Artest: "I'm Not Retiring"

[Purple Reign]

Listen for yourself....

http://sports.espn.go.com/stations/1050espnradio/show?showId=sas

Monday, March 26, 2007
Artest: 'I'm not retiring'
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ESPN.com news services

The Sacramento Kings' Ron Artest tried to clear up talk that he was planning to retire after the season, telling Stephen A. Smith that he's dedicated to the game of basketball.


Appearing via phone on the Stephen A. Smith show on ESPN Radio 1050 in New York, Artest said: "I'm not retiring."

Citing club sources, ESPN.com's Marc Stein first reported that Artest wanted to retire at season's end.

Artest said he told teammates he was thinking of retirement because he missed his kids, but he never thought those comments would make it to the public.

"I'm totally dedicated to this game," Artest said. "I'm totally ready to still try to make these playoffs"

The Kings currently are four games out of the eighth playoff position in the Western Conference.

Artest said he plans on finishing out his contract with the Kings and reiterated at the end of the interview that he isn't retiring.

"I don't plan to retire," Artest said. "When you don't have your kids around you can get a little bit vulnerable, a little weak."

Reached via e-mail on Saturday, Artest wouldn't confirm or deny making such declarations, telling ESPN.com: "We can talk about it after [the] playoffs."

Artest totaled 24 points and nine rebounds in Sunday's home victory over Phoenix but declined to speak with reporters at Arco Arena before or after the game. The Kings' 107-100 triumph avenged Thursday's loss in Phoenix, which was the third game Artest has missed since being arrested at his Sacramento-area home March 5 after a domestic dispute with his wife.

 

[Troy]

Wow, now Ron is not retiring. As much as I love you Ron...you have to go.

Please GP move him this offseason and be quick about it before his value becomes even more in question!!!! Ron is a human hot potato!!!

 

[Bricklayer]

Guy is just such a mess.

And of course a I'm retiring/no I'm not retraction in many ways is the worst of all possible worlds for the Kings, as all it does is further shake up the locker room, make it almost impossible to plan for the long term with Ron involved in those plans, and help scare off whatever potential suitors there might somehow have been.

 

[Vlade4GM]

Who would've ever guessed Ron would've said that without fully meaning it? Wow, I'm pretty shocked here.

 

[Vlade4GM]

Guy is just such a mess.

And of course a I'm retiring/no I'm not retraction in many ways is the worst of all possible worlds for the Kings, as all it does is further shake up the locker room, make it almost impossible to plan for the long term with Ron involved in those plans, and help scare off whatever potential suitors there might somehow have been.

You mean things he says and does affects people other than himself? hmm..that's a strange concept.

 

[nbrans]

They should have traded him for Corey Maggette when they had the chance.

 

[BMiller52]

This is just damage control IMO.

 

[kennadog]

This is just damage control IMO.

Damage control only for Artest. Of course, only Artest matters to Artest. He just damaged the team further, by making it even harder to get rid of him.

 

[Vlade4GM]

No, damage control is him making good on his original proposal and retiring. I'm so sick of his antics.

 

[Purple Reign]

Looks like the radio interview that he had with Stephen A. Smith this morning is not available on the website. Hopefully we can hear it later.

 

[kupman]

Damage control only for Artest. Of course, only Artest matters to Artest.

I do not agree. IMHO Ron is a genuine guy who does care for his team and his family. His problem is he does not have very good emotional regulation and is impulsive which leads him do things he later regrets.

 

[Big Cuz 15]

LOL, i knew he was NEVER going to retire. i can't feel sympathy for anything he says because he doesn't think before he speaks. i hope we trade him in the offseason because i can't take another season of "ron the hero" in games.

 

[Vlade4GM]

I do not agree. IMHO Ron is a genuine guy who does care for his team and his family. His problem is he does not have very good emotional regulation and is impulsive which leads him do things he later regrets.

Oh please, Artest is fully capable of controlling his actions.

 

[SacKings384]

Ron continues to make himself radioactive.

 

[BMiller52]

Damage control only for Artest. Of course, only Artest matters to Artest. He just damaged the team further, by making it even harder to get rid of him.

Pretty much. Or he could've said it to try to stop the rumors. But overall he is a selfish crazy man, lol.

 

[Cal-Kings]

Why is that song "ROLLER COASTER!" playing in my head?

 

[fnordius]

Oh please, Artest is fully capable of controlling his actions.

 

[VF21]

Good grief.

More and more, I'm reminded of what the Pacers fans told us when he first came to the team. They've been through this... And the most experienced ones told us NOT to listen to anything he said or we'd go mad in the process...

I don't care what has to be done but he has to go.

 

[Wuster]

Good grief.

More and more, I'm reminded of what the Pacers fans told us when he first came to the team. They've been through this... And the most experienced ones told us NOT to listen to anything he said or we'd go mad in the process...

I don't care what has to be done but he has to go.

Amen, and of course not simply because he's driving us mad with his ridiculous chatter.

 

[Vlade4GM]

So you think Artest didn't make a conscious decision to go into the stands? Do you think he's just a victim of the chemicals in his brain or something? He may have some emotional instability, that shouldn't excuse his behavior or alleviate responsibility for his own actions. I seem to recall him saying he didn't think he did anything wrong in Detroit.

 

[zo0mmike]

He's probably not a bad guy.. just not the brightest light bulb in the room.

 

[diggining]

Typical Ron Artest...

 

[VF21]

He's probably not a bad guy.. just not the brightest light bulb in the room.

I don't think he's a bad guy, either. But I do think he's incredibly too high maintenance for us. It shouldn't always be about Ron Artest and yet, somehow, it always is.

 

[Troy]

I don't think he's a bad guy, either. But I do think he's incredibly too high maintenance for us. It shouldn't always be about Ron Artest and yet, somehow, it always is.

Especially when Mike had such a great game, a career night against the best, or 1 of the best teams in the NBA. KMart also was player of the week and this is all over shadowed by Ron's domestic abuse charges and now his "retirement" talk. I guess we are stuck with him until his contract is up or if he opts out of it. I'm a Ron Artest fan, but the guy has many issues, especially as of late. I was hoping that was behind him.

Ron is very impulsive and GP and the Maloofs should ban him from talking to the media or anyone about the team or himself. That should have been a bold, underlined, highlighted, etc statement in his contract!!!!

 

[HndsmCelt]

I do not agree. IMHO Ron is a genuine guy who does care for his team and his family. His problem is he does not have very good emotional regulation and is impulsive which leads him do things he later regrets.

That is a very polite way of putting it. Personaly I theink Ron Artest's worst enemy is Ron Artest. The guy is psychologically put together like a soup sandwitch.

 

[Warhawk]

I don't think he's a bad guy, either. But I do think he's incredibly too high maintenance for us. It shouldn't always be about Ron Artest and yet, somehow, it always is.

I think I agree with Brick on this matter where he stated before that an established, winning coach and veteran team is what Ron needs to be kept in check (as well as can be done, anyways). Some situations will fit Ron better than others. It appears that he and Muss are not working out as well as hoped.

 

[Bricklayer]

So you think Artest didn't make a conscious decision to go into the stands? Do you think he's just a victim of the chemicals in his brain or something? He may have some emotional instability, that shouldn't excuse his behavior or alleviate responsibility for his own actions. I seem to recall him saying he didn't think he did anything wrong in Detroit.

There might be a difference though.

Ron generally lacks malice I think. I don't think he is a "bad guy" in the sense of someone who plans to hurt people, who plots out his next self-aggrandizing move, or who is immune to the pain//damage he causes. I think he is somebody unbalanced with incredibly sloppy impulse control. In many ways a child. And a child trapped by his own limitations, wildly influenced by peer pressure, thumping his chest just like boys do in high school to cover their insecurity. He's just a mess. And the sad thing for him is I think he knows it, I think he;s embarrassed by it, and I think he tries to cover it up by acting out.

Regardless, he is a problem we can no longer afford. But on the whole problem scale, I don't detest Ron Artest the way I do a self-conscious malicious me me me *** like Terrel Owens. Ron is a mess, but for some reason I think somewhere down deep he wishes he weren't. Owens on the other hand worships himself and is perfectly content destroying franchises. Its a question of intentional slefishness versus thoughtless selfishness. Minor distinction, but for me I want Ron gone without wishing him particular ill.

 

[kupman]

Ron is a mess, but for some reason I think somewhere down deep he wishes he weren't.

I agree. On top of that, I think that that when he mentioned retirement this weekend it was out of remorse. Remorse for what his family has been through in recent weeks and the belief that if he ended his career he could be a better father and husband and have a happier life. Sadly, I am guessing that he is now feeling remorseful for what his words may have meant for his teammates for whom, I believe, he also cares.

 

[VF21]

Artest said he told teammates he was thinking of retirement because he missed his kids, but he never thought those comments would make it to the public.

Um, Ron? Does the website hiphopgames.com sound familiar?

 

[fansinceday1]

Grant on Artest,

"Shut up ron, just shut up".