picc84
07-29-2010, 10:39 PM
Some good stuff.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5417748
OPPONENTS DON'T GET UNDER YOUR SKIN?
Nah, I'm much more mellow now. I can control myself on the court. If I get fouled, I say what I gotta say and move on. I don't mind being punked anymore. If someone gets in my face, I just walk away. Against the Celtics in the Finals, Tony Allen got in my face, but I don't got the time for Tony Allen. Now, if you're a star and you're talking trash, I'll talk back. All series long, Paul Pierce was talking: "You're a bum, you can't score, you can't guard me, I'm busting your ass." Everything.
HOW WOULD YOU TRASH-TALK AGAINST YOURSELF?
Well, I guess I would try saying, "You're crazy," or "psychopath." I got called both those things, and worse, in the playoffs. Fans in Utah called me Osama Bin Ron and said, "You need medicine," but none of that fazed me.
SO THERE'S NOTHING ANYONE CAN SAY?
All right, there is one thing that gets me really mad. Last season, Tim Legler, Charles Barkley and Carmelo Anthony all said something like, "Ron Artest is a step slower and can't play defense no more." I was 270 pounds, all muscle -- which was my goal for the season -- so I was fine, in my peaceful little world, until I heard that. It pissed me off so much! I put myself through my own midseason training camp. Didn't take a sip of alcohol from that time all the way through the playoffs. And by the Finals, I'd lost 20 pounds in two months. The problem was I was exhausted during that part of the season. That's why I was struggling. I was working out at 1 a.m., on the treadmill, in the gym. But I hit my stride in the playoffs. I shut down Kevin Durant, the NBA's scoring leader. I shut down whoever I shut down in Utah; they didn't have any stars at the 3. I shut down Jason Richardson. Shut down Paul Pierce. Three years straight, Paul Pierce is shooting 40.8% against Ron Artest. So, go ahead, tell me I'm slower. Tell me I can't play defense. Thank you.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON KOBE?
I thought you'd never ask. We'll be on the plane, playing cards. Kobe will walk up, stop the game and say, "Ron, come to the back of the plane." Then, he'll show me some tape and say, "Look at this. Here's what you need to do." I'll go back to my seat, and then he'll walk up to Shannon Brown, stop the card game and do the same thing. And it doesn't matter if you're sleeping. He'll wake you up and show you things you've never thought about. He puts so much time and passion into the game. I have no problem following somebody who's worth being followed, who works as hard as me. I will follow Kobe anywhere.
Other sections include talking about the Heat matchup with LA, where he got his craziness from, his nappy ass hair, etc.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5417748
OPPONENTS DON'T GET UNDER YOUR SKIN?
Nah, I'm much more mellow now. I can control myself on the court. If I get fouled, I say what I gotta say and move on. I don't mind being punked anymore. If someone gets in my face, I just walk away. Against the Celtics in the Finals, Tony Allen got in my face, but I don't got the time for Tony Allen. Now, if you're a star and you're talking trash, I'll talk back. All series long, Paul Pierce was talking: "You're a bum, you can't score, you can't guard me, I'm busting your ass." Everything.
HOW WOULD YOU TRASH-TALK AGAINST YOURSELF?
Well, I guess I would try saying, "You're crazy," or "psychopath." I got called both those things, and worse, in the playoffs. Fans in Utah called me Osama Bin Ron and said, "You need medicine," but none of that fazed me.
SO THERE'S NOTHING ANYONE CAN SAY?
All right, there is one thing that gets me really mad. Last season, Tim Legler, Charles Barkley and Carmelo Anthony all said something like, "Ron Artest is a step slower and can't play defense no more." I was 270 pounds, all muscle -- which was my goal for the season -- so I was fine, in my peaceful little world, until I heard that. It pissed me off so much! I put myself through my own midseason training camp. Didn't take a sip of alcohol from that time all the way through the playoffs. And by the Finals, I'd lost 20 pounds in two months. The problem was I was exhausted during that part of the season. That's why I was struggling. I was working out at 1 a.m., on the treadmill, in the gym. But I hit my stride in the playoffs. I shut down Kevin Durant, the NBA's scoring leader. I shut down whoever I shut down in Utah; they didn't have any stars at the 3. I shut down Jason Richardson. Shut down Paul Pierce. Three years straight, Paul Pierce is shooting 40.8% against Ron Artest. So, go ahead, tell me I'm slower. Tell me I can't play defense. Thank you.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON KOBE?
I thought you'd never ask. We'll be on the plane, playing cards. Kobe will walk up, stop the game and say, "Ron, come to the back of the plane." Then, he'll show me some tape and say, "Look at this. Here's what you need to do." I'll go back to my seat, and then he'll walk up to Shannon Brown, stop the card game and do the same thing. And it doesn't matter if you're sleeping. He'll wake you up and show you things you've never thought about. He puts so much time and passion into the game. I have no problem following somebody who's worth being followed, who works as hard as me. I will follow Kobe anywhere.
Other sections include talking about the Heat matchup with LA, where he got his craziness from, his nappy ass hair, etc.