An Ode to the "Vince Farter" Guys

Let me preface this blog with the following statement:

As I age, I hope to mature, and if I ever get to a point in my life when I show up to a Pacers/Magic game wearing a custom made tshirt that reads "Vince Farter" and later have it confiscated by security, I pray that you, as my friends, will kill me.

Moving on... I have two issues I want to address tonight.  First and foremost, I'd like to congratulate Roy Hibbert for proving me right once again.  Anyone who has given up indefinitely on our 11-23 Pacers, I'd just like to say this:  When you combine the center that managed to shut down and neutralize the best center in the league with Danny Granger, you have a recipe for a team that can and will do work in the central division.  This season is a wash.  Our record is bad, we're not healthy, and we are lacking guard play.  Next season, however, you have to keep an eye on this team iff (this is the only time in the real world that I can use the "if and only if" symbol from geometry.  Boom roasted.) Larry Bird wises up and does the following.

1.  Boot Jim O'Brien.  Take the reigns as coach.  Make triumphant return to the league and try to inspire these guys like you inspired Reggie to stay in '98.

2.  Draft a solid point guard who can ACTUALLY direct the flow of play.  Ditch Ford.  He's lost his starting position two years in a row.  That should be a big tip that he's not reliable.  Play Luther Head as a backup PG and keep Rush as a sixth man.

3.  Bring back the shooting.  About two or three years ago, we never took a shot outside the three point arc.  This year, we wouldn't shoot there if Gilbert Arenas held a gun to our head.  Find a solid, reliable shooting guard and bring him in.  We have room in the salary cap.  If we can start Hibbert, Hansbrough, Granger, New Shooting Guard, and Rookie PG, we're destined to be a team that can dethrone The King in the central.

Now second order of business.

David Stern, how's it going, buddy?  Have a seat, we need to chat.

Gilbert Arenas is not returning this season, right?  I know how much you like to play that "chip on your shoulder" card when someone defies your authority.  Remember Artest?  Remember how he was suspended for an entire season after being physically assaulted?  I do.

So why is it, David, that you waited until today to suspend Gilbert Arenas indefinitely for pulling a gun on his teammate on Christmas Eve?  I know that the report wasn't filed until New Years Day, but what could possibly take you five days to figure out?

So let's think about this for a second...

Ron Artest is physically assaulted by a fan and defends himself.

Suspended all year immediately without pay, including playoffs.  Bye bye, Ronnie.

Gilbert Arenas assaults a teammate with a deadly weapon.  David Stern takes two weeks to respond.

Please, David, make the right choice.  That's all I've got tonight.