The world according to Artest
"What's so crazy about me doing what I want to do?" Ron Artest asks. "I'm not killing anybody. I'm not smacking nobody in the head. I'm not kicking anybody."
November 12, 2004
Excerpts of Ron Artest's interview Thursday with ESPN:
"Everybody's got their own opinion. As a man, you gotta be able to do what you want to do. If I decide to leave the game or take a month off . . . you know, I'm a grown man. It doesn't make me crazy to do something that I want to do."
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"I want to be a musician. I want to own my own label. And I want to get MVP and win the championship in the NBA. So I feel I can do anything I want to do. I set goals and I'm going to try to reach them. I got two goals this year, which is to go platinum, or have my girls Allure go platinum. And I know I can reach my goals if I put my mind to it."
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"I could have done this a little bit better. But look, it's getting me some promotion. I don't have to pay for it. But on a serious note, I think I could have said it a little bit better."
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"If it's a problem with coach (Rick Carlisle), and I respect coach's decision, I'm going to do whatever coach wants me to do. I'm a player. I'm going to play through whatever pain I have to play through. I didn't want to sit out. I wasn't supposed to sit out. Coach thought it was best. It was some personal things as far as my body aching and stuff and I wanted to be home with my family and my kids because I don't get a chance to see my kids much. But you know coach made a decision. I would have played. I would not have been out those last two games. But whatever coach wants, he knows what's best for the team."
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"I gotta be able to accept responsibilities, but at the same time I gotta be able to have a little fun, but at the same time I gotta put my family first. I gotta take care of my body because I know in order to win a championship, I think the Indiana Pacers need me."
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"I told them I needed some time off. I didn't say I didn't want to play. I wanted to practice and I wanted to play and the players probably took it a little bit wrong, but I'm going to be there for my team."
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"I want to take the whole year off. I want to take the year off, but that's not going to happen because we're going to win the championship this year. I'm from QB (Queensbridge, N.Y.) and that's how I feel. We want to win the championship and that's what we're going to do."
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"I don't think I'm misunderstood. The ESPN guys like Greg Anthony didn't badmouth me. But Steve (Stephen A. Smith) and the other guy. . . I mean I want to do what I want to do. If I want to leave the game right now and go home, and I got enough money saved up where I don't need the NBA no more. I love the NBA. I love playing. Not to say I don't need them, because I want to coach or I want to be something in the NBA. I want to work with the NBA the rest of my life. If I want to leave the game today, I can leave. Why? Because I want to leave. So that doesn't make me crazy; I'm just doing what I want to do. What's so crazy about me doing what I want to do? I'm not killing anybody. I'm not smacking nobody in the head. I'm not kicking anybody."
Excerpts from what Artest told The Star:
"From this point on, I won't be asking for a leave of absence nor will I be leaving the NBA anytime soon. Especially not this season."
--------
"A couple of players were pretty upset because we're trying to win a championship and I was trying to take some time off. But it would have been great for me because I've been doing so much lately. I would have taken the pay cut for the days I sat out. But we're back on the same page now."
--------
"A guy would have to be a fool to give up a big check from (Pacers president) Donnie Walsh to go do an album. But that doesn't make him crazy, either."
[edit=19=1100260599][/edit]
"What's so crazy about me doing what I want to do?" Ron Artest asks. "I'm not killing anybody. I'm not smacking nobody in the head. I'm not kicking anybody."
November 12, 2004
Excerpts of Ron Artest's interview Thursday with ESPN:
"Everybody's got their own opinion. As a man, you gotta be able to do what you want to do. If I decide to leave the game or take a month off . . . you know, I'm a grown man. It doesn't make me crazy to do something that I want to do."
--------
"I want to be a musician. I want to own my own label. And I want to get MVP and win the championship in the NBA. So I feel I can do anything I want to do. I set goals and I'm going to try to reach them. I got two goals this year, which is to go platinum, or have my girls Allure go platinum. And I know I can reach my goals if I put my mind to it."
--------
"I could have done this a little bit better. But look, it's getting me some promotion. I don't have to pay for it. But on a serious note, I think I could have said it a little bit better."
--------
"If it's a problem with coach (Rick Carlisle), and I respect coach's decision, I'm going to do whatever coach wants me to do. I'm a player. I'm going to play through whatever pain I have to play through. I didn't want to sit out. I wasn't supposed to sit out. Coach thought it was best. It was some personal things as far as my body aching and stuff and I wanted to be home with my family and my kids because I don't get a chance to see my kids much. But you know coach made a decision. I would have played. I would not have been out those last two games. But whatever coach wants, he knows what's best for the team."
--------
"I gotta be able to accept responsibilities, but at the same time I gotta be able to have a little fun, but at the same time I gotta put my family first. I gotta take care of my body because I know in order to win a championship, I think the Indiana Pacers need me."
--------
"I told them I needed some time off. I didn't say I didn't want to play. I wanted to practice and I wanted to play and the players probably took it a little bit wrong, but I'm going to be there for my team."
--------
"I want to take the whole year off. I want to take the year off, but that's not going to happen because we're going to win the championship this year. I'm from QB (Queensbridge, N.Y.) and that's how I feel. We want to win the championship and that's what we're going to do."
--------
"I don't think I'm misunderstood. The ESPN guys like Greg Anthony didn't badmouth me. But Steve (Stephen A. Smith) and the other guy. . . I mean I want to do what I want to do. If I want to leave the game right now and go home, and I got enough money saved up where I don't need the NBA no more. I love the NBA. I love playing. Not to say I don't need them, because I want to coach or I want to be something in the NBA. I want to work with the NBA the rest of my life. If I want to leave the game today, I can leave. Why? Because I want to leave. So that doesn't make me crazy; I'm just doing what I want to do. What's so crazy about me doing what I want to do? I'm not killing anybody. I'm not smacking nobody in the head. I'm not kicking anybody."
Excerpts from what Artest told The Star:
"From this point on, I won't be asking for a leave of absence nor will I be leaving the NBA anytime soon. Especially not this season."
--------
"A couple of players were pretty upset because we're trying to win a championship and I was trying to take some time off. But it would have been great for me because I've been doing so much lately. I would have taken the pay cut for the days I sat out. But we're back on the same page now."
--------
"A guy would have to be a fool to give up a big check from (Pacers president) Donnie Walsh to go do an album. But that doesn't make him crazy, either."
[edit=19=1100260599][/edit]
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