Rick Artest, World Peace, and Seven Days in April and May.
 

I am going to explore the world of the NBE this morning.

I first heard about his misdeed Tuesday monring while watching the Mike and Mike in the Morning Show on ESPN. The video of the incident that was shown on their show was very inclusive as to whether it was incidental contact or flagrant contact. Then, that evening I saw a video of the whole play from beginning to end.

AND I am shocked that he received only a seven game suspension. Under all of the four major basketball codes in the world (NFHS, NCAA Men's/Women's, FIBA, and NBA/WNBA) what he did was an absolute description of a flagrant foul that called for ejection. In my humble opinion it crossed the line into criminal behavior. Based upon his past behavior with regard to violence on the basketball court, he should receive a life ban from the NBA (as well as USA Basketball and FIBA). He does not deserve to play basketball again anywhere.

MTD, Sr.

He was not going to receive a lifetime ban. That was not even realistic to think that. I agree this is not the best punishment but this is pro sports. I doubt seriously they could ban him from the league in the first place. There are such things as a CBA and other league rules at play.

Peace

I also believe that 7 games is too little - way too little. I wouldn't mind if they kicked him out. Why the NBA keeps guys like him around is beyond me. (But the NBA doesn't cater to my demographic.)

I'd love to see criminal charges laid against some athletes' actions.

I like Shanahan's approach to discipline.

+1

A lot of good that name change did.

An Orwellian name change isn't going to fix his character.

I didn't see the replay until after I had read Artest's response and "apology", so I was envisioning a 'fist pump gone wrong' type of accidental elbow; then I saw the replay :eek: :eek: Thought he should have been suspended for the remainder of this season easily. Of course he will miss the first round, so maybe that will end up being the remainder of the season...

Yesssir! I think that was their thought process, the Lakers cannot advance past Round 1 without him so he was ultimately suspended for the rest of the year & perhaps a couple to open up next season.

Seven games is what I expected given prior precedent for how the NBA handles their suspensions. If any of you thought there would be a lifetime ban, you weren't thinking realistically. And even a rest of the season ban wasn't realistic either. Plus, any suspension of 12+ games and the players association has the right to appeal to a grievance arbitrator and they would have definitely done that...and probably would have won the appeal and gotten it shorten.

To give you an idea, the only players to receive lifetime bans are for integrity of the league issues (e.g. CCNY point shaving scandal in 1951), and for violating the league's substance abuse policy a certain amount of times. And even with that, that's collectively bargained and spelled out explicitly in the CBA.

I was thinking they could have just said he's done for the season, but I imagine the CBA states they have to specify a number of games. It does seem that Artest's history should have played a factor and given him a longer suspension; but perhaps the NBA didn't realize he's the same guy because of the name change.

I'm sure they did factor in prior history...7 games for an elbow is unheard of in the NBA. Usually, elbowing incidents wind up with players receiving 1-2 games. To put it in context, Kevin Love received two games for step on the face of a prone Luis Scola. Metta World Peace is missing 3x the normal amount...with some of those being playoff games which makes the importance of those games even greater.

Again, if they suspended him indefinitely, I'm betting this would trigger the clause allowing the player, through the players association, to appeal not to the commissioner (as would be the case for any suspensions under 12 games), but to a neutral grievance arbitrator...and I'm betting that's a fight the players' association would have taken up.

That makes sense.

You mean the same guy that charged a Nashville player for like 2500 dollars for slamming a Red Wings player's head into the glass when the game was over?

Yep the suuuuuure do it right. :rolleyes:

Peace

I also thought the suspension to be too little, but I can't say I really expected much more from the fine folks at the NBE.

If I were judge and jury it would have minimally been a suspension for the balance of the year.

Even though APG spelled out how the League operates?

I have been a Lakers fan since Magic entered the league after winning the NCAA championship. The joy he played the game with was what drew me to him and the team. Having said all of that, I don't want Ron Artest on my team anymore. He is unstable and what he did lacked class. Also, he has only had a handful of good games in my opinion as a Laker. Yes, I'm probably exaggerating a little bit, but so what. I think we would have been a better team if we would have re-signed Trevor Ariza.