LAKERS REPEAT AND A TRIBUTE TO RON ARTEST

OK, this has nothing to do with the guitar.

Hell, this has very little to do with basketball.

This is about RON ARTEST.

This is about pure unadulterated insanity.

This is not Hunter S. Thompson, this is Raoul Duke. This is not cheerios and milk this is HENNESSY, folks.

I've been a Lakers fan for more than 25 years, going all the way back to Magic, Kareem, AC Green, James Worthy, Byron Scott, Michael Cooper, Nick Van Exel, Eddie Jones, Vlade Divac, Shaq, Kobe, Rick Fox, Big Shot Rob and everybody else. And the Lakers have always had entertaining sidemen including Kurt Rambis, Brian Grant, Travis Knight, Dennis Rodman (briefly) making hollywood into Hollywood.

When I saw the footage of the rumble in the Palace in Detroit it did not make me a fan of Ron Artest. The exact opposite. And of course like so many other Laker fans when the Lakers and Rockets basically swapped free agents Ariza for Artest I was not too enthusiastic.

But Artest has proven repeatedly to have sheer comedic talent (unintentional but still, comedy is comedy). And of course he helped the Lakers repeat. I have to give credit to this incredible destructive and self-destructive force for unintentional comedy who has truly made the NBA an entertaining spectacle this year. Ron would be an ideal RAIDER. Maybe that can be his follow up act when he's done in the NBA (or in the offseason). Bottom line: I'm glad he's on our side.

So without further ado (and how many players, besides maybe Shaq, could you do this for)

TOP TEN RON ARTEST MOMENTS

10. Malice at the palace. Very scary.


9. Ron Artest sneaks into Lakers dressing room after Game 6 of the 2008 finals and approaches Kobe Bryant in the shower to tell him he would come to the Lakers to help him out (thankfully, no video footage available)
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/sports/Ron-Artest-and-Kobe-Bryant-In-The-Shower.html

8. Tosses Ariza's shoe into the crowd


7. Game 5 vs. Phoenix. What you don't see is that Artest launched a 3 with 20 seconds left on the shot clock and the entire Staples Center crowd shouted "NO!". Then came the redemption.



6. Artest goes into the crowd again


5. Artest on Kimmel - nice pants


4. Artest pulls Pierce's shorts down, then sings an apology


3. Artest appears on Jimmy Kimmel in boxer shorts


2. SAY QUEENSBRIDGE!!!


1. Ron thanks his psychiatrist