Wil's Rant

According to reports Artest didn't start the incident. A scuffle broke out on the court, Artest goes to the side where the score keepers desk is and lies on it. At this point a drunken fan throws a cup of beer on him. That's when the real fun begins. His response may have been inappropriate but it is certainly understandable under the circumstances. So, it seems to me that the real problem with this one was the level of security at the stadium. While I don't feel that a person has the right to beat the hell out of someone simply for throwing beer on them, I do feel that a player should not have to suffer the risk of assault by a fan under any circumstances. It appears to me that a full out riot was very narrowly avoided here. There seems to be an awful lot of emotion at these games, and that's the point, it's just a bloody game people. This is not something that I would consider life and death. Whatever happened to the concept of good sportsmanship? Remember the day when everyone present would be happy to see a good game, regardless of who won. At the end of such a game everyone should be shaking hands and having a beer together and celebrating the game. That's the type of spirit that sports should bring out in people, not the abomination that we witness today over and over again. Sad day for sports as a whole, and a really sad day for the NBA.