Malice at the Palace

[Chescat]

Just finished watching the
Netflix documentary on
the 2004 brawl/riot
between Pacers and the
Pistons, Ron Artest is
the key figure. This was
the first time I saw the
players interviewed
and giving their version
of the events. I feel it's
worth watching.

 

[cease10]

Yes, I heard Jermaine O'neal speaking about it on Lebatard Show and had to watch it. Resubscribed to Netflix just to watch it. It was a good watch. Just the few mins I didn't care for when they spoke about O'neal's upbringing.

The guy that walked on the court and squared up with Artest....that guy was hilarious. Oneal then ran in to punch him, but slipped and missed. The fan was walking around in the Locker room fine and then decided that he needed to play it up for the cameras and go out on a stretcher 😂🤣

 

[Franb]

Just finished watching the
Netflix documentary on
the 2004 brawl/riot
between Pacers and the
Pistons, Ron Artest is
the key figure. This was
the first time I saw the
players interviewed
and giving their version
of the events. I feel it's
worth watching.

Very much worth watching. It was particularly interesting to compare the thoughtful, intelligent comments of these players with the images at the time, calling them thugs. All the blame for the incident in the public eye was placed on the players, and the fans who heaped verbal and physical abuse on them were , for the most part, given a pass.

 

[Chescat]

Yes, I heard Jermaine O'neal speaking about it on Lebatard Show and had to watch it. Resubscribed to Netflix just to watch it. It was a good watch. Just the few mins I didn't care for when they spoke about O'neal's upbringing.

The guy that walked on the court and squared up with Artest....that guy was hilarious. Oneal then ran in to punch him, but slipped and missed. The fan was walking around in the Locker room fine and then decided that he needed to play it up for the cameras and go out on a stretcher 😂🤣

Why would anyone go on
the floor and "square up"
with Artest, who is a loose
cannon at best.
Artest was a head case
and lying on the scorer's
table was a show off
move. He was wrong for
going up in the stands.
So were his team mates,
but in the heat of battle
they at least were coming
to their teammates's
defense....or so they say.
O'Neal was involved with
this production, so we
only get to hear the
Pacers' version. I'd have
liked to have heard some
of the Pistons too.

BTW, the fans were nuts
and out for blood.

 

[cease10]

Why would anyone go on
the floor and "square up"
with Artest, who is a loose
cannon at best.
Artest was a head case
and lying on the scorer's
table was a show off
move. He was wrong for
going up in the stands.
So were his team mates,
but in the heat of battle
they at least were coming
to their teammates's
defense....or so they say.
O'Neal was involved with
this production, so we
only get to hear the
Pacers' version. I'd have
liked to have heard some
of the Pistons too.

BTW, the fans were nuts
and out for blood.

- You saw the doc, that's exactly what the guy did. He had no business being where he was as at. He then approached Artest and raised his arms.

- Artest laying on the scorer's table....this wasn't in the doc, but O'neal mentioned in an interview that he learned for the first time that Artest was doing that as a calming method, counting and breathing, part of what he learned in therapy. Hindsight, the Pacers should have took him back to the bench, but laying on the scorer's table did not justify that guy throwing the drink which incited the whole thing.

- Ben Wallace of the Pistons was in the doc. He was the major Pistons figure in the whole incident. Interestingly, there was no mention of the role Wallace's brother played in the stands. His brother was fighting in the stands and attacked a Pacers player.

- Jamaal Tinsley, needed to tell his side of the story. Stephen Jackson said Tinsley was the one that encouraged Artest that it was ok to now give a hard foul at the end of the game.

 

[cease10]

It's crazy that this incident happened 17yrs ago and fans are still doing stupid stuff. This past playoffs....popcorn thrown on Russell Westbrooks, Trae Young spat on, and bottle thrown at Kyrie Irving.

NBA needs to do a better job at protecting the players. There should be a zero tolerance policy with these fans and they need to be arrested on the spot.

 

[h2p_5150]

I enjoyed the doc. Definitely biased toward the Pacers point of view, but still informative. Jermaine O'Neal is lucky he didn't connect with that idiot fan's head running full speed. That dude would have been in a coma, at best. I came away from that doc wishing he had connected with that fan's head though. That guy was, by far, the biggest idiot they interviewed in the whole documentary. He makes Artest sound like Isaac Newton. He still doesn't seem to grasp that him running onto the court was wrong, nor that he provoked Artest by clenching his first at him.

 

[joeydavid]

I enjoyed the doc. Definitely biased toward the Pacers point of view, but still informative. Jermaine O'Neal is lucky he didn't connect with that idiot fan's head running full speed. That dude would have been in a coma, at best. I came away from that doc wishing he had connected with that fan's head though. That guy was, by far, the biggest idiot they interviewed in the whole documentary. He makes Artest sound like Isaac Newton. He still doesn't seem to grasp that him running onto the court was wrong, nor that he provoked Artest by clenching his first at him.

Ben Wallace's reaction to a nothing foul was so over the top. The fans and security were 100% to blame in this altercation not the players. The media and subsequently Stern shat the bed on this one.

 

[Zeldas Open Roof]

Artest laying on the scorers table with a murk on his face and arms behind his back in the most pompous manner ever us what caused this. How was that not in the documentary?

He does what every other ‘normal’ human being dies and goes and sits down or walks away and this never happens. The guy is laying sprawled out on the scorers table with a sh*t eating grin on his face, you almost have to throw something at him.

To hear the comical justification of this as some sort of sedation technique is the funniest thing I’ve heard in my life.

 

[joeydavid]

Arrest laying on the scorers table with a murk on his face and arms behind his back in the most pompous manner ever us what caused this. How was that not in the documentary?

He does what every other ‘normal’ human being dies and goes and sits down or walks away and this never happens. The guy is laying sprawled out on the scorers table with a sh*t eating grin on his face, you almost have to throw something at him.

To hear the comical justification of this as some sort of sedation technique is the funniest thing I’ve heard in my life.

It was covered many times in the show. I'm not sure why some are saying it wasn't. That said, a guy laying down isn't a reason to assult him.

 

[Zeldas Open Roof]

It was covered many times in the show. I'm not sure why some are saying it wasn't. That said, a guy laying down isn't a reason to assult him.

Love how dramatic you guys are about water and pop getting dumped on you. Assault???


Ben Wallace was a clown for over reacting to a very light foul.

 

[joeydavid]

Love how dramatic you guys are about water and pop getting dumped on you. Assault???


Ben Wallace was a clown for over reacting to a very light foul.

Assult is what the clown was charged with and found guilty of. Sorry for being accurate with my use of the English language 😅.

 

[Zeldas Open Roof]

Assult is what the clown was charged with and found guilty of. Sorry for being accurate with my use of the English language 😅.

He was charged with assault for throwing a plastic bottle? That’s hilarious. What do you get charged with if you do something more dangerous like throwing a snowball?

I’m just glad artest survived this assault. He’s lucky to live and tell about it.

 

[pittiswhereiamfrom2]

It's crazy that this incident happened 17yrs ago and fans are still doing stupid stuff. This past playoffs....popcorn thrown on Russell Westbrooks, Trae Young spat on, and bottle thrown at Kyrie Irving.

NBA needs to do a better job at protecting the players. There should be a zero tolerance policy with these fans and they need to be arrested on the spot.

Why is this amazing? These things have happened around the world for the history of time.

Have you ever left Pittsburgh?

 

[mike412]

Artest laying on the scorers table with a murk on his face and arms behind his back in the most pompous manner ever us what caused this. How was that not in the documentary?

He does what every other ‘normal’ human being dies and goes and sits down or walks away and this never happens. The guy is laying sprawled out on the scorers table with a sh*t eating grin on his face, you almost have to throw something at him.

To hear the comical justification of this as some sort of sedation technique is the funniest thing I’ve heard in my life.

What documentary were you watching? Him lying on the scorer’s table is shown at great length. He also explains why he did it.

The guy who ran onto the floor, when he is interviewed, claims Artest “sucker punched” him. What a load of Bull. He was looking right at Artest. If Artest wanted to hit him harder, he could have. He pulled the punch. I do think O’Neal was trying to hit him. Thankfully, he slipped on the wet floor.

 

[mike412]

Love how dramatic you guys are about water and pop getting dumped on you. Assault???

Throwing the bottle is a classic definition for assault. I am pretty sure he was convicted in court.


Ben Wallace was a clown for over reacting to a very light foul.

Absolutely. It was a nothing foul.

 

[Zeldas Open Roof]

What documentary were you watching? Him lying on the scorer’s table is shown at great length. He also explains why he did it.

The guy who ran onto the floor, when he is interviewed, claims Artest “sucker punched” him. What a load of Bull. He was looking right at Artest. If Artest wanted to hit him harder, he could have. He pulled the punch. I do think O’Neal was trying to hit him. Thankfully, he slipped on the wet floor.

He was laying on the scorers table with a big smile on his face just to be a condescending JA.

Yes, the guy that ran on the floor was a clown. He was looking right at him, no argument there.

One thing is for sure, after this, Indianapolis was officially a colts city

 

[CaptainMurphy]

He was laying on the scorers table with a big smile on his face just to be a condescending JA.

Yes, the guy that ran on the floor was a clown. He was looking right at him, no argument there.

One thing is for sure, after this, Indianapolis was officially a colts city

The look on his face doesn't matter. No one has the right to throw anything at him. You don't get the right to participate when you buy a ticket to a sporting event. What if the water bottle hits him in the eye and ends his playing career like the Browns lineman who took an official's flag to the eye? Unlikely but certainly possible when people are throwing things.

 

[BigZeke]

Ben Wallace's reaction to a nothing foul was so over the top. The fans and security were 100% to blame in this altercation not the players. The media and subsequently Stern shat the bed on this one.

These two teams disliked each other and had a very contentious playoff series the year before. Add in the death of Ben Wallace’s brother and Ron Ron and SJax and you get the explosive situation that unfolded.

 

[LeftCoastPanther]

Artest came off as a Rodman wannabe.

 

[Duneaux Harm]

Artest laying on the scorers table with a murk on his face and arms behind his back in the most pompous manner ever us what caused this. How was that not in the documentary?

He does what every other ‘normal’ human being dies and goes and sits down or walks away and this never happens. The guy is laying sprawled out on the scorers table with a sh*t eating grin on his face, you almost have to throw something at him.

To hear the comical justification of this as some sort of sedation technique is the funniest thing I’ve heard in my life.

It most certainly was in the documentary. Artest even commented on why he did it. He said he had been in therapy by that point and sitting back and counting to five or whatever was advised as a way to de-escalate a situation. SO he said he laid on the scorers table. The laying down was then covered even further as to the reason the Pistons went even more crazy.

So, the laying on the table was a huge part of the documentary.

 

[Duneaux Harm]

I am puzzled by the number of posters who respond something in the vein of…”Well throwing a bottle of water isn’t assault.” or “Throwing a bottle of water isn’t any big deal.”

Unless you are part of the Harlem Globetrotters confetti act, throwing ANYTHING should get you banished for life from attending any sporting event.

It is in no way, shape or form justifiable. And if you think it is, you really need to sit back and examine your life priorities and pathway.

 

[cease10]

I am puzzled by the number of posters who respond something in the vein of…”Well throwing a bottle of water isn’t assault.” or “Throwing a bottle of water isn’t any big deal.”

Unless you are part of the Harlem Globetrotters confetti act, throwing ANYTHING should get you banished for life from attending any sporting event.

It is in no way, shape or form justifiable. And if you think it is, you really need to sit back and examine your life priorities and pathway.

I don't know if they're just trolling or if it's just the keyboard tough guy talk. I just chose to ignore. There's no point in debating ignorance. Their comments speak for themselves.

 

[ShipofFools]

I am puzzled by the number of posters who respond something in the vein of…”Well throwing a bottle of water isn’t assault.” or “Throwing a bottle of water isn’t any big deal.”

Unless you are part of the Harlem Globetrotters confetti act, throwing ANYTHING should get you banished for life from attending any sporting event.

It is in no way, shape or form justifiable. And if you think it is, you really need to sit back and examine your life priorities and pathway.

I agree except in hockey. Throwing hats on the ice is tradition when a player scores a hat trick.

I watched the documentary. The fan "Eddie" that ran on to the court to face Artest and the guy that threw the bottle both come off as total jackasses. I would never want to attend an any game with either of those guys within ten sections of me.

 

[happjack]

I finally watched this!!! I've lived in the Detroit area for 20ish years and the fans at the Palace were the worst, they only showed up when the Pistons were winning, didn't know anything about basketball, would complain about everything and act like there was some grand conspiracy when the Pistons lost. The guy who threw the beer at Artest and the idiot who ran onto the court were basically what 75% of the crowds were like at The Palace, thankfully now that the Pistons moved downtown and suck those types no longer show up. Also for as "tough" as that Pistons team was supposed to be they were a bunch of cry babies and sore losers, the Bad Boy Pistons were the same.