November 20, 2004
You can't fight here, this is a contest!
It always frosts my calvinator when a major sports brawl is treated as some great stain on the game, as is the shake-out from Friday night's Pacers/Pistons/several very dumb or drunk fans melee. On ESPN I witnessed Bill Walton describing the hubbub as "the worst moment he's ever known in basketball," or some damned thing. Funny, I often think the same thing after hearing one of his color-commentary insights. At least he didn't break out the "HORRIBLE!"
I don't know, maybe I look at organized sport differently than most. But to me it is neither shocking nor appalling when an act of ritualized combat before thousands of emotionally charged spectators occasionally breaks down into real combat, even including spectators. To me, it's part of the game. Not a travesty, but a highlight. And when ESPN devotes hours to simultaneously condemning the incident and broadcasting the best-laid punches on an endless video loop, well, it just don't get much more hypocritical than that. Be honest: once upon a time, we watched lions eat people. We still enjoy hockey and boxing, bloody as they get. Battle is battle, no matter how many rules and rituals you lacquer over it.
One other thing: I now love Ron Artest. He completely refused to engage Ben Wallace. He retreated, lay down, and put on head phones. He was trying real hard to be the shepherd. But some punk threw a beer at his face. And then -- you can see this on the video -- stood and taunted him, even as Artest dashed over chairs to lay the bastard out. You're that dumb, you deserve to be decked. Same goes for the guy who ran out on the court and got in Artest's face. (Although, if you watch it a few times, you can see that "oh shit, why did I just do this?" moment hit the guy just before Artest does.)
All in all: I like brawls. Anyone calling this a tragedy needs to read beyond the sports page once in a while. Two thumbs up!
Posted by FLOG at November 20, 2004 2:50 AMFan-Fucking-Tastic! I know what you mean -- the blazers have been infinitely boring this year without the sucker punching. At least Nick Van Excel is sure to rile somebody on if he isn't traded. I love the commentary pieces coming out now, too: this is such a strain on the game and shame on them and you never go into the stands, NEVER and yada yada yada. Screw you. You enjoyed it as much as the next guy. And it was a lot more fun than covering the Charlotte Bobcats.
Posted by: phooeyhoo at November 20, 2004 10:18 AMSomeone on the interwebs pointed out was that Artest seemed to have attacked a guy who was already holding a beer. Now, unless the fan took his friend's beer and chucked it, Artest decked the wrong guy. The guy was still a jackass probably.
I think the whole thing was interesting to watch, but I've given up paying attention to most professional sports mostly because of the attitudes of some players and of some fans. I actually do miss the Blazers of the early 90s, even with the team as fuzzy-feely-good as they were.
Some local debate about the brawl is going on over here.
Posted by: Sho at November 20, 2004 6:06 PMflog is an enabler
Posted by: avoirdepardieu at November 21, 2004 4:16 PMIf the players are suspended, the fans in Detroit should be suspended as well. Throwing chairs, jumping on the court, pouring beer and popcorn on the players as they headed to the locker room, all for a fight their player started. No basketball for anyone!
But the real question should be: where was 'Sheed during all of this?
Posted by: Brandon at November 22, 2004 11:18 AMThere is one lesson we should all take away from this: Never, ever get in a fight with Jermaine O'Neal.
Posted by: Olly at November 22, 2004 11:56 AMWho the hell starts a fight with a pro-athlete, though? Seriously. Not so very smart, these Detroit fans.
Posted by: Timothy at November 22, 2004 6:39 PM"No basketball for anyone!" says Brandon
It's not a bad idea, and it has precedent. Marc Stein at ESPN mentioned the common result of major fan altercations at soccer games:
In soccer-playing countries, the natural response to the deplorable behavior of Detroit's unruliest fans would be to lock out every single fan on March 25, when the Pacers make their next visit to the Palace.
Just last week, selected members of England's national soccer team were racially abused by Spanish fans in what amounted to an exhibition game. FIFA, the sport's international ruling body, is threatening to force Spain to play its next home international match -- a real World Cup qualifier -- behind closed doors, with only members of the media allowed in as witnesses.Posted by: FLOG™ at November 22, 2004 8:42 PM
If what the OC blog tells me is true, the cup thrower has been banned from the Palace. At least a few of the fans are getting their just deserts.
Posted by: Brandon at November 23, 2004 12:04 PM