The NBA Debacle

Ok, so there are many people far more expert than I discussing the Pistons-Pacers-Pistons Fans brawl. Many of them have some good things to say, so if you're interested, check out Marty Burns at cnnsi.com or some of the espn.com folks (except Chris Mannix at cnn, who I think overstates the case when he insists that Artest should be banned for life). If you haven't seen the replays, I think they're still up at espn.com.

Ok, the players get suspensions. I don't think they'll stay at their current game counts for everyone, but they'll be long, and that's as it should be. But my point today is about how to punish the fans and the city as required. I know that there will be an investigation and the powers that be will try to find the offenders to charge them with crimes and probably revoke a bunch of seasons tickets. That's good. But it's not enough. From the replays, there were a lot of offenders, and even though it punishes a lot of people - the majority of fans, I'd guess - who weren't involved, it's time to do something real. It's time to shut down the Palace for a game.

I'd like to see the NBA take a page from the European soccer playbook and make the Pistons play their next game behind closed doors. Show it on tv, ok, but no fans. None. Just the players, coaches, trainers, and refs. No luxury box visitors. No courtside high-rollers. And yes, even though it means no kids there with their fathers, no rowdies get in. No one.

What does it do: it punishes the rowdies in the crowd. It is an appropriate step to take against the organization, which includes the fans, and an appropriate step to take against the Palace operation (whose Tom Wilson has sounded alternately near-rational and totally idiotic throughout this thing). It is also a message to NBA and sports fans everywhere that even if you pay the ludicrous prices to get into a major sporting event, being there is still a privelege and the people around you should be respected.

Sorry, ranting.