I'm sure everyone has seen the clips of this on the news.

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INDIANA Pacers forward Ron Artest was yesterday banned for the rest of
the NBA season, the longest non-drug suspension in league history.

Artest will miss the final 72 games of the season for sparking a melee
in which Pacers players traded punches with Detroit Pistons supporters
in the stands and on the court during a game on Saturday.
"What he (Artest) did was unforgivable," NBA commissioner David Stern
said. "It was a horrible scene and it is up to us to see it is not
repeated.

"I have been a commissioner for 21 years. This is the worst game I
have ever seen, period."

Artest's Indiana teammate Stephen Jackson was suspended for 30 games
and Pacers standout Jermaine O'Neal will miss 20 games after they
followed Artest into the stands.

Jackson and O'Neal landed solid punches on spectators, O'Neal knocking
one man to the court, while Artest punched another fan when confronted
on the court.

Detroit police are investigating, but as yet no charges have been
laid.

No one was seriously injured in the brawl, although at least one fan
was treated in hospital and an official suffered a cut on the head
after being hit by a bottle tossed from the stands.

Detroit's Ben Wallace received a six-game ban, while teammates
Chauncey Billups, Elden Campbell and Derrick Coleman will serve
one-game suspensions for leaving the bench during one of the worst
brawls in American sporting history.

Indiana's Anthony Johnson drew a five-game suspension and Reggie
Miller a one-game ban.

Stern left no doubt yesterday who was in charge.

Asked if the league's disciplinary committee was in unison on the
heavy suspensions, Stern replied: "It was unanimous - 1-0. I decided
it."

The suspensions are without pay and will cost Artest $7 million,
Jackson $2.3 million, O'Neal $5.75 million, Wallace $560,500 and
Johnson $165,800
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NoOp Comment: WOW! You could buy a whole lot of vehicles and
automotive stuff with this coin! Now what needs to be done is
prosecute the HELL out of the moronic fans who provoked and got
involved in this brawl!

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After Artest was shoved, he lay on the scorer's table where a
spectator hurled a drink that hit him in the head. Artest rose and ran
into the stands to confront another fan and bedlam ensued.

"The actions of the players involved wildly exceeded the
professionalism and self-control that should fairly be expected from
NBA players," Stern said. "The entire league is put on notice based on
this unprecedented fiasco." - AFP
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Patrick
'93 Cobra
'83 LTD