The NBA is following in the footsteps of Miami of Florida College Footbrawl. 2 years ago, the Pistons and the Pacers were involved in a nasty on-court, in-the-stands brawl that included fans. Apparently the 15, 30, and 73 game suspensions handed out then weren’t enough to deter players from taking swings again, as the Nuggets and Knicks engaged in fisticuffs on Sunday night. So, naturally, the NBA issued its suspensions Monday morning and the stiffest suspension was given to Carmello Anthony, proud owner of the Most Chicken…. Sucker Punch Ever Swung Award, and also the owner of Least Manly Player Award. (See discussion of the fight later on). The suspension? 15 games. Mr. Stern, you said after the Palace at Auburn Hills brawl that you didn’t think anything like that would happen again after meting out such harsh suspensions, but you were wrong. It happened again. If the last suspension wasn’t severe enough, then you’ve got to up the bid, or accept that fights are now a part of the NBA. Either make fighting an automatic season-ending event or spend some money putting up NHL-style glass between the fans and the action. These men are freaks of nature - the top 1% of the top 1% of the top 1% in terms of physical skill and ability. Either take action to control them, or take action to protect the world (the fans) from them. The NBA Players’ Union rep said, naturally, that 15 games seemed a bit stiff to him. I agree, if by "a bit stiff" he meant not severe enough by half. I don’t watch professional basketball. There’s a reason: it’s become the National Thug League, the National "Me" League. It’s not fun for me to watch because it’s too physical, too rough for what is supposed to be a finesse sport. If I want to see fights, I’ll watch a boxing match or a hockey game where that kind of thing is condoned and where there is a distinct separation between the playing area and the spectator’s area. 30 games is the minimum I was hoping for the coward ‘Mello.
What, you ask, did ‘Mello do to deserve such harsh words from me? While other players were wrestling around (really rather minor scuffling in terms of the big picture, but still not what Mr. Stern wants in his league, and still dangerous to the fans who had to jump away as the action spilled into their seating area), ‘Mello stood around the action, waiting. When a Knicks player wasn’t ready, ‘Mello let loose a haymaker that put the player down on the ground, that was audible on the mikes of the TV broadcast. And brave, bad Carmello Anthony ran away like a little girl to avoid the natural repurcussions of such an action (ie, getting punched back). Parents of the world: your children’s role-model.
