role models. I would be willing to bet that other than behavior of image clauses, they have nothing saying they have to be role models to kids. That is the parents job.

As far as the fans, If they threw something and assaulted him with it, he should go after them for the 4.5mil he will now loose, Artest has a temper problem hat stems from something else, people knew that and prayed upon it.

He should not have gone into the stands, he should not have had to. The players are not there to be abused no more than the fans are. If I am in public and I do something someone doesn't like, and they decide to throw something at me, that could potentially hurt me. I would fight as well.

Come to an event and let me throw the liquid of choice on you, I think I could get you to want to fight.

What, they are supposed to stand there and be pelted with stuff because they are paid big $$$$'s.
Artest should appeal and threaten to sue. He was left in a hostile situation and defended himself, (Poor choice in method) but he acted as anyone that has known him, would have predicted...

Just my opinion.
Len

 

[len3.8]

Good sportsmanship I agree with. But I don't get your correlation between salary and the responsibility of being a role model? Being paid millions of dollars mandates one to act a certain way?

Joel, you beat me to it. I agree totally, no correlation at all.

 

[ak]

What money they are paid has nothing to do with it at all.
They are paid the money they are paid due to the ability that they have. The owners pay them, just like your employer pays you. Based on what they are worth. The public chooses if they are going to contribute to there pay, by buying tickets are memorabilia... As far as role models, Pick one person in the NBA, NFL, or Professional Baseball that signed up as a role model. They are often looked upon by kids and adults alike, but I wouldn't call them role models. I would be willing to bet that other than behavior of image clauses, they have nothing saying they have to be role models to kids. That is the parents job.

As far as the fans, If they threw something and assaulted him with it, he should go after them for the 4.5mil he will now loose, Artest has a temper problem hat stems from something else, people knew that and prayed upon it.

He should not have gone into the stands, he should not have had to. The players are not there to be abused no more than the fans are. If I am in public and I do something someone doesn't like, and they decide to throw something at me, that could potentially hurt me. I would fight as well.

Come to an event and let me throw the liquid of choice on you, I think I could get you to want to fight.

What, they are supposed to stand there and be pelted with stuff because they are paid big $$$$'s.
Artest should appeal and threaten to sue. He was left in a hostile situation and defended himself, (Poor choice in method) but he acted as anyone that has known him, would have predicted...

Just my opinion.
Len

I think Artest got what he deserved. If he did not jump in the stands, the whole riot would not have happened. He singlehandedly made the whole arena into a war zone making it unsafe for everyone. Sure he was provoked, but that doesn't excuse what he did. I think what the FANs did were despicable but at the same time, artest made the situation much much worse.

Also, I don't buy the whole athletes are not role models thing. Whether they like it or not, it comes with the job. A lot of kids look up to them. Their parents should be their role model? yes. But honestly, did you only look up to your parents when you were a kid? Did you have a dream? Who did you associate the dream with? If they do not want to take on the responsibility then they can go back to playing on some local playground where no one cares what they do. Besides, NBA pays them a lot of money to play exciting games so that they can promote the game to many people. What happened goes directly against that, so why not fine them and suspend them? What happened will have direct impact in NBA income as a whole I would think. If you owned a company and some idiot employee got into a brawl which results in customers turning away, wouldn't you fire him whether it was provoked or not? I find it funny that the stupid players union gets all heated everytime someone is suspended. I remember when Sprewell choked his coach and the players union contested the one year suspension where as I thought he was lucky for not being prosecuted for assault.

-ak

 

[Casper91]

As far as role models, Pick one person in the NBA, NFL, or Professional Baseball that signed up as a role model.

Now that’s an absurd statement.

They are often looked upon by kids and adults alike, but I wouldn’t call them role models.

Okay, fair enough, insert “Role model” with another word or phrase that conveys the idea of kids emulating their sports heros.

I would be willing to bet that other than behavior of image clauses, they have nothing saying they have to be role models to kids. That is the parents job.

I think my point was that they are ambassadors of the NBA, promoting the sport. Please don’t get that statement confused with TV contracts. Players who are entertaining as well as talented will get more money. Players make the game fun to watch.

Firemen and policemen also end up being role models - do they have a contract saying they have to be role models? It comes with the job - acting in a professional manner.

As far as the fans, If they threw something and assaulted him with it, he should go after them for the 4.5mil he will now loose, Artest has a temper problem hat stems from something else, people knew that and prayed upon it.

Assault by beer. You say it yourself here. “has a temper problem that stems from something else...” Get some counseling. Then come back and play.

Come to an event and let me throw the liquid of choice on you, I think I could get you to want to fight.

Thank you for that mature tact. Pissed off, yes. Actually fight no. Having some training in fighting you would be hard pressed to push my buttons that hard.

What, they are supposed to stand there and be pelted with stuff because they are paid big $$$$’s.

See, now you are getting too emotional. I never said that, and don’t think I implied it either.

Artest should appeal and threaten to sue. He was left in a hostile situation and defended himself, (Poor choice in method) but he acted as anyone that has known him, would have predicted...

Disagree. I’ll be interested to see if civil suits are filed.
Artest is a hot head, who has a history of inappropriate behavior.

I do appreciate your comments Len
I think we may just agree to disagree.

 

[KGP]

As far as the fans, If they threw something and assaulted him with it, he should go after them for the 4.5mil he will now loose, Artest has a temper problem hat stems from something else, people knew that and prayed upon it.

Looks like the guy that tossed the beer has a few issues of his own.

John Green

2003 -- Operating under the influence of liquor/operating while visibly impaired (second offense)

1989 -- Assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder

1989 -- Escape from prison

1986 -- Carrying concealed weapons

1986 -- Uttering and publishing, which is using a false, forged, altered or counterfeit record, deed or instrument to injure or defraud.

 

[huckster]

hey len3.8. How are ya? I gotta disagree about this bruhaha. Having played amateur sports and known professionals, this all comes with the game. It is the expectations that have changed. Today we have too many 'punk playas' looking to defend their reps with shortfuse tempers, and there really is no place for that in professional sports. I've had things thrown at me and multiple hecklings and never considered going into the stands to 'kick a**'.

This is a subtle slip in standards which has only become glaring over time...Professionals need to respect themselves and their game, not stoop to 'bar-room style brawls' because they have been 'disrespected'....

 

[Ennesssex]

Good sportsmanship I agree with. But I don't get your correlation between salary and the responsibility of being a role model? Being paid millions of dollars mandates one to act a certain way?

I think what he meant was that if they want to keep the millions they get paid, they need to protect themselves from liability of a lawsuit. Therefore, hold themselves (players) to a higher standard than a normal person.

To me its really doesn't matter, if these players really want to brawl.....so be it. In the end these players hurt the game, themselves and their wallets.

 

[len3.8]

Looks like the guy that tossed the beer has a few issues of his own.

John Green

2003 -- Operating under the influence of liquor/operating while visibly impaired (second offense)

1989 -- Assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder

1989 -- Escape from prison

1986 -- Carrying concealed weapons

1986 -- Uttering and publishing, which is using a false, forged, altered or counterfeit record, deed or instrument to injure or defraud.

Thanks KGP, But I am sure he was just a fan there enjoying the game. He probably didn't mean a thing, just having some fun.

With his record, I am sure Ron Artest didn't know about it, I am sure he didn't mean to do anything but rouse the opposing team....


hey len3.8. How are ya? I gotta disagree about this bruhaha. Having played amateur sports and known professionals, this all comes with the game. It is the expectations that have changed. Today we have too many 'punk playas' looking to defend their reps with shortfuse tempers, and there really is no place for that in professional sports. I've had things thrown at me and multiple hecklings and never considered going into the stands to 'kick a**'.

This is a subtle slip in standards which has only become glaring over time...Professionals need to respect themselves and their game, not stoop to 'bar-room style brawls' because they have been 'disrespected'....


Huckster, I am fine my friend, and yourself?
Hey don't get me wrong, as stated, he was not right in going after the guy, He should have been restrained.
Having played the sports on all of the levels, except Professionally, I understand what you are saying.

I also have seen and been around many pro athletes, Some of them are just plain sorry,But unless you are behind the scenes, you have no idea what it's like. Death threats in certain cities, ect. ect. The access that a guy or any fan has to them is just plain dangerous. All for the sake of entertainment.

I will say it one more time, He should not have gone into the stands, he has emotional problems, he is being counseled for them. Look back at some of his interviews.

As far as professionals "These days" come on Huckster look back into the Archives, this has happened in sports throughout their existence. We don't even want to get into Hockey. I mean, in that game you can legally hit a guy in the head with a stick with little circumstance, to anyone except the guy that was hit.

Soccer fans across the world, beat the sh!t out of opposing teams, and their teams if they loose.

Tony Stewart, beating the sh!t out of someone for cutting him off. Repeatedly I might add. (Largest Sporting event in the WORLD) Is he a role model?

I have seen a KNOWN Cart driver slap the hell out of a girl, right in front of my little girl. The major sports network, edited it out of the interview. She was simply trying to keep him off her boyfriend that had just heckled him...

AJ Foyt, I won't go there...

I can go on and on. I can't think of anything for Golf...
It happens in the NBA and it's a National Day of embarrassment.

There should be consequences for the fans throwing things at the players, there should be consequences for the home teams that allow these things to happen.

What the hell were fans doing on the floor?

Casper91
Now that’s an absurd statement.

Expound. enlighten me.

Firemen and policemen also end up being role models - do they have a contract saying they have to be role models? It comes with the job - acting in a professional manner.

Yeah, this is a good example. Fireman and Policemen do have to be role models, and yes they have a sworn duty to protect and serve. They have a responsibilty to hold up a certain image within the eyes of the public. They are sworn to it. Ask one. Now do they always uphold that duty?
HELL NO! Where's the counties outrage when they kill someone on an act of over exertion? I am sorry they aren't on TV, unless you just happen to catch them on Video tape. :wink: Look son, that's exactly how you beat the crap out of someone, you gotta really get that batton back there and pivot those hips... yeah dad, I wanna be just like him.... :smile: Sorry, I went off on a tangent.

Casper 91:
"Assault by beer. You say it yourself here. “has a temper problem that stems from something else...” Get some counseling. Then come back and play."

He is getting counseling, and he will pay for the mistake that he has made. That should make a lot of people happy, The spoiled NBA star will get exactly what he deserves, They took 4.5 mil from him. he was overpaid anyway.
But the owners are not? They don't do sh!t, but they get the real money.... I get tired of people attaching the pay scale of these athelets to their actions.. If they were dirt poor like me, they still shouldn't do what they do at times.
If they take a pay cut do they get a pass? He could pay for his mistake without giving up that kind of $$$$'s...

Casper91:

Thank you for that mature tact. Pissed off, yes. Actually fight no. Having some training in fighting you would be hard pressed to push my buttons that hard.

Thank you for the immature tact, I was making a point. If I wanted to get you riled up enough to fight, I think I could succeed. Being trained in fighting has what to do with that?
You know just that much more of how to fight?
Or were you stating that you are too disciplined to want to fight over something like that?

Hey I am not making excuses for Artest, I am simply saying I understand and see how it all happened. Heated behind the Wallace incedent, he lost it and he was wrong.
Most people would be able to be restaint or to be restrained, he was taking it out on the wrong person.

AK:

But honestly, did you only look up to your parents when you were a kid? Did you have a dream? Who did you associate the dream with? If they do not want to take on the responsibility then they can go back to playing on some local playground where no one cares what they do.

Yes I did, they were all I had to look up to. I guess living and growing up at the time I did, I was pretty darned fortunate. I mean my father simply did everything I loved.
He was always at our sporting events, He was always around, My mother worked like a dog as well, and still made sure we were doing all of the right things... I could go on but I think you get what I mean, Did I want to be Lynn Swann or Franco Harris or Rocky Blier? Heck no!!!

I wanted to play professional sports because I enjoyed the game. (s) Had nothing to do with the people playing them on TV... It was a competition with myself and my brothers and others in the neighborhood, to see who could do it.

In my Neighborhood those that went on were: Mark Jackson (Denver Broncos) Butchie Woofolk (NY Giants) Eric Wright (49ers) and a few more. All of which used sports to elevate them out of a less than desireable, for some more than others, surroundings. I can tell you for a fact, Mark Jackson was a Pro Athelete, because he had ability and his parents and BIG SISTER willed him to be. His sister rode him harder than anyone could have imagined as she did the rest of us. She was one of our biggest role models, she later became a coach, responsible for sending many of people to college as atheletes....

People (Fans) get that confused, Ownership, most of those guys are playing because that is what they have decided to do with themselves... The fans have attached this, you gotta be a role model because my kid(s) look up to you...
Hell, they shouldn't look up to them. Admire the ability, strive to be better, get your guidance from the people you see everyday.... The pro players aren't playing for the kids, they are playing for their love of the game, the clauses that are stated in their contracts, the owners, and some of them for the adulation they get from the fans...

I am sorry, but you are soooo wrong in your assumption of who I looked up to and dreamed to be as a Kid... I am soo like my Father, and Darned glad that I didn't do the things that Terry Bradshaw, Pete Rose, Art Schlichter, (I could go on and on... ) Did....

 

[nsxtasy]

If you owned a company and some idiot employee got into a brawl which results in customers turning away, wouldn't you fire him whether it was provoked or not?

I think this is a key point. It doesn't matter whether the players are role models or not, or whether they are paid a lot of money or minimum wage. An employee is paid to work, and yes, sometimes to put up with a certain degree of bad behavior on the part of customers at times. Under no circumstances should an employee be attacking customers except in self-defense, and even then only when threatened with serious injury. Getting a beer spilled on you doesn't constitute serious injury.

This is comparable to a situation in which an irate customer in a retail store or fast food restaurant is angry and yells at a store employee. (Unfortunately, I'm sure we've all seen this happen.) This does not justify the store employee coming out from behind the counter or service desk and throwing punches at the customer. Any employee who did so would be fired immediately. And probably prosecuted.

 

[Ennesssex]

Exactly what he said.......also self defense can only apply if a threat exists. In Artest's case, the guy threw the beer can and it was over. Threat was no longer present. Also, even if you could argue that the threat was present, pounding a guys face is hardly a reasonable response against a thrown beer can. Professionals in general are held to higher duty of care and Artest failed at that miserably.

 

[len3.8]

This guy is a hero ffor his actions. Homeland security.

http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3185402

 

[Viper Driver]

I'll repost my comments from another message board. I agree with Ken when I say that in almost no other job can you get away with this type of behavior and not be fired.

Where's Donald Trump at on this one? :tongue:

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Pay a kid that kind of $$ and he'd better show up to "work" when you tell him to. If he's got a rap record, fine. If he doesn't want to show up for "work," fire his sorry butt and find someone who wants to play (yes play) a game (yes a game) for an ungodly large amount of money.

As for the fight, the punishment fits the crime. Dipshits like him need to realize that you can't go traipsing off through a bunch of innocent bystanders to punch the one idiot who decided to throw his soda on you. For one, Artest and any other pro sports player should know damned well what the circumstances are for their actions (Artest especially, since he has a history of being a jackass). If you can't control your temper, then maybe you should find another job. Like it or not, a high salary in the NBA does require you to behave like a civilized member of society despite the actions of idiot fans. Don't agree with me? Well, the commissioner of basketball (and who oversees all NBA transactions and player hiring) made his views on this perfectly clear today. Something tells me that the Pacers will make a similar decision by offloading Artest to whatever team will take him. Artest had better pay his union dues this year, because his job is one of the few in the world where you're allowed to behave like this and not get fired.

Say you're at a bar and some drunk guy throws his beer on you. Do you proceed to immediately beat the guy down, or do you have the capability to step back for a second and think about what may happen to you if you pummel the idiot (jail, etc.)? I think that's a pretty similar situation that Artest was facing. Most of us have the cognitive abilities to see the consequences of our actions. If I was an NBA player, I think that my fragile career would be in the back of my mind before I fling myself into a bunch of unruly fans (and punch the wrong guy, LOL). Not only could I lose a chunk of my salary and make myself very unattractive to my team and teammates, but I could also get bum-rushed and screwed up pretty good by the mob of people I've just flung myself into the middle of. I'm really surprised that he wasn't rushed by a lot of people and really got himself in trouble. Oh, wait, I forgot.......most everyone else can think before they act.

 

[nsxtasy]

Something tells me that the Pacers will make a similar decision by offloading Artest to whatever team will take him.

This is exactly what happened to him as a result of similar conduct when he was a member of the Chicago Bulls, as noted by the article below from this past Sunday's Chicago Tribune. He has a long, long history of similar behavior. This should come as no surprise to Pacers management; that's why they were able to trade for him.

ON THE NBA
Time bomb explodes
Artest confirms fears of Bulls, NBA with his involvement in Friday night's brawl

BY SAM SMITH
Published November 21, 2004

PHOENIX -- Now Ron Artest will have plenty of time to promote his rap album.

But this time it's no joking matter.

This is what we all were afraid of--what the Bulls feared when they traded Artest to the Indiana Pacers despite believing he could become an elite player--the rage, the uncontrollable anger that frightened everyone.

The halftimes when Artest, seemingly unaware that anyone else was in the room, would stand 5 feet from a wall, throwing the basketball as fast as he could just about at teammates' heads.

Smash! Smash! Smash!

It would come careening back. Again and again. Players dared not move. What would he do next?

Five-hundred-pound weight machines in the practice facility were tossed over after vain attempts to pull them out of their moorings. The Bulls despaired, and they also feared for the likable, generous kid who was nearly broke because he never could say no to a family member or friend. He tried to get a part-time job on Sundays to supplement his salary.

They suspended him, they benched him. Nothing did much good. They hired a psychiatrist, who recommended medication. Artest threw it away. He admitted there was a history of such behavior in his family.

Now Artest may have thrown away his NBA career.

Friday night's brawl in Auburn Hills, Mich., among the Pacers, Pistons and fans, which caused the game to be called with 45.9 seconds left, was one of the ugliest in the history of American sport.

Players likely will face criminal charges. Lawsuits will be filed. Suspensions will be massive. Saturday, Artest, Stephen Jackson and Jermaine O'Neal and Detroit's Ben Wallace were suspended indefinitely.

Players in both locker rooms in Phoenix after the Suns defeated the Lakers were aghast. Chicagoan Quentin Richardson likened it to neighborhood gang wars he saw as a kid that often ended in death.

"Someone's going to be getting a lot of players' money," he said.

Lamar Odom and Kobe Bryant in the Lakers locker room watched in horror and warning. Why can players be assaulted like that from the stands? they asked. No one condoned what the players did, but this fan abuse has to be curtailed, they said.

Old-timers standing near Lakers coach Rudy Tomjanovich likened some of the punches thrown by Artest at fans to the punch Kermit Washington hit Tomjanovich with that led to a half-season suspension.

Artest certainly wasn't the only one involved.

Ben Wallace started it all, though there was Artest again with one of those pushes from behind that anger opponents. Wallace turned on him, and one of those brouhahas common in baseball continued with lots of milling around and separating. Artest sprawled out on his back on the scorer's table and started doing a radio interview.

A cup and beverage flew out of the stands and hit Artest, and he snapped.

It's the term used by many when talking in hushed tones about Artest.

He charged into the stands, throwing punches. Teammates followed. Artest hit a fan in the face with a punch that brought roars of horror in the Lakers' locker room. No one had seen anything like this. No one was cheering. Everyone winced.

Especially the NBA.

This has not been a great season for the league so far.

Yes, scoring is up, and several teams have surprised with exciting play. But league officials have been worried and furious about the pettiness and childishness of so many players, demanding trades or threatening to sit out because things weren't going their way. The public view too often has been of spoiled, selfish babies. Ticket prices have been rising and passion diminishing. And then the league lost control.

It has never been fully clear why fans are allowed to hurl vile epithets and spew vulgarities like they do. Players have come to expect it, if not fully understand or appreciate the originality. But the fans remain sacrosanct, no matter how moronic. They pay the bills.

There is no bigger sin than attacking the boss.

The NBA's boss will make that point. No one Friday night got a bigger black eye than the NBA, which is largely concerned with image. Don't be surprised if Artest is suspended for the rest of the season, others for weeks.

Perhaps we all should have seen this coming.

It never quite got there with Dennis Rodman, but the pleas for help seemed obvious. It's just that when the guy can get a key rebound or score a big basket or win Defensive Player of the Year--and you're paying him millions--it's difficult to send him away for the treatment he might need.

Don't blame the Pacers. No team does it.

After all, these are professionals--mercenaries, really--and they assume the risks.

But Artest seemed to be crying out for help. He asked for time off, either because he was tired from working with his new music company or to promote its new release this week. The Pacers gave him a few games off and everyone wrung their hands and asked how he could do that, or maybe this was a ploy to get attention for his label or what the heck, it's just Artest. It's not that the Pacers didn't know something was wrong.

Artest was a handful throughout last spring's playoffs, missing flights and challenging coach Rick Carlisle. He has tried to drive the team to trade him since. Teams were curious about the talent, but fearful.

Stories continued about Artest, and the team even put him off limits to questioners last week. Teammate O'Neal lashed out when an ESPN crew came in last week to ask more questions about Artest. The boiling point was nearing, but there's that thing about a watched pot. Then everyone turned their heads, and the pot exploded.

There will be plenty of time now for Artest to get help. We all hope he does this time.

Copyright © 2004, Chicago Tribune

 

[nsxtasy]

While most of the focus has been on the behavior of the players, I also agree with this article (also from the Chicago Tribune) about the need to do something about the fans as well.

Eric Zorn
Let NBA melee be a warning to all hecklers

Published November 23, 2004


A thoroughly delightful moment on the otherwise unsettling video of Friday night's NBA brawl at the Palace in Auburn Hills, Mich., goes by so quickly that you have to set the playback to 1/15th speed to savor it.

It comes just after Indiana Pacers forward Ron Artest has rushed crazily into the stands seeking revenge on whichever fan has thrown the cup of liquid that landed on his neck as he lay on his back on the scorer's table--an island of calm in the sea of Detroit Pistons players who are as enraged and belligerent as a flock of hillbilly cuckolds on "The Maury Povich Show."

I won't retell the whole story--the hard foul that touched off the fight on the floor and the subsequent chaos in the arena that has prompted so much amateur sociology these last few days. You know it by now.

Just enjoy with me the transformation of the slightly built fan in the dark golf shirt--several media reports have said his name is Mike Ryan--from punk loudmouth idiot jerk to terrified little wimp.

When we first catch sight of him, he has his right hand high in the air and his index finger is thrusting toward Artest, an internationally recognized taunting gesture. His left hand holds what appears to be a box of popcorn.

Police later say that Ryan didn't throw the beverage; it's still unclear exactly why Artest rushes past at least one other fan to get to him. But at that instant on the tape, he is every moron who has ever cursed out opposing players from the safety and ostensible sanctity of the sidelines.

He's Robin Ficker, the motormouth who sat behind the visitors' bench at Washington Bullets games and mercilessly heckled the other team.

He's Spike Lee, who believed that a courtside seat entitled him to be a participant in New York Knicks games.

He's Craig Bueno, the Oakland A's fan who, after his wife was struck by a folding chair thrown by a Texas Rangers relief pitcher, told reporters that he buys season tickets near the visiting bullpen so he can insult opposing players.

He's every coward, every drunk, every Big Man phony bully who thinks a ticket to a game entitles him to say whatever abusive, contemptuous belittling thing that pops into his head without risking the everyday consequences of such remarks.

In super slow-mo, Ryan's face loses its cocky self-assuredness, his eyes widen and his mouth forms a startled O in an instant as Artest's scrambling approach makes it clear he's about to smash through the imaginary protective barrier behind which obnoxious fans hide.

I imagine the thought balloon over Ryan's head in the millisecond before Artest pushes his face down hard with an open hand and the popcorn goes flying: "Hmm ... it seems he's a real person, not a cartoon character, and I couldn't mock, cuss out or taunt a real person on the street without risking severe consequences, particularly a real person who is so much bigger than I am and--mfffgggg!"

The cost in lost salary alone to Artest for this moment of apparently symbolic revenge in which his target was not seriously hurt: $5.3 million.

The value of it to those who are sick of the increasingly coarse and degrading behavior of spectators: (all together now!) priceless.

For too long, neither the leagues nor the law has taken unruly fan behavior seriously enough. In some cases, teams have actually encouraged it--passing out devices designed to distract free-throw shooters, for instance.

Whether this is a cause or just a symptom of the overall decline in sportsmanship at every level, I don't care.

Either way it's "poisonous," as NBA Commissioner David Stern put it over the weekend, and Friday's melee underscored the need for a major crackdown--zero tolerance for drunkenness, profanity and malicious heckling in the stands.

Every fan needs to have a Mike Ryan moment of realization: No matter how much you paid for your ticket or how much the athletes earn, it's gutless and disgraceful to hide behind a mob, a security guard or the protection of league rules to shout something at an opposing player you wouldn't say to his face in the parking lot.

Ideally, this can happen without any more popcorn being spilled.

Copyright © 2004, Chicago Tribune

 

[NCC-1701D]

Here some vids

http://www.clickondetroit.com/video/3935750/detail.html

Don't know how long they will be up for...