The Artest formely Known As

These are some very perplexing times in the USA. For example, when was the last time CNN, NBC, ESPN and the local barbershop had the same lead story? (OJ, perhaps?) Well, this weekend the Indiana Pacer’s puzzling forward, Ron Artest was the headliner on all of the 24-hour news sources. The outcome.. in a word, troubling! Artest, like most professional athletes are simply a microcosm of society—a society whose moral beliefs are obviously spiraling out of control.



On Friday, a Detroit Piston fan threw a beverage in a cup (filled with ice) and hits Artest in the face. Artest was literally lounging, (or as Fat Joe would flow) “leaning back” on the scorer’s table, waiting for the referees to restore order from an on-court melee that happened minutes earlier. That fight was ignited earlier by a technical foul that was called on (you guessed it) Ron Artest. Ron Artest jumped over the scorer’s table and into the stands [followed closely by the low IQ-ed Stephen Jackson] and they both started swinging at the first guilty looking person. That retaliation started a riot and was extremely costly. And, like OJ, has a nation divided among the usual social barriers: race, money, and politics. What perplexing times to live in this US of A.



Artest was suspended without pay for the rest of the 73-game season—a penalty that will cost him several million dollars; (most likely) his team’s chances of winning an NBA title, and a bookmark in NBA infamy. Jackson's "contribution" is not worth mentioning. I hope for Artest it was worth it. That is a hell of a price to pay for a freedom that still does not exist.



For the record, I agreed with the NBA’s commissioner, David Stern’s decision. I don’t agree with much else that Stern does—but this one was clear. NBA Players cannot jump in the stands. That’s in the player's handbook (which Artest will have plenty of time to review) and there are no exceptions. During his "down time," he'll also find out that playing ball is more lucrative that his soon-to-be released CD and if that lesson is not clear this one will be: the name on the front of his jerseys is more important than the name on the back. Was Artest's wrong? Yep. Was the fan wrong? Yep. Was Artest defending himself? Perhaps. The real question you have to ask is: who’s the professional?



David Stern’s not so clear message is: You Niggers make millions off the sweaty earned paychecks of the working-class backs—most of which are white male attendees. You dumb jocks cannot and will not jump in the stands and whip their asses—no matter what they say or do to you. We pay you enough money to refrain from that. So if you rim-spinning, cornrow wearing, jewelry & gun tooting, tattoo having, VIBE Award acting fools don't refrain from attacking our cooperate sponsors we’ll take all the money back and you can go back to your 'hood and keep it real there. I’ll let George Bush take care of the rest of you. Drive home safely.


1 love,
Ray Lewis