Women's Hoops Blog

Inane commentary on a game that deserves far better


Tuesday, November 23, 2004

Four days into the scandal, Ben Mathis-Lilley at Slate becomes the first American to write something smart, funny, and true about the NBA's Big Fight (or "riot," as ESPN has said).

When everyone in the world begins to agree about something, that's when you should start to wonder if it's wrong. Especially when they all express the same view with particular vehemence.

"First, Jim, let me begin by saying that it's NEVER ok for a player to go in the stands...."

If I hear one more person say something about that crying kid at the Pistons game, ("what's really sad is -- how do I explain this to my nine-year-old son?"), I'm going to start committing random acts of minor terrorism.

The truth is: we're all love having Ron Artest and John Green around so that when they act like their crazy damn selves, we can express our outrage. Thereby reasserting societal norms and signaling our membership in the in-group. In unison, the moral police choir, red state or blue state, at least we all agree on one thing, that we're better than that crazy son of a bitch.

I think we've all effectively accomplished that task. Let the healing end.