Man ... 15 games for a good punch might be worth it...but I finally got a good look at the punch and it was not a punch...it was a b!tch-slap....A-Rod Style.

Eventually someone will pick up on this....Carmelo will pay for his sissy slap and collins will pay for going down from a sissy slap.

They are all a bunch of sissies. Frankly, I don't have a problem with a fight in an NBA game (the C's of old had their moments didn't they? ) and if it weren't for the Artest business, we wouldn't be making as big a deal about it.

I have no problem with players standing up for their teammates, I can completely understand where that comes from, but it was just a very cowardly and avoidable fight all around.

And if we didn't already know this before, Isiah Thomas is a tool.

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"I'm going to need a hacksaw"

Isiah ... not tremendously gifted as an athlete was an excellant point guard...played the game with a high IQ .... how is it possible to be such a dope otherwise???

The wussification of America continues. What the hell is wrong with an occasional on-court fight? Bird vs. Dr J was classic, among other similar cherished childhood memories. I don't believe Anthony should have been suspended for the "slap"; he should have been suspended for running away.

I have a much bigger problem with taking an airborne guy down from behind than with slapping a guy. A punch ends in a serious injury a lot less often.

Stern should have gone after the rookie hard, and given him a clear option to roll on Isiah (sp?). Then the rook is looking at two choices: sell out his coach who will be gone after this year anyway or lose 20 paychecks. And if he gives up Isiah and he gets cut then he can get picked up by a less crappy team.

But rather than come down hardest on the idiot who caused it all (Isiah) he comes down hardest on someone who got stupid once caught up in it.

And yeah, no way that slap deserves 15 games. Stern figures he can get away with it after the Artest melee.

My sentiments exactly - I really don't see why people have a problem with fights in the NBA. They encourage fighting in hockey and it's largely accepted to some degree in the NFL and the NHL. And as you point out, it seems a recent trend that fights in the NBA have been looked down upon as I can think of a few C's fights that are looked upon as "classic" moments as you say and not "a disgrace upon the sport" like they are making this fight to be.

I think it's all b/c of the Artest thing and the culture of our wussy society. And the fact that America and the media loves to make a villian out of anybody with tatoos and or corn rows. A combo of all those things.

As for Isiah - I've never liked the guy ever since I found out that in 84 he encouraged his fellow All Star teammates to ice a young rook by the name of Mike Jordan, telling them not to pass MJ the ball during the game. What a f**kin bytch.

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"I'm going to need a hacksaw"