Sometimes punishment, or even a new destination can change a person's mentality. In this case even a name change that signifies Peace can't change Metta World Peace.
There are times in games where players have to send a message by whacking another player with a hard foul or standing up for their teammates but elbowing someone with a flush shot to the head for no reason is absurd. Metta World Peace, formally know as Ron Artest, has made the most malicious play in basketball history. After dunking the basketball, which was a nice play, started hitting himself as if he was King Kong. As he was doing this while facing the crowd, he came up on James Harden and unloaded a vicious elbow to the head. The craziest thing is he kept running without looking back or checking on him. He was interviewed a couple days later and said it was "erratic adrenaline that made him do this. Am I the only one that sees something wrong with this?
We all know this dude is crazy but he shouldn't get a pass on this. Stern decides to suspend him for seven games. Are you kidding me? Now lets trace the steps. It wasn't like there was an altercation between the two or anybody for that matter before that play. James Harden wasn't even in the play when Peace dunked the ball and he gets 7 games? We all remember the Brawl at the Palace Nov. 22 2004 when Artest ran into the crowd. He was suspended 73 games for that incident. I never will condone anyone to jump into the crowd to fight a fan but I understand when you already cleared yourself from an altercation on the court and someone throws something at you and hits you in the face. That's out of reaction and then you had fans hitting and punching him. I would rather see him get 73 games for this incident. This was more malicious than the Kermit Washington Punch on Rudy Tomjanovich. Yes Kermit almost punched a bone out of the great coach but it was a brawl and tempers were flaring. Artest, excuse me, Metta decides to clobber Harden. 7 games huh, maybe because its the Lakers and it will make the 2nd round match up more intriguing between the Lakers and Thunder.
Will Metta lose all respect from his NBA peers, will he get blacked balled like Kermit Washington, or will he be a target for retaliation from several players? The contrast is... off court he takes time to spend with the less fortunate and donates his ring to charity. This man even donated his whole salary for this season to the Mental Health charities. Hmmmm I wonder why, I won't go there. There are a lot of players that say he is a great guy and great fan, so why this? As a Laker fan or at least fond of them, I always took up for the players, but one player that I might not ever stick up for when it comes to basketball is Metta World Peace. I wonder what everyone else thinks?
