Every poll I've read places the majority of the blame for Friday's brawl on the players, notably Artest. It's funny how all these experts who wouldn't know a basketball from a shovel suddenly have opinions on the state of basketball once something this reckless happens.
It seems to me the public wants to see the players suffer. Maybe it's because they're big or rich or black, but personally I don't think any of this would have started if we weren't such a cowardly society in the first place.
The face of the guy initially attacked by Artest says it all. He was acting belligerantly because he thought he was safe to do so, from a distance, until Artest's indifference to conventional social barriers overwhelmed his impression of security.
Unfortunately, some of us have shorter fuses than others and that particular yuppie ended up on the beating end of a melee. I didn't shed any tears on his behalf or the others that we're out there throwing cheap shots and running around the court.
My bottom line is this. If the fans weren't such obnoxious cowards, none of this would have happened. Professional or just street ball, nobody should tolerate projectiles being thrown at their face. On a personal level, I really can't blame Artest for flipping out.
Was it the wrong thing to do? Yes. Do I blame his crime of passion? No.
Anybody who says they would NEVER impulsively flip out if provoked is either a chicken or is incapable of considering Artest's position.
These Detroit fans, and they are noted as being obnoxious as are Philly's fans, would never assault someone like Artest in public by themselves. But give them a barrier, superior numbers and a lot of liquid courage and suddenly they think they can throw cheap shots!
This fan will not be one of the many to blame society's ills on a handful of players who were provoked and initially attacked by the very people who are
now judging them as monsters.
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