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#11
11-21-2004, 07:18 PM
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Re: Artest gone for year, other suspensions absurdly long
Artests is too long. I love the message to fans: Do whatever you can to incite the players on the court and you might get them kicked out for the season and help your team. Outstanding.
It happened before and the suspension was 10 games for Maxwell. 30 games for Artest would have been more than punitive enough. Jackson, Wallace and O'Neil's suspensions are roughly double what they should be. Stern trying to make a statement. The Pistons should absolutely have to play their next home game against the Pacers without any fans in attendance, ala international soccer. To have no repercussions to the team or its fans is only going to encourage this behavior. 
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#12
11-21-2004, 07:20 PM
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Re: Artest gone for year, other suspensions absurdly long
The only thing that's absurd is that anybody cares about the NBA.
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#13
11-21-2004, 07:23 PM
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Re: Artest gone for year, other suspensions absurdly long
[ QUOTE ]
The only thing that's absurd is that anybody cares about the NBA. [/ QUOTE ] Since the Bulls suck I normally wouldn't, but I have this damn fantasy basketball league to worry about, so I actually need to pay attention. FWIW, I have none of the players involved on my team.
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#14
11-21-2004, 07:24 PM
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Re: Artest gone for year, other suspensions absurdly long
[ QUOTE ]
The Pistons should absolutely have to play their next home game against the Pacers without any fans in attendance, ala international soccer. To have no repercussions to the team or its fans is only going to encourage this behavior. [/ QUOTE ] I agree 100%. People are going to respond with, "Oh, but those fans will get prosecuted," blah blah blah. Sure, but the most punishment any of those fans will get is a day or two in jail. I think there are roughly 10 million people in this country who would gladly spend a day or two in jail if it meant their team had a much better shot at the championship. The fallout from this is that fans will be much more emboldened, especially in Detroit and other cities with classless fans. I really fear that it will take a player losing an eye or getting a serious head injury from a thrown object before anybody feels it necessary to deal with this idiocy.
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#16
11-21-2004, 07:26 PM
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Re: Artest gone for year, other suspensions absurdly long
The fans that went onto the court and threw stuff were clearly wrong, but two wrongs do not make a right. From a policy perspective, the league cannot just let the laws of the jungle prevail. By allowing a player to retaliate against a fan just for the sake of his honor or his teammates' honor without severe consequences, the league would be encouraging a similar incident to occur in the future. Any rule making body such as a sporting league or government cannot turn a blind eye to vigilantism because doing so just perpetuates the cycle of violence, which is exactly what they are trying to prevent.
If you think that the player's supsensions are not proportional to their offenses, think about the proportionality of tackling someone and punching them in the face for throwing a cup of water. Or what about coldcocking someone in the face for simply being where they should not be?
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#17
11-21-2004, 07:28 PM
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Re: Artest gone for year, other suspensions absurdly long
I wouldn't mind seeing the Pistons have repercussions for the fans or team. But Artest was way out of line, as I have posted about in this and the other thread. And part of the reason why (not the main reason) is that he knew he was in Detroit. He did a deliberately provocative thing by laying on the scorer's table. (I know people say he disengaged, but it was clearly a move to make the whole thing a spectacle/to show up everybody) And then he charged the stands in Detroit. That is a recipe for a riot. No credit to Detroit, but the reality is that his behavior was much more dangerous in Detroit than in Davenport Iowa or boise. Less dangerous than in some third world soccer match. But totally crazy and out of line IMO.
It would not surprise me if there is a huge riot or something at a game and it hurts sports' overall popularity at some point. Hope it doesn't happen. A good place to start is major suspensions. Like for the Angels pitcher who tossed the chair - easy 5 year or life ban. Doesn't bother me of teams forfeit games for ridiculous fan behavior. But it might be better to announce after the game. Forfeit an ongoing game and there might be a riot. Then again, if fans can dictate the outcome - as you point out in your post - there is a whole host of other problems. Not a good situation. Oh, well, bread and circuses for the masses in a republic in decline, right? [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]
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#18
11-21-2004, 07:30 PM
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Re: Artest gone for year, other suspensions absurdly long
everyones suspensions are too long, except Wallace. His should have been 10 games. Bye Bye Pacers, it was a fun season for a couple weeks. This team won't even make the playoffs now.
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#20
11-21-2004, 07:37 PM
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Re: Artest gone for year, other suspensions absurdly long
"No credit to Detroit, but the reality is that his behavior was much more dangerous in Detroit than in Davenport Iowa or boise."
I don't agree with this statement, but even if I did, there are no locations where basketball is played in stadia where this type of event could not have happened. As if it really matters, the Palace of Auburn Hills is located in a very wealthy suburb that is about 1/2 hour away from Detroit. -Michael
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