Ron Artest Fires Back at Yao Ming
Ron-Ron. Photo. Steve HillThis morning’s Smack has Yao Ming’s interesting/semi-inflammatory remarks about his new teammate, Ron Artest.
A few hours after Yao’s quotes broke, the Sacramento Bee got a hold of Ron-Ron for his response:
Reached by phone a few hours later, Artest – who had spoken with Rockets shooting guard Tracy McGrady but not Yao since the news of the agreed-upon trade broke – said Yao is merely the latest person to believe “all the propaganda.”
“I understand what Yao said, but I’m still ghetto,” said Artest, who will earn $7.4 million next season and be a free agent next summer. “That’s not going to change. I’m never going to change my culture. Yao has played with a lot of black players, but I don’t think he’s ever played with a black player that really represents his culture as much as I represent my culture. Once Yao Ming gets to know me, he’ll understand what I’m about.
“If you go back to the brawl, that’s a culture issue right there. Somebody was disrespecting me, so he’s got to understand where I’m coming from. People that know me know that Ron Artest never changed.”
This should work out well. Truth be told though, it wouldn’t hurt Yao to have a little more of Ron Artest in his game. I’ve been calling Yao “Soft Serve” for the last year …
Source: Sacramento Bee
July 31st, 2008 at 9:53 am
E$ says:
It’s all good, they will get it together & it will be a wrap!
July 31st, 2008 at 9:55 am
loc says:
Yessir!
Theres something exciting about this, Im not the biggest T-Mac or Yao fan but artest is going to kick those boys in the ass and get T-Mac out of the 1st round.
Battier will become the 6th man of the year.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:03 am
Dime Magazine says:
we were talking about that yesterday – Battier comes off the bench and is basically a lock for 6th Man of the Year.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:06 am
CHEE says:
OBVIOUSLY BATTIER WILL BE THIS YR’S POSEY.
COME OFF BENCH.
PLAY CRUNCH TIME MINUTES IN THE FOURTH
TAKE CHARGES
HIT BIG 3′S.
TMAC AND YAO BETTER STAY HEALTHY.
I GOT FAITH.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:06 am
fiyaman says:
I didnt watch the game but I’m looking at the box score now and it says no TO by either team. For those that watched the game is that correct? how is that even possibly? was each team just stationed at different ends of the court and shot jumpshots?
July 31st, 2008 at 10:06 am
fiyaman says:
http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer08/basketball/men/boxscore?gameId=726
July 31st, 2008 at 10:07 am
Justice says:
i hope for entertainment sake yao and artest have a locker room brawl…i can just imagine the type of ass whopping yao would receive
July 31st, 2008 at 10:09 am
Ansonious says:
Ron Ron would more than likely hand yao his ass if this came down to a fight. Yao should be praising the heavens that the rockets made a decent move to help the team out rather than bad mouth the situation. He must realize their are teams out there still not making any major moves to help their team, cause you know this won’t help clevelands bid to keep the KING, and you know he’s chewing his finger nails right now pist that the front office isn’t doing shit alright I’m out like a donut hole peace!!!
July 31st, 2008 at 10:15 am
JA says:
I see RonRon calling out T-Back when Mac starts it with his injury routine.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:16 am
karizmatic says:
Ghetto is not a culture.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:18 am
shake&bake says:
@fiya: There are no stats for TO’s, blocks, or steals. Obviously if there were no blocks there wouldn’t be any steals, but I’m guessing they didn’t keep or enter those stats.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:20 am
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
I wouldn’t call that firing back. I don’t even think what Yao said was all that bad. The media including Dime is overhyping this non story. Then again I guess everything Artest does is a story.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:23 am
isotope says:
Yeah. Thats not firing back. Come on Dime. You can do better than that.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:25 am
Celts Fan says:
@Dime – Shane Battier is over-rated. If that guy wins 6th Man, I’ll know it’s just cuz people like him. He doesn’t do much other than defend. Manu, Ben Gordon, and any other bench scorer should be ahead of him when the ballots are cast.
Shane Battier = slightly better Ime Udoka + skin cornrows + Duke pedigree.
Don’t get me wrong, every good team has and needs a guy like him, but a lock for 6th Man? If Manu’s coming off the bench again, he’s the lock. If not, Shane still shouldn’t win it or even be top 3.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:32 am
isotope says:
Artest says he doesnt mind coming off the bench. Now he’ll be a lock for 6th man.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:35 am
Big V says:
@karizmatic: you are correct.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:41 am
VQ says:
It doesnt matter neither McGrady nor Carmelo..still wont make it out the first round.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:43 am
isotope says:
just like VQ will never make it out of puberty
July 31st, 2008 at 10:47 am
subrock says:
God, I’d hate to have someone like artest saying that they represent “black culture”. So in his words, the reason he punched out some fans in the stands is because he’s black?
that dude has multiple screws loose in his head..
July 31st, 2008 at 10:47 am
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
@karizmatic
I hope you don’t have a trademark on that slogan because I’m putting it on a shirt.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:48 am
rangerjohn says:
sorry but this ron ron thing is already getting rediculous.
cant wait to see the rockets implode or even explode.
ron artest “im just getto” i call bs i call ron artest wants attention everywhere he goes, its got nothing to do with getto, its all about “hey look at me”
July 31st, 2008 at 10:50 am
LakeShow84 says:
OOOooooooooooooooooooo NO HE DITNT!!
July 31st, 2008 at 10:54 am
isotope says:
Dude does like attention and the media plays into it well. He’s one of the dudes that need to just not say anything to the media w/o his rep or agent around. We all say dumb stuff but just not in front of a camera and mic. I think half the time he’s trying to be funny.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:58 am
Damon says:
battier is a lock for 6th man of the year? lol
he will score 10 pts at best, and stats are what is looked on for those awards.
i like his game, but the voters don’t look at intangibles.
July 31st, 2008 at 11:12 am
Dagomar says:
Yeah, because black culture is all about being ghetto.
Sometimes Artest sounds like a sixty year old white woman.
July 31st, 2008 at 11:43 am
Diction says:
Come on people. Ron is talking about his culture cuz he’s from Queensbridge. That’s the way he grew up. If he would have let someone get away with throwing a drink at him at a game. Everytime he went back to QB people would just be throwing drinks on him everywhere he went.
July 31st, 2008 at 11:53 am
kokot says:
Ron artest is a dumb ass… If he loves ghetto so much why not go back to Harlem or wherever his hood is in NY and live there. Why live in multi mills house? Who else is so funking proud to say I’m ghetto and I love it I’m so proud of it. I think Yao just try to make sure everything is ok chemistry wise with his team because he’s still the man in Houston
July 31st, 2008 at 11:58 am
BALLZ says:
Ron Artest=douchebag. I love how he speaks of his role as symbol of the black culture. Way to go Ron. Perpetuate hundreds of years worth of negative stereotypes. Ass.
July 31st, 2008 at 12:01 pm
doc says:
I dont see the beef.Yall are just hyping something up.Yao didnt come at him and he didnt come at Yao.And Ron just dont know how to say he proud to be from the hood.I am so in a way I understand where he coming from.He just got some crazy up in him.But if you wasnt raised in a ghetto you wont understand.So please leave it alone before somebody say something totally ignorant like kokot did with if he loves the ghetto so much why dont he go live there.
July 31st, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Gangsta D says:
Some people are proud of where they’re from, no matter how unpolished their upbringing may have been.
July 31st, 2008 at 12:09 pm
isotope says:
thans doc. I thought i was the only one. People be McLoving their beef like it was Ronald McDonald. No beef here, sorry. And supposedly Rafer and Ron supposed to have bad blood but…
Rafer Alston, who has known Artest for 16 years since they grew up about 10 minutes apart in Queens, N.Y., and Shane Battier, who has played with or against Artest since they were AAU stars 15 years ago, said the influence of the Rockets’ leadership would help Artest avoid the problems and missteps that have marked his career.
“When I heard it, I was excited, not just for the team, but also for a good friend of mine to come to a new team and start over with a team that is perfect for him,” Alston said. “We have guys with a great sense of humor and veteran guys who are aware of who he is as an individual. (Coach) Rick (Adelman) had him before, a coach that can deal with him. He just has to come in and let his play speak for itself.”
July 31st, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Imperial-Mel says:
Rons gonna whoop Yao in practice…or your gonna see Yao in some Roca Wear, and a jesus piece
ohh shit dis is going to be good.
July 31st, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Cavman says:
Is ghetto a culture?
July 31st, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Cavman says:
oohh. and is fighting part of that culture?
July 31st, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Kudabeen says:
I’m willing to bet Yao’s comment was “For the same reasons I like Ron Artest, having played against him I hate him for…” No one likes playing against a bully/bruising player, but they all love playing with one. Yao doesn’t know anything about that part of competition. He gets on his national team all the time about them not going out and playing against the best and getting better. Nothing about Chinese basket ball is as tough as Artest, not even ground they play on…
The rest of his comments are valid. If Ron comes to ball and not to get into domestic beefs, beefs with fans, beefs with beef, then Rockets will be real contenders. Ron sounds like he is ready, but he always sound that way till things don’t go as planned, then you don’t know what’s going to happen…
July 31st, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Kudabeen says:
Cavman:
Ghetto went from being adjective describing a place inhabiting singular group of people to now being a borderline derogatory racial epithet…
Lazy = Ghetto
Dirty = Ghetto
Poorly Managed = Ghetto
It is not a culture in that sense. It is a mental state.
I think what Ron is saying is he is a product of the place he comes from and he isn’t going to change his foundation to appease insignificant on-lookers. Fact is he can still go home and be just as comfortable and he has done so. Ghetto = Hood = Where you grew up and what shaped who you are. It’s no different then people in Cali being “Valley Girls” “He is so Malibu”. People have a flavor that correlates to where they are from, to make it negative speaks to ones on personal prejudice and hatred. Whether I’m from Orange County or from Dade County I’m going to have a certain flavor the will show through…
Is what it is… Don’t fall for into the negative race/class-based commentary. We are all cut from the same cloth like it or not. Ghetto is not negative, what goes on in many ghettos may be. Politics are not negative, what goes on within politics may be… Your choice…
Houston should hope the Rockets take on more of Artest on-court demeanor than Tracy’s or Yao’s…
July 31st, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Yes We Can says:
This dumbass makes me feel ashamed to be black. BTW Go Obama !
July 31st, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Cavman says:
Kudabeen, thansk for clearing that up.
one more thing though, i havent been in a fight yet, am i disrespecting my culture…btw iam blck. not sure why, but these dumb remarks make me feel ashamed as well.
be proud of youself and where you came from, but build on that.
July 31st, 2008 at 1:07 pm
dapro says:
Kudabeen
Ghetto should not be used to describe our culture.
Ghetto was a term used to describe the Jewish community back in the 1920’s and 30’s
We as blacks have a way of taking a negative word and using it to describe ourselves.
Now I understand Ron saying he felt desrepected but bottom line is he could have jeopardized his career all for the sake of “KEEPING IT REAL” or Ghetto
We gotta stop this I’m from the hood nonsense. This negro is a millionaire. My goal is to become one as well but I’ll be damned if I risk it to prove I’m still HOOD
July 31st, 2008 at 1:20 pm
the mamba says:
Im a rockets fan, but battier 6th man of the yr?
Did ginobili become a starter and I don’t know about it? From now on the 6th man award shoukd be known as the “manu” award
July 31st, 2008 at 1:23 pm
I`CouldBeYourFather says:
Ghetto is a part of our culture…it’s a big part of our culture…
I don’t take offense to Artest comments because he does represent a big part of what you see in our black community.
Does he represent me? Not at all…
We are just as diverse as black people as we are as human beings!
July 31st, 2008 at 1:48 pm
doc says:
Im sure when dude hit him with a drink he wasnt thinking im hood i gotta get him.He just blacked out and now he saying stupid shit to justify it.People blackout,white and black.More than half of us probaly would do the same.If I see somebody throw a drink at me and it hits me Ima probaly fuck them up too.
July 31st, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Kudabeen says:
dapro
Who said ghetto should be used to describe culture? Right Ghetto was orginally used to describe the areas sectioned of that populated Jews (singular group of people), but like most words it evolves to take on a number of meanings. Poor is usually at the center of the word. Point is we determine the meaning more than the word itself does… The word is what it is. If it was meant to describe a section of poor minorities, then would it not be accurate in describing some communities? There are poor Africana/Latino/Asian/Italian/etc sections… We put more on it…
Ron Artest reacted…It wasn’t calculated move to “keep it real”… It was a tense moment of him already being hit in the face, then when he is trying to calm himself, some jerk throws a beer at him…
He reacted out of anger, not to keep it real… You and other people are putting all that on it. Ron just reacted and resorted to his most basic instinct which is to get “payback”…For him that is who he is…For him, that’s the way he was raised and he hasn’t changed. To try to demonize him for having a “poor” reaction, because he is “negro millionaire” is not cool nor is it justifiable.
People acting like this world isn’t all about “you threaten me, I’ll destroy you”… Critique your government and humanity as whole for cultivating violent misguided behavior, not Ron Artest. He is one man. Money doesn’t make you disciplined and disciplined doesn’t make perfect.
Wisdom learning from past experiences (your own or those shared with you) and growing from them… How many times have Artest been hit in the face by Ben Wallace in Detroit, then had a beer thrown at him? Once by my count.
If he gets in a similar situation and does the same thing, then lets start pointing fingers… But it’s on you…
You can get all the money in the world playboy, but how many times are you going to let people slap you in the face before you react? I guess you can always just go buy a new backbone huh?
July 31st, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Kudabeen says:
Exactly Doc!
I’m consider myself to be very wise, educated, and disciplined, but know I have a limit to the degree I’m willing to turn the other cheek. Just recently I had 4 cops holding me down in front of my house, because one cop got physical with me and I pulled away. It’s a reaction. I’m thinking I didn’t do anything wrong, I’m in front of my house, why are you putting your hands on me? They are thinking, “this may be another crazy N…”. Am I wrong from reacting. I say no, but I’ve been told by others that it was my fault the situation escalated, because I should have just let them do what they wanted with me to begin with. I didn’t swing on them or reach for something. I pulled back to protect myself, but my level of anger was at the point where I did feel (for a sec) that I would have been justified for laying one of those cops out (not killing, that’s not me, but a fat lip or two would have been enough). That’s where discipline comes in to play. Some people don’t have time to think of all the factors…
The world doesn’t work that way. We all have a right to do what we have to protect/defend ourselves. A badge or a ticket stubbed doesn’t and shouldn’t make a person exempt of getting the backlash from an unjust unwarranted and unnecessary act.
but again it’s an individual thing I guess. That’s why we are where we are. It’s easy to call someone crazy, mock their beliefs and hold yourself up as if you are better… It is much harder and more honorable to be able to empathize and see beyond yourself to see more in a person than CNN/Fox news clippings…
July 31st, 2008 at 2:03 pm
BxBaller says:
Thats just Ron-Ron’s hood mentality showing itself. Basically what homey was saying was “you can take a ni99@ out the hood, but you can’t take the hood out of a ni99@.”
Not to mention that brawl was a once in a lifetime thing. Artest is not as wild and crazy as people make him out to be.
July 31st, 2008 at 2:14 pm
dapro says:
Na I won’t take an ass whipping bruh, but I don’t have to say I’m from the streets to prove a point either.
Ghetto is a mindstate not way of life. I’ll still be from Chicago, IL Englewood the most crime ridden community in the State bruh, but you’ll never hear me say I whipped somebody as cause I’m hood.
I’m a man first and foremost, I don’t need to justify my actions by misrepresenting where I’m from. It was a stupid comment by Artest. We are already viewed as animals, we don’t need to perpetuate the stereotype my brotha.
Words are just words until you give them meaning. I’m being hood turns into a postive representation of overcoming extreme circumstance and making something of yourself than I’m all for it.
July 31st, 2008 at 2:16 pm
dapro says:
When a nicca that has millions and has made his way out of QB has to know when to react.
When I swing I’m hitting the target the family, not some nerd as kid in the stands
July 31st, 2008 at 2:24 pm
GEE...hood watch! says:
Yea Houston got an enforcer now. Need that for sometime. I have to agree that I hope Ron can tutor Yao in having that mean streak or that extra “what son” lol.
Yao to nice for the game right now. Freakin Mr. Rogers neighborhood ish.
As far as Ron’s comments go I think he mainly was saying it’s just the way he is and was brought up. I don’t think he prolly should have called it ghetto but that is on him.
I most def. think that prolly a good percentage of dudes in the L wouldn’t have done ish if they got hit with a drink. Most of them gone think to much before they decide to react. Hince Ron doesn’t do a lot of pre-thought prolly but still.
Come on yall know if Yao get hit with 2 or 3 cups he prolly wouldn’t have ran in the stands. For that matter if Tracy got hit with 1 he prolly wouldn’t have ran in.
I think Ron is just saying where he’s from that is the nature of the beast.
Although the only real problem is well why didn’t you go at Ben Wallace when he pushed the **** out of you???
Funny though that Tracy is elated and right now if anything Yao is actually the chemistry problem. Already textin Scola and causing what could be a divide for a dude you ain’t even spoke to up-front yet.
LOL practice is going to be something else.
July 31st, 2008 at 2:28 pm
dapro says:
@ Gee
See that’s I saw. He was ready to run up on lil homie in the stands but he reacted camly to Ben som much so that he strech out on the scorers table
July 31st, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Kermit the Washington says:
“If you go back to the brawl, that’s a culture issue right there. Somebody was disrespecting me, so he’s got to understand where I’m coming from. People that know me know that Ron Artest never changed.”
yeah, he’s definitely crazy. He’s STILL not admitting he was wrong for that? Wow…yeah, Houston can have him. LA wants no parts of that foolishness.
July 31st, 2008 at 2:35 pm
GEE...hood watch! says:
yea that is where the problem lies in his if I am hit I am going to hit back deal. Cause he acted like he ain’t want no parts of Ben.
July 31st, 2008 at 2:39 pm
GEE...hood watch! says:
Kerm we will take him pimpin. LA needs him to and you know that. Ain’t no enforcer on that squad either.
Plus I ain’t just gone say dude was wrong. I don’t think I seen a fan throw a cup at a player since lol. I think it was good it happened on a lot of levels and bad for a few reasons.
He might have been a punk but I ain’t gone say he was wrong.
July 31st, 2008 at 2:44 pm
dapro says:
Mac gets out the first round. I feel good about saying that
For all that Artest is and isn’t he brings it every night We had him in Chicago so I respect his game. Houston is getting a harward warrior
July 31st, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Celts Fan says:
GEE, I’ll say it then. Ron was wrong. We’d all beat the hell outta anyone that did that to us, but Ron’s playing, not a fan in the stands. They pay you that $ to be a basketball player. You’d like to think a guy wouldn’t be an idiot off the court, but you can usually deal with anything that happens off the court, you just never expect off the court to mean in the stands, during a game, with (well, against) a fan…
I thought it was awesome/hilarious watching it live, but come on, you can’t do that. Even worse, still not saying you were wrong? You don’t have to mean it, but don’t be saying you’d do it again. I mean, why? How does that help other than to let the rednecks in Texas (not calling all Texans rednecks, but we know there are some) that if you chuck a cup at him, he’ll beat your @$$ too? Hopefully, if it happens again, we can see Yao playing the Stephen Jackson role. Something about the thought of 7′6″ Yao charging the stands and wildly throwing punches at anything that moves puts a HUGE smile on my face…
July 31st, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Kudabeen says:
dapro
I wasn’t coming at your manhood. I don’t think anyone would voluntarialy take a whippin’…
We are saying pretty much the same thing. I just don’t think money makes you a better person/thinker/problem solver…It just doesn’t.
He gets paid to play professional basketball…Let’s not get it twisted. He doesn’t get paid to be a professional outside of that… In your job if you “wild-out” and start a fight (especially with a ’shareholder’ or ‘client’) what would happen to you? Ron is still playing ball because he is good at it, this wasn’t stopping the NBAs money, and it just adds the “bull fighting” – “gladiator” mystic of the product on the floor. “Don’t feed the animals” type thinking.
It is things like the fight that allows Stern, Stu and crew to enact dress codes, age requirements, celebratory hand gestures (gang signs, soon policies on tattoos/cornrows and maybe even language within the ‘territory’ of the NBA and its affiliates. It’s about brand management. NBA structured (not to be racial, but…) Owners, Overseer (Stern, Stu), and guess what…
Players need to empower themselves. Ron isn’t or at least haven’t proven to be that dude. He is a reactionary person. At the same time he is one of the most altruistic cats in the league! That’s major to me. To give when not required is one of the greatest examples of humanity to me…
Having said all that I can’t wait to see how the Rockets make it all work. They seem to have all the pieces. They could even move extra pieces that may be needed elsewhere for picks (Luther Head)…
July 31st, 2008 at 4:37 pm
lol says:
@Patrick Cassidy
Dumb little bytch, please post the whole article. Stop manipulating the whole article. Ron is sucking up to yao.
July 31st, 2008 at 5:07 pm
GEE...hood watch! says:
Celts you can have that, if that is how ya feel. I ain’t really trippin on it. It was what it was. Everyone involved had choices they could have held back on.
To put it all on Ron well I think that is a bit to much. Sure he had a big hand in it, but there were a lot of other hands involved as well.
Cause he is a player and makes millions I am going to hold him under a higher scrutiny than a fan…naw not me.
A bunch of junk goes out the window when you feel as you are being attacked. I ain’t saying dude was right but I ain’t saying he was totally wrong.
Mistakes were made by a whole lot of people involved.
And even if he does apologize or admit he was wrong. What does it change..nothing and on top of that he prolly ain’t gone mean it anyway.
Just a messed up sicheeation but I ain’t puttin it all on Ron.
July 31st, 2008 at 5:16 pm
dapro says:
Kuda
I think we are saying the same thing just in a different way family. You made some damn good points
My thing with Ron is he has a lot more to lose than the average cat out here.He knows when to control himself but he choses not to. If he can walk away from Big Ben than he has more sense then we think.
I’m ready for the season to kick off. This offseason could be as big as last year
July 31st, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Lee says:
Can’t wait for someone to say “I love the game, I’d play for free” I’d love to see their contract get ripped up and put on the minimum NBA wage !!!
July 31st, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Lee says:
@ Celts Fan
Yao won’t be going into the stands throwing punches .. Dude’s the biggest NINJA you ever seen .. he’s go Jackie Chan on their ass !!!
Is Artest and Yao the new Chris Tucker / Chan !!!
July 31st, 2008 at 6:11 pm
Rob says:
July 30, 2008
A late night buffet
Posted by Sam Amick
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In true Ron-Ron (or is that Bill-Bill?) fashion, he didn’t take long to change his stance in the latest mini-drama.
After our conversation this afternoon in which he was clearly not thrilled with the comments made by Yao Ming, he went on with KHTK’s Carmichael Dave this evening and reported that the issue has been resolved.
Among the relevant revelations…
* Artest said Yao called to clear up the matter and proclaimed himself “a Yao Ming soldier babyyyyyy!.”
* He admitted that Yao’s comments regarding the brawl “hit me in the soft spot when I read that.”
* He said he’s even considering a trip to China support Yao with Team China, then quickly made it clear that he is rooting for Team USA for the gold.
* Asked if there was anything he would change about his time in Sacramento, Artest said he would have found a way to convince the Kings to re-sign Rick Adelman.
“I wish I would have know that Rick was leaving, because I would’ve intercepted that phone call with a missile from Korea,” he said with a laugh. “I’d be like, ‘Hold on, let’s work it out.’”
POINTS TO PONDER
* Assuming Artest’s comments on Wednesday don’t undo the deal, let’s move ahead to Rockets locker room speculation.
No one expects Tracy McGrady or Yao Ming to be the ones willing to stand up to Artest, but don’t be surprised if Rafer Alston occasionally plays that role. Not only do Ron and Rafer go all the way back to their shared New York upbringing, but Alston was possibly the most outspoken critic among his colleagues after the 2004 brawl.
For an interesting look back, read this piece here.
* While talking to Artest today, he retold the story about how he found out he was traded while making an appearance on the “Scott Ferrall Show” on Sirius XM radio.
Here’s the transcript from the show on Tuesday night, as provided by the XM folks…
Ferrall: “Yo, Ronnie, it’s Ferrall.”
Artest: “What’s going on, man? How’s everything?”
Ferrall: “What’s up, Money? Now listen, can you believe that you got traded tonight while you were filling it up for 42 points at that thing in the city tonight? When did you find out that you got dealt, afterwards when you picked up your cell phone?”
Artest: “What are you talking about, what are you talking about right now? I got traded?”
Ferrall: “You got traded tonight to the Houston Rockets, brother, for Bobby Jackson. You’re going to be playing with Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady.”
Artest: “I didn’t know that.”
Ferrall: “I swear to god.”
Artest: “I just came from the game and went to get something to eat. I turned my phone off and I told my boy I was going to call [into the show] because it was your birthday. I didn’t know that. I got to call [my agent] and find out. I’ve got to find out.”
Ferrall then read a portion of the Houston Chronicle report on the trade to Artest.
Ferrall: “What do you think, man? How do you feel about that? I hope I didn’t bum you out.”
Artest: “Nah, man, everything is good. I am going to call my agent in a little bit. But man, it’s your birthday, man.”
* I honestly wonder if Houston leaked the story about this trade on purpose. My conspiracy theory goes as such: get the news of the trade out there, then have ample time to gauge the response of the fanbase/media etc. and leave yourself an out if you decide it could be a disaster.
If it wasn’t Ron Artest, I’d call myself crazy. But the fear factor around the league most certainly remains high when it comes to Ron-Ron, and I could honestly see such drastic measures being taken to guard against a potential PR crisis or maybe even some sort of mutiny from within.
* I’m not typically in the business of uni-news, but the folks at Sactownroyalty are all over it. A pic of the new road uniform was leaked to the blogosphere. Check it out here.
* On second thought, I forgot that McGrady has shown an ability to stand up for himself. Take, for example, this scuffle with the one and only Bobby Jackson from a few years ago.
* Speaking of Jackson, a story on the former Kings point guard who could certainly still be headed this way was put on hold because of the Artest situation.
I had a fascinating chat with Bobby this morning and will likely run that story on Friday. – Sam Amick
Categories: Sam Amick
Tags: Ron Artest, Yao Ming
DIME, DIME, you guys are turning more and more into ESPN. I know you guys have got your own agenda and everything. Whether its starting something out of nothing (this Yao Artest “feud”) or hyping up LANCE STEPHENSON and NY ballers (i.e. SEBASTIAN TELFAIR), you guys are losing it…
July 31st, 2008 at 6:31 pm
jamesinva says:
Battier 6th man?!!? hahahaha yea right. his numbers arent even that good. i kept my eye on him for fantasy last year. he put up decent numbers filling the stat sheet but it wasnt amazing. try again…
rockets wont get past the 2nd round in my opinion.
July 31st, 2008 at 7:06 pm
Kevin K says:
lol you maybe from the ghetto ron ron but china has freaking 1 billion people at their disposal haha
July 31st, 2008 at 7:08 pm
GEE...hood watch! says:
jamesinva that is still good cause right now the city might be off the hook if they get past the 1st.
Saying they won’t get past the 2nd round really ain’t an insult lol.
Well it’s figured dudes would be cool eventually cause I think winning will be the main thing anyway. Still Rick dealing with a some real different demeanors. I think he can handle it. So far they all seem to like his style and it has shown to be success so now that the startin 5 is straight. Just got to get points off the bench.
Have to laugh at the site of Yao being pelted by cups and just standing there with that goofy confused look like when he gets called for a foul and is in disbelief. LOL
July 31st, 2008 at 7:10 pm
dagwaller says:
I don’t know if I’d call this “firing back”. Artest is being just as political as Yao was – pointing out a misunderstanding, but otherwise praising the other guy.
That having been said, Ron Artest is still pretty crazy apparently. “Representing his culture” – I assume that he means black people? Please represent yourself, Mr. Artest. Getting disrespected hopefully doesn’t mean violence to the rest of the black community.
On the other hand, you have pro soccer players that get flares and batteries thrown at them, and NOT go into the stands. Again, I think Artest represents himself, and that’s about it.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:16 pm
Heavy D says:
Couple of comments . . . Artest indicated that he’d do it again. Not smart. Smart would be not charging into the stands and filing a lawsuit against the NBA for providing an unsafe work environment and the fans who threw cups. He can still say publicly that if he was assaulted like that on the street he would have whooped their asses, but at work the NBA is supposed to keep fans in line. Not saying he would win, but he’d be the lead on Sportscenter while it played out.
2nd thought: At least Yao didn’t text Scola asking if Ron still beats his wife? That would have really started some stuff.