In Reply To #16 Have you ever seen what a Euro soccer match can turn into? If you go to certain games, wear certain items, it is like issuing a challenge, and saying ready to rock and sock. Is it a good thing? No, but it is a fact. Get up in the face of someone in the NBA, best prepare for a ass whipping.

Ya soccer is crazy. I remember my ex telling of the time she and her sister got all dressed up in team colors and went to a game somewhere in Europe (not sure who was playing, but I want to say Arsenal)...and bought tix in the wrong section. They were ushered out of there in a hurry and given seats in the other section. They just wanted to be all "rah rah go team" they didn't even care who won and they ended up with a whole section of drunk soccer fans screaming at them...stupid girls.

In Reply To #16 Can't say I agree Cottrell. Yes, the fans were worng for throwing a platic cup of beer on Artest, but he needs to show the restraint and proffesionalism of a professional athlete and let security do their job and kick the guy out and hopefully have the police charge his dumb ass. By going into the stands Artest incited the riot that followed. I watched the whole thing live and if he could have shown the restraint, then the whole thing would have been avoided. Of course the fan was wrong, but it'spure thuggery that Artest went after him (and got the wrong guy!!!!) Can't wait to hear about the settlements that come from this one. Lawsuits against the players, the Palace oh, the payoff will be big....

In Reply To #18 Ok, the UK is not Europe-they are not stupid girls, just fans not hip to the rip. Here I gave my Battle Flag to an Lt. in der Bundeswher, and in return received an 1860 Munchen scarf-blooded. His and a foes blood on the scarf...battle flag of another nation and time. There is no professional restraint, in times of action, folks due as trained. A person still has to answer for their actions, but sports ain't war, as noted..jump on a professional and get professional results. Hey your gals are for Arsenal, Gunners!!!!! Too bad the ex-part, always nicht sehr gutt..

In Reply To #20 Huh?

In Reply To #16 Well, if it were up to me, the people I mentioned would be arrested, and Artest would be arrested as well. Jackson and O'Neal as well probably. Why do players need extra protection? Well, it's 30K fans from a rival arena against a team of 8 or 9 players. They come on the court and are targets. I hope you're not trying to defend the assholes who were throwing things onto the court? I admittedly haven't followed any of the follow-up coverage, so I haven't heard that attacked the wrong guy. And I stand by my original statement, put in the same situation as Artest, I would have charged the "fan" as well, as long as I knew who it was anyway.

In Reply To #19 Again, I didn't say Artest was right in what he did. I simply think that if you were in the same situation where the adrenaline is already flowing because a monster just attacked you, then some punk kid in the stands throws a soda at you, then I can't hold it against you for charging that fan. The consequences were huge, but would you be thinking about consequences at a time like that? Doubtful. And yes, the payoffs will be huge! I'll have to search Ebay for a ticket stub to the game so I can get in on the payoff... ;)

In Reply To #21 LOL!

In Reply To #22 Cottrell, I'm not really defending anyone. The fans are at fault, and the players are at fault. I just want to see the same consequences for each, and that clearly is not the case. Artest is a thug, plain and simple, and it pisses me off to see players like him protected (by protected I mean he didn't have to go to jail that night) And yes, he started swinging away at the wrong guy. He wasn't even looking into the stands, once he got hit, he was going in swinging no matter who he hit. And c'mon... it's not 30K vs 8 or 9. Do all the fans come on the court and attack players? Usually it's a fan or two, and if they do, they are punished much more so than anytime a player enters the stands. It should be the same, that's all I'm saying.

In Reply To #25 30K on 8 or 9 may have been a stretch, but when you're in a hostile environment like that one, you have no clue who's just trying to break it up and who's trying to beat the hell out of you, like the guy who was holding Artest back then punched him in the back of the head, or the guy who was behind Fred Jones and gave him a couple punches to the back of the head. And again, if it were up to me I would send Artest to jail, just like the fans involved. I'm not really surprised Artest attacked the wrong person, the kid looked so shocked right before Artest got to him, and if I recall correctly, he was holding a soda or beer too. Not sure what made Artest single him out, must have just wanted to fight someone smaller than him, since he backed away from Big Ben. ;)