Metta World Peace suspended seven games for elbowing James Harden

[jaysunb]

Lakers forward Metta World Peace has been suspended for seven games by the NBA for swinging an elbow that connected with the head of Oklahoma City guard James Harden in last Sunday’s game.

World Peace will miss the Lakers’ regular-season finale Thursday at Sacramento and their first six playoff games, the NBA announced Tuesday. He will also forfeit $347,849 in salary.

It marks the 10th time since 2003 that World Peace has been suspended by the league.



http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakersnow/la-sp-ln-metta-world-peace-suspended-20120424,0,5940764.story

[Daniel537]

1. Not as bad as i imagined

considering how brutal that elbowing looked. Gives him plenty of time to spread the "peace" around.

[jaysunb]

2. I imagined just the opposite...

I was thinking more like 2-3 games that didn't include the playoffs....but the team will be ok.

[Initech]

6. I'm a Lakers fan and I thought that looked quite painful

[Odin2005]

3. That guy's name is an insult to Buddhists.

[ellisonz]

4. Should have been more...

25 games sounded about right IMHO.

[SoCalDem]

5. If sports regulators were being sincere and effective about ending this nonsense

they would force a forfeit of any game where an opponent was injured enough to warrant medical attention...and the offender would be suspended for the remainder of the season without pay... a second offense terminated their contract and removes them fromn the sport entirely.


Believe me, the nonsense would end.

[Goblinmonger]

9. I get your point, but you need to rethink your standard for forfeit.

How many football players who did not land an illegal hit would be left to play if your standards were enforced? I'd eventually get drafted.

[SoCalDem]

10. With instant replay, there would be opportunity to assign blame or relieve them of it

fair hits are to be expected. I am talking about the egregious violence intended to maim.

[Johonny]

26. I disagree

I like watching sports because the out comes happens live. There is nothing I hate more than sports like the Olympics where days and even years later they can magically tell me the thing I watched happen didn't happen. If the thing I'm watching is not really a competition than why should I watch? I saw Ben Johnson win the freaking race. If they don't want drug taking cheaters to win races they should test and ban them before they compete not after. In this case why is a guy suspended 9 times already still in the NBA at all to injure someone intentionally? Ban the goons and you will severely limit gooning in the NBA and NHL. I guess I'm not against the spirit of forcing forfeits for games when someone totally changes the outcome with an intentional foul (Particularly one that leads to injury). On the other hand it seems to rob sports of the reason so many like to watch them. The drama of seeing events unfold live in front of you.

[stevedeshazer]

7. After going up in the stands with the Pacers, Ron-Ron should be out of the league.

World Peace, indeed. Quite a gloss for such a dirty player.

Aside from Andrew Bynum and Kobe Bryant, that leaves the Lakers pretty soft. They'll likely get Denver in the first round and OK City in the second. Not good matchups for them

[bluedigger]

8. He should be done for the year.

Seven games is a joke.

[lovemydog]

11. I think it's too much

James Harden got in the way of his elbow.

[Ruby the Liberal]

12. Thats it? That looked deliberate as all get out (repeating gif below)

[jaysunb]

13. I like MWP, but

that was really bad. I'm sure he wishes he could take it back.

[MrScorpio]

14. Ron Artest, Everybody!

SSDD!

[SaltyBro]

15. Harden intentionally ran into MWP

not saying that the elbow was intentional and/or necessary, but both were in the wrong. MWP has been pretty stable the last several years and this unfortunate incident may undo all that goodwill.

[stevedeshazer]

16. I think Harden was just trying to get to the inbounds play.

That bumping stuff happens all the time.

[Ruby the Liberal]

17. Shame he ran into that elbow

while he was waiting on the ball.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

21. i have watched the replay several times

and that is my thought as well. even if he WAS getting in his way to stop him from breaking free down-court, there was no call for the elbow. Artest should have been banned from basketball for that crap, but the NBA continues to just look the other way (with simple suspensions and fines which to insanely rich players amount to little or nothing)...

sP

[rufus dog]

19. You are fucking delusional

That is a standard play on the inbound. Artest is a dick and you are on the border of dickishness for defending him.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

22. no question about artest being a dick...

defending him either means :

1) you're a fan
2) you don't understand basketball very well
3) you're bordering on dickishness

i suppose one answer above doesn't preclude another.

sP

[ProdigalJunkMail]

18. Ron Artest WAS a piece of shit and IS a piece of shit

regardless of the stupidity that was committed to his name...

sP

[rufus dog]

20. three games too shy IMO

He should have had a suspension that guaranteed the Lakers would be without him for two rounds.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

23. how about we charge him with felony battery

it was not 'a part of the game'...

sP

[jaysunb]

25. Ok. But then you'd have to round up the hockey players too.

Right....???

[ProdigalJunkMail]

28. well, since i think fights in hockey games are insane...ok

there is no excuse for letting violence like that in a game. unless the rules allow for punching, kicking, biting, hair pulling and other bullshit like that that, then it is NOT part of the game and until the league is really willing to do something about it it will continue...and it is sad.

sP

[grantcart]

24. And with all of those Miss America contestants working so hard on his behalf too.

[rl6214]

27. The NBA needs to learn how to deal with players from the NFL

Hand out some year long and indefinate suspensions.