11/05/24
January 27, 2010
Arenas, Crittenton suspended for rest of season: The NBA takes a Stern stand on throwdowns in the workplace.
posted by irunfromclones to basketball at 05:01 PM - 28 comments
To bad these two idiots don't play in NYC then it would be jail.
posted by thatch at 05:45 PM on January 27, 2010
The NBA takes a Stern stand on throwdowns in the workplace.
Not really.
posted by BoKnows at 06:37 PM on January 27, 2010
If your average Joe brought a firearm to the workplace, he'd be arrested, held without bail and looking at a ten year mandatory sentence. They should be banned from the league for life.
posted by Tinman at 08:18 AM on January 28, 2010
Thirty-eight games?
Arenas ends up with about 50.
If your average Joe brought a firearm to the workplace, he'd be arrested, held without bail and looking at a ten year mandatory sentence. They should be banned from the league for life.
The whole reason this story became public is that these weren't average Joe's. And, your knowledge of DC law is wrong anyway. Unregistered possession of a firearm is a misdemeanor in DC.
posted by bperk at 09:29 AM on January 28, 2010
Thirty-eight games? Ron Artest gets 72 games for scrapping with fans, but bringing multiple firearms to work apparently isn't nearly as bad.
It's really 50 games, Arenas already sat out 12 games when Stern handed down the indefinite suspension. Still, I agree with you, the two punishments weren't proportional in perspective.
"You brought guns into the locker room? Give me your wrist." Slap!
posted by NerfballPro at 09:33 AM on January 28, 2010
I am surprisingly pro-gun around here. The mere possession of a gun is considered so grievous by some people. I believe the story is that the gun was not loaded and that he did not brandish it. I think people who commit violence (Artest) deserve more punishment than someone who could have committed violence (Arenas).
posted by bperk at 09:41 AM on January 28, 2010
I think people who commit violence (Artest) deserve more punishment than someone who could have committed violence (Arenas).
You know, that could very well be the case. I'm not against possession, I'm in the military myself. Arenas is a high-profile athlete, and I honestly can't blame him for arming himself because there are a lot of crazies out there wanting to make names for themselves by going after a high profile individual. But the fact of the matter is this: Artest went after a fan with nothing more than his bare fists. Arenas and Crittenton were in the midst of a dispute with each other that seemed to be escalating by the day, with weapons eventually becoming involved. This is now well-documented and corroborated by both men. If this had been allowed to continue, who knows what could've happened. In my opinion, I think I'd rather bitch about the seeming unfairness about their punishment than comment about their deaths today.
posted by NerfballPro at 10:33 AM on January 28, 2010
Artest went after a fan with nothing more than his bare fists.
And started a very dangerous melee that resulted in injuries. I'm not saying that Arenas's penalty is unfair. I don't think it is. I just think Artest's behavior was quite a bit worse and deserved a stricter penalty.
posted by bperk at 10:49 AM on January 28, 2010
I just think Artest's behavior was quite a bit worse and deserved a stricter penalty.
Look as if Stern agreed with you. I do think Artest got his just desserts back then. But what drives my comments is what could've been with Arenas and Crittenton. Regardless of the punishment, I hope no dispute among athletes never goes this far again. That's the message Stern needs to convey.
posted by NerfballPro at 10:55 AM on January 28, 2010
It's not a right-to-bear-arms issue, it's about threatening your coworkers with lethal force. Not good for team chemistry. The team should be able to sanction Arenas in addition to the league suspension; it's their organization (and bottom line) that he and Crittendon hurt, after all.
I hope Ted Leonsis buys the team and fires that zero.
posted by Hugh Janus at 11:04 AM on January 28, 2010
Regardless of the punishment, I hope no dispute among athletes never goes this far again. That's the message Stern needs to convey.
Yeah, I don't think any player wants to go through what Arenas is going through. The Wizards are distancing themselves from him. They took down the banner they had of him up at the Verizon Center. There are lots of rumors that they are going to try to void his contract, which is worth about $80 million more. This is a costly error for him without considering the legal punishment. I don't think a bit of it is unfair. He treated this like a joke, but he isn't anymore. I think the message has been pretty clear to him and anyone else who wants to try something this stupid.
posted by bperk at 11:06 AM on January 28, 2010
They should be banned from the league for life.
As long as both are suspended for the rest of this season, I don't have a problem with it. Both Arenas and Crittendon deserved to be punished for their lack of good judgment but to say that they should be banned from the league for life is a bit strong. This suspension was fair IMO.
posted by BornIcon at 11:11 AM on January 28, 2010
Artest was a repeat offender, also. That factored into Stern's judgment. Has Arenas been suspended for anything before?
posted by MeatSaber at 12:43 PM on January 28, 2010
I'd say the suspension is a bit on the long side but I'm ok with it. I'm a bit surprised at all the opinions that the suspension should be longer. What's to be gained by a longer suspension than a year?
posted by tron7 at 01:10 PM on January 28, 2010
Has Arenas been suspended for anything before?
Yeah, he was suspended for almost the same thing. He was suspended for one game for pleading no contest for possessing a concealed weapon in California. Stern has never taken guns very seriously before. Telfair got a two game suspension for bringing a loaded gun on a team plane. Then, he got a three game suspension for a misdemeanor gun possession charge.
posted by bperk at 01:16 PM on January 28, 2010
There are lots of rumors that they are going to try to void his contract, which is worth about $80 million more.
This will be a story for a future thread here on SpoFi, but from what I've gathered, the Wizards are going to wait and see what Arenas's sentence will be before they make a decision on his contract. His sentencing is scheduled for March 26. If there's an attempt to void the contract, likely the Players' Union is going to get involved.
Crittenton was almost unheard of before this started happening. I could be wrong, but I think this incident has finished his NBA career; all other teams will probably consider him too radioactive to chance a signing, and it's almost certain the Wizards will release him after this season is over.
posted by NerfballPro at 02:23 PM on January 28, 2010
Can the Wizards void his contract now? With Stern taking such a blase approach to the whole firearm insident, I think it'd be a lot harder for the Wizards to successfully argue that's it just cause.
"Yes, Mr. Stern only suspended him for the remainder of the year, but we'd like our $80 million back please."
Artest didn't get his contract voided, he just got traded. No one wants to pick up Arenas's ridiculous tad, so Washington is stuck with him.
So are the Wizards the real losers in this situation?
posted by Goyoucolts at 03:19 PM on January 28, 2010
So are the Wizards the real losers in this situation?
Not really. They are trying to use this situation as an opportunity to get out of a terrible contract. They should never have signed such a ridiculous contract in the first place, so they could be the winners if they are able to get out from under his contract.
posted by bperk at 03:51 PM on January 28, 2010
I am relatively certain that there has to be some standard clauses in the contract about the consequences in engaging in conduct detrimental to the team. And while it may not be included in a specific clause, I'm also relatively certain that stashing several guns in the work place and brandishing one at a fellow employee just might qualify.
posted by irunfromclones at 07:18 PM on January 28, 2010
Man, Latrell Sprewell choked PJ Carlismo and Golden State couldn't get his contract voided. Good luck, Wizards.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 09:25 PM on January 28, 2010
Yeah, but PJ was protected by the beard. Even Spree couldn't break through the Throat Wreath of Brillo.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 09:54 AM on January 29, 2010
Yeah, but PJ was protected by the beard
Blasphemy! The beard belongs to one man and one man only. I do like the sound of Throat Wreath of Brillo.
posted by BornIcon at 11:08 AM on January 29, 2010
Pfft. No beard can ever match the Lanny McDonald playoff beard.
posted by grum@work at 11:19 AM on January 29, 2010
Whoa! You may be on to something with that one. McDonald looks like a angry, giant leprechaun securing his pot o' gold.
posted by BornIcon at 11:29 AM on January 29, 2010
The beard for the ages is here. Forget about those amateur efforts.
posted by Howard_T at 03:44 PM on January 29, 2010
That's no Lanny McDonald. It's the sea dog Grjotgard, a kinsman of Melkolf, king of the land.
posted by Hugh Janus at 12:02 PM on January 30, 2010
This was probably funnier in my mind's eye.
posted by Hugh Janus at 03:16 PM on January 30, 2010
Thirty-eight games? I thought der Fuhrer was going to throw the book at them. Ron Artest gets 72 games for scrapping with fans, but bringing multiple firearms to work apparently isn't nearly as bad. Stern is a wimp.