Pistons/Pacers Meltdown: Your Thoughts

[JohnBM01]

GTPlanet, for those of you who may be NBA Basketball fans, I turned away from the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic with #23 Memphis and #6 Syracuse. I wanted to maybe see some other scores, either that or I was watching the game when a big NBA update was made during the Memphis/Syracuse game. Apparentely, the Indiana Pacers played in Detroit to meet up against the Detroit Pistons. After Ron Artest committed a foul against Ben Wallace, Wallace started shoving Artest. Afterwards, the rest of the team started battling against the other team. As the fighting was broken up as Ron Artest was catching his breath laying on the Scores Table, a fan threw what appeared to have been beer or water on him. Afterwards, the guy jumped up off the Scores Table, went into the stands, and took the guy down. Pacer Steven Jackson soon went into the stands, and totally sucker-punched another fan. As all Hell broke loose, another fan beat another NBA player. And sometime later, a fan took a seat and threw it at one of the NBA players and some fans in the grand stands. As Ron Artest was leaving, some fans were throwing beverages at him. There were even two Detroit fans who went on and attacked Ron Artest. It was told that no arrests that night, but this is going to be a big mess to clean up. This is not only in Detroit, but also the National Basketball Association.

I love a good fight as long as it's a sport or a WWE event. But this fight is inexcusable on all levels. What looked like a simple foul committed by Ron Artest, was turned into a firestorm as Ben Wallace shoved Artest. GTPlanet, what do you make of this insane incident? If I'm bring up a flame war or something like that, close now. And whatever you think, try to keep it clean (if you can). So sound off, just watch your language about this.

 

[Klostrophobic]

It was the greatest thing I had ever seen.

Ron Artest blasting a guy right in the face! Fans pouring beer and soda on the Pacers as they were escorted back to their locker room! Chairs flying into crowds of people! And that guy who just threw a punch to the back of Jones' head! Brilliant.

I have new respect for Ron Artest now. He can release as many R&B albums as he wants, as far as I'm concerned.

It was beautiful, and I laughed during the entirety of the brawl.

The best part about it is that I won't have to hear about the Monday Night Football/Desperate Housewives skit anymore now that every sports show will be talking about this.

Honestly, if no one got hurt what's the big deal? I wish stuff like this happened more. It's infinitely more exciting than November basketball.

 

[rollazn]

Well, it's probably not that exciting for the 4 players who got suspended indefinately. Ben Wallace, Ron Artest, Steven Jackson, and Jermaine O' Neal.

It was a pretty interesting though. I feel sorry for the guy who took the blow to the chin by O' Neal. That was crazy.

I think Ben Wallace might over-react a bit. Only a tad.

 

[Iceman]

Even though it was pretty bad, I have to agree with Klos here and say it was one of the coolest things I've ever seen.

 

[rollazn]

Im not going to say I didn't enjoy the fight, but there was kids in the stands. I don't believe anybody was really hurt, but imagine some big NBA player like O' Neal falling on top of some unlucky kid who just want to witness a NBA event.

I thought the brawl was pretty cool to watch, but it was dangerous. I am just glad no body got really hurt in middle of that war-zone.

 

[Iceman]

Those fans were probably drunk and most of them probably deserved what they got. I know I wouldn't want to mess with a 250 pound, muscular NBA player though. That would be bad if there were children involved though.

 

[Klostrophobic]

I'm glad the dolt who walked onto the court got decked. Fans should never be on the court.

O'Neal should be given a medal for throwing his entire bodyweight into that punch. And the guy who receive the blow should also receive a medal for not dying.

Artest must be looking at at least 15 games, right? O'Neal will probably get a couple, though he should get nothing.

 

[JohnBM01]

Artest look like he was the big target against the fans. The influence from this game may have sparked the big fight between South Carolina and Clemson this past Saturday. Regardless, what does this mean for the National Basketball Association? While the fight may have been entertaining to watch, but there's a more serious side to this. In fact, a poll ESPN made said that the majority of the blame was on Detroit's Fans. And in descending order were Ron Artest, Detroit Security, and then Ben Wallace. But this would be my list of who's to blame for this:

1. Detroit Fans (illegal participation in the game)
2. Ben Wallace (initiated the shoving)
3. Ron Artest (jumping into the stands)
4. Detroit Security (tried to restore order)

As an update while watching the women's college basketball Halftime between #1 Tennessee at North Carolina State, here's what the NBA laid down against the Pacers/Pistons riot (it was anything BUT a brawl):

PLAYER SUSPENSION SENTENCE
Ron Artest (Indiana Pacers) Season
Jermaine O' Neal (Indiana Pacers) 35 games
Steven Jackson (Indiana Pacers) 30 games
Ben Wallace (Detroit Pistons) 6 games
Anthony Johnson (Indiana Pacers) 5 games

(three other Pistons and one Pacer suspended for leaving the bench)

 

[Max Powers]

It reminds me of the time Tie Domi beat up a Philadelphia Flyers fan in the NHL.

This really drunk, overweight fan who was hassling Domi fell through the glass of the penalty box after Domi squirted water over the glass at the guy, who had been hassling Domi. He proceeded to beat the **** out of this fan, who probably weighed at least twice as much as Domi (only 5'8 or so) does.

I'm with Klos though, I thought it was incredibly entertaining, and I'll be sure to watch more NBA basketball now in hopes of seeing a brawl like that again.

 

[pimp racer]

Ron Artest was going crazy man! I hear he is suspended for the whole season? That SUCKS!

 

[JohnBM01]

I think the long-debated issue is "is Ron Artest in the wrong, or is Ben Wallace to blame?" I mean, think about it. Who started the fight? Ron Artest or Ben Wallace. Who got shoved almost halfway to the sidelines? It was Ben-freaking-Wallace. Hell, he should have gotten some serious games off more than Ron Artest's meltdown. But the guys are going to get Ron Artest for jumping over the Scores Table and beating down the Detroit fans. If you ask me, (this may get me flamed on, but) Ben Wallace should have been suspended for the season for the fight, then Ron Artest gets no more than 35 games.

However, it seems like this deal was settled as best as possible.


Next Pacers/Pistons Battle:
December 25, 2004; AT INDIANA

 

[Bryce302]

One it was one of the funniest things ive ever seen I laughed my @ss off for hours past that, and i was recording that tape for a friend so now I have it on tape which is great I watch that like every night now.
Two it was little dumb how some people were suspened for just getting off the bench. If everyone is fighting and it is all hell I would have been gone in like 20 seconds.

 

[JohnBM01]

I've been looking at this issue more from a professional stand point. You know, like "what would this incident bring to NBA Basketball, much less any other sport?" But I will admit, it was pretty entertaining, especially that right hook Steve Jackson gave that one fan.

 

[X5.]

That event was hilarious. im quite happy that the dude who walked on to the court with his blue cap was shown 2 blows by Artest and then his mate comes down and in turn is shown the ground by Jermaine O'Neal, Great stuff. What the hell were the fans thinking. I also agree wid JohnBM01, Ben Wallace should face the season ban as he bloody well started the whole damn thing, never in my life have i seen such a hard push,. Artest basically went back the breadth of the half court from that shove.

 

[Klostrophobic]

Have you seen the guy who tossed the cup at Artest? He's been on every news channel claiming that he was not the one who threw the cup. It's amazing that he can say this despite all the hard video proof showing him throwing the cup at Artest. It's funnier than the brawl itself.

 

[X5.]

That is hilarious, man. He should know hes been caught red-handed, not unless he has an identical twin.

 

[a6m5]

And that guy who just threw a punch to the back of Jones' head! Brilliant.

Not cool. I heard that guy, who probably weighed about 200lbs more than Freddy Jones, was Ben Wallace's brother.

My friend used play against Freddy in H.S., he tells me Freddy is really laid back and is a super nice guy. He was just trying to break up the fight. If Freddy got injured because of that idiot, I would've been very upset.