I've got a lot to say this week, so here it is:
1. I know that everyone you know has given you their assessment of the November 19 brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills, and you're sick of hearing about it. However, it was the most unbelievable thing that I have ever witnessed in sports, and I thus feel obligated to discuss it.
While the 73 game suspension of Ron Artest is severe, I don't think David Stern had any other choice. The NBA is first and foremost a business, and it cannot exist without fan support. Hence it is imperative that fans do not feel that their safety is compromised in any way when they attend a game. The "invisible barrier" that exists between the players and the fans can never be broken. By breeching the terms of this unofficial agreement, Artest violated the structure that allows the NBA to be successful. As a result, the commissioner had no choice but to make an example of him.
The message was simple: players cannot, under ANY circumstances, go into the stands. Fans need to know that any threat to their safety will not be tolerated. In my opinion, the punishment fit the crime, and the fact that it was Ron Artest (who has a reputation for misbehavior) is irrelevant.
I do not mean to sound unsympathetic to Artest's situation. Imagine yourself being out on a basketball court with nine other people, and being surrounded by about 50,000 fans. Professional athletes are extremely vulnerable, and it is for this reason that proper fan etiquette is also extremely important to professional sports. Artest was simply lying on a table when he was hit with a drink. His reaction was a normal one.
Furthermore, I am not sympathetic to the fan that caught a vicious haymaker from Jermaine O'Neal. In my mind, anyone who crosses into the area of play has surrendered all their rights as a fan.
Am I sympathetic to Artest's situation? Yes. Do I understand his reaction given the circumstances. Absolutely. However, the fact remains that professional athletes must hold themselves to a higher standard. If Artest had not run into the stands, the fan who threw the drink would have been arrested, and the fight on the court would have been sorted out. Instead, we had utter chaos.
Fans are going to be jerks anywhere you go. It is the responsibility of the player to keep their cool. Certainly, Artest did not.
2. Dennis Green announced this week that rookie quarterback John Navarre will be the starting quarterback for the Cardinals this weekend as they go on the road to play the Lions. Navarre, who hopes to be the next in a distinguished list of NFL quarterbacks to come out of the University of Michigan, has not seen any action for the Cardinals this season. I found this to be one of the most intriguing selections in the draft last spring, and I am excited to see how Navarre fares in his debut.
Despite much unfair criticism, Navarre was statistically one of the most accomplished passers in Michigan history. This puts him at the top of a list that includes Tom Brady, Drew Henson, Brian Griese, Elvis Grbac, and Jim Harbaugh. With Marcel Shipp and Troy Hambrick on injured reserve, and Emmit Smith not slated to play this weekend, Navarre will be hurt by the lack of a running attack.
However, I like this move by Denny Green. He has a team that is loaded with young talent, particularly at the wide receiver position. All year, though, they have been hampered by inconsistent play at quarterback. I can see no reason not to give Navarre a shot.
3. Speaking of rookie quarterbacks, fans finally got a look at top overall pick Eli Manning over the last two weeks. Although he has shown flashes of brilliance at times, it is clear that Manning still has a long way to go. In his first two starts, he has thrown one touchdown and four interceptions.
As a Giants fan, I could not be happier to see Manning in there. We gave up a lot to get him, and we are banking on him for the future. He has already seen two very good defenses in Atlanta and Philadelphia, and things will not get any easier, as the Giants will face Washington this weekend, followed by Baltimore and Pittsburgh.
As is true with all young quarterbacks, Manning is going to have growing pains before he can become great. Giants fans have been asking to see the kid all year, now the best thing for the organization is to leave him in, and let him develop. He's going to struggle early. Might as well get it out of the way now.
4. While Eli was struggling on Sunday in Week 12, his older brother Peyton spent Thursday torching the Lions for 6 TDs in three quarters, and continued what will undoubtedly end up being the greatest season that any quarterback has ever put together.
Manning's six touchdown pass performance earned him player of the week honors in the AFC, and gave him 41 touchdown passes on the season. He is now only seven away from Dan Marino's single-season record. With five games remaining on the schedule, there's no telling what the new record could be when the season is done. Manning is, without question, the league's MVP thus far.
5. The Vikings are now tied with the Green Bay Packers for the lead in the NFC North. With Randy Moss making his return to the lineup last week, I fully expect Minnesota to win this division. I have said it before, and I'll say it again: Moss is the greatest receiver ever to play the game. Also, with Moss back in the line-up, look for Daunte Culpepper to return to his early-season form.
As I conclude my final column of the semester, I will leave you with this thought as we head into the end of the college football season. The Auburn Tigers have defeated LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia on their way to a perfect season in the SEC, which is heads and shoulders above every other conference in college football. There should be no doubt in anybody's mind who the best team in the nation is right now.