And so begins the Ron Artest redemption tour. After showing his vast reservoir of guile
in the press, the NBA's Most Notorious celebrated this Rockets milestone by downplaying the whole thing, and making a warm-hearted joke about the Auburn Hills brawl. His urging of the team, and fans, to not think of the second round as the promised land? It's pretty much in line with the fiery, but practical, side he showed
when the performance of the injured T-Mac came to a head. I don't want to pile on McGrady, because I think there's enough of that going on already. But it's looking like Artest, however inconsistent he is, could be just what the Rockets need on the floor and in the locker room. While, at the same time, forcing everyone to take him on his own terms. This is Ron Ron saying "I'm still me. And like I said all along, I can make a difference if you just listen to me ... and I just listen to myself."
This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.
8 comments
Comments
As a Rockets fan, I am very happy with what Ron-Ron has brought to the table. But at the same time, many of us in Houston are still a bit leery of him, as he is playing for a long(er)-term contract. If/when that is signed, will the true Crazy Ron emerge? Or has he actually changed?
by Bacon99 on May 1, 2009 11:53 AM EDT reply actions
Houston is a perfect place for Artest. He’s with a coach he respects and the Houston locker room is very strrong with good character guys like Yao, Mutumbo, and Battier.
by gman1969 on May 1, 2009 5:56 PM EDT reply actions
Artest is a thug, plain and simple. I’d rather hear him talk about how he backed down to Ben Wallace like a coward before running into the stands to assault a man half his size who didn’t even lob that light, plastic cup onto his chest. It was the fan next to him, who, by the way, was twice as big. Nevertheless, Artest may like to fool the morons by trying to justify that action, but that plastic cup that was lobbed onto his chest may as well have been a feather. The guy is just a bad person and a coward. It’s not like that was an isolated incident, either. Domestic violence is a part of this guy’s M.O. as well.
by peroxide31 on May 1, 2009 7:54 PM EDT reply actions
I too would choose to fight some little fat white guy instead of Ben Wallace, so I can’t speak ill of da Tru Warier on that one, P
by L'etat, c'est moi on May 2, 2009 4:56 AM EDT reply actions
Look out Rockets fans!! Artest is keepin’ his cool ‘cause he wants a contract extention. After that…..tick, tick, tick….it will only br a matter of time until the "true" Ron Artest is back!! At EVERY stop in his career he’s had a problem with SOMETHING!! Sorry Rocket fans, He will let ya down sooner or later, it’s his nature.
by buckeyenut on May 3, 2009 6:09 PM EDT reply actions
While I have certainly had my doubts about Ron Artest, he seems to fit in very well with the Rockets…and that’s a good thing because I don’t want to see a person who has talent fail just so I can say "I told you so."
I am not defending or trying to justify what he did, but it appears to me that he has been able to put the unfortunate incident (which was precipitated by some drunk fans) in some perspective and put it behind him.
by BradKT on May 4, 2009 1:56 AM EDT reply actions
Rocket is not Rocket without Yao!!!
www.nowgoal.com/21.shtml
by benjiang on May 4, 2009 2:32 AM EDT reply actions
I think it’s funny that Laker fans love to say Artest is a thug, when they get super pissed when you point out that their hero is a rapist and a horrible teammate. You Laker fans are just pathetic.
by MRCUTLASS on May 4, 2009 6:55 PM EDT reply actions
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