What punishment should Detroit recieve for Friday night's brawl?

[LRB]

Basically Indiana has recieved an extreme penalty for last Friday's player/fan brawl. I really don't have a problem with this and feel that they've gotten what they deserved. However, Detroit played a huge part in the incident with their lack of security and crowd control. I really think that the Pistons should recieve enough punishment to encourage them or any other team not to risk this incident through lax security and tolerating inappropriate abuse of players by fans whether physical or verbal or otherwise.

IMO the Detroit Pistons should get a $10 million fine and lose the next #1 draft pick that they own. I'd like to hear what the rest of you think the Pistons should recieve for their part in the fiasco and why.

[Murphy3]

The loss of a draft pick is going way overboard. Fin the organization for their lack of security. Perhaps limit beer sales or something... but I see no reason to take away a draft pick

[capitalcity]

I think it was somebody on the Dan Patrick show who said they shouldn't lose home games - but keep them under the condition that they couldn't admit fans.

Losing out on revenue would act as a fine - because it costs money to turn on the electricity, pay the vendors/staff/security/players. The management would have to deal with the backlash of turning away fans and playing in an empty arena.

This is drastic and I don't think logistically it could be done. But I think it would send a message that the NBA is serious about holding Teams accountable for the actions of their fans.

--- OR the NBA could turn a negative into a positive by making the Pistons give away tickets for entire games to school children who read to achieve or stay in school or (insert cliche NBA community program here).

That however is just too smart for David Stern. He wont penalize the reigning NBA champs - it's bad for business.

[Evilmav2]

The Piston's organization and their despicable lower-court fans aren't going to recieve anywhere near the punishment that should be their due. Sure, that white cap, felonious, beer-throwing, prison-escaping, assault-with-a-deadly-weapon, son of a bitch has been banned from attending games at the Palace (where his prior, profuse, court-side, over the top, profanity-laced 'heckling' efforts have evidently been long tolerated by both Detroit Piston's security personel and ushers), but unless they find the dude who threw the chair, it's looking increasingly unlikely that the Piston's organization, the Auburn Hills police, or the 'rush to judgement', 'lynch the rich, thug athlete' David Stern NBA is going to do anything else to punish the drunken mob of the Palace, or the derelict Piston's organization that supports them.

[Murphy3]

Originally posted by: capitalcity
I think it was somebody on the Dan Patrick show who said they shouldn't lose home games - but keep them under the condition that they couldn't admit fans.

Losing out on revenue would act as a fine - because it costs money to turn on the electricity, pay the vendors/staff/security/players. The management would have to deal with the backlash of turning away fans and playing in an empty arena.

This is drastic and I don't think logistically it could be done. But I think it would send a message that the NBA is serious about holding Teams accountable for the actions of their fans.

--- OR the NBA could turn a negative into a positive by making the Pistons give away tickets for entire games to school children who read to achieve or stay in school or (insert cliche NBA community program here).

That however is just too smart for David Stern. He wont penalize the reigning NBA champs - it's bad for business.

Yep, hitting the Pistons in the pocket book is the way to go. Taking away a draft pick just doesn't make sense.

[FilthyFinMavs]

The only way they can possibly level the punishments between the two teams if the Pistons give up a pick in my book. The NBA basically took the Pacers out of contention for a season. The Pistons should have to pay a price that also hurts their team and a pick would do just that. Actually a pick doesn't hurt them as much as what the Pacers are going through but it's a start. Maybe also a 10 million dollar fine like you stated LRB.

[mary]

I don't see why the team should be held accountable for the negligence of the "front office". I will say this...I've just seen the fight for the umpteenth time and the total lack of security personnel during the initial scuffle is just down right disturbing.

[Murphy3]

Originally posted by: FilthyFinMavs
The only way they can possibly level the punishments between the two teams if the Pistons give up a pick in my book. The NBA basically took the Pacers out of contention for a season. The Pistons should have to pay a price that also hurts their team and a pick would do just that. Actually a pick doesn't hurt them as much as what the Pacers are going through but it's a start. Maybe also a 10 million dollar fine like you stated LRB.

Guess what. The Pacers on the court abilities should be hurt more by this. Their players went into the stands to attack fans. Yes, the fans should be held accountable for their actions and the ones that they can identify will pay a price. And yes, the franchise will get hit financially because of this. However, the Pistons should face little if any more punishment as far as what they put out on the court other than what they've already suffered in the suspensions handed down by the league. There is no logical reason to try and even out the punishments between the two teams.

The Pacers players screwed up. The Pistons had a lack of security. You deal with each in a manner that is fitting to the crime. The Pacers players screw up so you suspend the players to try and make sure that it doesn't happen again. The Pistons didn't have enough security so you hit the team hard financially to make sure that it doesn't happen again.

Hell, I suppose the Oakland A's didn't have enough security when the Rangers' incident occurred so let's have MLB get rid of some of their draft picks... Absurd.

[twelli]

No fans in the arena when Indiana plays the second game in Detroit.

Will never happen, I know...

[Max Power]

Originally posted by: Murphy3
Perhaps limit beer sales or something

Baseball has a fine rule - no beer sales in the latter innings. Maybe the NBA should impliment a similar program - no beer sales in the 4th quarter. It would make the drive home safer for the fans.

[madape]

This is a stupid, stupd thread. The Pistons organization did nothing wrong. Show me one rule the organization broke. Show me one place where they were neglegent. You can't, because the organization did nothing wrong. This was a criminal offense by a few thugs in the stands. The Pistons could never have reasonably predicted that the nut in the white hat would throw a beer, and there likely wasn't anything they could do about the riot once the Pacers team decided to go out into the stands and start attacking innocent people. In other words, much ot the chagrin of Pacer fans, no penalty should be levied on the Pistons organization. The individuals unassociated with the organization that actually committed crimes will be criminally procecuted, and that's it.

Maybe the NBA should force Rich Carlile to wipe away the tears of all the whiney ass Pacer fans. It's a hell of a job. Might take him all year.

[madape]

IMO, the PACERS are the organization that deserves to be punished.

They willingly assembled a team of violent idiots, and despite repeated displays of madness, they continued to play Ron Artest and his band of bafoons. They should reasonably have known that something like this could have happened, and through their neglegence, the NBA has suffered a permanent black eye.

The players have been punished, now it's time for the organization.

$10M fine for the Pacers and no draft picks at all next year.

[dalmations202]

IMO,
You don't touch the draft picks, if for not other reason than you want to move on. Personally, I think they should fine both teams because their representatives put a black eye on the company(NBA). Maybe you fine Detroit a little heavier because of the security issues.

Then you pass a no-alcohol after the 3rd in all arenas rule, and you say that is it resolved.

Will it stop it from ever happening again. Nope. Will it help, yes. What did either team do wrong or what rule did they break? People representing their organization, and therefore their organization as a whole committed an act that was detrimental to the league.

The US Military has a rule like this as well. Conduct not becoming of an officer, NCO, etc.

Frankly I agree with what the NBA has done so far, and with what the police there are doing. Yes, I think the NBA should fine both teams as well, if for nothing else, for not teaching (emphasizing to) the players not to do that.

I also think they should look at the officiating and how they have let the games get too physical. It kills us in international play because the refs actually call fouls.

[mary]

This is a stupid, stupd thread. The Pistons organization did nothing wrong. Show me one rule the organization broke. Show me one place where they were neglegent. You can't, because the organization did nothing wrong. This was a criminal offense by a few thugs in the stands. The Pistons could never have reasonably predicted that the nut in the white hat would throw a beer, and there likely wasn't anything they could do about the riot once the Pacers team decided to go out into the stands and start attacking innocent people.

Madape, these were my initial feelings....that the complaints about lack of security were being overblown and were really just an attempt by India fans to deflect blame. No, something like this could not have been predicted and may have happened in any arena. But last night I went back and watched the fight again, with the intent of observing the actions of security personnel during the entire fiasco. Watch it from the beginning, from the time Artest got shoved, until the time Artest is lying on the table right before he gets pelted. Count the visible security personnel. Count them, and then let me know that the Detroit organization weren't negligent.

[Smiles]

Originally posted by: mary

Madape, these were my initial feelings....that the complaints about lack of security were being overblown and were really just an attempt by India fans to deflect blame. No, something like this could not have been predicted and may have happened in any arena. But last night I went back and watched the fight again, with the intent of observing the actions of security personnel during the entire fiasco. Watch it from the beginning, from the time Artest got shoved, until the time Artest is lying on the table right before he gets pelted. Count the visible security personnel. Count them, and then let me know that the Detroit organization weren't negligent.

Can you tell me what the security personel at The Palace wear? I'm not talking about the ones in police uniforms (naturally, you wouldn't see as many of them). Are you counting them too?

At what point do you think the security personel should have been able to stop what was happening? What locations in the arena should have been given priority?

Also, do we know for a fact that The Palace is one of those arenas that is operated directly by the team? If it's not, then the arena management company (who hires and trains security) may or may not have been responsible for some of this mess.

[vinnieponte]

all the penalties have gone over board! I think everyone involved in the fight should be suspended till after the all star break. But to suspend artest for the whole year is crazy and we all know how crazy stern is, he fines cuban evertime he states his opinion. The fight was un called for sure, but 5.5 million for artest, thats crazy!

[mary]

Originally posted by: Smiles

Can you tell me what the security personel at The Palace wear? I'm not talking about the ones in police uniforms (naturally, you wouldn't see as many of them). Are you counting them too?

At what point do you think the security personel should have been able to stop what was happening? What locations in the arena should have been given priority?

Also, do we know for a fact that The Palace is one of those arenas that is operated directly by the team? If it's not, then the arena management company (who hires and trains security) may or may not have been responsible for some of this mess.

Smiles, they did have a uniform, i think it might've been blue tops, but I'll have to go back and check (unless those were actually ushers and not security). I'm not sure that security could have prevented what happened - that's impossible to say. But I believe there should've been a greater presence of security directly around the scorer's table where the altercation was taking place between Wallace and Artest. There were some "suits" around, they could've been either security or assistant coaches. There was a guy on Galloway the other day (who was somehow connected to the AAC) that said security should have surrounded the scorers table the moment Artest took up residence on it. My other security gripe is that they didn't attempt to clear the area around the visitor's tunnel before escorting the players out.

[FilthyFinMavs]

Originally posted by: Murphy3

Guess what. The Pacers on the court abilities should be hurt more by this. Their players went into the stands to attack fans. Yes, the fans should be held accountable for their actions and the ones that they can identify will pay a price. And yes, the franchise will get hit financially because of this. However, the Pistons should face little if any more punishment as far as what they put out on the court other than what they've already suffered in the suspensions handed down by the league. There is no logical reason to try and even out the punishments between the two teams.

The Pacers players screwed up. The Pistons had a lack of security. You deal with each in a manner that is fitting to the crime. The Pacers players screw up so you suspend the players to try and make sure that it doesn't happen again. The Pistons didn't have enough security so you hit the team hard financially to make sure that it doesn't happen again.

Hell, I suppose the Oakland A's didn't have enough security when the Rangers' incident occurred so let's have MLB get rid of some of their draft picks... Absurd.

The Pistons did have a lack of security and they should pay the price for that. What if the situation was more severe? Maybe someone having a gun in the arena? This issue is alot more serious than some would like to think. When i've been to Mavs and Cowboys games everywhere I go there is security and this is even at the Reunion Arena days.

[mary]

Also, do we know for a fact that The Palace is one of those arenas that is operated directly by the team? If it's not, then the arena management company (who hires and trains security) may or may not have been responsible for some of this mess.

That's a good point.