Pacers Ron Artest benched "compromised the integrity of the team".

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Ron Artest is being punished again, and Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle wouldn't say exactly why.

Carlisle, who kept the volatile forward out of Tuesday's 102-101 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, said after the game that Artest would also sit out Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Clippers. "We had a situation develop yesterday I felt compromised the integrity of the team," Carlisle said. "It's a private team matter, and I'm going to leave it at that."

Artest was bothered by a sore knee during the pre-season, but this was the first regular-season game he missed.

"I'll be back shortly," Artest said.

Said teammate Stephen Jackson: "We need our all-star back, and he'll be back. ... This is the last you'll hear of this."

Artest, often in trouble throughout his six-year career, sat along the baseline most of the night in his warmups - without pouting.

"I was impressed with how he came out and supported the team," Carlisle said.

<!--end story text-->

So much talent, so little brain cells.

I have no idea why the Pacers keep this bum. The reason he was benched is that he asked for time off because he was too tired and worn out from working and promoting his new rap album. I guess he doesnt think this is his job. I'm going to call my boss and tell him I need a month off to work on my handicapping skills. see article

Artest benched for asking Carlisle for time off

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width=10></TD><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD noWrap>Nov. 10, 2004

SportsLine.com wire reports
</TD><TD width=10></TD><TD align=right></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width=10></TD><TD>INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana Pacers forward Ron Artest said Wednesday that he asked coach Rick Carlisle for time off because of a busy schedule that included promoting a soon-to-be released rap album, which led to his two-game benching.


<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=310 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=adlabel colSpan=2 height=10></TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffff><TD align=middle width=300 height=250></TD><TD width=10></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2 height=10><SPACER height="10" width="1" type="block"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Artest conducted a short news conference before Wednesday night's game against the Los Angeles Clippers, and in his usual ambiguous manner, tried to explain why he was benched.

Artest said that he asked Carlisle for as much as a month off to heal his aching body and recover from a particularly busy schedule.

"My body has been aching, I was going to take some time off and I said it the wrong way," Artest said. "Everything that happened wasn't too negative. I kind of surprised the team by wanting to take some games off, just to get back together, maybe stay home for a little bit, rest a little bit and come back."

He certainly surprised Carlisle, who said Tuesday that the situation, "compromised the integrity of the team. It's a private team matter, and I'm going to leave it at that."

"I don't know what that means," Artest said. "They probably expected a little more; expected me to play every game. Everybody's different. It's early in the season, so I feel like I could take some time off early and be ready for the long stretch."

So Carlisle benched Artest for Tuesday night's win over Minnesota and Wednesday night's game against the Clippers. It is not a suspension, and Artest will not lose any salary. He will return Friday at Philadelphia.

The 24-year-old is scheduled to release his debut rap album later this month and has been spending a lot of time making promotional appearances.

"I've been doing a little bit too much music, just needed the rest," Artest said. "I've still got my album coming out Nov. 23. After the album comes out I'm going to make sure all of my time is focused on winning a championship."

It's the latest in a long line of controversial situations for Artest, ranging from destroying television monitors at Madison Square Garden two years ago to missing the team flight to Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals at Detroit last season.

Carlisle tried to downplay the issue before the game Wednesday night.

"This isn't the Cuban missile crisis. It's not life or death, it's not about national security," Carlisle said. "It's just simply about a group of guys needing to remind ourselves -- all of us -- about the sanctity of team, and what it's about."


</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Wow!! I thought Ricky Williams had the Jackass of the Year award all sewn up. Thank god for college hoops.

ESPN just reported Artest asked for 1 or 2 months off to concentrate on his music and get his body right.

L.A. Clippers 24 31 26 21 102
Indiana....... 20 7 23 18 68

X-Files said:

L.A. Clippers 24 31 26 21 102
Indiana....... 20 7 23 18 68

Click to expand...

lol. he must be the assclown of the year
well after ricky williams

It's amazing how this guy can make millions of dollars per year, or to put in a better perspective, over ten thousand dollars per game, and not have to be dedicated to his profession to still receive a paycheck.

The fans who support the Pacers are the ones who are losing out. They are supporting this clown by attending the Pacers home games.

Chalk

you can take the kid out of the ghetto, but you cant take the ghetto out of the kid. have to remember most of these guys are just a few years removed from the projects

Noriega,,, you are soooo right,,,,, I love the nba,,,, yet I hate the nba,,,,, haha Dam them,,,,

tater

the thing about this is he doesnt even know what the word 'integrity' means. he asked around and couldnt find out what it meant which is even funnier.

they bench him for 2 games but still gave him pay after he openly admits that the problem was hes working on a rap album.

let me get this straight, a rap album is more important than the team paying you millions?!?!

they shouldnt have paid him those 2 games.

a rap album out nov 23rd. who knew?!

Hey leave the kid alone. I heard a demo of the Rap album.. not bad. Kids gotta future. Iverson (I's dont need to practice, my momma said so) another Rapper and Artest are going to team up on an album called "Dumbf**ks Straights Out of the NBA and into the Bling Bling." Shaq Diesel is producing it, another Rapper. I got a Rap album coming out also. Its a cross between Yoko Ono and the sound the alley dogs that were F**king made when they got stuck together and I had to take a hose to them. Its got a killer thumbing base sound, ya'll. Peace out.

Lets face it they need him

Pacers are loaded, they do not need Artest. He needs to go

to make a long story short, dont play team scrabble with ron artest

When I heard this, I couldn't stop thinking about "Leon" from the Budweiser commercials. Even he might not go that far.



:biggrinin

Rob are you trying to imply Ron Artest is not quite a genius when it comes to vocabulary.





wil.:EEK:

LOL tony. "leon dont got time for playn ball. leon gotta do a rap album baby"

ron your word is integrity. in-teg-ri-ty

ron :can you give me the country of origin, you know whatimsayin? can you use it in a sentace, 'naw mean? can you like ummm give me the definition, word up?

Just another thought on the Artest situation...

Could it be that he and others are uspet with Carlisle (see Detroit. Not even 50 win seasons could save him) and is going to sabotage the teams efforts? Granted it's a stupid thing to do, but I don't discount anything these days, especially in the NBA.

I'm sure that St. John's University is proud right now.

it is not a lot of fun to play in carlisles system from what i hear. if you watch the pacers they do run one of the most boring half court offenses in the leauge, then on top of that he is ramming defense down your throat not ideal for the modern day NBA player. you could be right labeeb. this could be this years byron scott.