greasywheels121 Posted November 20, 2004 Author Share Posted November 20, 2004 http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?id=1927536 This isn't doomsday for the NBA By Marc Stein ESPN.com Sorry, but . . . It was not the darkest day in league history. It was not a permanent black eye that will make fans stop going to games. It was not doomsday for the NBA, as it will be described for the next several days, weeks and maybe even months. Very scary? Incredibly sad? Downright shameful on so many sides? Certainly. Without doubt. All of the above. But let's be clear here. The reality that no one wants to hear is that interest in the Detroit-Indiana rivalry, and this entire season by association, will inevitably skyrocket in the wake of Friday night's fights. Sorry again, but that's what happens in the entertainment business. Movies and records made by actors and musicians embroiled in controversy always get more pub and profit. That's how it will happen now in the hoops world, no matter how unsavory or unsightly the driving force was. You have to go all the way back to 1979, when several Boston Bruins went into the stands at Madison Square Garden to tangle with Rangers fans, to find an incident of player-fan violence comparable to what happened at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Yet that and similar incidents that followed never came close to destroying the NHL -- that threat is only coming now, 25 years later, from widespread financial trouble and a lockout with no end in sight. The initial wave of moral outrage stemming from messes like Friday's, you see, never lasts as long as you think it will at the moment of impact. How do I know? Go ahead. Convince me otherwise. Try to convince me that you're not looking forward to Christmas more than ever. That's the next time Detroit and Indiana meet. Which means that the first-ever showdown between Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant later that afternoon -- what Shaq has predicted to be the "highest-rated game in the history of sports television" -- might not even be the highest-rated NBA game that day. None of the above is meant to downplay the severity of Friday's melee. It was as horrific an on-court scene as the NBA has witnessed since Kermit Washington slugged Rudy Tomjanovich in 1977. And beyond any damage it did to the league as a whole -- amid concerns about how negatively some segments of the public already perceive NBA players -- the way this brawl spilled over into the stands underscores one of the biggest quandaries faced by David Stern. No major sport allows the fans to get as close as the NBA. As we've all just been reminded, there's a serious risk factor attached to that irresistible intimacy, one that must be re-evaluated. However . . . I have no doubt the league will emerge stronger from all this, after the waves of shock and anger. You can be sure that the commissioner will immediately hand out some of the harshest-ever punishments to Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson and maybe another Pacer or two for leaving the floor to go into the crowd, since there is never a justification for crossing that line. That's true no matter how far over the line some Palace-goers went to provoke the Pacers' retaliation, and without forgetting that Ben Wallace's overreaction to a foul by Artest in the final minute triggered everything. You can expect organizational sanctions for the Pistons, whose fans -- not all of them, of course, but far too many - behaved disgracefully. Much of the behavior was actually worse than soccer hooliganism, because soccer hooligans are often plain, old hooligans who pretend to be soccer fans just to have an outlet to cause trouble. Friday's culprits threw bottles, liquids, foods, a chair and God knows what else at Pacers players to escalate the chaos to an all-time high. Or low. You can likewise expect improved security measures in arenas leaguewide, to protect the players from provocation and outright danger. Yup. You can see it from here. By acting decisively, after all the forthcoming cracks about how Artest is going to get that month off he's been wanting and countless other forms of residue, the NBA is eventually going to be praised for how it rebounds from this volcano, with an even more compelling season waiting on the other side. So, please. Don't believe it when you hear that this regrettable eyesore was the NBA's doomsday. Don't believe that a season off to such a promising start, with scoring up significantly and no clear-cut favorite for the championship, has been irreparably ruined. The league has seen far darker days, be it the drug scandals of the 1970s that nearly put the NBA out of business, or the lockout of 1998-99 that cost Stern's kingdom its distinction as the only major professional sports league in the United States to avoid a work stoppage. "I'm just embarrassed for our league," Detroit coach Larry Brown said afterward. "There's going to be a lot of ramifications to this." Believe it or not, like it or not, attracting more interest to future chapters of Pistons vs. Pacers is one of the ramifications. That's entertainment, folks. The pattern for many of us, after expressing our disgust and disappointment, is to keep following along, desperate to see what happens next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greasywheels121 Posted November 20, 2004 Author Share Posted November 20, 2004 NBA.com hasn't even acknowledged the incident on their site..... :rolly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xero Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 NBA.com hasn't even acknowledged the incident on their site..... :rolly Haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Showtime Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 I smell huge ratings for the rematch on Christmas Day, NBA will love that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greasywheels121 Posted November 20, 2004 Author Share Posted November 20, 2004 I smell huge ratings for the rematch on Christmas Day, NBA will love that. I bet Stern probably has that in mind.....He has to make sure they're all back for the game.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitesox61382 Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 People need to look at this from both perspectives(fans and players). Unfortunately, most people only have experience as a fan so they really don't understand the players perspective, so it becomes easy to blame the players and say that they shouldn't have reacted the way that they did. Most fans don't understand the abuse that players take from fans over the course of a season. Some of the things fans say and do is enough to be arrested, but nothing happens to them because they paid their money for their ticket and the players don't press charges in most cases. 99.9% of the time a player doesn't react to the abuse that they take, which is something that often goes ignored. Because of this we put players on an unfair level. We have to remember that players are human, and that you or I would probably act the same way(maybe even act worse) when dealing with the abuse that they take. It crosses the line when fans start throwing objects at players. I have no tollerance for that, especially with my personal experience. My teammates and I were leaving the field after an emotional football game with our division rivals. The fans were yelling and spitting on us as we left the field. All of a sudden one fan throws a bottle at us, and a dozen other fans follow by throwing anything they can find. I was hit in the eye with a rock and lost vision in my right eye for 3 days. Luckly there was no permanent damage. The point is that anything thrown at a persons face can cause serious injury, even if it is a plastic cup. Human beings have very fragil faces that can be hurt by almost anything, so saying that Artest wasn't in any danger is incorrect. Does it justify him going into the stands? No, but anything thrown at another persons face is reason enough to defend yourself. Furthermore, I laugh at those people that say they would take the high road and do nothing. Call me up, and we will play a physical, emotional game of basketball, and after the game I will throw something at your face, and we will see how you react. The truth of the matter is that 99% of us would have acted in the same way, so please stop trying to take the high road having never been in a similar situation. Furthermore, you pretend that things would have died down if Artest didn't react, but that simple isn't true. All it takes is one fan to start something, and a dozen more will follow(see my experience as an example). You honestly think that other fans wouldn't have started throwing things at the Pacers? The fans see that one person threw something with no consequences, so I guarantee that other fans would have followed suit. That doesn't justify Artest charging the stands, but don't pretend that things would have died down otherwise. The fans of Detroit are to blame for this incident. I am tired of all things that fans can get away with no consequences. This will hopefully serve notice that this type of behavior with have consequences. I hope that every Pistons fan involved is prosecuted to the full extent. I hope that some of them spend some time in jail. They will see what happens when you throw something at a fellow inmate. I am really upset as a Pacers fan, because this incident hurts them in so many ways. For starters, it overshadowed a dominating performance by the Pacers on the defending champs own floor. Artest, whos image is not clean to start with, will be seen as the villian in all of this. People will forget the amazing restraint he showed when Big Ben came after him. They will see him as an even worse person despite the unjust situation that he was put in. Furthermore, the Pacers top 3 players have been suspended indefinately. While they should be back before too long, the Pacers are going to be extremely short handed and will probably lose the majority of their games. They will probably make the playoffs still, but they will probably lose homecourt and a top seed because of this. Maybe Pacer fans should attack Pistons players and get their top players suspended, except Pacer fans have class unlike white trailor trash Pistons fans. I really think that Bird is planning on coming out of retirement to play. That is how short handed the Pacers are. They only had 8-9 players dressed the past couple of weeks, and now they lose 3 more. They are litterally only going to have 1-2 players on their bench. Not only that, but 3rd string players are going to have to start. The Pacers will be without their starting center(Foster), starting PF(O'Neal), starting SF(Artest), starting SG(Miller), backup center(Pollard), backup forward(Bender), backup SG(Jackson), and backup PG(Johnson). Finally, I worry about potential injuries. It is not uncommon to break your hand or bones in your hand when you land a punch. You also have to worry about the players that get hit with objects(fist, bottles, ect). I think it was Fred Jones that got clocked in the back of the head by a fan if I am not mistaken. Overall it is a terrible situation for the Pacers, despite the fact that the incident was started by Big Ben and continued by Pistons fans. It just doesn't seem fair to the Pacers that they simple defended themselves from a dangerous situation, and they are going to get the worst of the punishment. I wish Stern would put himself in the shoes of a Pacers player, because then he might understand their perspective. ps...sorry about the length, but this is a sore subject for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greasywheels121 Posted November 20, 2004 Author Share Posted November 20, 2004 I know you're a Pistons fan....I'm glad you're not just saying everything was right/wrong because of who was involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NUKE_CLEVELAND Posted November 21, 2004 Share Posted November 21, 2004 I bet Stern probably has that in mind.....He has to make sure they're all back for the game.... Somehow I kinda doubt that they will be back. Add to that the fact that theres gonna be MEGA security and anyone who even looks at another player the wrong way will be handed down a pretty harsh penalty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chisox05 Posted November 21, 2004 Share Posted November 21, 2004 Somehow I kinda doubt that they will be back. Add to that the fact that theres gonna be MEGA security and anyone who even looks at another player the wrong way will be handed down a pretty harsh penalty. They might suspend the players past the Christmas day game............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greasywheels121 Posted November 21, 2004 Author Share Posted November 21, 2004 Let's hope Manning stays out of the crowd.... Indy goes into Detroit on Thanksgiving day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chisox05 Posted November 21, 2004 Share Posted November 21, 2004 Let's hope Manning stays out of the crowd.... Indy goes into Detroit on Thanksgiving day. I wouldn't be surprised at all if a fan came on the field :headshake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greasywheels121 Posted November 21, 2004 Author Share Posted November 21, 2004 I wouldn't be surprised at all if a fan came on the field :headshake Haha...That'd be even worse than going on the court at a basketball game.. Football players are just a tad bigger.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NUKE_CLEVELAND Posted November 21, 2004 Share Posted November 21, 2004 Haha...That'd be even worse than going on the court at a basketball game.. Football players are just a tad bigger.... Not to mention the helmets and pads. That'd be even more stupid than normal. That being said.......Indy and Detoilet face off again on Christmas Day. I predict a bloodbath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chisox05 Posted November 21, 2004 Share Posted November 21, 2004 Not to mention the helmets and pads. That'd be even more stupid than normal. That being said.......Indy and Detoilet face off again on Christmas Day. I predict a bloodbath. There is more of a chance that there will be a fight in the next synchronized swimming event than the next piston-pacer event. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NUKE_CLEVELAND Posted November 22, 2004 Share Posted November 22, 2004 There is more of a chance that there will be a fight in the next synchronized swimming event than the next piston-pacer event. I dont know dude. Those sanchronized swimmers can get a little goofy sometimes. Something about the constant ticking of a stopwatch prattling in their ears.... Seriously though theres gonna be some pissed off Indy fans down there. They better have MEGA security ready to go to prevent trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted November 22, 2004 Share Posted November 22, 2004 Let's hope Manning stays out of the crowd.... Indy goes into Detroit on Thanksgiving day. Kinda related.. yesterday there were several asshole Bears fans throwing s***, and it was hiting them while they sat on the bench, at the Indy players. Beer cups, garbage, etc.. and saying some not so flattering things about their families.. the Indy players contacted securty and the 4 fans were removed without incident. Football.. the calm and rational sport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBAHO Posted November 22, 2004 Share Posted November 22, 2004 Kinda related.. yesterday there were several asshole Bears fans throwing s***, and it was hiting them while they sat on the bench, at the Indy players. Beer cups, garbage, etc.. and saying some not so flattering things about their families.. the Indy players contacted securty and the 4 fans were removed without incident. Football.. the calm and rational sport. I think fans were doing that at the Bears' players as well, or at least trash - talking. Found this from the Trib. Nasty situation Bears receiver Bobby Wade did not think fans such as the one heckling the Bears behind their bench loudly enough to get players to react would ever lead to a violent episode. "I don't think people are crazy enough to leave the stands and come down with gladiators on the field," Wade said. "And I don't think any [player] would take it to the point where they try to go up in the stands. There's too much respect in football. Now, if it was basketball and they were that close, an arm's reach away..." Manning and his father, Archie, were watching Friday's Pacers-Pistons game during dinner at an Indianapolis steakhouse. They were appalled at the brawl—and the Colts play at Detroit on Thanksgiving. "Hopefully the Lions fans won't hold that [fight] against us," Manning said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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