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Originally Posted by Lefty04
The NBA has to be reponsible for protecting the players while they are on the court (and going to and from the locker room). If a fan goes onto the court or throws anything, they should be arrested. If a player breaks that line and goes into the stands, they should get a minimum 30 day suspension. If a fan breaks that line and gets to a player on the court, I wouldn't punish the player for whatever he does.
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Look at professional wrestling (granted a pseudo sport but a good example for the case) and the way they handle fans in regards to the stands.
If a wrestler stands too close to the fans the fans can touch them, however if the fan crosses over and onto the arena floor, the fan then becomes fair game to the wrestlers. If the wrestlers go into the stands (as part of the show) the fans can pat the the wrestlers etc. but if you attack one you're toast.
I'm sorry I cannot nor will not condemn the fan who threw a soda cup. To state that it was "street cred" is ridiculous because Artest makes millions to be a professional and should act as such. That includes not lying on a scorer's table after instigating a fight in some other city's arena. It showed a total disregard and lack of respect for not only the Pistons team for for Detroit fans.
I am sorry if Detroit has a rep of having bad fans, that is no reason to disrespect them.
I am sorry if the player doesn't like Detroit personally, it is no reason to disrespect the fans and city.
I am sorry if the fans rode his ass, but that is part of road games and as a professional athlete he needs to deal with it or get out of the game.
My God the athletes today do far less training, far fewer practices, work far less than their predecessors, get away with far, far more publicly and yet get paid far more and cry about fans far more than those in the past.
I think all sports in their own way have gotten so far from recognizing the importance of the stadium fan that the athletes look at those fans as nuisances, people needing to shut up and have no respect for them whatsoever.
IMHO, the vast majority (not all) of athletes act as though they "are owed respect" and yet give very very little to the fans. Until they can respect fans again, I think we will continue to see more and more of these outbreaks.
Do I condone, partake or applaud fans throwing things? No, but I disdain and dispise what athletes have greed have let them become, how the athletes have destroyed sports and how they view the fans. Until, thier views of the fans change and they taper off salaries, my attitude is if the player can't handle the oppositions vocal supporters in the stands, if the athlete refuses to show fans due respect (no matter where the game is) and if the player must showboat and become an asshole, then if he gets pelted with beercups, snowballs, JuJuFruits, he has no right to complain. That is after all what is supposed to make these athletes better than the rest of us isn't it? Aren't they paid the big bucks to handle that competitive stress and perform to their best ability upon demand?