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David Stern needs to drop the hammer on Metta World Peace

by John Axelrod       April 24th, 2012 2:18 PM
  • David-Stern-needs-to-drop-the-hammer-on-Metta-World-Peace
  • Los-Angeles-Lakers-small-forward-Metta-World-Peace-is-ejected-from-the-game-by-referee-Gary-Zielinski-after-a-flagrant-foul-on-Oklahoma-City-Thunder-guard-James-Harden-in-the-second-quarter-of-the-game-at-the-Staples-Center.-Mandatory-Credit-Jayne-Kamin-
  • Los Angeles Lakers small forward Metta World Peace is ejected from the game by referee Gary Zielinski after a flagrant foul on Oklahoma City Thunder guard James Harden in the second quarter of the game at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin
  • Los Angeles Lakers small forward Metta World Peace is ejected from the game by referee Gary Zielinski after a flagrant foul on Oklahoma City Thunder guard James Harden in the second quarter of the game at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-

    • The headlines surrounding the latest transgression of the Lakers oft-suspended small forward were ironically funny — World Peace throws vicious elbow — but what wasn’t funny was the concussion James Harden suffered. Harden, a key contributor to a championship contending Oklahoma City Thunder team, will likely miss the final two games of the season and his status for the playoffs is uncertain. His absence could potentially tilt the balance of power in the Western Conference from the Thunder to the Lakers.

    I don’t envy David Stern’s position right now. He has a tough decision to make regarding Metta World Peace, having to take into account whether or not the elbow thrown was intentional, the severity of the injury to Harden, and his past history.

    A lot of analysts have looked at the incident and determined that MWP deserves a 10-game suspension, but they are only looking at his most recent transgression. I think Metta World Peace, formerly known as Ron Artest, deserves a much longer suspension; one in the ballpark of a half a season to a season is merited.

    Despite his winning of the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award for last season, MWP has set a terrible example for the youth that watch the NBA.

    Despite his recently changed name, the career of MWP has been anything but peaceful. He’s been suspended 13 times for a total of 111 games, including his unprecedented 86-game suspension for punching a fan during the infamous incident that became known as “The Malice at the Palace”. In this case I think it should be 14 strikes and you’re out. Seriously, how much will the NBA tolerate from one person? Despite his winning of the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award for last season, MWP has set a terrible example for the youth that watch the NBA. He has sent kids the message that you can behave heinously and still make millions playing in the NBA.

    NBA players are idolized by millions of kids worldwide and they need to set a positive example, not act like thugs. David Stern would be naive to think a ten-game suspension would teach MWP anything when he apparently didn’t learn much from his 13 previous suspensions. Regardless of whether or not he wanted to injure Harden, has reaction after the dunk was extremely immature, and he had to be aware of other players in his vicinity before he started viciously flailing his elbows.

    David Stern needs to make an example of MWP. Once a player has transgressed this much its time for the hammer to come down. MWP needs to lose money and lose time on the court. He still has two years left on his contract with the Lakers and millions of dollars left to earn after this season, so a ten-game suspension will hurt the Lakers championship pursuit, but it won’t hurt MWP that badly. Stern needs to send a message that will finally teach MWP that he can’t brazenly get away with acting like a maniac.

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