[Tooeasy]

your a good man beez, a very good man. you did an excellent job of summarizing the feeling of MOST of the fanbase on this site, whether we were partial to a certain party of this whole riot or not. I will have a tough time watching games this season, and im particularly happy that i didnt dish out the 180 bucks for a league pass considering i now plan to put a lot more priorities ahead of watching basketball, which wasnt the case at the start of the season.

[Ice Nine]

Originally posted by <b>Mike luvs KG</b>!
This decision will deter players from ever entering the stands again.

Many will argue for the players safety in the situation, which is obviously of real concern. But going easy on Artest in no way would have ensured fans never throw anything again. Going tough on him sets an example to make sure players never go in the stands again.

And the death penalty will ensure that no sane person ever commits murder again. The flaw lies not in Artest's decision making process, but in human nature in which instinct and emotion occur at a far more rapid pace than rational thought. The threat of a multigame suspension did nothing to deter a livid Ben Wallace from trying to start a fight with Artest, now did it?

I don't pay a single cent (directly) to the NBA so I'll continue to watch for as long as the product remains free. That said, I have nothing but contempt for David Stern. I'd rather the NBA have as commissioner a coward who's usually right, like Bud Selig, than a tyrant who's usually wrong, like David Stern.

[Tom]

The NBA isn't a court of law, his prior convictions can be used against him. Stern took into account the totality of the damage that he wrecked upon this great game. That man is a danger to everyone around him and his career is in jeapordy. I feel bad for whatever is making him the way he is, but not for what he has done or the punishment given to him

Guys...Like Grant Hill Said. "The game is bigger than one man. The game will survive."

[Coatesvillain]

I think the message that this whole incident should send home, is one BEEZ touched on, the players are human, they have feelings. That's something that in this day and age where we have so much access to the player's lives, that we (the fans) miss.

I think it's fine to voice your opinions of players and how terrible they might be, but many people take that to the next level. There are many fans who treat athletes like they're less than humans because they get million dollar contracts and play a game for a living, fans who live their lives through the players sometimes treat them like animals. And that's not right.

This is a point that was driven home to me with people complaining about Team USA during the Olympics. There's a line that divides the sport they play, and the people they are, and I think people need to find a way to feel a certain way about the player and another way completely about the man. There's a level of respect that is missing in this day and age, I hope that we can eventually understand and respect the players.

[Pioneer10]

My problem witht this is that their has been precednet!

I will say this again for the 10th time it seems. Vernon Maxwell went into the stands to fight a fan who was taunting him (never threw anything at him) and he got 10 games.

Double or Triple it if you think Artest did was worse and you get 30 games

Even if you think Artest desrves the year. How does JO get 25? He's human and had no role in starting this thing but he got caught up in the mess with people throwing punches everywhere. What he did was WRONG but the suspension lenghts do not add on IMO. How does he get 2.5 times the lenght of Maxwell's suspension? He has no prior history and in known as decent guy off the court (Maxwell, Artest all have histories)

This is Stern not being fair but playing up to the media. I don't like the ruling. Again they all should have got lengthy suspension 10 games for JO, 15? for Jackson, 30+ for Artest

The Sprewell incident also does not apply with this fight. Sprewell actually left practice and came back suggesting PREMEDITATION which none of players did (even Wallace) for this fight.

Also what message is he going to send Detroit fans. Absolutely nothing except the Wallace suspension and an easier road through the eastern conference. Doesn't seem right

[fjkdsi]

Artest and the rest of pacers didnt deserve what they got
and it pissed me off when they got it
but
overall i got agree with MJG, futuristxen etc..
if alll the nba players got injured for the rest of the season and teams had to sign NBDL and euroleague players
i would still watch

[Numbed One]

Just because Stern laid down some harsh suspensions doesn't mean the fans escape from all blame. There is enough blame to go around.

The thing is, these players work for David Stern, the fans don't. He can't "suspend" the fans. All they can do is ban them from future games, which will probably happen. Give it a few more days to see what comes out as far as punishment for the fans goes (it might take more than a few days for lawsuits, etc to become public knowledge however).

And just because the fans have some fault doesn't mean Stern should show leniance towards his players. It doesn't change how outrageous and wrong what Artest did is.

Regardless, to hold Stern's decision against the game as a whole is wrong. As has been said, the game is bigger than one person and it will survive.

I can understand that if I was a hardcore Pacers fan I might be a bit more upset, but even then you really have to take a look at the bigger picture and see what is better for the long term future of the game. The importance of this season pales in comparison to the importance of the game's future beyond this season when you think about it.

Stern did not ruin this season. Artest, Stephen Jackson, the fans, everyone involved did.

[Debt Collector]

the penalties were harsh on artest i believe for the simple fact that society already has and will continue to punish him severely. i think a 40 game suspension would have been enough

as far as the nba losing fans, i dont see why the NBA should lose fans over the actions of 3 players and a handful of rabid fans. things like this happen in all walks of life and sport where something major trumps the game and fun aspect, but imagine if we were in the 1950's and 1960s and we didnt have 1000+ channels, millions of websites and newspaper after newspaper scrutinizing this incident from every single angle, chances are it would have been a blip under the radar, very likely the suspensions would have been less harsh and we would have been desensitized to a degree. there also is a racial undertone that noone is talking about. but i blame the media for blowing this so out of proportion that people will consider boycotting the NBA somehow but at the same token i feel a true fan would stick with the game

[BEEZ]

Originally posted by <b>Numbed One</b>!

Regardless, to hold Stern's decision against the game as a whole is wrong. As has been said, the game is bigger than one person and it will survive.

I can understand that if I was a hardcore Pacers fan I might be a bit more upset, but even then you really have to take a look at the bigger picture and see what is better for the long term future of the game. The importance of this season pales in comparison to the importance of the game's future beyond this season when you think about it.

Why is my feeling on what has taken place WRONG? To tell me how I feel and to what I have witnessed take place on basketball for which I have been a fan of for much longer than you have been born which I can guarantee. You are right when you say the game is bigger than Artest. Very true but the quick rule to judgement has pulled the joy out of the game for me. I dont blame Stern for doing what he has to, but he elevated himself over the game when he made the statement of it was unanimous 1-0. He just annointed himself with that statement judge, jury and executioner.

Anyway you have your opinion and I totally respect it, but dont tell me mines is wrong for a sport I used to love

[DaUnbreakableKinG]

Originally posted by <b>R-Star</b>!
Maybe Ill keep reading and modding, but I seem to only be getting in arguments with a certain few posters I have come to have alot of respect for. And not because they have money, but because I enjoy their posts and views, its just obvious we dont see eye to eye on this one.

...and I respect you because you have money???