I respect your right to have your own opinion, however, I disagree. EVERYONE in this situation was at fault, and, Artest should not be blamed for this incident. To begin, Wallace completely overreacted to the foul. And to the fan who threw the cup at Artest--what were you thinking?! While Artest bears some blame certainly, the fan who threw the cup is the one you should be admonishing, not Artest. Here's a tip: DON'T THROW THINGS AT THE PLAYERS! In this case, I agree with Tim Legler. Although I don't condone the reaction of the Pacer players, I can certainly understand it.

I totally think that this artical says exactly what is needed to be said. NBA players need to have more control over themselves and act like the 10 million dollar athletes that we and paying them for. I think, after watching the tapes over and over, that there was no reason for this to happen. Wallace shouldn't have reacted the way he did to the foul, Artset shouldn't have freaked out the way he did at a cup of beer, and the fans shouldn't have provoked the players the way that they did. It was disgusting to watch. And even worse was to see the little children who were at the game crying and shaken up by the incident. NBA has really turned into a game of ballers and brawlers and not professional athletes. What ever happened to the good ol' heros of basketball. The players that kids loved to look up to. Now there are only a bunch of unprofessional thugs, and definetly someone who I don't want my kids to look up to. I think that this incident is going to really hurt the NBA's image for a long time. Oh, and about Tim Legler's comments, Come on, who's side are you on! What an idiot! I watched him on the news today talking about how these players who were involved are upright citizens or somehing. How many times has artest been suspended in the past few years?? Upright citizen alright!

I agree that Legler, and the ESPN crew are completely thinking of their own careers by defending the players. Artest should be out for the rest of the year, if not forever. Jackson at least 20 games.

However, I am wondering why people are not discussing the NBA's policy of hiring high school grads as a contributing factor. If I am not mistaken, are not Artest, Jackson and O'Neal all players who skipped college? It appear as if they skipped Maturity 101 by doing so. Hoping to hear your comments.

Lee

R. Brown,

First, I didn't say the fans were NOT at fault. I said the players should have acted more responsibly. If I were to assign blame to one person, it would have been Artest. Even though Wallace overreacted, as I stated above, Artest did NOT need to push him from the backside. It was childish. There were 45 second left in the game, the Pacers had it in the bag, and it was completely unnecessary. Second, he did NOT need to go up into the stands. BUT it wasn't about one person, and several people are responsible (i don't call blameless people "idiots" and "thugs").

Believe me, if it were Tim Duncan, KG, or Kobe in the same situation, they would have walked away, and Legler, Indy fans, and possibly you would be singing a different tune. If it were players from the '70s or 80's, they would have walked away. Could you ever imagine MJ, Magic, Bird, Stockton, Mullin, Worthy, Robinson, Drexler, or McHale doing what these guys did? How about Kareem, McAdoo, West, Dr. J, Robertson, West, Cowens, Archibald, or Frazier? Maybe the Laimbeers, Rodmans, and Xavier McDaniels during those times would have crossed the line, and I think Artest has a reputation similar to that group.

Bernard

Lee,

I agree. I assume maturity level has a factor in this, but it's difficult to measure the impact of early-entry (direct from high school) on social and personality development on NBA players. All these guys involved have been in the league for a while now, so you have to hope that they matured to some degree during these past few years. O'Neal came straight from high school; Jackson was in the CBA and abroad for three years before coming to the NBA from high school; Artest played two years at St. John's before heading into the NBA, but clearly lack some development from the day he got into the league (e.g. Hoopshype.com puts in Artest's bio, "Goes crazy often.").

It might be a case for some athletes that they should have learned in an immediate environment, such as college, how to handle the fans and ignore the crowds. Most major college courts have fans that are more rambunctious and in-your-face than NBA stadiums, so this can be a case for not allowing high school kids to make the jump anymore. More importantly, college is an environment where players can develop more than basic courts skills, such as shooting and footwork which is sorely needed. It is also an environment where they can develop as people in normal day-to-day settings and not the rose-colored view of the world that the NBA presents.

For some kids, like KG, they develop well because they had solid family influences. Others might not fair so well. These early entrants could become like the the kid TV stars that face success earlier than the norm resulting in some dysfunctional personality or quality. For every Jodi Foster that comes out well, there is a Michael Jackson, Macaulay Culkin, and Todd Bridges.

I've always been a proponent for not allowing high school players to make the jump. I know David Stern is for this policy, but the NBA Players Association definitely is not. It's all about the money. Let's see how all this pans out in the coming months.

Bernard

I have a lot of sympathy for Ron Artest in this. He was not scared of Ben Wallace, of course he wanted to take Wallace on, but he understood that it wasn’t worth it and he was calm even though several Pistons continued to move near him and shout at him. Suddenly the jerk threw the cup at Artest, who did not deserve any punishment or humiliation like that after he reacted professionally to Wallace’s shove by walking away.

In this situation, let’s think what we’d do ourselves. If some guy suddenly punched you or something for no reason, would you fight back or stand there and ask your friend who is stronger and bigger near you or have more authority like a policeman who may not be at the scene to help you get that guy back? I believe most would fight back. I mean, I’m by no means violent, I don’t even watch any wrestling and boxing which is popular amongst young adults, and I would fight back. Likewise with Artest, would he stand there and get stuff thrown at him and all he does is go to the nearest security guard and tell him politely “Can you please kick that guy out of the arena?” or something?!? I don’t even think that that’s a normal response for a human being, yet alone a guy who had a past of temper-control problems and who just got shoved unreasonably for a hard foul.

What I really don’t agree with is “professionalism” shown by NBA players. These guys are professionals at basketball, NOT necessarily professionals in anger management. It is true that NBA players should show professionalism in anger management, but in this case, Artest was in self defense.

Artest, O’Neal, Jackson, Wallace certainly deserve the suspensions, but it was that jerk who ruined the Pacers’ season and maybe few seasons ahead and worse is the careers of the talented Artest, O’Neal and Jackson. I’m not even a Pacer fan but I have tons of sympathy for Artest and the Pacers, who stood up for their teammate. I think I admire O’Neal more now even though it seemed he was being even more violent than Artest with that big time punch because he is an all-star and he was so selfless in supporting his teammate that it may have ruined his reputation and all-star status.

Self-defense over a thrown cup? Please. And again did you see the size of the guy? Artest did not feel threaten. I would not feel threaten and I'm 6'1" 220 lbs. He wanted to beat someone down to release tension.

I'm not a violent person, but I have seen a fair about of fights and in my youth been involved in these emotional physical shows or confrontations. In my opinion, Artest was scared from his body language and then his reaction to the cup. It's a cup for Pete's sake. Some water or maybe coke at the worst . Would you really charge up the stands over a sticky shirt?

Of course they're not professionals in anger management, but they are professionals of the NBA which is sport entertainment for fans across the globe. Whether they want it or not, they have a obligation to the people, especially children, that watch and attend games to behave in the best manner possible in all situations.

Lastly, do you really think O'Neal was being selfish and thinking that he would sacrifrice his all-star status to help his teammate? You admire him more? I believe we live in different worlds (e.g. i'm more for a mano a mano etiquette where you face the person you fight. unless you're from gangland, you don't go around clock people from their blindside). He sucker punched that idiot. He could have helped the situation by just telling the guy, a possibly drunken fool, to back off and ease the tension, but he made it worse by clocking him in a cheap manner.

Bottomline is that all these people were idiots and thugs. The Detroit fans in their behavior and the Pacers in their reactions. It was a horrible day for professional sports.

R. Brown:

"Artest should not be blamed for this incident.... "While Artest bears some blame certainly, the fan who threw the cup is the one you should be admonishing, not Artest."

So using your logic I can pass by your house and as you finish waxing your brand new car, I spit square on the hood. As a response you physically attack me., and that is OK.

NUTS

Henry Fung: "“Can you please kick that guy out of the arena?” or something?!? I don’t even think that that’s a normal response for a human being, yet alone a guy who had a past of temper-control problems and who just got shoved unreasonably for a hard foul."

That is the exact and correct response, step back and let arena security handle it. And you think that is not a "normal human response" PLEASE, explain how an oncourt foul requires a man to lay prone on the scorers table. An action that created the beer/ice throwing in the first place.

Artest is quite clearly a child in a mans overgrown body and needs to be spanked HARD, as do all the others.

My verdict: One year suspensions without pay for all those that went into the stands or attacked fans on court.

If the fans are identified they should face whatever civil punishment is required by the appropriate charges. AND a one year ban from attending NBA games, to include forfeiture of any season tickets held. (a sure-fire way to stop fan abuse)

What should have happened, all the fans AND the players should have been arrested on the spot and taken to the station house. With the "perp walk" being the lead story on Sports Center.

Anybody that thinks the players involved in this ugly incident are not to blame has lost all sense of reason.

This is not the first, second or even third time that Ron Artest has been involved in a spontaneous, violent, uncontrolled fit of rage. He has a serious disorder that wouldn't be tolerated in any other workplace that I can think of (except the boxing ring).

If the NBA and David Stern are serious about ending this kind of behavior they should ban Artest for life with his contract and salary recinded. This incident must in some way violate clauses in his contract. Just kick him out and send the message that if you want to play this kind of ball play it on the streets where it belongs. You'll NEVER see another NBA player go in to the stands again. And, believe me, Ron Artest will not be missed but he will be remembered.

As for the fans, who also clearly bear some responsibilty, their tickets should be revoked and they should not be permitted to attend games at the stadium for some time. Fans are idiots sometimes but they're paying for the privilege to act like rubes in addition to paying the players salaries.

I think that many of you are missing the point in its entirety. It’s not about whose to blame, an unruly fan or fans, Artest or Ben Wallace. This event attempted to be bigger than the game of basketball! I am a parent of a young child who happens to love the game of basketball. I am not wealthy, and it hurts financially to scrape and save and travel several hours to take my son to watch "professionals". To see this event unfold in its sheer raw evil sense.....well simply I have no words. To listen to the fools on ESPN attempt to defend the players makes me wonder if these gentlemen will have a job for much longer.

What occurred in Detroit completely destroyed a lot of people. I saw my son look at the replays, I saw his face. He got up and went to bed, not really understanding. The NBA has seen my last dollar; I’m ashamed some of my hard earned money may have ended up in the pockets of some of these fools!

The suspensions were ridiculous, sign the petition!

http://www.petitiononline.com/nba911/

After that nerve-wracking incident between the Pistons and the Pacers, I'd say that the fans should also be responsible of what they are doing on and off the court. Perhaps the NBA should take into consideration of not allowing fans to participate in any hooliganism activities such as this and rather, set a restriction of not allowing alcoholic beverages inside the court. Why? because this will eventually aggravate any untoward situation if any fan attending the stands is under the influence of such spirits and alcohol.

I'm not saying that fans should avoid the practice, but rather drinking moderate especially in a crowded place like this, should somehow lessen the impact of any untoward circumstances or drink somewhere else if you really can't avoid your temper.

As for the players, they should also check their tempers and remember that they should act as a role-model not as an instigator, troublemaker and a headcase.

What the NBA did (serving suspensions and fines) after the commotion was right for the protection of the paying fans and the image of the league. The culprits should also undergo a Neuro-Psychiatric test or perhaps seminars and refreshers on what to do on and off the court.