"I used to drink Hennessy at halftime," Artest says

[Double-Up]

Ron Artest, the 30-year-old, first-year starter with the Los Angeles Lakers, may yet prove to be a crucial piece of an improved championship puzzle.

But those who are counting on one of the league's most explosive personalities to avoid controversy with his fifth NBA team may want to temper their expectations.

In a lengthy interview for the December 7 issue of Sporting News magazine, Artest—best known as the central figure in the infamous Malice at the Palace in 2004—bared all, including a startling admission that he drank alcohol during games as a member of the Chicago Bulls, for whom he played from 1999-2002.

"I used to drink Hennessy … at halftime," Artest says in the interview, which hits newsstands this week. "I (kept it) in my locker. I'd just walk to the liquor store (near the stadium) and get it."

Artest speaks openly in the interview on many other sensitive topics.

On his life as a St. John's star and a first-round draft pick, Artest says: "When I was a 19-year-old father, whew. I was a single pimp! I was wild. A lot of marijuana and alcohol—even before (that age). … I (still) party and I have fun, but not like I used to. I used to drink every night and party every night."

On why things fell apart for him in Chicago and Indiana: "It was all my fault. The first team, in Chicago, I was a head case. I worked really hard but still had this ghetto thing in me that I could not get out. … I could've stayed at Indiana my whole career, but I said I wanted to be traded. I was getting more stable, but I was still unstable and I was a bad teammate. They had to get rid of me."

On the 2004 brawl in Detroit for which Artest was suspended 73 games and lost $7 million in salary: "It wasn't my fault. … I don't see anything I could have done different. The only thing I could have done was have God pause time so I could have said, 'Oh, look, you're about to run in some stands, so stop.'"

On the Rockets' loss to the Lakers in the 2009 Western Conference semifinals: "(Referee) Joey Crawford basically said, 'Who cares about the Houston Rockets? Kobe Bryant is on the floor.'" On comparisons with Trevor Ariza, the player he replaced at small forward in the Lakers' starting lineup: "I really don't understand why people compare me to him, or try. With what I've done in this league already, I mean, seriously? … I think it's the hype behind (a championship)."

On accepting a role in Bryant's supporting cast: "It's weird because people don't think about the whole basketball game. There's offense: Kobe averages 30 and is a great offensive player. Then you have defense. So on defense, now I have my supporting cast. … I'm one of the best defenders to ever play basketball, so I'm still the first option on defense."
On his feelings toward Ben Wallace, the Pistons center whose altercation with Artest touched off the melee in Detroit: "I see Ben, I'm on my guard now. I'm always in the mood to fight him. … I'll get suspended 10 games, 15 games (because) I'll just fight him right there. It won't go into the stands."

Artest also reveals his plans to become a professional boxer: "I started training two years ago," he says. "In four years, I'm going to try to have my first fight."

But the comments that may follow him most closely in the coming weeks are about drinking alcohol during games early in his career, which Artest says happened in part because the Bulls lost so often.

Previously, Artest hid any use of alcohol and marijuana well, according to his former coach at St. John's, Fran Fraschilla.

"It's a surprise because every day at practice, he came out in a mood to play. He came out in a basketball rage," said Fraschilla, now an analyst for ESPN. "He was fully committed; he wanted to let our upperclassmen know that he was the alpha male.

"It never came up that he had any sort of a problem with alcohol. This is the first I've heard of it."

Steve Greenberg is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at [email protected].

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/article/2009-12-02/sn-conversation-ron-artest-i-was-head-case

That boy's a G.:rollin

[Culburn369]

& there sits Yao, broken hearted, had to shit, but, only farted.

tee, hee.

[nkdlunch]

http://ihasahotdog.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/wtf-funny-dog-pictures-i-has-a-hotdog-but-i-eated-it.jpg

[lefty]

I love Artest :tu

[lil_penny]

I love Artest :tu

[Reeko_Htown]

http://www.trephination.net/gallery/macros/attention_whore.jpg (http://www.trephination.net/gallery/macros/attention_whore.jpg)

[Double-Up]

As much as I hate his decision to go to the Laker's you gotta love his personality.

[Thunder Dynasty]

Reeko_Htown that sig is epic :lmao

[Culburn369]

As much as I hate his decision to go to the Laker's you gotta love his personality.

Please. It's a shit personality. He's straightened out/sobered up because he's after something, not because he's a good person, or, has seen the light. L.A. is the first place in a long line of places where he hasn't shit where he eats (yet).

He's only in line because he feels beholden to Odom and because he wants that ring. He'll show his ass, but, only if another Laker or two go first.

[Double-Up]

Please. It's a shit personality. He's straightened out/sobered up because he's after something, not because he's a good person, or, has seen the light. L.A. is the first place in a long line of places where he hasn't shit where he eats (yet).

He's only in line because he feels beholden to Odom and because he wants that ring. He'll show his ass, but, only if another Laker or two go first.

http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/6954/1188994406433346a87dgi3.jpg

[Culburn369]

tee, hee.

[SenorSpur]

Good luck with this guy on your roster.

[Allanon]

As I said before, Ron provides the entertainment in an otherwise uneventful 65+ win season



On his feelings toward Ben Wallace, the Pistons center whose altercation with Artest touched off the melee in Detroit: "I see Ben, I'm on my guard now. I'm always in the mood to fight him. … I'll get suspended 10 games, 15 games (because) I'll just fight him right there. It won't go into the stands.

I'd pay to watch that. :lol

[nkdlunch]

Good luck with this guy on your roster.

Rodman used to do the same and Bulls got 3 championships.

Some players do this all the time.

[Culburn369]

Good luck with this guy on your roster.

So far...so good. He's been a Marine for us. No jocularities in game. Strictly nose to the grindstone. Odom is like (Jack Haley) to Artest's (Rodman), only Odom can impact on the court as well.

[Culburn369]

Yikes! Naked & I thinking alike.

[Donkeybong]

Reeko_Htown that sig is epic :lmao

im wondering what happened to the girl.

[Culburn369]

She probably still ain't right.

[The Gemini Method]

I used to drink Maker's Mark after ever post...

non-issue.

[duncan228]

Crazy Ron Artest Turns out to Be Crazy (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=tsn-crazyronartestturnso&prov=tsn&type=lgns)
SportingNews

This summer, we had one, maybe two, NBA players struggle with mental illness. With the exception of certain comments sections, Delonte West and Michael Beasley were treated with kid gloves. After all, they had their health at stake.

Now, we have Ron Artest, the league’s chief colloquial "head case" or "whack job", making some admissions (http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/article/2009-12-02/sn-conversation-ron-artest-i-was-head-case) that back up those labels. Or wait, is he admitting that in the past, he had problems, but can clearly see the error of his ways? If it’s the latter, that would make Ron Artest—I’ll pause here for a gasp—a sick man who got well. In the past we could write off The Brawl, and all of Artest’s half-cocked misdeeds, as Ron being Ron. Suddenly, there’s a dark underbelly to it.

The good news is that Artest’s speaking mostly in the past tense. Maybe he’s speaking out in this way because he’s finally put distance between himself and his demons; I like to think that pants-less appearances on Jimmy Kimmel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5O3g4bgjVI) could be his sense of humor, which under federal law he’s still allowed. But all the truly disturbing news Artest’s created over the years is not only amplified by revelations of drinking at halftime, every night partying, and all that other cry-for-help stuff—it’s suddenly off-limits.

Sorry, people, but you can’t rock the double standard here. If West’s a perpetual patient, and Beasley close enough to one that we’ve changed our tone about him, then now Ron Ron is, too.

But here’s what I’m wondering: All those years we informally called Artest "crazy," what exactly did we mean? It would be one thing if all he’d done was shave stuff into his head and give the best interviews this side of KG. But fans and media alike blasted Artest for unpredictability, violence, and a certain disconnect from reality. I guess that made him an easy target, and probably not someone you wanted on your team. Still, I fail to see why an athlete deserves sympathy if he admits he has a problem, but if he refuses to, we can clown him for having one.

Or who knows, maybe Artest will never get that free pass. It’s too late for him. Good thing he feels he’s finally gotten himself together, since at this point, his only recourse might be to prove to the public that he’s not "insane" anymore. He owes us that for being such an unstable athlete, doesn’t he?

[Culburn369]

He owes us

:rolleyes

[Indazone]

All I get out of that article is how in the hell can Joey Crawford that game fixin, shady crooked ref still be allowed to set foot in an NBA stadium.

[YoMamaIsCallin]

Ho. Ly. Crap. This guy is looney tunes. Tweety birds are circling his head.

I mean, some people are somewhat rationalizing and egocentric. This guy goes way, way beyond that. He has a fairly profound reality disconnect.

Anyone who's been in so much emotional pain, or has so many voices screaming in his head, that he can't stand to sit down for 15 minutes at halftime, but has to self-medicate with alcohol, has serious, serious issues.

I hope he's self-aware enough to realize that he needs to make his number 1 job working in therapy. I fear not, because he hasn't hit bottom. NBA teams still pay him millions to play despite his issues. So, why should he do the work?

[Indazone]

Before Artest there was Rodman, Before Rodman there was Mad Max Vernon Maxwell, Before Maxwell there was Daryl Chocolate Thunder Dawkins. There will always be a place in the NBA for headcases that can ball.

[Culburn369]

Ho. Ly. Crap. This guy is looney tunes. Tweety birds are circling his head.

I mean, some people are somewhat rationalizing and egocentric. This guy goes way, way beyond that. He has a fairly profound reality disconnect.

Anyone who's been in so much emotional pain, or has so many voices screaming in his head, that he can't stand to sit down for 15 minutes at halftime, but has to self-medicate with alcohol, has serious, serious issues.

I hope he's self-aware enough to realize that he needs to make his number 1 job working in therapy. I fear not, because he hasn't hit bottom. NBA teams still pay him millions to play despite his issues. So, why should he do the work?

Yer absolutely right, his pathology will wait patiently for him. It ain't goin' no where.

[ffadicted]

Man, as beastly as Artest is, I think Wallace would destroy him in a fight lol

[Indazone]

Wallace vs Artest would be awesome.

[Indazone]

Everything is fine when you win. Artest won't show his true self until the playoffs and in a close game when he gets hit hard or fouled. Then he's going to be Ron Ron.

that's who you want in the playoffs

[jacobdrj]

And Rasheed smokes pot at halftime. What else is new?

[LakeShow]

I have to say that I'm very disappointed with Artest. Drinking Hennessy at halftime. WTF,....he makes enough money to drink Remy Martin instead. :toast

[Double-Up]

I have to say that I'm very disappointed with Artest. Drinking Hennessy at halftime. WTF,....he makes enough money to drink Remy Martin instead. :toast

LOL if you gonna do the damn thang, do it right. Fuck Remy Martin...he know's what's hot. :lol

[LakeShow]

LOL if you gonna do the damn thang, do it right. Fuck Remy Martin...he know's what's hot. :lol

:lol Yeah, Ron was trying to get f-up.

[HarlemHeat37]

He's getting crazier every week, it's a loooong season..

Artest is one of the fakest guys in the NBA though..he's a liar and attention whore..he seems to get a pass for beating women and abusing animals, which is natural, it's the Laker way with the media..

LOL @ the Ben Wallace comments..Artest had no balls when Wallace confronted him..instead of fighting Wallace, he attacked a 130 pound White fan in the stands..a lot of balls this guy has..

[Double-Up]

:lol Yeah, Ron was trying to get f-up.

Hell to the fucking yea, that's why he was drankin Hennessy (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ei=UuAWS969GcqWtge3qdnvBA&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&ved=0CAYQBSgA&q=Hennessy&spell=1) fool.

[djohn2oo8]

Hell to the fucking yea, that's why he was drankin Hennessy (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ei=UuAWS969GcqWtge3qdnvBA&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&ved=0CAYQBSgA&q=Hennessy&spell=1) fool.

Party party party let's all get wasted :toast

[LakeShow]

Hell to the fucking yea, that's why he was drankin Hennessy (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ei=UuAWS969GcqWtge3qdnvBA&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&ved=0CAYQBSgA&q=Hennessy&spell=1) fool.

I'm not mad at him. I used to drink Hennessy too, until Patron. :toast

[PGDynasty24]

spurs fans are just going to sit in front of their horses in the ole' country and pray to God that ron artest has a crazy mental breakdown because that's the only way they have a chance to stop lakers,and to tell you the truth even if he does we would still dominate them without him.

[LakeShow]

I used to pound wine coolers at half-time during my pop-warner football games as a 10 year old, me and my ace Peko. Anyone running up the middle was in trouble. I don't even want to talk about the shit we drank in high school basketball games. Lets just say you'd get your ass kicked if you accidentally picked up my water bottle.

We didn't drink much during games but I don't recall ever playing ball without having a blunt first. :lol

[carrao45]

http://www.trephination.net/gallery/macros/attention_whore.jpg (http://www.trephination.net/gallery/macros/attention_whore.jpg)

best sig ever

[Allanon]

I wonder if that chick recovered from the blow...that's some massive whiplash.

http://i.imgur.com/xV3K8.gif

[temujin]

Hennessy?

Pretty darn good, Mr. Artest.


And really, Artest thinks that Joey Crawford is a joke o a referee and the NBA is rigged?
Really?
He seriously thinks there are fools out there that didn't notice that yet?

At any rate, I like Artest since I watched his return to Detroit after the "troubles".
He scored 31 points and sent big kisses to the crowd after each and every basket (and every boo).
Including freethrows.

That was treat!

[temujin]

I wonder if that chick recovered from the blow...that's some massive whiplash.

http://i.imgur.com/xV3K8.gif


Is that Dennis Rodman?

[AussieFanKurt]

Man, as beastly as Artest is, I think Wallace would destroy him in a fight lol

ha yeah you're probably right
but of course theres not the size of the dog, its the size of the fight in the dog

[BlackBellamy]

Sounds like a lame attempt for ol' Ron Ron to get some free booze by name-dropping. Just Lakers being 'Hollywood', with the product placement.

[crc21209]

This guy is never going to shut up is he? :lol

[Whisky Dog]

I'm glad to see he took up boxing because he couldn't his a dude half his size five years ago. He's a big mouth, not much else there.

[djohn2oo8]

“I didn't even bother to read (Houston's) offer. I know the type of guy I am. If I'm there and not getting what I wanted, I could take it personal. So rather than be upset because I didn't get what I wanted, I’d rather go somewhere else and be happy.”

LOL Ron...I guess you didn't read Houston's offer because they didn't make one

[ffadicted]

“I didn't even bother to read (Houston's) offer. I know the type of guy I am. If I'm there and not getting what I wanted, I could take it personal. So rather than be upset because I didn't get what I wanted, I’d rather go somewhere else and be happy.”

LOL Ron...I guess you didn't read Houston's offer because they didn't make one

:lol

[iggypop123]

i thought they offered a 1 yr deal?

[sonic21]

that wasn't so rare 20-30 years ago

[djohn2oo8]

i thought they offered a 1 yr deal?

No, they didn't offer him one at all because he with Yao down, they wanted to get younger..And Morey just didn't want him back

[JamStone]

As I said before, Ron provides the entertainment in an otherwise uneventful 65+ win season


On his feelings toward Ben Wallace, the Pistons center whose altercation with Artest touched off the melee in Detroit: "I see Ben, I'm on my guard now. I'm always in the mood to fight him. … I'll get suspended 10 games, 15 games (because) I'll just fight him right there. It won't go into the stands.

I'd pay to watch that. :lol

I'm a Pistons fan who doesn't hate Artest. I actually think he's a good guy at heart but is just a little off, so to speak. But, why does he is he always in the mood to fight Ben now??? Why didn't he fight Ben when Ben got in his face, pushed him in the chest, and threw a towel and a wrist band at him? Why now? He should have fought him that night. I find that quote strange. But, then again, Ron-Ron is a strange cat.

[HarlemHeat37]

That's why it's laughable..

Instead of fighting Ben Wallace, the guy that actually got in his face and basically challenged him, he fought a random fan that probably weighed like 130..

[spursncowboys]

Artest is serious. The guy witnessed someone getting stabbed in the heart with a chair leg, for playing basketball.

[KidCongo]

I wonder if that chick recovered from the blow...that's some massive whiplash.

http://i.imgur.com/xV3K8.gif

Also check the dude in the orange sitting down behind them. :lol

[Allanon]

I'm a Pistons fan who doesn't hate Artest. I actually think he's a good guy at heart but is just a little off, so to speak. But, why does he is he always in the mood to fight Ben now??? Why didn't he fight Ben when Ben got in his face, pushed him in the chest, and threw a towel and a wrist band at him? Why now? He should have fought him that night. I find that quote strange. But, then again, Ron-Ron is a strange cat.

I agree, it is kinda odd that Ron's feeling that way...right now. There must have been some continued bad blood with Ben Wallace since that we haven't heard about.

Or of course, Ron could be imagining an on-going tiff with Wallace...kind of like how MJ made up that sarcastic "Good game, Mike" diss to keep him motivated.

Whatever the reason, this new quote should make it real interesting when Ron visits Detroit on the 20th. :lol

[Bob Lanier]

The first team, in Chicago, I was a head case. I worked really hard but still had this ghetto thing in me that I could not get out.
...

[mavsluva]

Also check the dude in the orange sitting down behind them. :lol

Great observation man! I don't know how I missed that. It might be the funniest part of the clip!

[iggypop123]

No, they didn't offer him one at all because he with Yao down, they wanted to get younger..And Morey just didn't want him back

oh yeah now i remember. but basically they were going to offer a 1 yr deal just to do it and expect a rejection, but instead after the injury they didnt even bother. makes sense. they didnt want to pay him

[Double-Up]

oh yeah now i remember. but basically they were going to offer a 1 yr deal just to do it and expect a rejection, but instead after the injury they didnt even bother. makes sense. they didnt want to pay him

...and I don't blame them either. He's happy (for now) we're happy, everyone's good.

[KSeal]

Man I dislike this and him. What a attention whoring douche. Absolutely nothing good can come from saying all that shit he said, nothing good. I wish he would just shut his mouth and play, cause he's playing great, but that's just not going to happen.

[Spursmania]

Man I dislike this and him. What a attention whoring douche. Absolutely nothing good can come from saying all that shit he said, nothing good. I wish he would just shut his mouth and play, cause he's playing great, but that's just not going to happen.

Well, he is a nut case. But if anybody can tame him it's Phil. He seems to be working out great for LA. But you still have to be worried about his propensities, especially when the pressure is on.

Don't see why Ron would admit all that shit at this point. I mean he should save it for his autobiography or something.

[duhoh]

I wonder what would've went down if the guy in the stands threw Hennessy @ him :lol

[21_Blessings]

I'd really like to see Artest and Wallace fight though. I'd pay to watch that.

[Culburn369]

Wallace would refuse to show up, like he did in Phoenix.

[TDMVPDPOY]

did he give up rappin?

[duncan228]

Artest Clarifies His Halftime Drinking (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=tsn-artestclarifieshisha&prov=tsn&type=lgns)
SportingNews

You know that Artest’s now-infamous Hennessey interview (http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/article/2009-12-02/sn-conversation-ron-artest-i-was-head-case) wasn’t just going to vanish after one day. Today, Artest took to the airwaves to clear up what he meant. Mostly because there were some out there who felt this was just another publicity stunt meant to attract attention. Just like Auburn Hills, right?

From ESPN Chicago (http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nba/news/story?id=4710394):


"The whole point of it was to let people know I was not proud of how I was as a youngster, and how immature I was," Artest said. "I think the guy released the part of the story that was going to sell the newspapers.

"I think when the story comes out, it will show how I was not proud of how I was during my younger days in the NBA. But I think in order to get everybody interested in actually buying the paper, I think they just released all these power points, so to speak."

Full disclosure: "the guy" in question is SN.com, and yes, the full story is on newsstands now. Clearly, though, Artest feels his story was presented without context, thus sensationalizing it instead of getting across why he was coming forward with the drinking stuff.

But wait, he then turned around and elaborated on what direction his post-hoops career in boxing might take:


"I don’t want to fight Ben Wallace in no street. I don’t want to fight Ben Wallace on no basketball court. But after our careers are over, I will fight Ben Wallace in the boxing ring. But not out of hatred. But out of it would be a good boxing match. So don’t look forward to me fighting Ben on a basketball court, because that’s not going to happen."

So there you have it, the new Ron-Ron we must all live with. Sometimes, he’s baring his soul to keep others from going down the same dark path. Then there are times when he’ll just come up with something outrageous because that’s the kind of public figure he is. Whether it’s up to him or us to draw a distinction remains to be seen.

[Culburn369]

As long as he keeps producing he can don a wedding gown for all I care.

tee, hee.

[djohn2oo8]

He didn't need to give the refs another excuse to hate him

[Darrin]

I'm just doing the math here...

Ron Artest came into the league at 19. He was traded to the Pacers at the age of 22. He drank while he was in Chicago. He drank on the job when he was underage. Where else in society do we laugh that off and say "Oh, that's so fucking cool and gansta!"

Dude should be out of a job.

Other players, coaches, PRs and PAs, coaches, couldn't smell this on him? The cover-up is the more interesting story to me.

[HarlemHeat37]

I don't think Artest is telling the truth, he's obviously being a media whore..I'm pretty sure people in his own locker room would have had a problem with this..

He's a fake ass liar..he's always been..

A lot of hood-sheltered New York dudes are like that..

[NBAfan83]

Wallace would refuse to show up, like he did in Phoenix.

Too bad Anal Rampage was on Kobe's mind when he saw Wallace, eh?

[Culburn369]

eh.