Fight!

[NastyOne]

It's totally different to disrespect someone verbally, but you cross the line when you try and harm someone

Sure, I basically agree. Ideally, people would be able to walk away even from physical attacks, but that's not realistic.

However, we're talking about a plastic beer cup here. That's not going to hurt anyone; it can't be considered a real physical assault. The first legitimate physical attack came from Artest. That's the problem. If Artest had found the cup-throwing fan and spat on him, I would have thought that was fine. (Well, not exactly fine, but you know what I mean.)

And what if that "One beer thown" would've hit Ron Artest in the eye or something and he was forced to miss the rest of the season, or even worse, suffer permanent eye damage?

Come on. That's about as likely as the scoreboard malfunctioning and shooting a deadly laser beam at someone.

Even a plastic beer container can be dangerous

First of all, it was full

Second, it was aimed at his head

While unlikely, it is probible that the plastic container could've hit him in the eye.

Then what would our conversation on here be about? Artest being maimed by some crazy fan?

 

[jbeecham]

Unlikely?

In a soccer game a fan hit the keeper with a golf ball right in the side of the head next to his eye causing a bad concussion and an open wound. Luckily that was all.
And he threw it from probably 100 feet or so.

In another soccer match a fan threw a coin over a plexi glass wall during halftime and hit the ref in the forehead with it causing a wound that needed several stitches.

Anything could happen.

Did either of those injured people run into the stands and wildly attack whoever they thought might have thrown either item?

 

[slinslin]

Both of them initially went down after the hit. The ref was helped into the locker immediately by the other refs.
The keeper picked up the golf ball and charged to the sideline ref.

In most soccer stadiums you can't just run into the stands and the guy they never even identified who threw the golf ball just what direction it came from.

 

[NastyOne]

Did either of those injured people run into the stands and wildly attack whoever they thought might have thrown either item?

The NBA is the only sport where you can actually reach out and either touch the players or the fans.

My guess is that they should remove some of the front row seats from each Arena, or put up some kind of protective netting or glass to seperate the players from the fans.

Which in my opinion really screws up the look of the game, but it might have to be done now.

 

[elindholm]

Golf balls and coins are a lot harder than plastic cups. I be pretty uncomfortable if someone was throwing golf balls at me, but plastic cups, whatever. I suppose I could even get hurt by a paper airplane or a Nerf ball, but come on.

 

[slinslin]

The plastic cup was filled so it's heavier than a coin or a golf ball and when you get hit by it it's going to hurt or do some damage if it hits you in the eye.

 

[coloradosun]

The NBA is the only sport where you can actually reach out and either touch the players or the fans.

My guess is that they should remove some of the front row seats from each Arena, or put up some kind of protective netting or glass to seperate the players from the fans.

Which in my opinion really screws up the look of the game, but it might have to be done now.

Any one remember the movie "Roller Ball". We should just make the transition from the NBA to the RBA as soon as possible. Rodman could return with his Harley and be the star of the league.

 

[NastyOne]

Golf balls and coins are a lot harder than plastic cups. I be pretty uncomfortable if someone was throwing golf balls at me, but plastic cups, whatever. I suppose I could even get hurt by a paper airplane or a Nerf ball, but come on.

Does it make it any better that there was probally ice with the beer inside the plastic container?

 

[jbeecham]

The cup wasn't full. It was about half full. It still doesn't justify going into the stands and pummeling anyone you think might have thrown the cup. The guy that he hit actually still had a cup in his hands. I hope the guy he attacked presses charges against him and sends him to jail.

 

[slinslin]

I don't think Artest punched anyone in the stands at least he didn't connect on any.

 

[NastyOne]

The plastic cup was filled so it's heavier than a coin or a golf ball and when you get hit by it it's going to hurt or do some damage if it hits you in the eye.

Thats exactly what im saying

People are saying it was "harmless"

But come on already

It was a filled container(most likely with ice inside making it heavier) and it was thrown from far away with some velocity behind it, and it hit Artest in the head while he was lying down with his face up in the air.

It's not far fetched to say that it could've been very dangerous, and Artest should'nt have felt threatened.

 

[NastyOne]

The guy that he hit actually still had a cup in his hands. I hope the guy he attacked presses charges against him and sends him to jail.

For what? Grabbing him?

Artest never even hit the guy, he just grabbed him and then the guy in the white cap started punching Artest from behind.

The only time Artest threw punches was when he hit the guy in the white cap, after the guy hit him

And when he hit the guys that tried to jump him while he was on the court.

 

[fordronken]

Thats exactly what im saying

People are saying it was "harmless"

But come on already

It was a filled container(most likely with ice inside making it heavier) and it was thrown from far away with some velocity behind it, and it hit Artest in the head while he was lying down with his face up in the air.

It's not far fetched to say that it could've been very dangerous, and Artest should'nt have felt threatened.

First of all, what kind of people put ice in beers? Secondly, would it have been heavier? Does freezing a liquid make it heavier? If anything, ice would make it lighter. It takes up more space. Have you ever filled a cup of ice water to the brim? When the ice melts, the water level goes down.

And more importantly, this has nothing to do with what we have been arguing about. Go back and read what lead to this. It's unrelated. Nobody is arguing that it was okay to throw it. The argument started when it was mentioned that the problem, as a whole, could have been scaled down immensely if Artest hadn't run into the stands in the first place.

 

[Chaz]

I can't believe anyone would say it is ok and even expected that a professional basketball player should enter the stands and attack a fan for any reason.

There was no imminent danger from a plastic cup.

In my mind Artest was laying there being a smartass lounging on the scorers table and completey flew off the handle.

I understand you have to protect yourself from danger, but was Artest really in any danger at any time up to the point he entered the stands? Please do not try and convince me of the dangers of plastic drink containers. It was an open topped cup. A full plastic beer bottle with the lid on is dangerous, a golf ball, battery, or coin could be dangerous. A folding chair is dangerous. A plastic cup? please. Having beer poured on you? That is not a physical threat to your health or safety.


Having said all that any fan that goes on the court to challenge a player should be punched just on principle.

 

[NastyOne]

First of all, what kind of people put ice in beers? Secondly, would it have been heavier? Does freezing a liquid make it heavier? If anything, ice would make it lighter. It takes up more space. Have you ever filled a cup of ice water to the brim? When the ice melts, the water level goes down.

And more importantly, this has nothing to do with what we have been arguing about. Go back and read what lead to this. It's unrelated. Nobody is arguing that it was okay to throw it. The argument started when it was mentioned that the problem, as a whole, could have been scaled down immensely if Artest hadn't run into the stands in the first place.

Sorry about that, i should not have said beer, cause it seems like it was a clear liquid that spilled on Artest.(my guess Water/Sprite who knows)

And having ice in a cup makes it way more dangerous if it hits you.

And im using the container as why Artest had a right to get upset and proceed to defend himself.(even if you don't think it warranted that kind of response)

His comment after the whole thing was over. was that he got hit by a glass bottle.

So obviously he had to have felt some kind of pain after getting hit in the face by it.

He just went into defense mode, and atleast he didnt go totally crazy and kill the guy that he thought threw it.(Just grabbed him and scared the sh*t out of him)

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

My personal feelings is that everyone should get hit hard.

Artest and Jackson should get 10-15 games minimum. J Oneal at least 5. Ben Wallace 3 games.

Rasheed Wallace should get a medal for somehow being a peace keeper (how has this NOT been brought up??)

The PA announcer should be fired for not turning on the mic for LB.

Every fan involved should be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. A charge would never stick to a NBA player, but they will loose the money in lawsuits. Not fair, but that is how it will happen.

 

[fordronken]

I always just called the danger from having beer poured on me "college".

 

[jbeecham]

He just went into defense mode, and at least he didnt go totally crazy and kill the guy that he thought threw it.(Just grabbed him and scared the sh*t out of him)

He shoved the guy to the ground and was about to beat the crap out of him until he got grabbed from behind by other fans. He may have really hurt the guy if he wasn't held back by other fans and he didn't even know if this was the guy that threw the cup of liquid.

 

[NastyOne]

I can't believe anyone would say it is ok and even expected that a professional basketball player should enter the stands and attack a fan for any reason.

There was no imminent danger from a plastic cup.

You can say that being safely at home and not on the court being surrounded by thousands of angry fans.

Let me come to your job right after a fight or something else hostile just happend that your were involved in. And then throw a cup filled with water in your face infront of your co-workers, and let see if you go and get security on me, or if your emotions tell you to defend youself and attack me.

The only reason this is even an issue for some of you guys, is because these guys are in the spotlight.

Fights like these happen alot in smaller venues like Highschool and no name leagues.

These guys are still human, even if they make way more money than me and you.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

I still can't get over your ice in beer comments Nasty. I mean really, who does that?!!?

 

[schutd]

Is was funny though looking at the fan scared as hell when Artest ran at him. The fan thought he was a bad ass cool guy. Ha ha he cant get me. Then BAM, ole boy gets knocked out. HA!

You do know though, that the fan Artest hit first, in the stands WAS NOT the one who threw the beer, right?

 

[NastyOne]

I still can't get over your ice in beer comments Nasty. I mean really, who does that?!!?

Meh lol

Still sleepy i guess, and trying to make a point

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

You do know though, that the fan Artest hit first, in the stands WAS NOT the one who threw the beer, right?

But he DIDNT hit him. He knocked him to the ground. He was quoted on hoopshype today. The fan said Artest jumped all over him asking if it was him. When the guy said he wasn't, Artest just got off and ran at someone else.

He wasn't blindly hitting people, he was looking for the guy. That does mean something...

 

[NastyOne]

But he DIDNT hit him. He knocked him to the ground. He was quoted on hoopshype today. The fan said Artest jumped all over him asking if it was him. When the guy said he wasn't, Artest just got off and ran at someone else.

He wasn't blindly hitting people, he was looking for the guy. That does mean something...

See, people make it look like Artest was just beating everyone up that came in his way.

He was just looking for who did it.


That guy in the white cap and blue Wallace jersey was the biggest puss in this whole situation.

He throws the cup and then puts his hands in his pockets, waits for Artest to have his back turned and being restrained, then he finally steps up and takes a swing.

To be caught on camera being such a pansy, he should be laughed at everyday by everyone.

Coward

 

[schutd]

One more take on this......Everyone is badmouthing the fans and how the fans continued to act after the Pacers ran into the stands attacking people. But, if a player comes into the stands and attacks a fan/fans why wouldn't the other fans try to protect each other. It's ridiculous to think fans would act any other way when you've got the visiting team in a hated rivalry coming into the stands and attacking the spectators.

If I felt that the "fans" that were "protecting" other "fans" after the players came on the court, would show the same courtesy to that person, on the street if he was being mugged, I might agree with you. But sorry, I dont believe for one second that these "fans" were engaging in a bit of "I got your back" they were engaging cause they had the opportunity. Thats all.