"Metta World Peace" ejected.

[Donn]

Metta World Peace, the basketball player formerly known as Ron Artest, was ejected from the game for this flagrant foul:



Basketball pundits expect a suspension will follow.

[Ian McColgin]

I notice that the clip calls him "Ron Artest". Is this a modern version of the precedent of sports casters (except Cosell) calling Muhammed Ali "Cassius Clay" for so many years.

I gather that Metta World Peace attempted to rationalize that he was just waving his arms, but the video makes plain that even though he was not looking, he was aiming that elbow.

The officials are right to eject and suspend Metta World Peace for such a flagrant violation of his own name.

[Phillip Allen]

a little truth leaks out...

[David W Pratt]

Isn't it nice the way sports build character?

[Uncle Duke]

I guess he's moved on from the days of the "Ron Artest Interactive Fan Experience!"

[David G]

Artest is a punk who has a short circuit in his brain. He's shown some signs in recent years of having matured some... but only in comparison to his own earlier loopiness.

[Paul Pless]

No comment on 'the dive' by Harden? What a *****. . .

[Donn]

No comment on 'the dive' by Harden? What a *****. . .

He was diagnosed with a concussion, and will now be subject to "..the NBA's new concussion policy, which mandates that Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher, a professor of neurology at the University of Michigan and the Director of the NBA's Concussion Program, must independently clear Harden before he can return to the court."

[David G]

No comment on 'the dive' by Harden? What a *****. . .

Interesting perspective.

Time to change your meds!

[Garret]

No comment on 'the dive' by Harden? What a *****. . .

Dive? That elbow woulda dropped me like a stone.

[Paul Pless]

He was diagnosed with a concussion, and will now be subject to "..the NBA's new concussion policy, which mandates that Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher, a professor of neurology at the University of Michigan and the Director of the NBA's Concussion Program, must independently clear Harden before he can return to the court."

Interesting perspective.

Time to change your meds!

I stand corrected. It certainly was a flagrant foul, but it didn't seem like something would send an athletic giant like Harden to the floor.

[Donn]

Artest is 6'7", 260lb. Harden is 6'5", 220lb.

[Dan McCosh]

That move in karate could easily have been lethal, if Harden had his head turned to the left a little.

[Cuyahoga Chuck]

I stand corrected. It certainly was a flagrant foul, but it didn't seem like something would send an athletic giant like Harden to the floor.

Back in the days when cops ( and others) carried blackjacks the area behind the ear was a prime target because all you needed to do was tap it.

Artest should be banned at least until Harden is able to return.

[B_B]

Didn't happen during a play, didn't happen as a momentary response to aggression by Harden. Given his history I'd be very surprised if Artest doesn't sit for a very long time...but one never knows with sports leagues and their ever changing equilibrium between profit and justice.

[Donn]

The online sports book Bovada (scroll to the bottom) has set the over/under at 7.5 games suspension.

[Donn]

Here, from USA Today, is his previous suspension history:

Feb. 21, 2001: As a Chicago Bull, one game for his role in an in-game altercation with the Milwaukee Bucks' Glenn Robinson
Jan. 4, 2003: As an Indiana Pacer, three games for throwing a television monitor and a cameraman's camera onto the floor following the conclusion of a game vs. the New York Knicks.
Jan. 29, 2003: With the Pacers, four games for confronting and making physical contact with Miami Heat coach Pat Riley, for taunting the Miami bench, for committing a flagrant foul-2 on Caron Butler (pushing him into the stands) and making an obscene gesture toward fans.
March 9, 2003: With the Pacers, one game for exceeding the maximum allowable flagrant foul points in a season.
March 13, 2003: With the Pacers, one game for again exceeding the maximum allowable flagrant foul points in a season.
March 20, 2003: With the Pacers, two games for again exceeding the maximum allowable flagrant foul points in a season.
March 19, 2004: With the Pacers, one game for hitting the Portland Trail Blazers' Derek Anderson in the head with a forearm.
April 19, 2004: With the Pacers, one game for leaving the immediate vicinity of his team's bench during an altercation.
Nov. 21, 2004: With the Pacers, 73 games for his role in an in-game incident between Indiana and the Detroit Pistons.
April 24, 2006: With the Kings, one game for making contact with the head of San Antonio Spur Manu Ginobili with his forearm.
July 14, 2007: With the Kings, seven games for pleading "nolo contendre" to infliction of injury on a spouse.
May 5, 2011: With the Lakers, one game for swinging his arm and striking the face of the Dallas Mavericks' J.J. Barea.

[B_B]

Donn, you seem somewhat exercised by this; any particular reason?

I used to watch the NBA quite a bit and Artest has always had a slight anger management issue - i.e. kinda like Lindsay Lohan being drunk in public, or the sun rising in the east, I expect it so it surprises me when someone finds cause to comment on it happening again.

edit: 7.5 games wouldn't fit the crime - it was intentional with intent to injure and therefore, especially given his history, requires a stronger reaction, IMHO.

[Donn]

Warner Wolf showed the video this morning, and I was absolutely flabbergasted at the obvious violent intent of the thrown elbow. Artest wasn't angry, he was celebrating, and knowing full well the opponent was behind him, he unloaded on him.

He should have been arrested on the spot, and jailed. You can't let people of his size and fitness level go around blasting unprotected players with things like elbows and fists. He could have killed the guy.

[B_B]

...He should have been arrested on the spot...

I agree, sadly on-court/ice/field violence has never been effectively prosecuted.

We'll see what Bettman thinks in a few days: LA is a huge market, Artest is an important part of that team, Kobe wants a ring...

[Donn]

It's different in basketball. Apart from titanium jocks and protective mouthpieces, they have no protection. In hockey and football, the only ones to toss their head gear are the ones who have no business living to reproduce.

[mariner2k]

What a piece of Sh*t! I tuned in well after that. Good reason to bring suspensions ( or more) to a new level. Never liked Artest and he certainly doesn't represent the quality of players in the league. Hell, he's a repeat offender.

[brad9798]

He should be suspended for about 100 games ... that
POS!!!!

[B_B]

It's different in basketball. Apart from titanium jocks and protective mouthpieces, they have no protection. In hockey and football, the only ones to toss their head gear are the ones who have no business living to reproduce.

Nah, I've seen hockey sticks swung and connect that would've led to assault with a deadly weapons charge had it occurred off the ice. Same can be said for field hockey sticks and cricket bats.

Steve Moore suffered a broken neck because he was attacked from behind by a guy who outweighed him by at least 50 pounds and had his head driven into the ice, then was pummeled while unconscious. Todd Bertuzzi was charged with aggravated assault but the charges were dropped - 'boys will be boys'.

[Chris Coose]

I studied Peace today and he should change his name to Mega World Asshole and go directly to jail. He is a psycho menace. Then again, people pay good money to consume this sort of **** we call sports in America.

[B_B]

7 games.

There it is. Stern's made his 'morality' known.

[Donn]

I was about to say "hard to believe," but it really isn't.

One of the criteria written into NBA's rules is how badly the fouled party is hurt. It appears Harden will be OK, so the penalty on Artest is lessened. If he'd killed him, it would have been 9 games.

[B_B]

I was about to say "hard to believe," but it really isn't.

One of the criteria written into NBA's rules is how badly the fouled party is hurt. It appears Harden will be OK, so the penalty on Artest is lessened. If he'd killed him, it would have been 9 games.

Artest got 7 games for hitting his girlfriend...so I guess Harden and he have a 'relationship' which we're not privy to...or is it Artest and Stern?

7 games, after all that's been done by Artest, is ridiculous.

Taking into consideration how badly someone's been injured it beyond silly. How someone falls, or whether your elbow connects one eighth of an inch one way or another is in no way under the control of the hitter, yet it's these happenstances which determine injury, not the 'intended' blow. See Steve Moore above. He got hit, passed out, had a goon jump on his back and his neck got broke. None of these were consequences foreseen, nor desired, by the hitter. But there they are. Steve Moore's still not playing.

Whatever. More tools acting like tools, and I'm talking Stern, not Artest.

Edit: so'd you take the over or under? I'd've taken the over if I was betting but I'm almost always wrong on these things...

[Osborne Russell]

I was about to say "hard to believe," but it really isn't.

One of the criteria written into NBA's rules is how badly the fouled party is hurt. It appears Harden will be OK, so the penalty on Artest is lessened. If he'd killed him, it would have been 9 games.

Artest by himself is bad enough. The NBA in which he operates is the filth of the nation.

[mariner2k]

"The NBA in which he operates is the filth of the nation"

That's quite a strong statemant. Mind elaborating?

[brad9798]

But I still like the NBA Cares program ... where the players go to local grade schools and the kids teach the players to read!

[Paul Girouard]

But I still like the NBA Cares program ... where the players go to local grade schools and the kids teach the players to read!

I take it they send the trainers with them , in case the players get stuck on a word. LOL

[brad9798]

LOL!!!!

[Osborne Russell]

"The NBA in which he operates is the filth of the nation"

That's quite a strong statemant. Mind elaborating?

This was the third seven game suspension for this ape. An elbow to the temple is potentially fatal. And the NBA is thus depraved, that they gauge the penalty by the damage that actually occurred, not the potential. Like, firing into a crowd is OK if you don't hit anyone. Donn pegged it: what do they do if he kills someone? Suspend him for nine? The NBA is a purveyor of vicious cowardly violence for entertainment, and promoters of the principle that might makes right. Meanwhile, talented, ethical players and the public are deprived of a beautiful game.

[Paul Pless]

Meanwhile, talented, ethical players and the public are deprived of a beautiful game.

there's always the WNBA. . .

[brad9798]

... or college ... much better to watch, IMO!

[mariner2k]

"This was the third seven game suspension for this ape"
"I take it they send the trainers with them , in case the players get stuck on a word LOL"
WOW! The hits just keep on coming. What century are we in?
I agree that the supsension was not nearly enough, but to condemn the league because of players like MWP is wrong, and inaccurate. There are. of course, ethical players in sports.

[Osborne Russell]

there's always the WNBA. . .

Yeah. I once watched a college womens' game, I think it was the Huskies -- U of Connecticut? -- and someone else, it was one of the best games of anything I ever watched. But I can't quite make the switch, just like I can't quite become a vegetarian.

[Osborne Russell]

i take it they send the trainers with them , in case the players get stuck on a word. Lol

roflmao

[Osborne Russell]

I agree that the supsension was not nearly enough, but to condemn the league because of players like MWP is wrong, and inaccurate. There are. of course, ethical players in sports.

The condemnation only partly because of this gorilla. It's overwhelmingly because of the NBA's response.