Four players suspended for NBA brawl

[Yoda]

By CHRIS SHERIDAN, AP Basketball Writer

November 20, 2004

NEW YORK (AP) -- Indiana's Ron Artest, Jermaine O'Neal and Stephen Jackson, and Detroit's Ben Wallace were suspended indefinitely by the NBA on Saturday for taking part in one of the ugliest brawls in U.S. sports history, a fight with fans that commissioner David Stern called ``shocking, repulsive and inexcusable.''

League officials and police were examining videotapes of Friday night's melee and interviewing witnesses. The NBA issued a statement saying it was reviewing rules and security procedures ``so that fans can continue to attend our games unthreatened by events such as the ones that occurred last night.''

Artest, O'Neal and Jackson -- who all threw punches at spectators in the stands or on the court at the end of the nationally televised Pacers-Pistons game -- were to begin serving their suspensions Saturday night, when Indiana hosted Orlando.

Wallace's suspension will start at home Sunday night against Charlotte, the next game for the reigning NBA champion Pistons.

The exact length of the four players' bans could be announced as early as Sunday.

``I didn't start it. I just played the game,'' Wallace said Saturday before learning of his suspension. ``The league is going to do whatever they feel needs to be done, and I don't have no problems with that.''

Pacers players did not immediately comment Saturday, but team CEO Donnie Walsh issued a statement saying, ``responsibility for Friday night's action can be shared by many.''

Pistons CEO Tom Wilson said the team plans to use ``playoff-level security'' starting with Sunday's game, doubling the number of armed police and increasing other arena security personnel by about 25 percent.

The brawl was particularly violent, with Artest and Jackson bolting into the stands near center court and throwing punches at fans after debris was tossed at the players.

Later, fans who came onto the court were punched in the face by Artest and O'Neal.

``We'll put it all together, take it to the Oakland County prosecutor's office and have them review it and they'll decide if there are any charges,'' Auburn Hills Deputy Chief Jim Mynsberge said.

``The whole fiasco could take weeks to decide,'' Oakland County Prosecutor David Gorcyca said.

G. William Hunter, the executive director of the NBA Players' Association, apologized to fans for the events of Friday night.

``We are in the process of consulting with our players, league officials and others in an effort to determine all of the facts,'' Hunter said in a statement. ``No one can condone the level of incitement and violence we all witnessed.''

The next game between Indiana and Detroit is Dec. 25 at Indianapolis. The rivals, who met in the Eastern Conference finals last season, won't play each other in Auburn Hills, Mich., again until March 25.

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Unbelievable.. who do you think is at fault..

I think everyone that was envolved was at fault and childish

[Ken]

Every fan who threw something and/or entered the court, and every player that either entered the stands and/or commited some form of physical violence should be in Jail.

Both, IN JAIL.

[Amber]

I agree with Ken somewhat...they showed this morning another guy "trying" to get his friend off the court and he got it upside the head{TRYING TO HELP} now that's a bunch of Bullshit if you ask me and I think they should suspend the players for a while. Ya know when I got my first job it was at a Hardee's and the first thing they told us was that the customer is always right....that means I kept my mouth shut. So why is it that these pro players get to trip out on people? The security could of and would of handled it. If it weren't for fans{customer}

they'd be out of a job. I'm not saying let the fans beat the hell out of you but they should of walked away. JMO

[Ken]

Suspension for the player is irrelevant. They should obviously do it but that's not the point.

They commited criminal offenses and shouldn't receive special treatment.

Fans won't recieve special treatment.

Now, in the case of the guy trying to help, well, he can just get off with a slap on the wrist because he wasn't as involved in the crimes being commited.

At all times, everyone must abide by the rules set forth. I wouldn't imagine fans are allowed to enter the court area without escort/permission/etc, nor are the players allowed to abruptly enter the stands to commit physical violence or to make threats of violence.

J A I L.

[Redneck4sure]

I love a good brawl when I'm not involved. :I gotta see this:

[Tiremonkey2000]

I love a good brawl when I'm not involved. :I gotta see this:

[Warflower]

Sooooo glad NY didn't take Artest...

He wanted to take a month off to promote his CD...you friggin' work 4 mos out of the year ... get paid 14 million dollars and you a month OFF? :reallymad:

That boy ain't right. ;

[Redneck4sure]

That boy ain't right. ;

I've heard people say that so many times.

about me. :(

[Kooperman]

Ron Artest is suspended for the season...and the police review of the video is ongoing.....

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6549074/