I say ban them for life

Agreed. But it won't happen because of the way things work now a days. Just look at Kobe Bryant for example.

It's become a thug sport and this mind-set is encouraged in the youth culture through music, movies, and improper 'role models'. At least Charles Barkley had the guts to say it: "I ain't no role model." To play the devil's advocate, though, the fans share the same attitude of thuggery as the players nowadays. They shout things that are best not shouted. Take it as a sign of the times........sadly.

I agree the players were way out of line and should be severely punished. But how about the fans. I know the police are looking at tape trying to see what happened. It will probably be very difficult to identify the fans. How about taking their pictures from the tapes and putting them on the front page of the Detroit paper and asking the public for help. I would even include every one of the fans that were throwing things on the players as they we trying to go back through the exit to the locker room.

You know the players will be punished, but what else should be done.

First step - identify the fans
Second step - arrest each fan caught on the court
Third step - ban the other fans identified from attending future Pistons games for at least a year

Someone needs to step forward and say, "Fans you step out of line, you get punished too."

All the rioting not withstanding in my mind any fan who went on the court was fair game

And what about those throwing beer, chairs etc?

Yes the players bear a portion of the blame but the fans had better not get off without fines and jail sentences

I think this is more the fans fault then the players. It started as a normal Ron Artest fight(they happen a lot if you're not big basketball fan) until he got hit with a full cup of beer, in some cases that counts as assult. If some guy threw a cup of beer at you while you were working you wouldn't be to happy with him would you? I still think that the players were very worng and should be punished, but this indefinite suspension is ****. Ben Wallace getting suspended is ridiculous, he was only trying to peel players off of fans now one of the most hard working guys in the league isn't playing for trying to help.

A year's suspension, minimum. If Ron Artest wanted some time off to work on his music, this is a stupid way to get it. I agree with TR that any fan that comes onto the field/court is fair game, but if you go into the stands as a player, then you are fair game, and they (the fans) should have kicked their a**. cheers.

Anyone have a problem with the Artest flopping up on the scorer's table and
lying back spreadeagle with his arms behind his back? I've watched the commentators say over and over again that he did the right thing not retaliating
and just lying down out of the way. WRONG. If he really wanted to get out of the way he should have gone back to his bench and sat down. What he did was a
typical F Y to the Pistons and their fans and basically invited some crazy to take a shot at him-and they did.

The idiot fan had no business throwing the cup and Artest was a bigger idiot for
going after him.

As long as we sports fan cheer players on by hooting and hollering when they
go into their stupid gyrations after making plays that they are being paid to
make(hanging onto rims after dunks, glaring up into the stands after a three point shot and pounding their chests, dancing around a quarterback after making
a sack, standing over a receiver after laying him out with a helmet to helmet
blow) it's only going to get worse.

I never saw Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Julius Erving ever feel
the need to "show off". What has happened to class in athletes? I know I'm
from the old school and probably going to get blasted by the "new breed" on this
but too bad-its too much about Me,Me,Me anymore and I don't see an end in sight
unless some drastic changes are made.

Now I feel better.

Moc1,

quote:

---

As long as we sports fan cheer players on by hooting and hollering when they
go into their stupid gyrations after making plays that they are being paid to
make(hanging onto rims after dunks, glaring up into the stands after a three point shot and pounding their chests, dancing around a quarterback after making
a sack, standing over a receiver after laying him out with a helmet to helmet
blow) it's only going to get worse.

---

I'm with you.....

Let the blasting start...........

I just read about this in the paper. I stopped watching pro basketball a few years ago, and one of the reasons was the attitude of the athletes. The only way to get my point accross is to not watch any games. They can shut the whole league down for all I care. I will continue to watch high school basketball.

Moc1

Well said

I don't like to watch pro basketball. They allow the stars too much freedom. Travelling, hard fouling, and fighting. What happened in Detroit is embarrassing! The fans are to blame too, but NO WAY should a professional athlete go into the stands just to retaliate. And where was the police? Lots of blame to go around. I currently am coaching a church high school basketball team and NO WAY will I allow my players to lose control. They sit on the bench and watch (next to me) when they lose control. C'mon, lets keep sports in perspective! If Artest had the proper restraint to not go into the stands then this would have turned out much differently. If I'm the owner (yah right!) I think it would be the end for Artest. He may be talented but he's a loaded cannon. Most times in life we'll all be put in difficult situations and it's how we CHOOSE to react to things that makes the difference. Shame on anyone who says what Artest did was OK. NO way do I want my kids to retaliate like that! There were many other things Artest could have done instead of making it much worse. Artest chose wrong and made it worse. Much worse. As parents, we can't possibly condone this action. The way the ESPN commentators took the side of the players was extremely embarrassing too! This is so simple. We're Americans throwing punches at each other over what??? Someone's got to be strong enough to back down instead of escalating the situation. Hooray for all the fans who were there and did NOT participate in the craziness. I saw many fans scared, afraid, in disbelief and crying!!! Shame on ALL those who were involved.

News is out... Artest to receive 30 game suspension. Others 20 game suspension....

Hey 123KMom - I like that avatar!

David Stern has encouraged the circus atmosphere of the NBA for a long long time.

He adopted the WWF model many years ago - and it has worked beyond anyone's imagination.
Huge financial success - like MLB - for the participants - with fans getting less quality and paying more money.

Anything goes - and when it gets out of control - he condemns it - hands out a fine or two - and then lets it go again. That what he does - and that is a very defined business strategy he has pursued for almost 2 decades.

Stern sells the NBA for what it is - a circus.
Smart man - made alot of money - unfortunately - he ruined the game of basketball.

He will retire when he sees the three card monty game he created and fostered is over.
IMO

Ban the beer.Stop going to the games and paying to see the games on pay TV. this is no longer worth watching. Im tired of the undisiplined, arrogant,phoney,spoiled athelete. The more they get paid the worse their behavior becomes. Hurt them in there pockets. 30 games for Artest, big deal, what a joke. he wanted time off so he could do his rap. way to go Commissioner.

Just listened to David Stern's statement...

He is acting like a complete idiot. Focusing a major part of his statement on the rogue fans instead of the a$$inine, out-of-control players. The NBA is on its way down the tubes. The penalties are way too light. He has always been too light...on Latrell Sprewell and others. The NBA deserves what it will get.

For the first time, as a Cincinnati Reds fan, I will say that Pete Rose got what he deserved. It is now clear to me. Thank you baseball for banning a player when he ruins it for the fans.

Shame on the NBA.

I can't go to hockey games. I don't like the fights that alot of people say that is a "part of the game", and even what they go for.

Course I am the one that cried at my first and last Nascar race, saw a wreck, fire, man get out alive, knew this was not the sport for me.

Football... love those pants, don't mind the physicalness of the sport, but cringe on hard hits as I think most do.

Basketball, used to like to watch it, but seems to me to be more and more of a "thug sport/mentality" would watch M*A*SH* reruns instead.

Baseball.... my true love. Even with the faults and heartaches. I can only hope it doesn't fall into more of this junk than it has.

There is no excuse for a player to go into the stands. That is why there is security. I have no idea why anyone would pay money to see a bunch of thugs play a game. Thats all alot of these guys are. The NBA is going to go out of business if they dont clean up there sport. But kind of hope it does. Maybe then they will clean up the pathetic situation they have on their hands. How in the world they can say they felt attacked. They were the ones doing all the attacking. And what about all the players coming out in their defense. What a joke

Artest got more than 30 games... He's out for the entire season.