Ron Artest on ESPN First Take RIGHT NOW
- Thread starter jon e
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Nobody has known where his head is at for a long time, so hearing the rest of him has gone missing doesn't surprise me in the least.
Open note to Ron Artest:
Hey, RonRonMcBillBill? Do me a tremendous favor. STAY LOST!
The play is over, the curtain has come down and the audience has left the theater. NO ONE is interested in your blatherings any longer. You have embarrassed and dismayed the most loyal fan base in the NBA. I hope you're proud of yourself.
And yes, I know you'll be all surprised and defensive if/when you read this. I don't care. You had every chance in the world to just shut up and play but you continue to take your traveling circus on the road to whatever venue will give you air time.
There are a lot of players whose lives aren't perfect, who have problems off the court, who feel misunderstood. Most of them, however, find a better way to deal with those problems than making public spectacles of themselves. And yes, it's YOUR fault. You're the one continually reaching out to the media, going on local radio shows, texting reporters, ignoring the advice of your agent, etc.
Our Sacramento Kings will survive after you're gone, and probably quite nicely. I feel sorry, though, for all those fans who desperately wanted to believe in you, to support you and cheer you on. You have let every single youngster who bought your jersey down - again. The fans in Indiana and Sacramento could form a support group of loyal sports followers who have had their heart broken by the same NBA "professional."
Find another fan base to feed your ego. The fans here are, for the most part, finished.
Open note to Ron Artest:
Hey, RonRonMcBillBill? Do me a tremendous favor. STAY LOST!
The play is over, the curtain has come down and the audience has left the theater. NO ONE is interested in your blatherings any longer. You have embarrassed and dismayed the most loyal fan base in the NBA. I hope you're proud of yourself.
And yes, I know you'll be all surprised and defensive if/when you read this. I don't care. You had every chance in the world to just shut up and play but you continue to take your traveling circus on the road to whatever venue will give you air time.
There are a lot of players whose lives aren't perfect, who have problems off the court, who feel misunderstood. Most of them, however, find a better way to deal with those problems than making public spectacles of themselves. And yes, it's YOUR fault. You're the one continually reaching out to the media, going on local radio shows, texting reporters, ignoring the advice of your agent, etc.
Our Sacramento Kings will survive after you're gone, and probably quite nicely. I feel sorry, though, for all those fans who desperately wanted to believe in you, to support you and cheer you on. You have let every single youngster who bought your jersey down - again. The fans in Indiana and Sacramento could form a support group of loyal sports followers who have had their heart broken by the same NBA "professional."
Find another fan base to feed your ego. The fans here are, for the most part, finished.
Something to think about...
If Artest leaves sacra in bad terms he would be the first in a loooong time. Meaning if he cant be happy here, where can he really turn the corner. The kings have never been shy about taking in troubled players and helping them change their image. Ron you are not crazy more like stupid for not using your resources while you had the chance.
If Artest leaves sacra in bad terms he would be the first in a loooong time. Meaning if he cant be happy here, where can he really turn the corner. The kings have never been shy about taking in troubled players and helping them change their image. Ron you are not crazy more like stupid for not using your resources while you had the chance.
The hate on this man makes me laugh.
He's a player on a basketball team whom none of us actually know yet if you read this board he's being portrayed as the second coming of Satan rather than a man with some issues who talks to much.
Im exodusing off the NBA/Kings board again because the hate on this guy is actually getting to be offensive.
Yeesh.
He's a player on a basketball team whom none of us actually know yet if you read this board he's being portrayed as the second coming of Satan rather than a man with some issues who talks to much.
Im exodusing off the NBA/Kings board again because the hate on this guy is actually getting to be offensive.
Yeesh.
He's a basketball player on the team I love and support. I don't have to know the man personally to not like him being associated with my team. I am basing my dislike (not hatred) of Artest on his public behavior on and off the court. I'm mad at him, but I certainly don't hate him. More like I feel sorry for the man. He really has zero insight into himself.
Maybe I'd love the guy if I knew him. Doesn't matter, though. The guy is a public buffoon. He attracts all kinds of negative publicity.
For the Kings, he's a black hole sucking all the media attention to himself, when I'd rather some attention be paid to the rest of the team. Yes we actually have other team members
, not that anyone is allowed to notice.
Maybe I'd love the guy if I knew him. Doesn't matter, though. The guy is a public buffoon. He attracts all kinds of negative publicity.
For the Kings, he's a black hole sucking all the media attention to himself, when I'd rather some attention be paid to the rest of the team. Yes we actually have other team members
, not that anyone is allowed to notice. 
Thank you! I'm glad I'm not the only one who sees it this way. This constant mockery is at least as immature as anything Ron has said or done, and IMO substantially more so. This is Ron's career, his livelihood so it actually matters to him. For all the fans, it's just a hobby. Let the man say what he wants, who cares? The media is the black hole. Ron's just a basketball player.
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Exactly. So many people say, "I'm so tired of hearing Ron." "I wish he woudl just keep quiet." "No one cares what you have to say."
But those who say that know that it is completely not true. They are tired of WHAT he is saying. The fact that this many people come out and comment about Ron when he didn't actually appear on TV, and didn't actually even say anything is proof in itself that they are still interested. If you really don't care about Ron anymore, and you really don't want to hear what he says ... then stop commenting about him, stop reading the threads about him, and focus on something else. In other words ... Let it go!
But those who say that know that it is completely not true. They are tired of WHAT he is saying. The fact that this many people come out and comment about Ron when he didn't actually appear on TV, and didn't actually even say anything is proof in itself that they are still interested. If you really don't care about Ron anymore, and you really don't want to hear what he says ... then stop commenting about him, stop reading the threads about him, and focus on something else. In other words ... Let it go!
Oh that's right, both of which occurred long before he came to Sacramento and supposedly was given a "clean slate" and yet, funny enough, these things still get brought up whenever anyone discusses Ron Artest. Ron more than paid his penance for both of those, also before he came to Sacramento. They both had nothing to do with the Kings. And continuing to bring them up in a conversation that obviously involves the Kings, not Indiana, not Detroit or it's fans, just further indicates that saying you've given someone a clean slate and actually doing it are two different things.
You wouldn't know it by all the chances he's been given and blown over the years.
It's the fans' hard-earned money that allows him to be extremely well-paid while playing a game for a living. He's d*mn lucky so many fans are willing to overlook, time and again, behavior for which the rest of us would most likely be fired.
The fans have a right to express their opinion of his public behavior, most especially while he's on their team. RA can say anything he wants. I just want him to say it, while no longer a member of the Sacramento Kings.
It's the fans' hard-earned money that allows him to be extremely well-paid while playing a game for a living. He's d*mn lucky so many fans are willing to overlook, time and again, behavior for which the rest of us would most likely be fired.
The fans have a right to express their opinion of his public behavior, most especially while he's on their team. RA can say anything he wants. I just want him to say it, while no longer a member of the Sacramento Kings.
He had a clean slate in my book. That means he had a clean slate, if he changed his ways in Sacramento.
If someone cheated me, I could give that person a clean slate. If he cheats me again, the slate isn't clean anymore and he has merely confirmed his prior behavior, which then becomes part of a long repetitive history. Then all behavior is fair game for evidence of a pattern.
Someone else can give Ron a "clean slate" again, if they want. He's already had plenty of clean slates in his life. As a matter of fact I fervently hope some team out there will. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Ron won't fool me anymore.
If someone cheated me, I could give that person a clean slate. If he cheats me again, the slate isn't clean anymore and he has merely confirmed his prior behavior, which then becomes part of a long repetitive history. Then all behavior is fair game for evidence of a pattern.
Someone else can give Ron a "clean slate" again, if they want. He's already had plenty of clean slates in his life. As a matter of fact I fervently hope some team out there will. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Ron won't fool me anymore.
I suppose that's fair. It's not necessarily the sentiment that I disagree with. Part of this whole fan thing is discussing players you like or don't like and why. It's just the way some people go about it which I think is disrespectful and would be in any context.
I think there's a huge gap between Ron Artest's actual behavior and his perceived behavior, and that's more what I was referring to. Most of what has been reported about Ron's actions or comments in Sacramento would be interpreted much differently if not for the reputation that precedes him. He hasn't gotten into any fights or shown any evidence of violent behavior. The domestic violence dispute was ambiguous as to what exactly happened and how much Ron was directly at fault. The comments about Ron's effect on the team or coaching staff have always struck me as hearsay and in some cases a reporter fabricating news where there isn't any. So beyond that you're left with Ron feeling betrayed that the Maloof family asked him to stay and then shrugged when asked about an extension. I don't think Ron is the only player that would ask for a trade in that situation. So I don't see how anyone who actually did give him a second chance can say that he betrayed that trust. He's not going to change into something that he's not. He's always going to be a source of unpredictable behavior. But that alone is not cause for running somebody out of town. If he's not going to be a part of this team's future then don't give him an extension. If you can get something back in a trade, then do it. But why do we need to tear the guy down on his way out as if he's some kind of villain? For the Kings this is purely a basketball decision. All this other nonsense is just media hot air.
I think there's a huge gap between Ron Artest's actual behavior and his perceived behavior, and that's more what I was referring to. Most of what has been reported about Ron's actions or comments in Sacramento would be interpreted much differently if not for the reputation that precedes him. He hasn't gotten into any fights or shown any evidence of violent behavior. The domestic violence dispute was ambiguous as to what exactly happened and how much Ron was directly at fault. The comments about Ron's effect on the team or coaching staff have always struck me as hearsay and in some cases a reporter fabricating news where there isn't any. So beyond that you're left with Ron feeling betrayed that the Maloof family asked him to stay and then shrugged when asked about an extension. I don't think Ron is the only player that would ask for a trade in that situation. So I don't see how anyone who actually did give him a second chance can say that he betrayed that trust. He's not going to change into something that he's not. He's always going to be a source of unpredictable behavior. But that alone is not cause for running somebody out of town. If he's not going to be a part of this team's future then don't give him an extension. If you can get something back in a trade, then do it. But why do we need to tear the guy down on his way out as if he's some kind of villain? For the Kings this is purely a basketball decision. All this other nonsense is just media hot air.
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I agree that I have cringed at some comments, that I felt were a bit over the line. However, I've also felt that way about some comments in the past about other Kings players, past and present.
It's hardly just Ron that gets flak, although he's a master at drawing it to himself. I think Ron's a bit like the kid who always wants to be the center of attention. Even negative attention is better than no attention.
It's hardly just Ron that gets flak, although he's a master at drawing it to himself. I think Ron's a bit like the kid who always wants to be the center of attention. Even negative attention is better than no attention.
I'm saying he's done nothing to hurt the Kings, yes. But that's because I think PR is a bunch of BS and people should be intelligent enough to make up their own mind without having others feed opinions to them. Any damage Ron has done to the Kings is only PR damage. It doesn't affect my willingness to go to the games or cheer for the team. He hasn't done any actual damage to the team or it's players or it's fans. In fact, if people even remember the humanitarian work he did in Africa last summer, he's done a lot of good for a lot of people. And on the court, he's actually brought a level of defensive accountability to this team I haven't seen as long as I've been alive. He hasn't asked for time off to promote his rap album. He hasn't started or participated in any fights on or off the court. So no, I don't think he's done anything to hurt the team unless you care what the talking heads on Sportscenter or CNN say about this city or this team. I don't.