Elbow Heard Round the World

Ruffle My Feathers, a weekly sports blog by Justin Lewis

Metta World Peace (the baller formerly known as Ron Artest) is once again being used as an example of what “not to do”. It always amazes me when people are trying to do right that if/when they do happen to stumble even in the slightest bit(I know it’s a bit of a stretch but hear me out), people crucify them. This guy has turned the perception (the media and most people have about him) that he is a “thug”, all the way around. All people want to say about the guy is, “He is still the same guy he was in Indiana during “The Brawl” and when he was in Chicago and Sacramento”; “He wont ever change so he shouldn’t ever be allowed to play basketball again”; or “his name change means nothing. He is still the same person.” While you’re pointing that one finger at him how many are pointing back at you? How about the fact that over 90% of fans and media don’t even call him Metta World Peace? They don’t respect his name change but OchoCinco rolls right off their tongue. He tried to do something good by putting a subliminal message in peoples minds regarding how he thinks the world should be. Who would want World Peace?! Oh, that’s right every contestant on the Miss America/Universe contest (that say it for protocol’s sake), children overseas who are forced to go into armies at the age of 10, or military family members (who sit at home holding their breathe until they get that call, receive that letter and/or a visit from “The Messenger”) or the personnel themselves who lose limbs (that cannot get the benefits they were promised AFTER their so called “usefulness” has diminished). I have no idea what I was thinking when I thought World Peace would be such a great thing.

I recently heard Magic Johnson say “he felt sorry for RON ARTEST… I was the one who recruited him to come to the Lakers…” You are one of the greatest point guards to ever play this game BUT you’re just an average analyst who only favors the Heat and the Lakers. There is not a doubt in my mind that Metta should be suspended, but he has “kept his nose clean” for quite a while now. Guess that doesn’t count for anything. I say the fine should have been however many games Harden is out plus (2). Being as though you have to jump through hoops to come back and play after a concussion it would be at least 2-3 games leaving the total to be (5) games. Stern just wanted to ensure that they would take him away for the bulk of the playoffs even though the incident occurred in the regular season.

Yes he clobbered James Harden with that elbow BUT I don’t believe that it was intentional. He is a very emotional guy who just dunked on two premier players and he got a lot (I know it’s not grammatically correct) out of hand. Ron Artest is pound for pound THE Strongest player in the league, BY FAR. Don’t you think if he really wanted to hit a defenseless player with all his might (in the head mind you) that he would have broken either his skull and/or put him out for the count? Its like Biggie Smalls said, “They pray and pray for my downfall…” If I was Metta World Peace I wouldn’t even let everyone’s negative words affect me because right before all of this occurred the so called “fans” and critics were eating out of his hand (saying he was playing the best basketball of his career and he was a far cry from what he used to be); yet now they are stepping all over his name. I was taught that you can’t trust anyone else in this world but God and yourself (to a limited extent because we are imperfect which is one of the benefits of being human). Metta I would take heed to that information I just provided, it will most definitely help in the future.

He threw the elbow but you can tell he was very excited about the play AND he had his eyes closed. The ever so “humble” Stephen A. Smith said World Peace “felt” James Harden next to him and intentionally threw that elbow. Lemme tell you something Mr. Smith, as I said before Metta World Peace is pound for pound the strongest player in the league, if he hit him intentionally Harden wouldn’t have woken up until the following morning. Players always speak of Metta’s strength and say when he gets a hold of you, you aren’t going anywhere. During an interview about the situation Stephen A. Smith also said that the incident was “Ill-Advised” and “Idiotic”; funny thing is most of the things you say (Mr. Smith) are “Ill-Advised” and that’s mainly what you base your shows and articles on, outlandish opinions.

Metta World Peace is not the Anti-Christ people he just threw an “inadvertent” elbow (That’s my opinion by the way, calm down) that he shouldn’t have thrown. Granted he hurt the guy but is he any worse than any other athlete, normal Joe, or public official right now? He didn’t rape anyone (wont drop any names but their wife DIDN’T like it BUT she still put a ring on it; and on another tip they wear robes!), drive drunk (half of the worlds athletes, politicians, and law officials), sell/do drugs (also a good portion of the worlds athletes, politicians, law officials, and clergy), or shoot himself (Sorry my man I had to go there). He does a lot of things that go unseen and are never noted on social media or television.

A good phrase for this situation is “We are judged by the Few Not the Many”; and that’s not right. He is judged on the few “bad” things (yes I know he got suspended 14 times during his career for a total of approx 100 games BUT he hasn’t been suspended or had to be “disciplined” since last years playoffs; and before that his last incident was in 2007) he has done/decisions he has made, instead of the many good things/opportunities he has accomplished/created (for an abundance of people). Here are some of the things he has done despite the images/opinions they display throughout almost every sports show, social media site and television show:

During the lockout this past summer he decided to donate his salary (More specifically a large sum of his approx $7 million salary) to mental health charities.
He sold his championship ring

Auctioned off the ring to raise approx $500K for Xcel University Charity (Mental Health Charity).

He gives back to kids in his neighborhood (Queensbridge, New York) and treats the kids in the neighborhood like they are his own flesh and blood.

He sponsors basketball tournaments during the summer and fall months in the Queensbridge Projects in New York City, which is an outdoor court in his hometown; sends kids from Queensbridge to summer camps; and pays tuition for kids from Queensbridge, who show academic promise to attend private schools.

In 2008, he launched “The Artest Math Masters” program at Felix Cook Jr. Elementary School in partnership with the Houston Independent School District, which rewards students who maintain high grades in Mathematics during the 2008-2009 school year.
He launched a Spay/Neuter billboard ad campaign with PETA in Houston in February 2009; hosted a fundraising event for the Houston Humane Society where he played “Celebrity Chef for Charity” at Capone’s; and made an additional donation to the Ray of Hope Clinic to pay for lab technicians’ salaries for 2009, fed school children lunches, and paid for the emergency surgery of a 7 year old boy with heart problems.
He hosted the “First Queensbridge Annual BBQ Bash” for the residents of his hometown, and took a group of 20 kids to Disney World.
In 2010 the city of Las Vegas honored him with “Ron Artest Day” in October for his charitable efforts associated with Xcel University, and former President Bill Clinton and Nevada Sen. Harry Reid attended the ceremony.

The good outweighs the bad but as usual David Stern (The consummate buzz kill/jerk) overreacted. The evidence wasn’t anymore clear then when he enforced Metta’s current suspension AND when he terminated the Chris Paul deal this year; all he sees is Green. If that was Kobe, Durant, Griffin etc throwing that elbow no one would think it was malicious, but since Metta World Peace has a “history” of “violence” (Other than last year it was way in the past) they increased the standard suspension from 1-2 games to 7 games (which just so happens to roll into the playoffs) David Stern knew what he was doing and if Metta is so bad why didn’t you attempt to get him some help. Bet that note wasn’t in your recruitment notebook under personality. If he is so bad why did you want him on the team? Oh that’s right because Paul Pierce and every other small forward were abusing your small forwards. So you NEEDED him and you knew the risk you’re your acquired him and his talents. Back to you Stern, you’re quick to punish but slow to help. Great job Stern. Keep ya head up Metta because now your name will be ringing in everyone’s head thus proving that the changing of your name wasn’t all for naught.