OT: Should Kobe be suspended?

[Boise Blazer]

There was a great topic of conversation this morning on ESPN's Mike & Mike. They asked should Kobe suspended for his elbow to Artest throat? Their question was based upon two things 1) Dwight Howard's suspension for his elbow and 2) they had previously had NBA league rep Stu Jackson on their show and he said by the rules a deliberate elbow above the shoulders is cause for punishment whether that be ejection and/or suspension. They went to argue if Kobe's elbow was "deliberate" (which they felt it wasnt) and also discussed if the roles had been reversed and Artest had thrown the elbow would he be suspended.

Its interesting to me because its a good example of not if but to what extent the league has different rule for their superstars.

[video=youtube;irtnkEmubqY]

Here is a link to the Stu Jackson interview if interested:

http://sports.espn.go.com/stations/player?context=podcast&id=4115708

 

[julius]

He should be, but he won't. That was totally done on purpose, and done by someone who knows he (nor Fisher) won't get suspended.

 

[huevonkiller]

Ok where does the elbow even land? That is a bad angle.

I would tell everyone he hit me in the throat if it was in the vicinity.

 

[Boise Blazer]

Ok where does the elbow even land? That is a bad angle.

I would tell everyone he hit me in the throat if it was in the vicinity.

Does it matter? Clearly the intent for the thrown elbow was an upward direction. There's on 2 things above the shoulder, your neck and your head. That was the best clip I could on short notice. I'm sure everyone who watched the game or saw highlights saw the different angles that pretty clearly show that he got him in the throat.

 

[huevonkiller]

Does it matter? Clearly the intent for the thrown elbow was an upward direction. There's on 2 things above the shoulder, your neck and your head. That was the best clip I could on short notice. I'm sure everyone who watched the game or saw highlights saw the different angles that pretty clearly show that he got him in the throat.

I watched the entire game, that was the only angle being shown all day on ESPN/TNT.

 

[Umair1]

I watched the entire game, that was the only angle being shown all day on ESPN/TNT.

LOL last night, you said he hit Artest in the stomach

 

[huevonkiller]

LOL last night, you said he hit Artest in the stomach

After one take that is what I said.

You've seen the slow mo a bunch of times and said Artest didn't foul him with his arms to the face, which I think is a more egregious error.

 

[Boise Blazer]

I watched the entire game, that was the only angle being shown all day on ESPN/TNT.

Maybe so. I wont argue what I dont know for sure but I do know that I dont recall anyone during the game or during highlights that thinks it was anything other than an elbow to the throat. In the post game interview when Kobe was asked about it all he said was this is playoff basketball and it gets physical. He didnt deny it. Seems pretty clear to me.

 

[huevonkiller]

Maybe so I wont what I dont know for sure but I do know that I dont recall anyone during the game or during highlights that thinks it was anything other than an elbow to the throat. In the post game interview when Kobe was asked about it all he said was this is playoff basketball and it gets physical. He didnt deny it. Seems pretty clear to me.

Did Bryant not deny it? I do not recall.

The angle was pretty dubious, I wouldn't have conviction.

 

[huevonkiller]

 

[MrJayremmie]

Yes, but he won't. Just like Rondo, Stern can't afford to suspend him. Watch Artest get suspended though, lmao.

And wow, that gif image shows it perfectly. Definitely an elbow, looked like he cocked it to hit him because Artest was draped all over him.

 

[huevonkiller]

Yes, but he won't. Just like Rondo, Stern can't afford to suspend him. Watch Artest get suspended though, lmao.

And wow, that gif image shows it perfectly. Definitely an elbow, looked like he cocked it to hit him because Artest was draped all over him.

The gif shows Artest on his face, and a Kobe elbow.

The Houston Rockets mod even said you can't tell where his elbow landed. I don't know why I should take Artest's word on such a dubious play.

 

[blue32]

It looks like the upper chest to me, not so much the throat. IDK, it does look deliberate, but crafty, I gotta give him that.... crafty motha fucka, just like when he had the stripper over He knows what he was doin'

I actually like the physicality of it; I wish they'd let more shit like that go on w/o giving fouls and T's, and shit.....we'd be playing the lakers right now if Oden could have been that physical.

 

[huevonkiller]

It looks like the upper chest to me, not so much the throat. IDK, it does look deliberate, but crafty, I gotta give him that.... crafty motha fucka, just like when he had the stripper over He knows what he was doin'

I actually like the physicality of it; I wish they'd let more shit like that go on w/o giving fouls and T's, and shit.....we'd be playing the lakers right now if Oden could have been that physical.

I've seen Vince Carter pretend to get hit in the face a couple of times, random guy I thought of.

 

[Boise Blazer]

The gif shows Artest on his face, and a Kobe elbow.

The Houston Rockets mod even said you can't tell where his elbow landed. I don't know why I should take Artest's word on such a dubious play.

Can you tell on this one if Kobe "accidently" got Battier?

http://i40.tinypic.com/xelpxl.gif

 

[huevonkiller]

Can you tell on this one if Kobe "accidently" got Battier?

http://i40.tinypic.com/xelpxl.gif

And? Go to the Houston Forum, I said he should have gotten a technical for that one.

Nice try though.

 

[blue32]

Can you tell on this one if Kobe "accidently" got Battier?

http://i40.tinypic.com/xelpxl.gif

This clip is entirely different and should have resulted in some sort of discipline. This wasn't even during any action related basketball. This was stoppage of the ball shenanigans and cheap shots.

 

[RayDavies]

Looked pretty intentional to me... Very well disguised and had to call in real time. While I fully agree that superstars get calls, it looks like one of those situations where the refs might have missed it.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Fine, yes, suspension, no. Artest was crawling all over him and he was clearing space. I hate Kobe, but I think a suspension for that is too much.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Looked deliberate to me. If it was Artest, he would have been ejected and would be suspended.

Kobe knew damn well what he was doing in the clip with Battier. Another deliberate cheap shot.

 

[Sinobas]

To me, it looked like he got elbowed in the chest region, then flopped back. If he'd been elbowed in the throat he'd be holding his neck. That's a pretty sensitive spot.

 

[Shooter]

I personally think it's ridiculous that the officials allow a rougher style of play in the playoffs. The rules should be the rules, and should be applied the same in the regular season as they are in the post-season. Look at the way Artest is shoving Bryant in the back on that play, before Bryant throws the elbow. That shouldn't be allowed in the first place.

 

[blue32]

I personally think it's ridiculous that the officials allow a rougher style of play in the playoffs. The rules should be the rules, and should be applied the same in the regular season as they are in the post-season. Look at the way Artest is shoving Bryant in the back on that play, before Bryant throws the elbow. That shouldn't be allowed in the first place.

Yeah I agree. I like the roughness, but if they called that crap fouls in the regular season, do it in the playoffs.

We totally got screwed by this. On one end, they'd let Artest do that to Roy, and then on the other end, they'd call the foul on Oden doing it to baby-face Yao.


It was a complete cluster fuck of officiating, and it looks like it's continuing on.

 

[DaRizzle]

No...what Kobe did was a foul, nothing more


Fish on the other hand....ugh ....but it sure was sweet to watch him take out Scola!

 

[Wheels]

Fish on the other hand....ugh ....but it sure was sweet to watch him take out Scola!

AND HOW!

 

[blue32]

No...what Kobe did was a foul, nothing more


Fish on the other hand....ugh ....but it sure was sweet to watch him take out Scola!

Yeah, totally, that hit was bad-ass, classic hockey body-check.

fuck scola and his flopping bitch ass, now he knows how it feels to REALLY get fouled.

lol

fuck the rockets!

 

[Wizard Mentor]

No...what Kobe did was a foul, nothing more


Fish on the other hand....ugh ....but it sure was sweet to watch him take out Scola!

Yikes, I agree with DaRizzle. Kobe, maybe, should be fined.

OTOH, Kobe shouldn't have been playing in the game for his INTENTIONAL kneeing and elbowing of Shane Battier in the previous game.

I hate to come out of the closet, but I have to admit that I have starting hating Kobe less these last two years. Thanks to his recent cheapshotting, I now hate him as much as ever. He's had multiple cheapshots when the plays were over, so the refs wouldn't call a foul. It reminds me of grade school where students would cause a ruckus in front of the teacher so the teacher would stop it, and they wouldn't have to deal with the consequences. How pathetic for an adult.

 

[crandc]

I hate to come out of the closet,

Ah, no, coming out of the closet is good!

but I have to admit that I have starting hating Kobe less these last two years. Thanks to his recent cheapshotting, I now hate him as much as ever.

Thou has seen the light!

Seriously. If they are considering a suspension for the little tap on Eddie House's head, which was only a tap and seemed to be more of a joke than anything else, how do you excuse Bryant?

Answer, you don't. Just that rules apply only to some people - on the basketball court and off.

 

[Wheels]

dammit my GIF doesnt work anymore!

 

[hasoos]

You know I have watched that over and over again. I see 2 guys fighting really hard for the ball, and yes there is an elbow, but it seems within the flow of the fighting for position, not the "look straight at him and take his head off" elbow that Dwight Howard threw. The problem is, the last time one of these topics came up, it was Rondo of the Celtics and the Brad Miller thing. I gave him the benefit of the doubt, and then watched as he was a complete punk over the next few games and committed about 3 flagrant fouls. So I am skeptical still.