Ron Artest

Artest to Yao: ‘I’m still ghetto’

By TheSportsCorner on | From thesportscorner.ca

Yao: “Hopefully, he’s not fighting anymore and going after a guy in the stands.”

Artest: “I understand what Yao said, but I’m still ghetto. That’s not going to change. I’m never going to change my culture. Yao has played with a lot of black players, but I don’t think he’s ever played with a black player that really represents his culture as much as I represent my culture. Once Yao Ming gets to know me, he’ll understand what I’m about.”

Artest also went on to say that he fought the fan because he was disrespecting his culture and that he needed to show him where he comes from.

Well, there’s an angle everyone forgot to take on the trade story.

Yao is Chinese. Soft spoken and an all-around nice guy. Takes criticism in stride.

Not Artest. He punches people when they say things about his culture.

Now, I don’t think the two guys have even met each other, and already there’s turmoil between them. What happens in training camp when Yao accidentally steps on Artest’s foot?

“I’m sorry sir, I hope you will still pass me the ball and refrain from punching me.”

“Who the hell do you think you are? My sneakers are part of my culture. They are part of where I came from. And you wanna step on them and disrespect me?”

I probably don’t have to get into who needs a change of attitude, but I will.

Artest has already started acting like a complete idiot. You’re still defending yourself after punching a fan who probably paid $150 to see you play just because he chirped you a little bit? That’s ridiculous. You’re a professional athlete, Ronny. Start acting with some class.

Start realizing that you are in a select group of human beings that has an uncanny gift to put a ball in a hoop, and get paid money, a lot of money, to do so.

Bringing back that whole black culture junk is just a cheap excuse for his stupid actions. His boy Adelman better get him in line quick.