Artest defends brawl actions to children

[TxJudsonRocketTx]

DETROIT -- Ron Artest, talking to children as part of his community service sentence, defended his actions in one of the worst brawls in U.S. sports history.

"Someone started trouble and I ended it," Artest told about 50 children Wednesday at a panel on black empowerment at the Judge Mathis Community Center. "I would always encourage you to protect yourself but in certain situations, if you can avoid them, avoid them."

Artest was at the center of the November 2004 brawl at a Detroit Pistons game. It started when Artest, then with the Indiana Pacers, fouled Pistons center Ben Wallace late in a blowout game.

As the confrontation on the court appeared to calm down, a fan hit Artest, who was lying on the scorer's table, with a cup. Artest charged into the stands and threw punches, along with teammate Stephen Jackson.

Pistons fan John Green was convicted of punching Artest but was found not guilty of throwing a drink on the player.

"I like John Green, he's real," Artest said. "I don't have any problems with John Green. He did something really stupid but a lot of people do stupid things. God forgives, so I'm forgiving too."

But Artest, who now plays for the Sacramento Kings, said he really doesn't think about that night in The Palace of Auburn Hills.

"It's so over. That night has been so far over, I really don't have any thoughts on it," he said.

Artest, Jackson and several teammates were sentenced to one-year probation after pleading no contest to misdemeanor assault charges. All were ordered to perform community service, which Artest is scheduled to do in the Detroit area through Sunday.

Artest spoke about his upbringing in a broken home and how past drug dealing almost landed him in jail. He said he started getting into trouble after his parents divorced when he was 13.

"I was very sad and I always wished they got back together, but they're not," Artest said. "If that happens to anybody, you have to worry about yourself. You can't worry about your parents at that time, because obviously they aren't thinking about you, they're thinking about themselves."

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2551458

[Winnipeg_Spur]

"Someone started trouble and I ended it," Artest told about 50 children Wednesday at a panel on black empowerment at the Judge Mathis Community Center.

Artest spoke about his upbringing in a broken home and how past drug dealing almost landed him in jail. He said he started getting into trouble after his parents divorced when he was 13.

"I was very sad and I always wished they got back together, but they're not," Artest said. "If that happens to anybody, you have to worry about yourself. You can't worry about your parents at that time, because obviously they aren't thinking about you, they're thinking about themselves."

WTF? Keep that nutcase away from children please. What the kind of advice is that?!

[TxJudsonRocketTx]

Its almost as bad as having Tyrome Biggums come in and talk to the class

[JamStone]

Excerpt cut out of the story:

ARTEST: "Kids, I suggest if you have a chemical imbalance, don't get it taken care of until you're older, because sometimes they work like steroids and make you meaner and more compe ive. Being crazy can help you become a professional athlete. Live long and prosper. Oh, and if you're a true warrior, you'll buy some of my cds I brought in this crate. I dare you not to buy one."

[GINNNNNNNNNNNNOBILI]

Man, who was the guy that thought having Ron Artest come in and talk to the kids is a good idea?

[Crookshanks]

I'm sure all the parents are going to be real pleased when little Susie or Johnny comes home and repeats the what "famous and rich basketball player" said!

[midgetonadonkey]

I find Artest to be an incredible role model. I would let him teach my children.

[midgetonadonkey]

, I'd hire him as my kid's nanny.

[spurs=bling]

!!!!!!!!!!

[REDLION#22(FireKing)]

jesus christ people...why are yall so ignorant,the guy is forgiving,give him a chance(yes im serious)i mean artest IS HUMAN he has the right to defend himself especially from the cruel demons of detriot.what really bothers me is that piss ed on fans still se him as the bad guy...and yet the guy who threw that cup is enjoying his life in the harmless detriot:they sure have some nice police/security/judge system there...

[sa_butta]

, I'd hire him as my kid's nanny.

At least your kids would know how to kick some ass if anyone every ed with them.

[REDLION#22(FireKing)]

He was defending himself its not like he was bored and said"oh lets fight with the fans"the cruel criminals from detriot provoked him.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

He was defending himself its not like he was bored and said"oh lets fight with the fans"the cruel criminals from detriot provoked him.

Defense? From a flying cup? You'll take any opportunity to bash Detroit even if it means sounding like an absolute re in the process.

[NBA Junkie]

jesus christ people...why are yall so ignorant,the guy is forgiving,give him a chance(yes im serious)i mean artest IS HUMAN he has the right to defend himself especially from the cruel demons of detriot.what really bothers me is that piss ed on fans still se him as the bad guy...and yet the guy who threw that cup is enjoying his life in the harmless detriot:they sure have some nice police/security/judge system there...

Dude, ya gotta get rid of this hate for Detroit. It will consume you.

[REDLION#22(FireKing)]

Defense? From a flying cup? You'll take any opportunity to bash Detroit even if it means sounding like an absolute re in the process.

so if someone throws you a cup in your face while you are resting at the scoreboard,you just say "have a nice day",considering you think its re ed for people to defend theirselves...face it dude,there has not been a NBA brawl in any other city but detriot.their city clearly has a cruel mentality and their fans easley portray that,dont belive me?then go to google.com and type detroit's crime rate.dont get mad if i say they are commiting a lot of crimes.im just saying things how they are.but then again its re behavior saying the truth,at least according to you.

[Leetonidas]

so if someone throws you a cup in your face while you are resting at the scoreboard,you just say "have a nice day",considering you think its re ed for people to defend theirselves...face it dude,there has not been a NBA brawl in any other city but detriot.their city clearly has a cruel mentality and their fans easley portray that,dont belive me?then go to google.com and type detroit's crime rate.dont get mad if i say they are commiting a lot of crimes.im just saying things how they are.but then again its re behavior saying the truth,at least according to you.

They threw a plastic cup at him. It doesn't matter what spurs_fan_in_exile would do, because he's not an NBA player. Artest should've just stayed in his seat and let security do their job. Throwing a plastic cup at someone shouldn't warant getting your ass kicked by a 6'9" strong NBA player.

[samikeyp]

Who let this guy near kids?

[cecil collins]

They threw a plastic cup at him. It doesn't matter what spurs_fan_in_exile would do, because he's not an NBA player. Artest should've just stayed in his seat and let security do their job. Throwing a plastic cup at someone shouldn't warant getting your ass kicked by a 6'9" strong NBA player.

He actually remained pretty calm in a tense situation. Ben Wallace was trying to fight, and Artest was going to stay out of it. No matter how cool he seemed, the adrenaline must have been pumping. It's easy for some fat stupid fan to say he shouldn't have gone up there, but that was a tense situation, and some meathead lit the fuse.

[Phil Hellmuth]

LOL @ espn for showing him with a pissed off look in the video box.

[JamStone]

I'm a Pistons fan and I don't really have a problem with Artest. I think he's kind of crazy, but a lot of the things he says have at least some merit. However, he's a little hypocritical in his statement about someone starting something and him ending it, because Ben Wallace started something with Artest and Artest did not appear as if he wanted to end that. But, when a fan did something, Artest decided to end it.

But, at any rate, Artest was wrong to a certain degree. And, there were plenty of Pistons fans in the Palace that night were completely and unjustifiably wrong in their actions as well.

That was a truly sad day in sports. I don't mind talking about it, but the topic has been discussed to death. Many people at fault. Artest was one of them. Ben Wallace was one of them. Many Pistons were also among them.

While Artest is always an interesting discussion piece, time to move on from the brawl already ... nearly two years later.

[Bob Lanier]

[Leetonidas]

He actually remained pretty calm in a tense situation. Ben Wallace was trying to fight, and Artest was going to stay out of it. No matter how cool he seemed, the adrenaline must have been pumping. It's easy for some fat stupid fan to say he shouldn't have gone up there, but that was a tense situation, and some meathead lit the fuse.

I agree with that, and the fans were idiots for acting the way they did and I know Ron has a short fuse, but he should've tried to stay calm. And what the was Stephen Jackson doing beating on people?

[ChumpDumper]

he couldn't even say he made a mistake in attacking the wrong white guy.

[REDLION#22(FireKing)]

They threw a plastic cup at him. It doesn't matter what spurs_fan_in_exile would do, because he's not an NBA player. Artest should've just stayed in his seat and let security do their job. Throwing a plastic cup at someone shouldn't warant getting your ass kicked by a 6'9" strong NBA player.

so since he is an nba player he cannot defend himself....if we are talking about security here then there should be more security at the palace of the burned hills,cuz lets face the real world there have been many incidents there(not as big as the brawl)but still waaay too many incidents betwin pissed on fans and inocent players.

[REDLION#22(FireKing)]

Who let this guy near kids?

this is the behavior im talking about...please dont take this as an offense but you sounded just like a pissed on fan...artest is controversial yes but its not like he will randomly attack children,he is not an animal(as much as i love animals)i have to say he does have a concience.although when i really think about it...it wouldnt be so bad if he punched some kids from detriot,i loooove watching the people from detriot suffer.