<font size="18">Artest suspended for actions against Heat</font> Ron Artest of the Pacers was suspended four games without pay on Wednesday for his actions against the Heat on Monday night. The forward had two confrontations with Heat coach Pat Riley and made an obscene gesture from center court that led to the suspension announced by Stu Jackson, the league's designated disciplinarian, in a press release Tuesday. "It was in the heat of the moment,'' Artest said. "I definitely apologize to the fans, and mainly to the kids who saw the gesture on TV.'' Artest, in his first public comments since Monday night, said the gesture was not directed toward the fans. "I don't want to say who it was to, but it was not appropriate,'' he said. Artest twice initiated testy exchanges with Riley in front of the Heat bench Monday night. During the second exchange -- Heat assistant coach Keith Askins also was involved -- Riley pushed Artest away after Artest bumped him. During that incident, Artest flexed his right arm in front of Miami's bench after scoring, despite being fouled by Brian Grant. "I probably shouldn't have walked over to the bench, but I didn't start that argument,'' Artest said. "The assistant coach said, 'Don't be flexing your muscles.' ... I probably should have just kept walking. "I heard some people say I bumped into Pat Riley, but actually I was looking back at the assistant coach and I was just walking, couldn't really see, and bumped into Pat Riley.'' Riley still was angry when queried after Tuesday's practice. "He's going to walk up into somebody's huddle one day, and he's going to walk up to the wrong guy," Riley told the Miami Herald. "The officials will give technicals for hanging on the rim and technical fouls for taunting out on the court," he said. "But they never give reminders to players who always run by benches and insult benches." Artest has been disciplined three times this season. He was also fined $10,000 for shoving Dallas' Raja Bell and has served a three-game suspension for smashing a $100,000 TV camera in New York. He also was fined $35,000 for that incident. Following the second confrontation with Riley, Artest -- who finished with 18 points in Indiana's 102-95 comeback victory over Miami -- made an obscene gesture from center court after completing a three-point play. "I thought it was ridiculous," Heat point guard Travis Best, a former Pacer, was quoted as saying in the Herald. "Like we said, the refs have to do something about it. That's just a disrespect for the league, for everybody." Artest, who has four flagrant fouls and eight technical fouls this season, declined to speak to the media after practice at Conseco Fieldhouse on Tuesday, but Pacers veteran Reggie Miller had plenty to say. "I think his emotions are under control. That's all it is, a reputation," Miller told the Indianapolis Star. "I know a lot of other players who probably had feistier reputations who had long-lasting careers. He understands what he's doing and he does a very valuable job for this team. Everybody talks about how bad and dirty Bill Laimbeer was, but everybody would've loved to have him on their team. And that's what we feel about Ron Artest." Miller told the Star that other teams are jealous they don't have a player like Artest and insisted that his "Bad Boy" reputation is unwarranted. "To date, he might be our most valuable player," Miller told the Star.
yeah, I'm sick of hearin bout him doin this shit. He's so good, he just duz stupid things. Whut wuz the obscene gesture???
Artest needs to get under control or he's going to become a target for the officials a la Rasheed. People already fear and respect Artest, so he has nothing to prove acting the fool. Don't be surprised from here on out that players in the league use Artest's intesity against him by instigating Artest to get out of control and kicked out of games.
Artests Suspension Well I have a few things to say about this situation. I believe it's true that Ron has issues with anger but he is supposedly working on that and I think he genuinally is trying to, but I think the league's 4 game suspension was unfair and unusually harsh. I agree with Isiah's comments to several about the league that when you're winning the way we are it apparentlly ticks a lot of people off and they think that Ron is a dirty player and they don't like it, thus they don't want to see the Pacers winning. I have to admit that he is overzealous at times and needs to really think before he acts but I agree with Jermaine O'Neal's comments when he wanted to know why the league pinned it ALL on Artest and did NOTHING to the Heat coaches when they obviously had something to do with making Ron angry to begin with and the asst. coach actually dropped his note pad and came toward Artest to confront him. Perhaps a fine and one day suspension would have been appropriate but 4 days? That's just ridiculous, it seems to me that the league will do anything they can to keep the Pacers from being on top, I just wonder why? Again, this is just my opinion. :roll: It's going to be especially difficult for the next 3 games before the break but I have faith that the Pacers will step up and go to that depth and come up with what they need to stay ahead in the East.
Artest has become a nice player 2 watch, but not All Star caliber yet. What aloss for the Bullies....tsk tsk tsk.......but Artest needs to calm himself, or he'll never have any respect of the refs to get calls. Look at Sheed. 'Nuff said.
