Alston got suspended for slapping someone across the back of the head? Weak.. the NBA has gotten a little too soft.
I think it's fair, considering House was restricted by rules from clocking Alston in return. Alston should be allowed to do something idiotic like that only if his target is allowed to retaliate in force. Since allowing the violent response would probably lead to more and more violent repercussions, which would downgrade the product in my opinion, I'm fine with the NBA penalizing Alston for being an idiot by suspending him for a game.
There is a ton more physical contact in the paint going on in every game than what Alston did. Kobe's elbow to Artest's chest, face or whatever was harsher but didn't deserve a suspension either. A big fine would've been better IMO. All Alston he did was slap him and make House's headband crooked. Pretty lame.
Yeah, but that's part of actually playing the game. The head slap wasn't. I agree, Alston was pretty lame. And, again, if House could have punched him in the mouth, without being suspended, then I'd have been fine with Alston not being suspended. If you do a punk move like Alston did, you should pay the price, either by getting decked by the other person or, if the rules prevent that person from being able to retaliate, by suspension.
Neither is Rondo raking Brad Miller across the eyes and face, or sending Hinrich into the announcer's table. He didn't get suspended. Guess it's all subjective. It was a pretty weird move to bitch slap someone like that, but not exactly a punk move IMO. This is the playoffs, it's emotional.
Well, the Miller rake was a flagrant foul. Part of play, but should have received more penalty than a mere personal foul. In my opinion, anyway. Sending Hinrich into the announcer's table was comparable, I agree. I would have been fine with a suspension of Rondo for that. The thing is, if you randomly do something violent in other walks of life (even if it doesn't end up causing harm), you're probably going to have to face consequences in terms of being confronted in response. But had Hinrich or House retaliated, they'd hurt their teams by being ejected/suspended. I don't think it's "soft" to penalize players who disrespect other players like that and expect to be protected from reprisals by the rules. Hmm, I guess it is subjective. I think hitting someone across the back of the head because you're frustrated that he's lighting you up is fairly bush league.
I think he definitely deserved it. He hit the guy in the head entirely on purpose. Why should that EVER be allowed? Because it was open-handed? Because it wasn't hard enough? Bullshit. He hit House and deserved to get suspended. If the NBA made allowances for playground-like bitch-slaps, then they're opening a huge can of worms and making suspensions even more subjective than they are right now. As for Kobe: he definitely did NOT deserve a suspension. No elbow contact above the shoulder, so no suspension. Ed O.
Alston deserved the suspension for one simple reason - he was clearly trying to start a fight. It has always been part of the code of the blind zebra, that you don't punish the guy who starts the fight - only the one who retaliates. Note how Artest got tossed out of the game for getting in the way of Kobe's elbow? Notice that House was given a "T" for getting slapped in the head? Neither of them even actually retaliated, and they still got T'd up! For once, the league got it (half)right.
Artest's elbow to Kobe's face, and shoving his head looks like the instigator actually. http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2009/5/7/867885/ron-artest-kobe-bryant-and-wayward
Well it wasn't towards the stomach . As well Artest was physical and fighting for position, and even though artests forearm him Kobe's neck. He wasn't swinging. Artest got called for the foul, however Kobe was dirty and swung. I'm not sure if he should get suspended, but he's definitely being taught well from playing Bruce Bowen enough.
The whole thing of suspensions are already subjective as can be. I don't think if they didn't suspend him, you'd see players bitch-slapping other players across the heads all the time. I already said about Kobe that he didn't deserve any suspension. Oh well, there's no clear-cut rules on suspensions anyways, it's all subjective.
hk an elbow is an elbow. Kobe's elbows don't have gold on them, he deserves a fine or a suspension. If Artest elbows Kobe and he fell to the ground, we are talking 2 game suspension easy. Kobe isn't strong enough to keep Artest boxed off the boards. He has the advantage every where else, so he better keep his elbows to himself. Edit: all that contact before the call was just that, physical play. It wasn't called, but Kobe blatantly threw an elbow to keep Artest from boxing him off the board. That same elbow from Artest would have been a suspension because Kobe would have went straight to the floor.
Hey that's nice but every angle has the elbow hitting chest. Rooting an opponent with your knee as Shapecity stated before, and an elbow to Kobe's face is actually a foul as well.
can I ask you something? Why do you Rocket fans hate the Jazz so much? I havent seen any battles or anything (other than the 1st round last year or the year before.. I cant remember) that make you guys do.. not saying you have no reason to.. I just am wondering.
Boy for LA being the "City of Beautiful People" there sure are some ugly fans at Laker games And Jack Nicholson isn't even in the picture.
Actually, there is a rule: hit someone in the head on purpose and you get suspended. That's not the only rule, and there are tinges of subjectivity, but it's not ALL subjective. If Alston could do what he did, that would undermine the objectivity of the rule by taking away a pretty clear-cut standard. Ed O.
