The One Where World Peace Sends James Harden's Head Halfway to Anaheim

The Laimbeer comparison is pointless...another era, another mentality. Hell, in those days football players could even hit each other without getting suspended. Good times.

Not a chance Stern allows Roger Goodell to be the only commissioner taking a stand against flagrant violence.

That, and according to league mandate it's not the Lakers turn to win this year, so no need to rush MWP back to the game.

 

All true and it's not just because of "league mandate" the Lakers won't win -- they're just not good enough anymore.

 

Karl Malone's high knee...
Blake Griffin's off arm on dunks...
Kobe's swinging arm...

All dirty and nothing compared to this.

 

I think Stern and Company will put an end to that trend very shortly.

 

https://twitter.com/#!/Mike_Bresnahan

 

Bullshit. Should have been 20 games.

And Mr. Meta should be put on public notice he will be presumed guilty in all future disciplinary situations, so if he has any goddamn sense in his cast-iron skull, he won't get in any.

 

I figured 8, so not surprised. Thought it'd be that so he'd be guaranteed to miss the first round. Again, there have been other dangerous elbows in the NBA - away from the ball, not on an offensive player - we just didn't see them on national TV or care because it wasn't the guy who went nuts in the Palace. Those usually got one or two games. Was his three times as bad? Pretty much. So 7 makes sense, despite calls for more.

And maybe that Citizenship award was a factor...

 

The "Citizenship Award" was complete motherfucking bullshit -- a major factor in Meta winning the award was his large contributions to mental-health and animal-rights organizations.

Contributions made necessary as the result of plea agreements or out-of-court settlements resulting from his violent antisocial outbursts and charges he neglected his own dogs. In other words, he coughed up the cash to stay out of jail.

What a wonderful citizen.

 

From a hoops perspective, it will be interesting because the last 12 games Artest had been playing well, especially since he had been little more than a corpse out there for most of the season. If the Lakers would win in a sweep in the first round (yeah, not likely) he'd actually miss the first two games against, likely, OKC, where they would really need him. They might be better off if they'd go six, provided, you know, they'd actually win in six, since he'd be back for all of second round.

Although when he does come back, I see him playing more like he did the first 50 games of the year.

 

7 games seems about right.

 

If the NBA's intent is to suspend him for the first round, why seven games instead of eight? That part makes no sense to me.

 

Mr. World Peace would either have been guarding Dirk or Gallinari in the Lakers' first round matchup. Getting out of Round One isn't such a sure thing anymore.