Ron Artest Switches Sports

Indiana Pacers small forward Ron Artest switched sports abruptly Friday night; critics contend that he should have waited until the basketball game in which he was playing was finished before taking up amateur boxing.

"As a boxer, Artest is a good basketball player," one boxing analyst commented. "He stayed too long on the ropes, and he swung wildly, completely neglecting to protect either his face or his body. What's more, a 150 pound white guy was able to restrain him for several seconds, and even managed to land a few punches to the side of his head before Artest retaliated. Artest needs a lot of time in the gym, and I don't mean time spent practicing free throws."

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said he was surprised by Artest's sudden decision. One fan with knuckle-marks on his cheeks said he was probably even more surprised than Carlisle.