Comments on: Breaking down #37

By: Nabil Murday

Nabil Murday — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 17:41:25 +0000

Thanks for posting that fight tape. My first reaction to watching Sterns press conference on youtube, was WTF?!?! It seemed totally crazy and haphazard how those suspensions were handed out. But thinking about it some more, it seems that he was working from what he wanted to accomplish. And what he accomplished is instilling a huge fear in players not to be the first to go into the stands no matter what, even if stuff is thrown at you. But yeah, watching the video it seems like Artest was pretty much avoiding a fight with Wallace, and trying to keep himself cool. Terrible, terrible “fans.”

And I agree with 158 regarding Artests punch on turtle-guy.

Regarding the whole idea that players should have been arrested and what-not, I think people tend to overshoot what the actual law would do in that case, and I’m with 147 (Apricot) in the idea that, like a barfight, you might spend a night in jail (unless someone is in serious condition or something).

I remember seeing some hockey footage some years ago of a dude flat out bashing the back of another players head with his stick, and thinking, “umm, isn’t that like assault with a deadly weapon?”

Same thing goes for many famous sports moments of crazy intentional violence. Also, it’s always funny when sports leagues suspend guys for ILLEGAL DRUG USE (steroids, etc.) and other crimes, and that seems to be cool enough with law enforcement.

Here is my favorite take on the subject. Just 45 seconds long, and pretty much sums things up:
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/56927

By: Travis

Travis — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 08:07:49 +0000

yeah and I agree about Jermaine Oneal. in my opinion, he deserved a year’s suspension for that one right there.

By: Travis

Travis — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 08:06:07 +0000

Kaveh-

Turtle was a pudgy, drunk, 5’6” 180lb I’d guess. Ron Artest is 6’7″ 260lb built like a taller version of Kimbo Slice. I doubt the first thing going throught Ron’s head was “oh no!! this guy is coming after me, I have to defend myself!!”.

Turtle was in way over his head, yeah, but Artest came back with a right hook that was the equivalent of me throwing a superman punch on a 12 year old.

Get real…that entire event was indefensible. Please stop defending any of Ron’s actions at the Palace.

By: kaveh

kaveh — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:45:51 +0000

Odom —guys, let’s not get too comfortable with the fact that we won the championship and we upgraded with ARtest. Without Odom, i do not think it is possible to win another championship next year. The current championship team would NOT have won anything were it not for Odom.

I continue to have to defend Odom on other boards. No one gives him the credit that he deserves. However, I never thought that i would have to defend him on a lakers board!

This guy is a beast in the big games. Is he inconsistant? YES. Is he lazy? YES. He has not improved his game, perhaps for his entire NBA career. HE is no better now then he was at 20. Nevertheless, he is an invaluable player. If he had the same commitment as Kobe, for instance, this kid would be a 10 time all-star no problem.

Even though he sometimes disappears in non-important games, this year he was there in all the important ones. And that’s a good thing because we can win the unimportant games without him (against lesser teams), but it is the important big games where we need him. And he shows up to those games.

Look, i wish Odom would improve with his right hand. I wish he would cut often. I wish he would work on his jump shot and his 15-feet and in turn-arounds, jumpers, etc. Odom has the potential to be a Kevin GArnet. He lacks the work ethic, obviously. Nevertheless, we cannot win another ring without him.

By: sT

sT — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:07:16 +0000

Wow, this has been some very good discussion about Lamar Odom here, great opinions with the real life ideas about the matter. Just ideas on things I never envisioned. Thanks for the YouTube video of the 2004 Artest deal, hmmm, well, I won’t say anything about that except it is in the past as far as I am concerned. As far Sun Yue, he is not the only player to play in the summer for his country (especially last summer in the Olympics), now being a rookie trying to be in the Lakers future plans, you would think that the Lakers should be a priority for him, but maybe his country is putting pressure on him to play, fine. Kurt will probably put up a new post when LO is signed, IMO, which will hopefully be soon so that I can know what Lakers team will suit up next season and not feel in limbo anymore.

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.” – Albert Einstein

By: j. d. hastings's Agent

j. d. hastings's Agent — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 04:52:09 +0000

erm Ronnie Lester

By: j. d. hastings's Agent

j. d. hastings's Agent — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 04:30:58 +0000

On Twitter Eric Pincus says that Roster Lester, asst GM of the Lakers told Janis Carr the team had upped its offer to LO to 8 mil and they expected a deal early next week

By: DirtySanchez

DirtySanchez — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 04:27:47 +0000

It has taken so long for this episode of (As LO Turns) to play out, it has really weakened the amount of replacements for LO. A sign and trade is the only option to replace him and get somebody in return. If he doesnt want to take what his far market value is then he should ride somewhere else. Then he will truly see his numbers wasnt because of his hard work individually, but because the team had other scoring options helped hide his true shortcomings. Im ready for this to be over with so I can stop hearing and reading about how LO cant be replaced. Just because he can make teammates laugh and joke in the locker room doesnt make him irreplaceable. The Lakers need to make a move sooner rather than later.

By: kaveh

kaveh — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 03:14:23 +0000

Travis –turtle guy

That guy came out on the court to FIGHT Artest. Artest is well within his rights at that point to defend himself.

The running into the stands was Artest’s huge error. Even then he was hit in the face with a beer cup and thus i can understand his reaction. What would most of us do? Well i know that if someone hit me in the face with a beer cup I’d like to kick his ass big time. I don’t think i would take it that far because i can control my emotions. But that’s what i would like to do, no doubt. Nevertheless Artest was very wrong for running into the stands.

However the guy that ran on the court and approached him was there to FIGHT ARtest. Artest was well within his legal rights and any moral limitations to defend himself. Especially in that type of mob atmosphere.

What Jermaine O’neal did to the turtle guy was way worse. AFter getting his ass kicked by Artest, this poor dude is attempting to stand up when O’neal takes a running start and throws a haymaker and hits him right on the chin. The guy went straight to the ground dazed and confused. Poor SOB.

By: Bill K

Bill K — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 00:34:57 +0000

Also looks like Sun Yue isn’t likely to be back:

Sun missed last year’s Summer League because of his commitment to the Chinese National Team. He again skipped this summer’s play in favor of playing overseas.

Lester said Sun’s apparent lack of commitment to the Lakers and the fact he missed all of training camp last season because of an injury, doesn’t help his chances of keeping his roster spot.

“It does seem he is the odd-man out,” Lester said.

http://lakers.freedomblogging.com/2009/07/11/is-sun-yue-headed-out-the-door/20493/

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