You don't get my point, still. But that's ok.
To recap my point, IMO, Metta didn't know wtf he was doing...not that he didn't maliciously throw an elbow and purposefully do it (who would even think that??), but that he was in some super crazy man zone, got bumped and did a get the ef off me move. The fact that he kept on running afterwards, IMO, shows his complete break with reality at that moment...he was incredibly amped up, didn't even realize what he did. When Westbrook and Ibaka were coming at him to fight, he looks genuinely taken aback with hardly any realization why he was being confronted. It's frighteningly bizarre.
If he were actually headhunting Harden as some of you say, he would have MUCH more likely stood over him after he knocked him down, not scampered off and throwing yet another chest pound afterwards, either.
What he did was not done with forethought, it was reactionary and in the heat of the moment - which doesn't excuse it in any way. The fact that he didn't know that he did it really lends to a break with reality, and frankly that should be what gets a massive suspension. He's dangerous. If it were a planned headhunting expedition, I'd have very little worry about it, and he should get only a couple of games - elbows are not considered fists in the NBA, and historic elbow suspensions are a game or two. Malone gave MANY more elbows that were worse than that. So did Shaq. But Metta Ron, at least in my opinion, had a brief, unexpected and incredibly violent snap with reality and that is downright frightening. He should get a very large suspension for that reason, and a lot of counseling before he steps back on the court.
Spin that how you want it, but Lakerfan or not, my way of looking at this is far more damaging than the "bad man threw an elbow" mentality of some others and Mike Breen. Ron Artest has mental issues, and right now we saw those issues unfold violently because a dude bumped him. And yes, Harden bumps guys after scores quite often...it's a Kendrick Perkins play that I notice Harden also does. Regardless, it doesn't make it right and it isn't Harden's fault, either.
There it is. Spin as you will.
The slow motion version is the best, reminds me of that Waterboy scene where the announcers says "There's a lot of pain in those eyes...chilling." Artest is straight crazy, he didn't run somebody down and assault them, he was stomping on little man made buildings and ripping down power lines. Crazy beard ran right into it, I think he was just expecting Crazy World to knock him over and get the foul or something, but when Artest clowned him like that is was not a flop. Wild animals attack when least expected, giant mutated creatures discovered on little islands destroy towns, Crazy World will both as long as they let him on the court.
