should the pacers punish their players ?

[ducks]

or should they stand beside them and just let the nba punish them only.

I think that the PACERS should suspend the big three after they serve their punish from the nba. The pacers need to make sure their players know this is nto acceptable. The pacers also have to show the rest of the nba they have class.
I do not think pacers will because all they care about is winning. If they cared about class ron would not be a pacer.

[tsb2000]

Somehow I think the NBA will dole out the punishments in bulk. I doubt the Pacers' organization adds to the fines or games suspended. You're right- too much money involved, and too concerned about winning.

[Autumnleaf]

I think Pacers will ONLY add the fines, which is good for the team on both sides of the coin.
1, Save/make some money for Pacers.
2, The team does not necessarily play more games without these BIG three (they still want to play the playoff, right?)

[RobinsontoDuncan]

no, becasue the fans in Detroit were at fault, (along with Ben Wallace, i saw the foul it wasnt flaggrant)

[smackdaddy11]

no, becasue the fans in Detroit were at fault, (along with Ben Wallace, i saw the foul it wasnt flaggrant)

You have any idea what a flagrant foul is?

Here is the NBA definition.


Section IV--Flagrant Foul

a. If contact committed against a player, with or without the ball, is interpreted to be unnecessary, a flagrant foul--penalty (1) will be assessed. A personal foul is charged to the offender and a team foul is charged to the team.


So your saying Ragin' Ron's foul ( which he was no where near the ball btw) was necessary? The game was over. The outcome only a formality. It wasn't a 2 pt game. Completely unnecessary.

All Ron suceeded in doing was enrage the Pistons and their fans. The players and fans had mentally relaxed since the game was over. Natural human reaction. If you have played sports, you know the emotional feeling I'm talking about. But then, here comes Ronnie. Smacking Wallace with an unimpeded path to the basket which effected nothing on the outcome. You did see Ragin' Ronnie hit Ben and he almost lost his balance and ended up on his back or head?

The Piston fans did act like hooligans. However, I do know why they did. It wasn't all of them at first. Artest attacking an innocent fan in the stands created the mob mentallity.

Everyone here is calling Pierce a punk for last night. What would that make Artest?

[TheWriter]

no, becasue the fans in Detroit were at fault, (along with Ben Wallace, i saw the foul it wasnt flaggrant)

Give it a rest. How was Wallace at fault for Ron's running into the STANDS?

Seriously. Please justify that.

Oh, a 2 ounce plastic cup hit him in the shoulder. :angel

[SteelerSpurs]

None of you all trying to justify why Artest would go into the stands have even mentioned the fact that he attacked the wrong fan. Fat guy in the hat threw the cup, Artest went after some guy in a white shirt. The guy was just looking for a reason to do something stupid. And for anyone who wants to say Artest was trying to keep cool by laying on the scorers table, it's only because he knows big ben would fricken kill him if they had fought, so why not jump in the stands to fight some smaller guy. You all make it seem like he's the first player to ever have something thrown at him. It has happened before but the other players let security handle it. Ben may have been wrong to push him in the face but by no means was he responsible for what happened yesterday.

[FromWayDowntown]

None of you all trying to justify why Artest would go into the stands have even mentioned the fact that he attacked the wrong fan.

See, I don't think it matters if he got the right guy or not -- what matters is that there is NEVER a justification for a player to go into the stands. That is an NBA rule (and last night proves conclusively why that rule works) and a legal rule.

By the way, welcome SteelerSpurs.

[dcole50]

Exactly. Beer was thrown at him -- that's unfortunate. Let security handle it. If that happens, just step onto the court or into the lockeroom -- get out of "harm's way."

Don't jump into the stands.

What good could come from jumping into the stands of a hostile crowd?