NBA / May 8, 2009 / 9:47 am
Would Ron Artest Have Been Suspended?
In Peter Vecsey’s column in the NY Post this morning he writes,
“The league was kind enough to send me the video and it appears to back up Bryant’s account. Still, if it was the other way around, and Artest had thrown the just-below-the-shoulder elbow, you know damn well he wouldn’t be uniform.”
True or false? If Ron Artest and Kobe Bryant were flip-flopped, and Ron-Ron had hit Kobe with the exact same elbow, would the League have suspended Artest for tonight’s game? And taking it one step further, would it have been fair to suspend Artest (and not Kobe) because of his previous suspensions and altercations. DISCUSS.
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May 8th, 2009 at 9:52 am
that_dude says:
hell no,it wouldnt be fair, ron always got da raw deal afta da brawl…. nba is unfair, specialy dey want to protect der goddamn imagine!!!
May 8th, 2009 at 9:53 am
buster says:
Artest definitely would have been suspended and he’s done enough in the past few years to warrant it.
May 8th, 2009 at 9:55 am
loc says:
Why isn’t Kobe suspended?
Why?
because its a recession.
May 8th, 2009 at 9:55 am
doc says:
Ron-Ron would be sitting in front of a big ass flatscreen somewhere.He brought that on himself though.So no bitching,man up,and ball.
May 8th, 2009 at 10:01 am
CelticsBlues says:
No question that Ron-Ron would have been suspended. Kobe can do anything he wants out there. Even in Game 1 after him and Shane dove for a loose ball, Kobe lowered his elbow on him as they were getting up.
Ron-Ron should not have been ejected for getting up in Kobe’s face. Kobe and LeBron will get every call b/c their Finals match up would be Nike, Stern, Vitamin Water and ESPN’s wet dream.
May 8th, 2009 at 10:07 am
Billy Hoyle says:
if Ron did that .. Kobe would have gone to the hospital , crying like the bitch that he is
after that , he’d get a visit in the hospital from Ron carrying a busted-off table leg – ready to do Kobe’s hair
May 8th, 2009 at 10:14 am
the_don_mega (representin' the 3 stars and a sun) says:
no arguement here… its ron-ron… of course they’d take him out quickly…
May 8th, 2009 at 10:20 am
Dime Magazine says:
The recession comment is awesome.
May 8th, 2009 at 10:27 am
chaos says:
All about the Rep man. He’s actually been behaving this season while still playing hard. Why they threw him out is beyond me. Had ron threw that elbow, they would let him back in the staples center period. F*ck the brawl man, that was years ago, give the guy a break….and yes its cuz its a recession lol
May 8th, 2009 at 10:28 am
jay26th says:
lmao @ its a recession.
Ron ron woulda got thrown out for a game or two. They keep him on a short leash. hence his getting ejected in game 2.
May 8th, 2009 at 10:29 am
Marian says:
he would have been.
and that is whats fucked up in the nba. artest is doin what ever he can tryin to contain his crazyness, but still gets always mistreated by the league
May 8th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Joe BBall says:
Those NBA refs truly suck. And Bald Headed Joey the sellout is one of the worst. They kept Boston in the playoffs when Chicago clearly kicked their cans and now they are keeping whiny Kobe in the game after he clearly threw an elbow and should have been suspended. It took Michael Jordan’s arrival to save this sorry ass league before. Maybe LeBron can do it this time, but it is time for the league to wise up. We ain’t blind or stupid on this side of the TV screen.
May 8th, 2009 at 10:36 am
dk says:
Ron gets treated the wat he does because hes a fucking monsrer. Aw, he gets treated unfairly after the brawl, wah! The guy should have been for running into the stands and attacking a fan, the wrong 1
May 8th, 2009 at 10:36 am
SJ says:
Flip-flopped, Ron would have gotten a flagrant 2, been ejected immediately, and been suspended (minimum 1 game). Refs don’t like Artest and he will never get the benefit of the doubt.
May 8th, 2009 at 10:40 am
dk says:
Anyways, I cant wait to see sorry handicapped ass Houston lose at home tonight. You know it will be impossible for Ron to contain himself and Kobe will thrive in the negativity. Kobe by 8.
May 8th, 2009 at 10:41 am
fiyaman says:
just seeing how he reacted to the soft ass elbow and got himself thrown out I cant defend Ron Ron anymore..he deserved it…. overreaction ..
May 8th, 2009 at 10:46 am
Ric Hardwood says:
Definitely Ron Ron would’ve been wearing a suit for next game. But his past hurts him. He’s got a way longer Rap sheet than Kobe. Kobe’s dirty too but it ain’t about dirty, you just gotta hide it. Stockton was never suspended and the dude was dirty…
May 8th, 2009 at 11:02 am
dk says:
95% of you morons dont say shit about the game of basketball. I have never seen an x and o comment. I tried to make a feeble attempt at one. Why is V. Negro just letting Paul Pierce have his free throw extended shot over and over again. Dime reader reply, ” Because that is what PP do ” , are you fucking serious? What I do is send a double team early and let big baby make a play and live with the consequences, thats how I do. Ive been playing and watching basket ball probablly more then a decade longer than you. I watch the entire game, not the 4th quarter and ESPN in the morning like you. And if a bitch is in the house she knows not to talk about her hair. Also, I have been attempting to form proper sentences and correct grammar, trying. I know you didnt have cable as a child but Sesame St. was public access and google is free, loser.
May 8th, 2009 at 11:11 am
Curtis G says:
Here’s my problem; name one incident Ron was involved in BEFORE the Palace brawl? Can’t? Okay, let’s try this. Name one incident that he’s been involved in SINCE the brawl? Oh the domestic dispute case? Oh yea, I forgot about that. A case in which the judge dismissed the charges. Yea, I totally like to think that judges go around letting insane motherf*ckers off the hook for beating their wives! Keep this in kind too; in domestic violence cases, the DA can bring charges against a person WITHOUT the consent of the victim if they renege. The dog incident you say? Oh, another charge that was dropped… because he proved he had someone on the payroll to feed dogs locked up at a house he hadn’t been to in almost a year! Yes, I can totally see how that is his fault! The truth of the matter is that Ron’s only real NBA transgression was being the first player to start an NBA fight of that size (which I still think Ben was more responsible for starting). The f*cked up part is that he wasn’t even the first to actually go in the stands and fight a fan but he was the only one that has been ostracized the way he has. Any Houston fan should remember and be able to tell you how Vernon Maxwell charged into the stands after a fan that had been disrespecting his daughter. Yes, the same Vernon Maxwell that Jordan said was one the toughest and (sometimes) dirtiest people to play against in his entire career. Vern definitely had the reputation for being insane but never got anywhere near what Artest is painted as. Ironically, there have been quite a few others as well, but for some reason, Ron has been made out to be way worse than he actually is. Now I am not saying that the cat ain’t kind of insane (he is)and tends to say some off the wall sh*t (that no doubt contributes to the way he is treated), but that’s more a product of how and where he grew up, not because he really is that way. And let’s be real, Charles Barkley was saying ignorant sh*t well before and above most of the benign stuff that comes out of Artest! But if you’re looking for certified crazy people with anger issues, Ron isn’t that person, however, the a**hole that stabbed that kid with a broken off table leg probably qualifies as psycho material, but Ron? Please! Passion cannot and should not be confused for anger. Regardless, you’re going to have to do better than starting a fight (albeit a large one) in an NBA arena where ZERO people suffered serious injury to qualify as the bane of the NBA to me. The only thing seriously hurt in that incident was Stern pride and what he perceived as an injury to the NBA’s image. The real crime though in that brawl was the fact that the punk a** Auburn Hills police couldn’t control their arena. I bet any kind of money HPD would have shot AT LEAST 5 people… on camera… and then denied that sh*t!
P.S. The other reason Artest gets treated that way is because the NBA needs and wants villain. Think about it. Ever since Sprewell choked the sh*t out of Carlesimo and subsequently was banned (yes I think he unofficially was) the NBA has had a villain to pair with its heroes; no Bizzarro to fight their Superman. And for lack of other suitable candidates, Ron is their guy. I believe Stern purposely has the refs do sh*t that they know will provoke Artest just to get this kind of stuff to happen. I mean, think about it; violence as well as good basketball sells, and if you can get both of them for the price of one, why the hell not? Trust me, if Artest were as bad and crazy as the NBA thought, he would have been shown the door like Sprewell a long time ago. The truth is that Artest is just as marketable as Kobe, Lebron, and all the other poster children of the NBA in that he attracts the other type of audience that the NBA wants to extract money from; the borderline nutso fan that lives and breathes basketball. Artest is the model of that type of person. Don’t believe me? Then tell me why Nash, Duncan, Joe Johnson, Elton Brand, and countelss others, in their own right, are NBA elite, yet fail to get the TV time, attention, or endorsements that the Kobes, Lebrons, and Wades get? Because their aren’t the type of NBA hero that needs a villain. Really, would the same incident that happened in game 2 with Artest and Kobe have had the same type of publicity if had occurred against Duncan, Nash, or Brand? Why the hell else would Stu Jackson have picked to be in Staple Center of all the games and all the nights that he could have possibly attended a game. My guess? He already knew what was going to happen.
May 8th, 2009 at 11:14 am
TJ 2 says:
can some please tell me what incidents/fights/altercations Artest has gotten into besides the brawl? because im not sure what else he has gotten into that any other NBA player hasnt done.
May 8th, 2009 at 11:15 am
dk says:
@doc
Sorry to multiple post im trying to run a bussiness. I want to clarify my coaching critique. I would have had a full practice of analizing Rivers let game set ups and sending Babies man to double, I would also have multiple counter rotations prepared in anticipation of an offense shift. My players would recognize and know what to do out there late to take ” PP ” out of the equation. Even if I had to take a yard stick to Ty Thomas he would get it right…
May 8th, 2009 at 11:27 am
doc says:
2dk-I feel u dog but I aint the one who said something about coaching.I aint no x’s and o’s dude because after u do that 2 times to Paul Pierce he gonna pick it up and start doing what he gotta do to work against that.He one of the top players in the world sometimes he gonna get the shot he wanna get.Good gameplan though but one thing I learned from playing professional games is sometimes them coaches gameplans go right out the window.But yeah I wouldnt let paul dribble the clock down while walking to his sweet spot either.
May 8th, 2009 at 11:33 am
dk says:
@doc
Sorry to multiple post im trying to run a bussiness. I want to clarify my coaching critique. I would have had a full practice of analizing Rivers let game set ups and sending Babies man to double, I would also have multiple counter rotations prepared in anticipation of an offense shift. My players would recognize and know what to do out there late to take ” PP ” out of the equation. Even if I had to take a yard stick to Ty Thomas he would get it right…G
May 8th, 2009 at 11:33 am
karizmatic says:
wow Curtis G went off, Artest would have been ejected had he thrown the same elbow Kobe threw.
May 8th, 2009 at 11:36 am
Tha Boddy "Shaqified" says:
Mad props to Curtis G post #17!!!
And yes everyone else knows that If Artest threw elbow he would have been gone for one game with a possible second being thought of.If you look at the replay you can see that Kobe looked over some and threw a elbow with force…Total bull NBA missed that one and doesn’t care about it
May 8th, 2009 at 11:40 am
Curtis G says:
The bottom line is that the NBA needs Artest AND Kobe to play tonight if they want to get the viewing numbers they need to make a lot of money… and they will. You just know that EVERYONE and their mom, dad, blind Aunt Sally, and deaf Cousin Charles will be tuning in to see if Ron loses it again or if he literally chokes the sh*t out of Kobe!
May 8th, 2009 at 11:54 am
Dukesman2000 says:
Ronnie would have been suspended for the rest of the season
May 8th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
nick says:
agree with the majority here that if artest had thrown that elbow that he would be sitting game 3 in a suit. also if kobe had been the one to go up and get into artest’s face like artest did, he would have gotten a tech if that. the nba has special policies for its star players. sad but true.
May 8th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
kulas says:
Agreed Dime
Tim Duncan tells Chris Paul to “calm the F**k down”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xPpIgKlBbo
May 8th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
kulas says:
whoops sorry about that last post, tabs got switched up.
May 8th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
David Brandon says:
hell yeah he’d be sitting it down. the league runs that double standard shit sometimes and honestly, not cool. dwight threw the exact same elbow and he took a night off. granted, he hit sam in the head, but its about the shoulders regardless. kobe’s my dude…but his ass should be on the bench for a game. if you look at it tho, he’s been getting away w/ elbows during the playoffs for YEARS!! how’s he gonna bust my dude doug christie AND my mike bibby in the face w/ the elbow and its not on him?? man, i dont wanna even get started on that series…
i’m callin shenanigans on kobe’s elbows.
May 8th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
dk says:
@ Curtis G – great post about the villan stuff, its pretty accurate and it keeps thing entertaining, the game within the game, the theatrics and I love it. But, Ron Artest is crazy and proved it the day he attacked, the wrong guy, way up in the stands. If it would have been the right guy, that would be worlds better from a psycological stand point. This is because it proves he can snap and turn into a rabid animal with blind fury. I guarantee there would have been a blow thrown if Kobe did anything to defend his space the other night. Botttom line is thats why he is scrutinized and imo rightfully so. I axtually like the guy, I love a person that knows how to play D and brings a fiery competitive edge to the game. Although he is the enemy right now and if he loses it oh well, see ya. The Lakers will be ok either way and tonight will a great game and so will the next one. On way or the other its going back to LA knotted up at worst, its the NBA, dont be naive and the Lakers are a hot commodity. Times are economically tough and zebras need to eat too!
@ doc
lmao Yeah, I remember those days
of personally tossing the coaches book out the window in the heat of battle, sometimes things get done the hard way! lol
May 8th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Big T says:
Who gives a shit if Ron Artest “would have” been suspended? Neither one of them were suspended, can we all just fucking move on? lol… one little thing happens and there needs to be 10 different blogs, pathetic.
May 8th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
James says:
big props to curtis g..very well written post…and david brandon…why you gotta cut open some old wounds man!?!?..its a media thing though…kobe’s loved and ron isnt…its like allowing someone like michael jordan to tee off on a ref after he already has 1 tech and not give him another one.(you remember that seattle series) vs teching sheed up just for a long stare….go rockets though i think the lakers will win in 6 or 7
May 8th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Ekstor says:
Gotta love the conspiracy folks. Why wasn’t Kobe suspended?
Quite simply it was NOT a offense worthy of a suspension.
Sometimes the simple answer is actually the accurate one.
As for whether Ron-Ron would be suspended or not, if the league were to start suspending people for elbows to the chest, it would have to first rewrite it’s rules and second, it would have to start suspending players every game since this happens all the time with players fighting for rebounds.
Pretty black-and-white if you ask me.
-ekkie
May 8th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
SagJism says:
MAybe if Roin didnt dislay his craziness in al the other ways he would be treated like that. You all forget this is a business with rules, you dont go yelling at your boss when you dont like something he did and you definitly dont continue doing something when HR says back off. So thats why ROn got ejected and deservedly so. If you have 3 traiffc incidents, you are less believable in court for any future ones as opposed to a first offense. but ifd you have the 3 offenses and you argue with the cop o nthe next one, he is taking your dumbass to jail because you dont ge tit. Same thing wiht Ron, he should have just STFU took the foul abd played ball but no he had to continue even though he know he is on a short leash. Thats his problem because he is a professional and should know to act better, if he cant then eventually he will be out of the league probably not by actions but by stupidity and not keeping himself in check. These are grown ass men so he should know better how to act and if it was that bad as he put it, then dont say anything and fuk Kobe up o n the next play in a non dirty way. This is just like Mike Tyson talking about Evander was holding him so he bit him. Hey, dummy, your Mike tyson, if he is holding you, knock his Ass out. Same thing with Ron, if he elbowed you and your Ron Artest, dont complain just hit his ass back like any other man would and he wont do it again, but you have to be a real man to do that and that aint whaat Artest is, he is a bully using his rep as his armour but the Lakers aint buying that BS no more and neither should we.
May 8th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
DO says:
After all the heat the NBA got for ejecting Amare in the suns/spurs series, Kobe would have to tackle a ref to get suspended.
May 8th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Curtis G says:
@ SagJism:
What you said doesn’t even make sense. I mean I tried to understand where you were coming from (because you started out intelligently with the court example) but then you completely lost it. The whole point of this article is to point out that Ron CAN’T hit Kobe in a basketball game… in any way… ever. And if the roles had been reversed, above the shoulder or not, Ron would have been sitting for game 3 and probably game 4. The ref most certainly saw the elbow that Kobe dished beause they had to see it in order to call a foul on Ron. They then ejected him out of fear that he might just break all of their necks. True, Ron was muscling Kobe under the basket (which is where the foul should have been called) but his aggressiveness came well within the context of basketball which is why Stu didn’t even address it. However, the foul was called when Ron somehow fouled Kobe’s elbow with his upper chest. And to all of you that keep saying elbows are a part of the game, in truth, a deliberately placed elbow is not a basketball manuveur in any gym, court, or playground in America and had this occurred at any one of the mmillions of courts unrelated to the NBA, there almost definitely would have been a fight or a skirmish at least. It is one thing to hit a guy across the head (and even make him bleed) as you are going up for a rebound (i.e. Shane battier and Vujacic in game one) even if you know you are being overly aggressive as opposed to throwing blows that are intended to inflict damage… no matter how minimal (i.e. Kobe on Battier in game 1 and then on Artest in Game 2). I have a lot of respect for Kobe but he lost some with me (and so did Stu) when he blatantly kneed and elbowed Battier in Game 1 during a loose ball scrap (which went unpunished) but yet ran from Artest in a similar situation. I’ll give Kobe credit that he knew just how to get under Ron’s skin, but the difference in the way he approached the two players shows that he is not a man of integrity in that he is willing to openly attack the nicest man in the NBA and buck against him (for show), but then underhandely attacks one of the craziest palyers and then folds faster than a lawn chair when that same player confronts him. I mean really… he threw his hands up so fast that OI thought LAPD had came on the court to press some new rape charges against him!
May 8th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
Curtis G says:
@ SagJism:
By the way, I wasn’t trying to come at you sideways or nothing… I am just pointing out that Artest had been (as you put it) shutting the f*ck up all game and playing but no one (the refs) was doing anything about it. Sometimes, when life gives you lemonades, you make make lemonade with anitfreeze it,call it limeade, let life drink a big glass of that sh*t, and then watch that motherf*cker die. Sometimes it ain’t enough to get even… you have to get mad.
May 8th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
SagJism says:
post #17, good job Curtis.
May 8th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
POPPI GEE says:
Curtis G you laid it down pimpin! Way to do the research too.
The L ain’t been right and ain’t right now and ain’t gonna be right. We just have to take what they give right now. Which is wanting money and ratings.
Kobe better walk lightly.
May 8th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
Yao Fan says:
Curtis G put it down. You should be writing for Dime.
May 8th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Curtis G says:
Thanks SagJism, Yao Fan, Poppi Gee, dk , and anyone else I might have missed! I try my best!