Piston-Pacers

[pacmania_2001]

If I were a basketball player and somebody threw something at me I'd have no problem going up into the stand and punching him a few times.

Thats probably why I don't play competitive sports.

[CoffeeGuy]

If you were a basketball player and somebody threw something at you, you'd better know who threw it at you and not just go up into the stands and randomly pick someone out who was in the general area, and begin throwing punches. The players who went into the stands should be "banned" from the NBA. Let them go out and get a real job. That, or go play in Italy.

[Tommyknocker]

I don't thimk anyone here is any sort of physical conditioning or talented enough to drag Ben Wallace up and down the court 35 minutes a night. You need to lay off that "real job" crap.

[CoffeeGuy]

Do you know for sure anyone here isn't in the same physical condition or talented enough to drag Ben Wallace up and down the court 35 minutes a night ? How do you know that some of us here aren't playing in the NBA ? You don't. I dont, so you got that part right. You call sports a real job ? Basketball (for the most part) is for people who can't contribute to society. There may be a few that can. But many who are in the NBA are basically thugs. I said it once, I'll say it again. Get a job. Get a "real" job

[Capmaster]

<ducks>

[Tommyknocker]

"Those who can do. Those who can't and are disgustingly jealous, tell those who can to get a real job.

[CoffeeGuy]

Those who can, have a job. Those who can't, play ball.

[Tommyknocker]

You mean they're making all that money for doing nothing, and you want them to stop? Want to join us in this side of reality?

[CoffeeGuy]

I wonder what they'd be doing if pro basketball wasn't around ? probably playing basketball in the neighborhood park, and not getting paid for it. When you say "want to join us", who is us ? You and the NBA league ? No thanks. I think you are mistaking fantasy for reality.

[CaZeek]

How is playing basketball any less of a contribution to society than a "real" job? What exactly is a "real" job? Is a retail salesman a real job? Is a tv repairman a real job?

If you were a basketball player and somebody threw something at you, you'd better know who threw it at you and not just go up into the stands and randomly pick someone out who was in the general area, and begin throwing punches. The players who went into the stands should be "banned" from the NBA. Let them go out and get a real job. That, or go play in Italy.

That's also an exaggeration. I saw it happen live, and I saw it replayed about 50 times, and he wasn't running in throwing punches. He ran up grabbed one guy, and according to sources was yelling "was it you?". As a matter of fact he didn't even really hit anyone until some idiots started coming after him on the court. Sure, he was wrong, but someone with a "real job" probably wouldn't have even shown that much restraint.

[bazooka]

ahemmmm.

Did anyone read my post earlier?

Both parties were wrong, but pro sports have an unwritten rule that you do not attack those who help pay your salaries.

[CaZeek]

Well sure, that sounds like a good rule of thumb , but I thought it was also an unwritten rule that those who pay your salaries don't throw cups of beer, chairs, and anything else they can get their hands on at you while you're working.

[Capmaster]

I can see both viewpoints. Yeah they're highly-paid for relatively few hours of work, but there is a demand for that and they're just filling it.

To speculate that they wouldn't amount to anything if it were not for the NBA is just unfair. It doesn't acknowledge all those players who have their degrees and are quite intelligent people. And "all thugs"? I think not.

But ...they are expected to behave like professionals when they're working. It's something every pro athlete understands ...ignore the taunts and catcalls from the stands. Consider the source ....and weigh if it's worth losing your career or health to lose your temper.

But the fans have a responsibility to respect the players. They're entertainers, and you paid to see them. Sit back and let them do their jobs. You don't like it ...don't buy a ticket again. Protest by not buying a ticket again ...don't get in a scrap with a player. Don't throw chairs or beer if the call doesn't go your way ...or if a player doesn't live up to your expectations.

It seems like these incidents of fans fighting with athletes has become more frequent lately. It used to be unheard of. WTF?

[CoffeeGuy]

How much of an inconvenience would it be not to have an automobile ?
How much of an inconvenience would it be not to have a grocery store ?
How much of an inconvenience would it be not to have electricity ?

How much of an inconvenience would it be not to have plumbing ?

How much of an inconvenience would it be not to have a roof over your head?
How much of an inconvenience would it be not to have clothes to wear ?
How much of an inconvenience would it be not to have a telephone ?
How much of an inconvenience would it be not to have roads to drive on ?
How much of an inconvenience would it be not to have a family doctor ?
How much of an inconvenience would it be not to have schools ?
Pretty darn inconvenient, if you ask me.

How much of an inconvenience would it be not to have theaters ?
How much of an inconvenience would it be not to have actors ?
How much of an inconvenience would it be not to have pro sports ?
While entertainment is a nice diversion from day to day stress and activities, I seriously doubt they'd be considered an inconvenience. Pro sports are part of the entertainment industry. And I dont consider entertainment to be a real job. You dont have to ask what a real job is. You know what it is. You,most likely have one.

[CaZeek]

If my life revolved around driving back and forth to work to work or school, getting dressed, going to the doctor, and eating, I'm not sure if I'd really enjoy living. You also may as well fire everyone that works at any restaurant, chefs, waiters, anyone who works at an electronics store or in that industry, anyone who works in sporting goods, anyone who works in pretty much anything. I mean what's the purpose of doing everything? Are we just supposed to get jobs so we can pay for our transportation and survival so that we can go to the job? This goes way beyond this whole basketball argument, but my line of though is that the purpose of life is to enjoy it. So yes, I consider entertainment and leisure important, and I would consider it an extreme inconvenience if every form of entertainment/luxury was just removed from this world.

[Capmaster]

I hear what you're saying CoffeeGuy. All those things are more important than pro sports in the big scheme of things. It's obscene that these guys get paid 30 or 40 times what a good doctor gets paid, 40 times what the president gets, 400 times what a decent nurse or cop or teacher gets.

But ....there is a system in place, driven by the viewing public's desires, that says this is how much good pro athletes will get paid. Don't blame the athletes, blame the public who has elevated sports celebrities to god-like status. It's their fault, and nobody else's

[Guest]

did anyone see the pre-game fight between Clemson and SC yesterday?

[CoffeeGuy]

I'm not blaming anyone. I'm just stating an opinion.

[Guest]

don't mess around in detroit ..

supprised no one got shot

Indeed.

The city has worked hard to live down other sports-related violence, such as the overturning and torching of police cars after the Detroit Tigers won the World Series in 1984. When the Pistons won the NBA championship in 1990, seven people were killed, six of them hit by cars, and hundreds were injured by gunfire, stabbings and fighting. Looting and raucous behavior led to dozens of arrests.

[freestyler]

I wonder if property values go up every losing season...

[Tommyknocker]

I consider a job as a doing something someone else will pay you to do. Plain and simple. And as far as salries go, the athletes said, if you want me to play for you, this is my price. The owners grinned and said, okay sign here. We'll take it out of operating expenses.

[Guest]

if you are getting legally paid for what ever you do,that is a real job

edit-Artest- gone for the season. O'Neal-30 games.

[CaZeek]

Press release: http://www.nba.com/news/pacers_pistons_041121.html

Artest - Suspended for the remainder of the season
Stephen Jackson - 30 games
Jermaine O'Neal - 25 games
Ben Wallace - 6 games (absolutely ridiculous)
Anthony Johnson - 5 games ??
4 other players - 1 game (pretty stupid too, but rules are rules)

The Pacers are going to be fun to watch for the next 30 games..

Edit: Also go to nba.com, and you can view the entire press conference from David Stern and some other clips.

[northcat_8]

I think the whole deal was a complete disappointment.

#1 - visiting team member goes into an opposing crowd after flagrantly and unecessarily fouling, with a cheap shot I might add, and it was on the home team's favorite player.

#2 - laying down on the scorers table

#3 - being an overall jackass wanting time off to promote your albumn, when you can't rap half as good as a drunk Gilbert Godfried.

Ron Artest is a ****, the only crime that happened up in Detroit is that no one snatched him up and splattered his face all over the ******* floor. Jermaine O'Neil too, he thinks he's a hardass thug too, **** him too.

I also believe the only reason that Artest and O'Neil were able to even hold their own is because they attacked people on the floor seats. Too bad Artest didn't attack the upper level, the only seats blue collar folks can afford.

Maybe Artest and O'Neil can play, but win something, win anything, win a conference title, win a NBA title, win something other than the fuckhead of the year award. Being the best player on a bad team doesn't make you a good player. How ******* good was Artest in Chicago? **** him.

**** RON ARTEST, I wouldn't walk out my front door to meet that piece of shit and if he were on fire in my driveway, I wouldn't piss on him to put him out. I'd get a can of gas, a lawn chair and some ******* marshmellows.

NOTE: I hate the NBA and only see it on SportCenter, I am no particular fan of the Pistons, but I know OF Ron Artest enough to wish he was running a post route with Jack Tatum playing free safety.

[CaZeek]

#1 - visiting team member goes into an opposing crowd after flagrantly and unecessarily fouling, with a cheap shot I might add, and it was on the home team's favorite player.

You must either not have seen the game, or as you said, not watch the NBA ever. The foul wasn't even hard. Nevermind flagrant or cheap shot. It was barely even a foul.

#2 - laying down on the scorers table

That was kind of stupid looking, but whatever it takes for him to control himself is fine. He actually handled the whole incident until the beer throwing very well. He didn't go back at Ben Wallace at all, he just walked away. The Ron Artest 2 years ago, or MOST players today would've gotten into an all out fist fight right there on the court.

#3 - being an overall jackass wanting time off to promote your albumn, when you can't rap half as good as a drunk Gilbert Godfried.

Agreed about the idiocy of that, but I haven't heard the album, so I can't speak for his rapping

On a last note, I think Ron Artest or Jermaine O'Neal could pretty much kick anyone's ass that I have ever met.

On a second last note, I've always hated the Pacers, as I am a Knicks fan. So I'm certainly not biased in their favor.

[gastorgrab]

Are the fans being payed millions of dollars to abide by NBA rules?

[CaZeek]

No, but they're living in America where there is a legal system of rules in place.

[gastorgrab]

No, but they're living in America where there is a legal system of rules in place.

Yeah, maybe your right, that paper cup could have killed someone.

[CaZeek]

Well I am right, but I didn't say anything about a paper cup killing anyone.. although it probably could if someone tried to swallow it.

[Guest]

No, but they're living in America where there is a legal system of rules in place.

Exactly.Fans throwing punches should be reviewed. However, a big jock comin at you with fists flailing might be more of an assult than a beer in a plastic cup being fired at ya.

I love this.This is more of a debate than the election.America is great.