Ben Wallace is a Punk!!!

[BayAreaKingsFan]

It's been interesting reading all of your comments regarding the brawl the other night.

There are 2 points that no one has mentioned:

1. Ben Wallace should receive a huge chunk of the blame for all this. I mean i've seen the foul that Artest gave Wallace, and it was maybe a borderline flagrant 1, but most likely a typical hard foul. For Wallace to go straight for Artest's throat like that was flat out wrong. I mean aren't these the same Pistons who were the "Bad Boys" in the late 80's and early 90's? And aren't these the same Pistons who rekindled the "Bad Boys" spirit last year to win the NBA title? The "Bad Boys" of the late 80's and the ones of last year claim to fame was their hard fouls and "borderline" dirty play. As much as I hate the Lakers, the Pistons were allowed to get away with a lot of clutching, grabbbing, pushing, etc.. that others teams weren't. Do Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, Rick Mahorn, etc... ring a bell?

I just find it hypocritical that now that they were on the receiving end of a hard foul, that they can't handle it. I believe Ben's actions had a direct influence on the crowd getting out of hand. I mean first he pushed Artest, and then continously tried to go after him. And to top it all off, he threw a towel at him. Is it a coincidence that a couple of seconds later some boneheaded drunken idiot probably thinks that it's a good idea if he throws a towel at Artest too? But then the idiot realizes that he doesn't have a towel, and then proceeds to toss his drink at him?

Ben got off easy with 6 games, and in the process eliminated his team's major obstacle in returning to the Finals this year.

2. Why did the referees not kick Ben Wallace out of the game immediately? I mean he basically grabbed, and then pushed, Artest's neck. He should've been ejected from the game immediately. Instead he was allowed to "loiter" on the court and even through a towel at Artest as he was laying on the scorer's table. I mean Wallace should've immediately been tossed and been forced to leave the court instead of being allowed to remain on the court and taunt Artest and incite the crowd.

That's just my 2 cents, for what it's worth.

 

[sloter]

Call me crazy, but I would say that Ben Wallace has just a little bit more credibility with the NBA and its fans than Ron Artest. Of course, his own reputation was hurt a good deal with this incident and there is no question that he will be closely monitored from now on, but he strikes me as a guy who will know how to stay out of similar situations from now on.

 

[bigdog5142]

You've GOT to be kidding me. That's happened many times in the NBA and I'm sure he would've been thrown out of the game after the conference in the middle of the court. The refs didn't get the chance because the REAL punk was in the stands. ...just my 2 cents.

 

[AceKingSuited]

1. Ben Wallace should receive a huge chunk of the blame for all this.

Ben got off easy with 6 games, and in the process eliminated his team's major obstacle in returning to the Finals this year.

So 6 games is a slap on the wrist to you? Rodman got 6 for headbutting a referee, so you think shoving a player's face and taunting him with a towel is a worse offense than what Rodman did?

How about when Shaq lobbed those haymakers at Brad Miller when he was in Indy. He only got 4 games for that nonsense.

I just think you're looking at the whole incident and mis-assigning the blame where it doesn't belong. Clearly, the only thing extremely unusual about this situation is Ron Artest going "Ron Artest" on an innocent bystander (as Jim Rome put it).

 

[jacobdrj]

A) They probably would have had Artest not lost it (its not like that was the 1st time in the history of sports that cups have been thrown on the playing field)

B) As previous posts say, 6 games is a HUGE suspension for this kind of infraction. He was sceverly punished because of the unfortunate and unpredictable outcome. He is taking it like a man and not appealing it.

 

[Superman]

It's been interesting reading all of your comments regarding the brawl the other night.

There are 2 points that no one has mentioned:

1. Ben Wallace should receive a huge chunk of the blame for all this. I mean i've seen the foul that Artest gave Wallace, and it was maybe a borderline flagrant 1, but most likely a typical hard foul. For Wallace to go straight for Artest's throat like that was flat out wrong. I mean aren't these the same Pistons who were the "Bad Boys" in the late 80's and early 90's? And aren't these the same Pistons who rekindled the "Bad Boys" spirit last year to win the NBA title? The "Bad Boys" of the late 80's and the ones of last year claim to fame was their hard fouls and "borderline" dirty play. As much as I hate the Lakers, the Pistons were allowed to get away with a lot of clutching, grabbbing, pushing, etc.. that others teams weren't. Do Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, Rick Mahorn, etc... ring a bell?

I just find it hypocritical that now that they were on the receiving end of a hard foul, that they can't handle it. I believe Ben's actions had a direct influence on the crowd getting out of hand. I mean first he pushed Artest, and then continously tried to go after him. And to top it all off, he threw a towel at him. Is it a coincidence that a couple of seconds later some boneheaded drunken idiot probably thinks that it's a good idea if he throws a towel at Artest too? But then the idiot realizes that he doesn't have a towel, and then proceeds to toss his drink at him?

Ben got off easy with 6 games, and in the process eliminated his team's major obstacle in returning to the Finals this year.

2. Why did the referees not kick Ben Wallace out of the game immediately? I mean he basically grabbed, and then pushed, Artest's neck. He should've been ejected from the game immediately. Instead he was allowed to "loiter" on the court and even through a towel at Artest as he was laying on the scorer's table. I mean Wallace should've immediately been tossed and been forced to leave the court instead of being allowed to remain on the court and taunt Artest and incite the crowd.

That's just my 2 cents, for what it's worth.

Ben Wallace was wrong, but for what he did, 3 games is probably the typical suspension.

By the way, the Pistons of last season played tough, physical defense, but they weren't the Bad Boys of the late '80s. Did you ever see that team in action? If anyone in the NBA typifies the Bad Boys, it's Ron Artest.

 

[albeitrue]

B) As previous posts say, 6 games is a HUGE suspension for this kind of infraction. He was sceverly punished because of the unfortunate and unpredictable outcome. He is taking it like a man and not appealing it.

I'm glad to hear Wallace is not appealing, that would be stinko. I also think 6 games is high, but I'm impressed he is taking it on the chin, in light of all the rest of it, props to Ben.

 

[bibbyweb]

It's been interesting reading all of your comments regarding the brawl the other night.

There are 2 points that no one has mentioned:

1. Ben Wallace should receive a huge chunk of the blame for all this. I mean i've seen the foul that Artest gave Wallace, and it was maybe a borderline flagrant 1, but most likely a typical hard foul. For Wallace to go straight for Artest's throat like that was flat out wrong. I mean aren't these the same Pistons who were the "Bad Boys" in the late 80's and early 90's? And aren't these the same Pistons who rekindled the "Bad Boys" spirit last year to win the NBA title? The "Bad Boys" of the late 80's and the ones of last year claim to fame was their hard fouls and "borderline" dirty play. As much as I hate the Lakers, the Pistons were allowed to get away with a lot of clutching, grabbbing, pushing, etc.. that others teams weren't. Do Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, Rick Mahorn, etc... ring a bell?

I just find it hypocritical that now that they were on the receiving end of a hard foul, that they can't handle it. I believe Ben's actions had a direct influence on the crowd getting out of hand. I mean first he pushed Artest, and then continously tried to go after him. And to top it all off, he threw a towel at him. Is it a coincidence that a couple of seconds later some boneheaded drunken idiot probably thinks that it's a good idea if he throws a towel at Artest too? But then the idiot realizes that he doesn't have a towel, and then proceeds to toss his drink at him?

Ben got off easy with 6 games, and in the process eliminated his team's major obstacle in returning to the Finals this year.

2. Why did the referees not kick Ben Wallace out of the game immediately? I mean he basically grabbed, and then pushed, Artest's neck. He should've been ejected from the game immediately. Instead he was allowed to "loiter" on the court and even through a towel at Artest as he was laying on the scorer's table. I mean Wallace should've immediately been tossed and been forced to leave the court instead of being allowed to remain on the court and taunt Artest and incite the crowd.

That's just my 2 cents, for what it's worth.

First of all these are not the same piston of 80's and 90's there are the pistons of 2000. They have played solid defense, have been physical, but their game was good to watch, atleast I enjoyed it. And it was not all thugish. It was simply great defense otherwise they wouldnt have got away with it throughout the season and till the finals, especially against the star studded lakers.

And Ben Wallace is actually a sensible guy who has kept out of trouble most of the times. And most of the time he is never involved in a fight. Also he restricted his fight to the floor and with players. The shoving got him a 2 game ban and the rest of his actions got him another 4. So that I think is fair.

Also the suspension difference is becasue of Artest getting into the crowd. A 6' 7" guy rushing into to crowd which had children and senile deserves a ban that long. I would actually want him to be certified by a psycatrist before he is allowed to step on the floor again.

 

[AceKingSuited]

The Detroit fans are even bigger hypocrites. They, more than the team, flaunted (and still flaunt) that ideal of no easy layups. When someone dares foul them hard, they have to throw beers and chairs like the degenerate crybabies they are.

I think your timeline is a little askew.

ONE guy threw a beer. The crowd didn't get into it until Artest and Jackson went gonzo in the stands.

 

[HndsmCelt]

Geez folks show some sensablity here. Ben is NOT another Lambier or Mahorn. He takes a lot of abluse and blow ups like this are NOT the norm for him. So it is very likely that (1) Artest had been running his mouth at Ben for some time, (2) and most likely, Ben was pissed about Artest's decision to hard foul after the game was already decided. (Note to coahces this is why you pull starters once the outcome is assured) (3) Artests histoy of paly against Ben may also be a factor. NO excueses Ben blew up and acted like an idiot out there and deserves at lest the standard 2-3 game suspensinon for fighting, and at least one or two more for not leaving the court after being ejected. I evenagree that bonus days should beadded on to make examples of EVERY Player involved including Ben based solely on the ensuing Riot and the desire to try to prevent thatfrom ever hapening again. Was 6 games too short? probably not but I would not have had a problem with 10. Is Ben even nthe same leage with the street walking scum bags that wore Detrote jerseys in the 80's? heck no! Honestly jsut wathc afew tapes of those guys and you realize how much more physical the game was and how slimey a team they were, and they were proud to be scum.