Suspensions

#3
http://aol.nba.com/news/commissioner_statement_041120.html

Statement from NBA Commissioner David Stern Concerning the Altercation During the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers Game Last Night at The Palace of Auburn Hills

NEW YORK, Nov. 20 -- NBA Commissioner David Stern issued the following statement today:“The events at last night’s game were shocking, repulsive and inexcusable -- a humiliation for everyone associated with the NBA. This demonstrates why our players must not enter the stands whatever the provocation or poisonous behavior of people attending the games. Our investigation is ongoing and I expect it to be completed by tomorrow evening.

The NBA has taken the following actions, effective immediately:

1. Indiana players Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson and Jermaine O’Neal are suspended indefinitely, the length to be determined upon completion of the investigation.

2. Detroit player Ben Wallace is suspended indefinitely, the length to be determined upon completion of the investigation.

3. Review of rules and procedures relating to altercations and security have been undertaken so that fans can continue to attend our games unthreatened by events such as the ones that occurred last night.”
 

CruzDude

Senior Member sharing a brew with bajaden
#4
The ESPN vote section about the brawl has some interesting results. There were two glaring problems last night that more than anything let this get out of hand:
1. lack of security behind the benches and lack of security intervention
2. selling booze after halftime

It's hard to imagine any player laying or sitting there taking the kind of abuse dished out by those jerks who call themselves fans. You got beat on your home floor by your big rival. So what? We all get beat on our home floor sometimes. You don't have to act like bullies and "girly men". You didn't play in the game.
 
#5
good. all 4 deserve to be suspended, and i'm glad they are going to be suspended until they actually get suspensions.

indy is going to be in a world of trouble. they lost 3 starters, and their 2 best players. are they even going to have enough people to dress??? better sign a few 10 day contracts......

it sucks, but hey, you 3 pacers clock some fans, then you've earned it.
 
#9
Kingsgurl said:
Twice in the next few weeks. December 3rd and December 11th.
The media room got a good chuckle out of what RA said after the game when they asked him about that whole Det-Indy situation. He said something to the effect of "Too bad we don't play Indiana tomorrow"
 
#10
Good reaction by the League. I hope they drop it hard and long on both the players and the teams. Let the Player's Association fight; fight back. Make your point.
 
#12
SLAB said:
The Pacers are gonna be in a world of hurt for this indefinate strech.

Seems pretty fair, though.
I don't think that it is fair on Wallace. All he did was to shove Artest, which accounts for 2 game suspension. That was the end of his part. But if you are suspending 3 Pacers they have to suspend atleast one Piston. Just trying to give some condolence to the Pacers.
 
#13
I have one question regarding the Detroit affair last night. What were the two fat guys, apparently two brothers wearing Pistons' jersies, thinking when they stomped onto the court to attack Ron Artest? That would have been a questionable thing to do if they were even coming out to attack Larry brown. Ron Artest is a world-class tough guy.

I only hope that the Detroit police arrest and charge a few dozen fans with aggravated assault and other stuff of which I am unfamiliar. I think it would be fun to manage a committee of officials to determine punishments for one and all. I think some of the fans deserve jail time, and many deserve hefty fines and arrest records.

The old guy that originally attacked Ron Artest with beer and punches, the bald guy with the baseball cap and "Wallace" jacket, ought to do time. Upon release from County jail next year, he should be forced to face Artest in the "Octagon" for an Ultimate Fighting contest. I would pay $29.95 to watch that punk get knocked out in 15 seconds.
 
#14
bibbyweb said:
I don't think that it is fair on Wallace. All he did was to shove Artest, which accounts for 2 game suspension. That was the end of his part. But if you are suspending 3 Pacers they have to suspend atleast one Piston. Just trying to give some condolence to the Pacers.
The NBA is trying to make a point by flexing their muscles. Wallace is going to end up getting more than he deserves, but it's a sacrifice that the League is willing to make.

Viking - The NBA has nothing to do with disciplining the fans that were involved in the altercation. Perhaps the Pistons organization can revoke season tickets or something to that effect, and I'm sure the Detroit police are doing all they can to make sure that those involved are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
 
#15
bibbyweb said:
I don't think that it is fair on Wallace. All he did was to shove Artest, which accounts for 2 game suspension. That was the end of his part. But if you are suspending 3 Pacers they have to suspend atleast one Piston. Just trying to give some condolence to the Pacers.
The riot would not have happened if Wallace would have simply shoved Artest and then walked away quietly. He caused the riot with his antics.
 
#16
Superman said:
Viking - The NBA has nothing to do with disciplining the fans that were involved in the altercation. Perhaps the Pistons organization can revoke season tickets or something to that effect, and I'm sure the Detroit police are doing all they can to make sure that those involved are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Well yeah, I meant the police. :)

Revoking season tickets sounds like a good idea as an aside as well.
 
#17
quick dog said:
The riot would not have happened if Wallace would have simply shoved Artest and then walked away quietly. He caused the riot with his antics.
I don't think it's fair to say that he caused the riot. His actions indirectly lead to a riot breaking out, but it certainly wasn't all his fault.

Stephen Jackson's antics certainly tend to go unnoticed. He was jumping around and ready to fight as much as Ben Wallace was. And I'd have put my money on Big Ben over either of them; maybe both of them.
 
#18
ReinadelosReys said:
The media room got a good chuckle out of what RA said after the game when they asked him about that whole Det-Indy situation. He said something to the effect of "Too bad we don't play Indiana tomorrow"
That was hilarious!!!!!!! Ron Artest better hope that Pacers don't play Detriot for atleast a couple of months. Don't see him coming back before that.
 
#19
Hey one thing that was really remarkable, was that the Original Bad Boy Rasheed Wallace was trying to restore peace. He had actually got everything in control before the fan threw that beer on Artest.

Great job Wallace!!!!!!
 
#21
I don't think it's fair to the Pacers..it all started when Artest fouled Wallace..which wasn't even a bad foul..it may have been a little hard but that's the way games are..everyone gets hard fouls, but Artest didn't even mean anything by it..he was playing the game. Wallace had no reason to go off on Artest like that..that was so uncalled for. I feel so bad for Artest b/c he's been doing so wonderful with staying calm and out of trouble..just imagine him a couple seasons ago..he would have went off on Ben Wallace right then and there. He wouldn't have let that happen and not retaliate back at him. You all saw he tried to let things go and stay calm, that's when he went and laid on the table..and that's when the rude detroit fans had to get involved. Throwing a cup of beer at Artest was absolutely unexceptable and that fan..no THOSE fans got what they deserved. Tell me how many of you would let someone throw a cup of beer in your face and you not do anything about it? And think of all the anger built up inside Ron at that time..Artest and the Pacers are not the bad ones here. I'm sorry all this happened b/c it really sucks for the Pacers now and it really gives Detroit a bad name [except for C-Webb :) lol]
 

Mr. S£im Citrus

Doryphore of KingsFans.com
Staff member
#22
bibbyweb said:
That was hilarious!!!!!!! Ron Artest better hope that Pacers don't play Detriot for atleast a couple of months. Don't see him coming back before that.
The Pacers play the Pistons again December 25th.
 

HndsmCelt

Hall of Famer
#25
Good start. Yeah Big Ben probalby wil get hit with alot more thatn the 2 game fighing suspension he would have gotten if there had not been a riot, BUT as pointed out one of the factors that pumped the crowd up WAS Wallace not only trying to fight Artest, but makeing a spectical of him slef insted of leaving when he was ejected. Oh well the leage at least has to LOOK like it is doing something. Now lest see what happnes to the fans, the Pallace nad if they move thefront row for EVERY venue.
 
#26
My turn :)

Fist of all, the Detroit police will have NOTHING to do with this situation. Why? Not because they are partial to the home town teams, but because they are in Aurburn Hills, 30 miles from Detroit. Now, I say this not to be a smart alek, but to let you know that a superior, less corrupt system will be handling this.

Now, from what I understand, there are many high-res cameras all over the place, and so the "fans" who got involved should be identifyable and I am sure can be procecuted if they choose to go that route (which they most certainly should).

Finally, those were not Pistons fans that are in the lower bowl this year, they are depressed drunken Red Wings fans who are just bandwagoning on the Palace and taking away the good seats people who actually care. (/heavy scarcasim).

PS, everyone involved should be PROCECUTED to the FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW. Drunken "fans" and athletes are not above it.

I feel bad for the cities now, both are going to be labled as thuggish.
 
#28
"Home games for the palace should be moved indefinitely, until they've proven their security is stable enough to prevent this from happening again. All Stern cares about is revenue, and his reputation as a "fan-first" commish."

True..security was non-existant. It went way farther than it would have if there was ample security there.
 
#29
I found my answer on Pacers page:

With Jermaine O'Neal, Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson all suspended indefinitely by the NBA, beginning with tonight's game, the Pacers will have just seven healthy players available. Three players (Reggie Miller, Jeff Foster and Anthony Johnson) are on the injured list. Two more (Jonathan Bender and Scot Pollard) were unable to play last night due to injuries. NBA rules require that eight players be in uniform, so it's likely Pollard will dress but be unavailable to play.