Monroe: Union shouldn't undermine Stern's message

[Kori Ellis]

Monroe: Union shouldn't undermine Stern's message
Web Posted: 11/24/2004 12:00 AM CST

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b....87c14b62.html


San Antonio Express-News

Unions are expected to go to bat for dues-paying members when worker pay gets docked by an employer, no matter what the cause.

It's what unions do.

But the National Basketball Players Association, the union that represents NBA players, needs to consider how far it is willing to go to back up Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson and Jermaine O'Neal as it appeals the suspensions announced Sunday night by commissioner David Stern.

You can't help but wonder how Billy Hunter, the dignified executive director of the NBPA, felt Tuesday morning when, awaiting his turn to be interviewed by Katie Couric of NBC's "Today Show," he watched Ron Artest, who was being interviewed by Today's Matt Lauer, continually holding up the CD he helped produce for the rhythm and blues group, Allure, on his record label, TruWarier. Artest sported a TruWarier T-shirt, of course.

As a figure seeking public sympathy, Artest came off a lot closer to unabashed huckster Dennis Rodman than, say, Kobe Bryant, who knew better than to show up for his sexual assault hearings all summer looking like anything but a gentleman.

Artest no doubt thought he was just "keeping it real." The reality is he didn't help his image during his first nationally-televised interview since Friday's brawl. Not by his attire and shameless promotion of the CD, or by the rambling answers he gave to Lauer's questions. Couric asked Hunter what he thought of the interview and the union chief had to note that Artest isn't particularly articulate.

You have to wonder about the advisability of taking the players' cases public so soon. The Pacers have tried to remind us, over and over, that the suspended players really aren't the way we all saw them Friday — and afterwards, on replay, ad nauseum. Such assurances by Rick Carlisle, Larry Bird and Donnie Walsh also contravene the reality of what we all saw with our own eyes.

At his news conference following Stern's session at Madison Square Garden on Sunday evening, Hunter relied heavily on contributory cir stances to explain why the players did what they did.

Many of the fans were drunk, Hunter said.

Racial epithets were used, Hunter said, though he had to admit he had no first-hand knowledge of that.

Security was either lacking proper force, unprepared to handle the events, or both, Hunter implied.

"We anticipate that the players have to exercise some degree of discipline," Hunter said. "But I think under the cir stances, sometimes in the heat of battle and compe ion, many players can't exercise the kind of control that they should. I think we have to remember that these players are human beings and they sometimes lack the kind of restraint that we lack. We like to think that under the most egregious and violent and unpredictable cir stances they're going to do the right thing, but often they don't and they can't."

Well, when they can't and they don't they set themselves up to be punished, and the union would be wise not to undermine Stern's message by pushing the appeal all the way to U.S. District Court if, as expected, Stern upholds his own decision.

The idiotic fan who threw the cup at Artest and ignited the in-the-stands melee invited punishment, too, and we're not talking about having to forfeit his season tickets. The culprit has been identified, and Oakland, Mich., County prosecutors are weighing criminal charges against him.

Don't think for a moment Stern isn't doing what he can, through back-channel communication, to encourage the strongest possible charges and a vigorous prosecution.

Stern's stiff suspension of Artest and friends was meant to send the strongest possible message to players that any such future actions will result in similar suspension.

A stretch in jail by the cup thrower could have a similar effect on other fans who might be moved to do something equally idiotic.

[CrazyOne]

Yeah, Artest is keeping it real.... real stupid, that is. He doesn't need a lawyer or union rep as much as he needs somebody to keep him bound and gagged and out of sight until all the wranglings are over...