After winning a title with the Lakers on Thursday night, forward Ron Artest took the time to apologize to one of his former employers. "When I was younger, I bailed out on my Indiana team," Artest said. "I was so young, so egotistical, and I bailed out on (team executives) Donnie (Walsh) (and) Larry (Bird) (and former teammates) Jermaine (O'Neal), (Jamaal) Tinsley, (Jeff) Foster, who never bails out. He just fights for you, for his team. Stephen Jackson, who already had a ring, continued to fight for us." Roughly a year after rushing into the stands in Detroit, Artest asked the Pacers, who stood by him, for a trade at the beginning of the 2005-06 season. "I feel sometimes like a coward when I see those guys, because it's like, 'Man, I'm on the Lakers and I had a chance to win with you guys,' and I feel almost like a coward," Artest said about his former teammates. "I never thought God would put me in this situation again because of that. So I'm blessed." http://www.indystar.com/article/201...ORTS04/Ex-Pacer-wins-title-then-he-apologizes
