By now, you've all seen Antonio Davis hopping into the stands during last night's game because some yahoo was messing with his wife, (who according to reports, is not entirely blameless, but that is neither here nor there.) The question in this post-Palace Brawl league, what now? I'm on the record as saying that I thought Artest getting dinged for the season was excessive (though not as excessive as Jermaine O'Neal's suspension - if you come on the court, and get decked, tough cookies, I say. Remember the Gamboa's, father and son?) But with that precedent, was does DS do here? ESPN set's the morning line at 8 games. I think that is excessive. What do you think?
Update: 5 Games. I can live with that, though maybe a touch excessive. Scoop Jackson, in an otherwise not especially cogent column makes the point that without the Melee in the Motor City, this is a non-issue. Well, that could be true, it might not be. But it is certainly counterfactual - this is a new world. For an example of how an athlete should handle the situation, look to Gary Sheffield (how does BalcoBoy #3 become the poster child for restraint, BTW?). Alternatively, look to the security arrangements in Fenway, and whatever they were doing that neither the United Center nor the Palace seemed capable of.
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3 comments:
would that be Platts-burgh?? Just wondering...
Haven't seen the video or read any of the reports. Eight games might or might not be excessive.
I didn't think the Artest suspension was excessive, although the Jermaine O'neal suspension clearly was. O'neal probably did deserve some punishment though. The chaos in the stands was such that a lot of people had to flee the stands for the court to escape the ruckus. Even though the clown he decked seemed to deserve it, O'neal should have been punished, just not to the extent he was. Make it two games and a harsh stare from the commisioner.
(Incidentaly, you just KNOW if Bird had been there and someone came after him or his on the court, he would have laid the smack down on somebody's ass. I mean back in his playing days.)
The guy who deserved more punishment last year was the other guy that went into the stands -- Stephen Jackson? He probably should have been suspended for the season too.
VW: yaoaipw
I seriously doubt Yao would have wandered into that mess, though....
I think he should fine Davis $1, and nominate him for a Congressional Freedom Medal or the Nobel.
No, wait a minute. Where those are given to people other than scientists and academics, they usually go to monumental screw-ups.
I guess I'd settle for the $1 fine, and maybe naming an annual award for him, along the lines of the Lady Bing award but for good citizenship. There's a big difference between wading into the stands to kick some fan ass because the fans are throwing beer, or rushing to defend your wife from a drunk guy who looks like he is threatening her - and then not going to work on him but just hanging out until security gets there. It seems to me an admirable course of action in a tough situation that had no clear rules.
When most NBA players seem to be getting chased by multiple women waving process papers for paternity suits, I'd think Mr. Stern would want to put the limelight on a guy generally believed to be responsible and smart, who rushed to the aid of his wife when he believed she was threatened. But hey, I think with NHL logic, NBA logic is foreign to me, so what do I know.
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