Does it really matter?

I know nothing about basketball. Okay, I know nothing about the politics of basketball. So this question goes out to all the NBA fans out there...er, to everyone out there who pays any attention to basketball. That's probably a better way of putting it. We're not exactly a rabid lot in the face of the sport.

Anywho, I was reading the article about the 7-game suspension of Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson. It supposedly falls in line with the structure of penalties laid out by the NBA collective bargaining agreement. Fair enough. My question is this: considering the fact that Artest and Jackson were previously suspended for 73 games and 30 games respectively, and the NBA season is about 3000 games long, does 7 games really mean anything?

I mean, Artest's recent trouble stems from a domestic violence misdemeanor, but it's part of a virtual pearl string of offenses. Jackson pleaded guilty to a felony count of criminal recklessness for firing a gun outside a strip club (seriously, what is it with athletes and strip clubs?!); he's been in a ton of trouble too.

Yes, the punishments fit these recent crimes, and they each stand to lose about a half a million dollars to the suspensions - you know, chump change. BUT, seeing as how this is not a first offense for either of these "men", shouldn't that weigh in the punishment? It's like giving Chris Henry a chuck on the chin and saying "Oh, you crazy kid! Don't do that again!" after getting arrested for the umpteenth time, just because this particular arrest wasn't "that bad."

Like I said, I don't know much about the nuances of NBA discipline, so I would love to be clued in by someone who does.

I may get ripped on this, but I'm kind of torn on some of this.

The offense with shooting a gun in public outside a strip club at that magical time of 3am I understand.

The domestic abuse one - let me say in no way do I support these types of actions - I don't quite get. This happened in the home and was dealt with by police I am assuming. Sure, he is absolute scum, but is that really the NBA's right to suspend him from work? Do people in "average" (hate to use that term) jobs get suspended for that? i don think so. Do people who have public jobs get suspended for that? Again, as far as I know "no" again.

Someone enlighten me as well.

I've never heard of these types of suspensions in the NBA...especially if they happened in the offseason. (I'm not sure on the offseason thing.) Most suspensions I've read about have been on-the-court or practice/drug test stuff...not off the court and in their spare time type of suspensions. The time was always done in jail. This is very strange to me.

It's obvious Stern punished those 2 guys because he doesn't like them and they have been "bad for the NBA". Where was he in previous problems though?

I can't believe I just defended former Indiana Pacers that started a brawl at the Palace...but I can't help it in this case.

Before I wrote my reply I had to take a glance at a web site that listed the suspensions over the previous 10+ years...after the 3rd page I still haven't seen any...but I could be wrong.

http://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/fines.html

Right. Let's be honest. There have had to have been more NBA players than just Ron Artest with a domestic violence charge against him.

I was jsut wondering if NBA rules have been changed. Believe me I'm all for ridding the NBA of thugs. I think the league is making a nice little comeback despite what the ratings are saying right now.

I'm guessing the way that they're beginning to look at it is this: even if it's the offseason, they're still NBA players, and they still represent the NBA. In many jobs of all levels, if you are arrested and are recognized as a representative of the business you work for, you can be fired.

As for the domestic abuse, I see what you're saying, that it happened in the home. I think a big part of that is that he was arrested for it. There were charges. That takes it public. NFL players get in trouble for being brought up on domestic violence charges, I guess the NBA is starting to get on that too.

Yeah, it's just sheer coincidence that they started doing this on the bad players of the league.

As long as they keep it's consistency from here on out, it's going to be good. Stern could JUST be taking a page from Goodell's book.

I'll be watching them like a hawk though when other problems with NBA players arise and see how Stern handles them.

robert, what don;t you watch like a hawk? My God, you might as well make STU a three man booth with all of your constant thoughts. Where's my Millen avatar? Did you retire it?

LOL I just put it up.

We can't have a board without the ever popular bobwiley. Welcome back.