I'm throwing blows at the next Cards game

[100%CardsFan]

I would kind of feel the same way if I thought he would get away with it..but when I get in fights I've hurt the other guy...bad... so I try to control my temper and let the authorities handle it...

I have known you for the last 15 years and I know you are a wacko!! But remember so am I!!!

 

[green machine]

What happens in a MLB game when a fan throws something on the field or at a player.... they kick the fan out.

Same thing happen in football.

If Artest would of remained calm after the beer hit him (and other people around him), the fan would of been kicked out. NO BRAWL...

But with some 47 seconds left to go, what kind of punishment is that?

 

[100%CardsFan]

just let me say this.....Humans are controlled by emotions and feelings not logic. Seriously thing about how many times you have reacted off of your emotions. Maybe it was wrong...but at the time it wasnt for him.

 

[Espo]

I felt this whole thing was rediculous. Both Artest and the fan should be charged with assult. Artest needs to be the bigger man and not charge the crowd. Anytime a player enters the stand he is automatically in the wrong just like the fan who came on to the court was completely in the wrong and deserved everything he got. I think Artest deserves a longer suspension than the rest because he has a history of violence and whats to say he wouldnt go back into the stands and attack the fans again. The NBA will protect its paying customers and will make sure nothing like this happens again especially from Artest.

 

[Toro]

I felt this whole thing was rediculous. Both Artest and the fan should be charged with assult. Artest needs to be the bigger man and not charge the crowd. Anytime a player enters the stand he is automatically in the wrong just like the fan who came on to the court was completely in the wrong and deserved everything he got. I think Artest deserves a longer suspension than the rest because he has a history of violence and whats to say he wouldnt go back into the stands and attack the fans again. The NBA will protect its paying customers and will make sure nothing like this happens again especially from Artest.

Well said.

 

[DieHardCardFan]

I dont think so, If someone threw a full beer in a plastic cup at your face i believe it is considered assault and you could fight back. Remember usually someone who throws something at you isnt going to just walk away after..usually a punch comes after you blind them with beer. Where is Shane when you need him.

It may in fact be considered assult...........BUT............he who wins the fight usually is the one in jail. Is it fair? NO, is it legally by the book? NO. Is it right? NO! But that is how it is! I have spend a few nights in jail for fights that I DID NOT start, even with witnesses to the fact. But when you win, the police see it as if you were the aggressor and your butt is in jail. The difference is with Celebs they will almost always get the benefit of doubt. With a working class guy there rarely is any innocent until proven guilty, it is guilty until proven innocent.

I think the fans that pull this crap should be punished as hard or harder than the players. But when you are a professional you are expected to have a higher level of self control than say a drunk fan. That is why the security at games is watching the fans, not the players.

100% I see your point, but it isnt as black and white as, I was assualted so I have a right to fight back. I most cases the way the law reads, if the threat has stopped you must also. So a thrown beer would not constitute a continued threat that would "legally" justify using force.

 

[100%CardsFan]

It may in fact be considered assult...........BUT............he who wins the fight usually is the one in jail. Is it fair? NO, is it legally by the book? NO. Is it right? NO! But that is how it is! I have spend a few nights in jail for fights that I DID NOT start, even with witnesses to the fact. But when you win, the police see it as if you were the aggressor and your butt is in jail. The difference is with Celebs they will almost always get the benefit of doubt. With a working class guy there rarely is any innocent until proven guilty, it is guilty until proven innocent.

I think the fans that pull this crap should be punished as hard or harder than the players. But when you are a professional you are expected to have a higher level of self control than say a drunk fan. That is why the security at games is watching the fans, not the players.

100% I see your point, but it isnt as black and white as, I was assualted so I have a right to fight back. I most cases the way the law reads, if the threat has stopped you must also. So a thrown beer would not constitute a continued threat that would "legally" justify using force.

I hear you but once on Mill I was sucker punched and turned around and knocked the guy out cold...I went to jail. He didnt. I just say F em all

 

[DieHardCardFan]

I hear you but once on Mill I was sucker punched and turned around and knocked the guy out cold...I went to jail. He didnt. I just say F em all

I agree .........F em all! I got no problem with fighting, I actually enjoy it. I just dont EVER expect the law to side with me wether I am in the right or not. .......................Now when I am rich and have a name that is known for more than just being an a$$hole, that is a different story. Then I will be demanding they side with me !

 

[Russ Smith]

It's so easy to make Artest the whipping boy in this case....this was the fans fault. Yes, if someone purposely throws a cup full of ice at me during a game, I'm going after them.

Agreed. To me the issue is that it's between the players on the court and the fans don't have the right to get involved.

The fans went too far.

On the other hand, i think Steven Jackson should be suspended for the rest of the year, he's the one guy who was really out of control and looking to fight the entire time.

 

[Russ Smith]

I feel bad for Artest. Because of his reputation (a much deserved one) he will get the blame.

Ben Wallace started it by blowing up after a foul that wasn't even that hard.

.

Disagree, if you've played basketball you know that the most dangerous thing for a player is in the air contact where you can't control how you fall. There's less than a minute to play, 15+ point lead, and Artest takes a shot that puts Wallace in danger in the air, I don't blame him for reacting that way at all.

hard fouls are part of the game, but not at that point with that score.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Yes it is assault and yes you have a right to defend yourself. You're 100% correct.

you are correct, you have a right to defend yourself, but you have to continue to be imminent danger from that individual to do so. just because someone assaults you does not give you the legal right to pummel them. if the individual did not come out of the stands to further assault artest he does not have a legal right to pursue the individual and punch them. that constitutes a second assault. it might be considered mitigated by surrounding circumstances, but it is not considered a right. the only right artest has it to press charges.

i'm not saying i wouldn't retaliate if someone threw a beer at me, but that doesn't mean i have the legal right to do so. when artest ran down the steps and engaged that dude on the court again, he was not "defending" himself any longer.

as for the athletes getting away with stuff b/c of money, this is not really one of those occasions. rarely does anyone, athlete or other, get jail time for a simple assault that amounts to a brawl unless there is the added charge of "intent to maim" or "with a deadly weapon" (like when iverson was accused of using a chair in that racially charged skirmish years ago). it just seems like the athletes get off b/c they're sentence gets publicized. no one knows the sentences that joe schmoe who gets in a bar fight ends up with. both usually end up with a fine and public service of some sort.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Why throw beer? It's like $7+ a cup

Would be cheaper to throw dollar bills at the guy.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I've got a similar cup right here, and I just took it empty and dropped it from about 6 inches onto my cheekbone by my eye.

what's wrong with you?

 

[CaptTurbo]

I would make the appropriate arrests to the fans involved suspend wallace 5 games, Artest 15 games, O'neil would be out for the rest of the season. He was only out there to cause trouble. Watch his actions in the tape. His intention was to back up Artest but then he just got addicted to throwing at anyone and everyone.

I might even consider banning him from the league. He was the biggest moron out there that night....

 

[100%CardsFan]

what's wrong with you?

 

[D-Dogg]

what's wrong with you?

Experimentive nature, and curiosity.

Oh, and beer too.

 

[Russ Smith]

I would make the appropriate arrests to the fans involved suspend wallace 5 games, Artest 15 games, O'neil would be out for the rest of the season. He was only out there to cause trouble. Watch his actions in the tape. His intention was to back up Artest but then he just got addicted to throwing at anyone and everyone.

I might even consider banning him from the league. He was the biggest moron out there that night....

Jermaine O'Neal or Stephen Jackson? Jackson is the one who was challenging Hunter to a fight, then jumped into the crowd after Artest, and on his way out of the arena was egging the crowd on to throw more stuff.

Jermaine got a bit out of line himself but in my mind Jackson was just looking for a fight the whole time. If you know his history, it is not a surprise.

 

[daredevil25]

Jermaine got a bit out of line himself but in my mind Jackson was just looking for a fight the whole time. If you know his history, it is not a surprise.

I remember when he was w/ the Spurs he'd routinely have to be calmed down by TD, Pop, Admiral and co. I still think he has great potential but he was looking for a fight yesterday, he went RIGHT after that fan, he wasn't going to keep the peace.

 

[TheRedChord814]

The NBA is a joke I think...I wish that would disappear instead of the NHL...

 

[Russ Smith]

I remember when he was w/ the Spurs he'd routinely have to be calmed down by TD, Pop, Admiral and co. I still think he has great potential but he was looking for a fight yesterday, he went RIGHT after that fan, he wasn't going to keep the peace.

Jackson was a real vagabond of sorts, signed with Arizona out of HS, didn't have the test scores to qualify, he'd played his senior year at Oak Hill one of those prep schools that stars who need grades go to. He was rumored to have had numerous incidents there, a lot of college teams didn't recruit him for that reason.

He never played for UA, sat out trying to get a special ruling, then went to JC for half a season and then started playing pro ball anywhere he could. He was a Parade All American on the same team as Kobe so he was able to get chances and to his credit he worked his way back, but he's a notorious hot head who reportedly was cut by the Grizzlies because of his violent temper.

I agree, very talented kid. I still say he was the most out of control person on the court last night.

 

[Snakester]

Why throw beer? It's like $7+ a cup

Would be cheaper to throw dollar bills at the guy.

I agree. That is some serious alcohol abuse. What kind of idiot would do that do a good beer.