Ron Artest Rooting at the NBA Finals

hrdboild

hrdboild

Moloch in whom I dream Angels!
Staff member
#4
#4
Artest wasn't here in 2002. He has no reason to hate the Lakers like the rest of us. And considering he always tries to step up his game when he plays against Kobe, I don't see how his cheering for the Lakers now really matters to us as fans (even if I disagree strongly with his taste in this regard). Far more significant is that he's taking an interest in women's basketball and doing his part to promote it. I wish more NBA stars would do the same.
 
kennadog

kennadog

Dog On It!
#5
#5
I was mostly joking.

Artest doesn't have to hate the Lakers, but he can't be unaware of the feelings of a lot of Kings fans. I still think he'd rather play in LA than with the Kings.
 
Heuge

Heuge

Starter
#7
#7
hrdboild said:
Artest wasn't here in 2002. He has no reason to hate the Lakers like the rest of us. And considering he always tries to step up his game when he plays against Kobe, I don't see how his cheering for the Lakers now really matters to us as fans (even if I disagree strongly with his taste in this regard). Far more significant is that he's taking an interest in women's basketball and doing his part to promote it. I wish more NBA stars would do the same.
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If he is a King...he shouldnt route for the L*kers.
 
VF21

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#8
#8
Maybe he shouldn't travel to Los Angeles either? Or visit "LAKE" Tahoe?

:rolleyes:

The Kings aren't in the playoffs. If Artest attended a playoff game to root for an old friend, what difference does it make?
 
Heuge

Heuge

Starter
#9
#9
VF21 said:
Maybe he shouldn't travel to Los Angeles either? Or visit "LAKE" Tahoe?
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Oh, I like your reasoning:cool:

Sorry, I am aloud to not like my favorite teams player cheering on my least favorite team. What in the world is wrong with that.:rolleyes:

Do I want him gone because of that...no
 
M

mac

All-Star
#10
#10
Yea you're allowed to dislike the act but to state that him being a king = shouldn't root for the lakers is going a little overboard. You're suggesting that he's not being a true king by rooting for the lakers.
 
SacKings7

SacKings7

Starter
#11
#11
Sorry, I just don't see anything wrong with this whatsoever. Since Artest has been here, the rivalry has been, well...not much of a rivalry. And he's just cheering on his apparent good friend Odom. I see no harm in it
 
M

mac

All-Star
#13
#13
Peja said:
Will you ever see Kobe in the Arco cheering for the Kings?Yea right:p
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Agreed, but I think in this case it's really a matter of whether the players want to be fans themselves/ be there for personal reasons etc. It seems that Artest is there firstly to support Odom and secondly just to enjoy the NBA finals while rooting for his friend's team. IMO that's perfectly fine and could happen to any player, regardless of teams and their rivalries
 
6th

6th

Homer Fan Since 1985
#15
#15
Since the Kings are out, then all of the Kings players become fans and should cheer for their friends. I got no problem with this at all.
 
R

rhythmless

Starter
#16
#16
There is no issue here. Not only is he a friend of Odom's, but by self admission, Artest is a HUGE kobe fan. Artest may well be on our team, but being a Kings player isn't his entire life, or even his entire basketball experience. And it shouldn't be. Artest has demonstrated that he is a basketball player, AND fan. You've seen him doing radio shows (well, not "seen), doing interviews, at the monarchs games, and now attending a Finals game.

What you have is a basketball player who is keeping himself busy during the offseason with... more basketball. I wish all the kings were at the Finals games. Why wouldn't anyone like to have a player on the team who lives more basketball?

Yes, they are Lakers, and we are Kings. Artest is a King. But the people who are complaining are really living in a myopic world. At the end of the day, at the end of their careers, usually with more than one team, these are all NBA players. For the most part, I would say that these people have varying connections that stem from childhood, prep, college, etc, that continue to extend and pervade other networks. It's hard not to have these inter team connections, and be fans of other players.

I dont get why this is even an issue in this context.
 
Peja

Peja

Bench
#17
#17
JayBird said:
No. But that's because Kobe was there during the rivalry's peak. Of course he wouldn't show his face in Arco, just like Bibby/Webber wouldn't show up to Staples Center to root on LA.
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You're right,but I understand the entire rivalry thing little different probably because I am from Europe.Here when you establish some rivalry,it's getting stronger and stronger after some time and those games aren't same anymore.In NBA it's a little bit different,but still,I think Kings - Lakers game still has much bigger tension than Kings - Bucks game,right?
 
6th

6th

Homer Fan Since 1985
#18
#18
Peja said:
You're right,but I understand the entire rivalry thing little different probably because I am from Europe.Here when you establish some rivalry,it's getting stronger and stronger after some time and those games aren't same anymore.In NBA it's a little bit different,but still,I think Kings - Lakers game still has much bigger tension than Kings - Bucks game,right?
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Absolutely right!! :D
 
BritishColumbia

BritishColumbia

Bench
#19
#19
Peja said:
You're right,but I understand the entire rivalry thing little different probably because I am from Europe.Here when you establish some rivalry,it's getting stronger and stronger after some time and those games aren't same anymore.In NBA it's a little bit different,but still,I think Kings - Lakers game still has much bigger tension than Kings - Bucks game,right?
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Yes, this is the answer )) ... word "rivalry" has different meanings in Europe and America. It is not like Partizan-CZ, Roma-Lazio or Spartak-CSKA :).
 
Peja

Peja

Bench
#20
#20
Yah,I get that.Btw. I am a CZ fan,didn't know you know about our rivalry with Partizan.
Anyhow,you can't resist to get fired up when 2 days before the game you see Piksi's thread - Beat LA;)
 
Geoff

Geoff

Bench
#22
#22
From ESPN

The Lakers would like to bring in Sacramento's Ron Artest, who attended a few Lakers games at Staples Center in these playoffs and was in the TD Banknorth Garden on Tuesday. He was wearing a "Property of Kings" t-shirt, and he'll remain that way unless he opts out of his contract this summer. He said he doesn't plan to do so.

"If you're in a foxhole with somebody, you don't want to jump out of the foxhole because of some gold," Artest said.
 
bibbinator

bibbinator

Bench
#23
#23
Artest was on KHTK with Carmicheal Dave last night. He said that he and Kobe talk from time to time. Kobe tries to get him to come to the Lakers and he tries to get Kobe to come to the Kings.

Artest is what you get when you combine the heart of a champion with the mind of an 11 year old.
 
Circa_1985_Fan

Circa_1985_Fan

All-Star
#24
#24
bibbinator said:
Artest was on KHTK with Carmicheal Dave last night. He said that he and Kobe talk from time to time. Kobe tries to get him to come to the Lakers and he tries to get Kobe to come to the Kings.

Artest is what you get when you combine the heart of a champion with the mind of an 11 year old.
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...and Kobe is what you get when you combine the heart of a champion with the mind of a jackazz.
 
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