Eight Points, Nine Seconds » Malice at the Palace

Ron Artest’s Reality Show

Jared Wade — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 20:14:47 +0000

The Ron Artest moment we’ve all been expecting is finally here. No, he didn’t challenge a cactus to a duel … he got a deal for his own reality show.

Controversial Los Angeles Lakers forward Ron Artest is back in the headlines, only this time to star in his own reality series.

The bad boy NBA player is to develop and produce the “They Call Me Crazy” show with E1 Entertainment and Tijuana Entertainment.

The series will document the ups and downs of Artest’s life, allowing him to “make amends for past transgressions,” according to E1 Entertainment, and help develop aspiring musicians through his hip-hop label, Tru Warier, to be supported by E1 Music.

No word yet on whether his plans to “make amends for past transgressions” will include him inventing a time machine and going back to November 2004 to prevent the Pacers franchise from taking a six-year nosedive and instead with a title for the State of Indiana. But stay tuned.

Adds Trey Kerby of Ball Don’t Lie:

Could there be a better name for a Ron Artest show than “They Call Me Crazy?” I submit that there cannot.

There’s no indication of when the show will start, or what channel it will air on, but as soon as it goes on-air it will instantly be the best show on television. I mean, between his random Internet videos, his escapades with his recording artists, that time he went on Jimmy Kimmel in his underwear, and about a million other things, Ron Artest has basically been living a reality show anyways — now he’ll have the cameras. I consider us all very lucky.

Should be entertaining.

Britton Johnsen Dunked on LeBron, Guys

Jared Wade — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 17:11:33 +0000

Remember Britton Johnsen? Yeah, most other people don’t either. I even just called his mom for comment and she was like “Who?”

But he really did play in the NBA and suited up Pacers for a few games after the Brawl when the suspension-decimated team was just looking for any mannequin with a pulse to drape a jersey around and send out on the court. I can’t give a very insightful scouting report of the guy, honestly, but he always struck me as someone best described as a really homeless man’s Keith Van Horn with the coordination of Shawn Bradley.

Maybe a look at his most memorable performances with the Pacers will jog your memory?

No? Well, OK then.

The only reason I bring it up is because I saw this player profile update on the wonderful Sham Sports the other day, and it reminded me of his existence. It also featured video of Britton dunking on LeBron’s face during LeBron’s first-ever professional game. (Presuming, ya know, you don’t count those games at St. Mary’s … or Nike camp … or ABCD … or AAU.)

All things considered, dunking on the best player since MJ isn’t exactly a bad apex. I mean, the highlight of my basketball career was beating Omar Cook in a game of ping pong, so I shouldn’t really be throwing stones from glass houses.

Game #10 Preview: LeBron Shows Up

Five Years Later

Jared Wade — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:11:48 +0000

Happy Anniversary. *sigh*

UPDATE: I forgot to add what I had tweeted earlier, which is the only thing I really have to say about the whole incident at this point:

“I saw the Malice at the Palace live in an NYC bar that was later destroyed when a 24-story-tall construction crane fell on it. Apropos, I thought.”

(video from FanDome)

Ron Talks About the Brawl

Ron Talks About the Brawl

Jared Wade — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:00:58 +0000

The whole Malice in the Palace was a long time ago and we’ve all seen it a thousand times. So there really isn’t much to re-analyze in terms of the actual event. I, of course, do have some in-depth thoughts on the all matters regarding the brawl from JO’s KO and Tinsley’s dustpan defense to Stack Jack’s haymakers and the Budweiser bath, but, honestly, I just don’t really feel like going into it all right now.

Some day.

Fortunately, however, our boy Ron Artest is here, live from Hong Kong, to give us his tale of the tape.

Enjoy. My favorite part is the jellyfish shirt. I would definitely rock that. (video via Hardwood Paroxysm)

No related posts.

Former Pacer Report: David Harrison

Jared Wade — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:51:41 +0000

David Harrison was a gregarious giant selected by the Pacers in the 2004 Draft out of the University of Colorado. His time in Indianapolis was turbulent. He displayed rare potential as a very athletic big man with both the size to bang with the big boys inside and the grace to perform an array of post moves from the block on the other end of the floor. But he also struggled with marijuana use, eventually failing a random drug test in January, 2008, and receiving a five-game suspension that publicized his on-going troubles to fans and the League at large.

David joined the Pacers at an odd time in the franchise’s history and was not only involved in the Malice at the Palace early in his rookie year, but was also hanging out with Stephen Jackson the night of the infamous strip club trip that ended in Jackson being hit with a car and firing a gun. Harrison cites this negativity, as well as his own issues, as part of downward psychological spiral he was going through at the time.

Chris Dempsey breaks all this down in a must-read, fantastic article he wrote for the Denver Post, in which he got David to open up about his Indy days.

“I internalized a lot of it,” Harrison said. “It literally drove me crazy. I didn’t really have friends anymore. I stayed in my house, and I smoked pot. That’s what I did. I didn’t want to leave the house. I literally feared for my life sometimes there.

Another aspect of Harrison’s NBA downfall that Dempsey covers is an explosive on-court temper that prompted many Pacer fans to begin referring to David as “Hulk.” These outbursts were apparent back in Boulder as well, and one line from the article aptly sums up a sentiment that should be familiar to most who followed the Pacers during David’s tenure.

Emotion was his calling card, and it often got him in trouble.

Whether they led directly to actual fouls, drew a short leash from the refs or irked his coach, David’s demonstrative, on-court antics often overshadowed his refined post moves and athletic ability.

Today, however, he is just trying to focus on basketball — and getting a second chance in the Association. After leaving the Pacers, no NBA teams wanted him, so he headed over to play in China for a year. He admits that basketball was never his highest priority, but he relearned a love for the game in Beijing and just wants to play in the States again. This summer, he’s playing in the Las Vegas summer league for the Cavs.

Larry Bird has long been one of David’s biggest supporters and believes Harrison should be able to make it back into the league if he applies himself.

“Skill-wise, there’s no question David should be in this league,” Bird said. “It’s just the other little things that’s keeping him out … He’s got to prove to people that he’s going to put all of that other stuff aside and take this job seriously.”

As much as Bird has a soft side for David, David has an even greater admiration for Larry.

Harrison said letting down Bird is the biggest regret of his professional life. As he speaks, he tears up.

“To this day, if Larry told me to come back to the Pacers and play for free, I’d do it,” Harrison said. “I owe everything I have to Larry Bird. I wish there was some way I could repay him. I think the best way I can is to fix myself. I don’t think I’m a drug addict or an alcoholic or any of those things. I’m just very self-centered. I’m selfish.”

Good luck getting back, David.

And to add some levity to this, here’s a video of my favorite memory from Harrison’s tenure in Indiana: The Kinetico water commercial where he runs into a wall. Don’t play games with your water, people.

Earl Watson Is Now a Pacer