NBA Suspensions and the NCAA's Chance at Credibility

After Friday night's on- and off-court melee between players for the Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons, and fans from both sides, the NBA has announced numerous suspensions. The penalties are severe in some cases but they are necessary in order to make a point. However, I feel that something must also be done about the fans that were throwing things at players. There is no excuse for a player to react and go into the stands and punch a fan, but there is equally no excuse for anyone to throw anything, no matter how innocuous, at a player.

Basketball is a game! There is no excuse for this kind of violent behavior. Now let's just wait and see if the NCAA has the guts to take similar action after Saturday's game stopping fight between players from the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Clemson Tigers. Both teams should be barred from post season bowl games but I don't see it happening because of the money involved in college football. It's a shame too because these players already think it's okay.

Clemson running back Yusef Kelly said the brawl doesn't compare with Friday night's melee at the Pistons-Pacers game. "It's no worse than the Pacers and Pistons last night. They actually got the fans involved. At least we kept it to the football teams," he said.