Jeff- Reality? Not in the NBA

Need to talk to my boss tomorrow. Need to tell him to give me some time off. I'm stressed out. Overworked. Exhausted. My voice, which I need to tantilize the ears of the 7 or 8 people in North Dakota across the radio airwaves, is just shot. I just can't take anymore of it. How did I end up this way? Are all these stresses and strains on my body and mind and vocal chords a result of too much time at the radio station? No, it's from singing Karaokee at the bars. Every night. Belting out the hits. I'm not exactly Larry Christmas, but I can carry a tune, and let me tell you, I carry it as far as I can. But all this singing makes it hard to do my job, the one I get paid for, the one I'm getting paid to do. So it makes perfect sense for me to take time off from work.

If you have any semblance of common sense, even a shred, you will think that last paragraph, although witty and humorous, is downright absurd. That I would be off my rocker (unless you've heard me sing karaokee--stunning. Just stunning), crazy, loony, coocoo! Well, althought I am one of the finest karaokee artists who've never actually sung karaokee, that last paragraph thankfully is untrue. But, in essence, this is exactly what NBA forward Ron Artest said to his employer, the NBA Pacers, a few days ago. Artest, one of the league's best defenders, and an all-star last year for the first time, told the Pacers he needed some time off to tend to some personal and health issues that apparently included promoting his new rap album. And he did this with a straight face.

The Pacers, who, like the rest of us, probably took a few moments to let his comments register, suspended Artest for 2 games for conduct, that in the words of Pacers coach Rick Carlisle,
"compromised the integrity of the team. It's a private team matter, and I'm going to leave it at that."

RonRon's response? "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." Keep in mind we're barely 2 weeks into the season and Artest had the last 5 MONTHS of the offseason to tend to all of his "issues."

You would think, that after seeing a statement like that in print, and hearing all over the radio and TV about what a moronic thing that you did, that maybe artest would realize the error of his ways, and see what a foolish thing he said, right? Not Ron Artest. When asked if he thought the punishment fit the crime, Artest said, "There was no crime done. I think it helped out. I was tired. I was doing a lot. I was running around a lot and doing a whole bunch of stuff and I've also been working out, so I think I wore myself down physically, I wore myself down mentally. I was ready to take some time off, at least like a month off, but two games is enough."

No remorse, no apology. It was Ron Artest doing what was best for Ron Artest. More immortal words now from Ron Artest on Ron Artest about Ron Artest.
"This is Ron Artest. … I was in a (music) studio all summer and I came back and had 31 (points) in my first game (of the season against Cleveland). You have to accept Ron Artest the way he is, and if not, that's OK."

And again, he was SERIOUS when he said and did all of this. I thought I had heard it all with Latrell Sprewell's comments a week ago about "having a family to feed" as one reason he just could not, in good conscience, accept anything less than the $14 million a year he's making this season as a basketball player. After shining examples like these, is there a group of people who are so far out of touch with reality as NBA players?