Artest: In the 'real' world, he'd be out for life
I'd like to say that I was disappointed by the punishment handed out to Indiana Pacer Ron Artest, but sadly, I can't. I had hoped that the NBA would have finally shown some real guts and kicked this guy out of the NBA for life, but I didn't really expect it. They gave him a suspension for the rest of the season, which is about the best I could have hoped for.
Imagine if you punched a customer, even if that customer was abusive. Almost unthinkable. In the 'real' world, over-the-top behavior like this would most certainly get you fired, and in a tightly knit business community like the NBA, you might even find yourself looking for an entirely new line of work. No 'real' company wants to hire a liability like Artest, regardless of his skills. The Pacers, if not the NBA themselves, should stop talking about how abhorrent his behavior is, and fire him for good. I don't know much about Ron Artest, but I'd be willing to bet that without the NBA, his highest and best use might be in tree trimming or window washing - two professions where his height might be an advantage.
Is it any wonder why the abuses by professional athletes continue to get more outrageous when the players know that they can commit virtually any infraction on or off the court and still be looking at a bright and lucrative future after their token suspension? It's high time to start insisting that professional athletes be held to at least as high a standard as we expect from other professionals.
Imagine if you punched a customer, even if that customer was abusive. Almost unthinkable. In the 'real' world, over-the-top behavior like this would most certainly get you fired, and in a tightly knit business community like the NBA, you might even find yourself looking for an entirely new line of work. No 'real' company wants to hire a liability like Artest, regardless of his skills. The Pacers, if not the NBA themselves, should stop talking about how abhorrent his behavior is, and fire him for good. I don't know much about Ron Artest, but I'd be willing to bet that without the NBA, his highest and best use might be in tree trimming or window washing - two professions where his height might be an advantage.
Is it any wonder why the abuses by professional athletes continue to get more outrageous when the players know that they can commit virtually any infraction on or off the court and still be looking at a bright and lucrative future after their token suspension? It's high time to start insisting that professional athletes be held to at least as high a standard as we expect from other professionals.
posted by festivus | 11/22/2004 12:28:00 AM
Larry is right. Further, I believe the NBA is in decline. The fight in Detroit was simply more evidence. Look for other sports to surpass the NBA in popularity over the next two decades.
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