O'Neal's suspension cut by 10 games

bookie · Dec 22, 2004

Associated Press

12/22/2004

NEW YORK (AP) - Jermaine O'Neal won a 10-game reduction in his suspension for fighting with fans during the Nov. 19 Pacers-Pistons brawl, but an arbitrator upheld NBA commissioner David Stern's bans on Ron Artest and two other Indiana players.

Arbitrator Roger Kaplan's decision Wednesday makes O'Neal eligible to return Saturday, when the Pacers host the Pistons in the teams' first matchup since one of the most violent melees in NBA history.

It was unclear whether the NBA would recognize Kaplan's authority to intervene.

The league refused to participate in the arbitration hearing Kaplan conducted Dec. 9.

The NBA had no immediate comment.

bookie · Dec 22, 2004

I feel if the NBA doesn't honour the ruling they may be open for legal problems down the road. If I was Stern I would wipe this under the carpet and make alot of Pacer fans happy.

Noreaga+ · Dec 22, 2004

it will be challenged by stern

sherman · Dec 22, 2004

it should be challenged, how do they have any right to get an outside party to decide or am i missing something here?

royalfan · Dec 22, 2004

Shouldn't have been near that long in the first place. If those fat ass slobby piston fans would stay the hell off the court they wouldn't have got jacked. Especially when they were directly in the path to the locker room. Piston fans suck. Not a very classy town IMO.

lander · Dec 22, 2004

That street thug punk O'neal should be in prision. I would have banned his cowardly ass for life.

Those Pacers are pathetic - 7' foot muscle athletic marvels running away from Ben Wallace to attack fans. Cowards.