Metta World Peace Mentally Competitive and Annoyed

Call me old school, call me an 1980's baby, call me a U.S. Veteran that appreciates hard work and understands the rigors of performing at high a level competitively. Call me a fan of the old Detroit 'Bad Boys",and New York Knicks vs. Miami Heat of the 1997 brawl but don't call me a fan of Kermit Washington or Latrell Sprewell. Don't call me a fan of players or coaches full of intent or malicious bounties.

The acts of the player formally known as Ron Artest fall into a category of it's own. No Metta World Peace's decision was not peaceful or fit for a Disney movie but neither was Alonzo Mourning's and Larry Johnson's actions. MWP actions are missed understood after reviewing the image at normal speed not the slowed down version presented by media outlets across America painting MWP into a "Mike Tyson killer" I noticed two elements.

What we witnessed was a combination of competitiveness and a player who deals with mental illness. It's no secret Ron Artest has been seen by Dr. Nicole Miller. After winning the NBA Finals in 2010 Ron Artest thanked Dr. Miller for her psychiatric help. In a heightened moment of Artest's life he thanked his "Mental Health Doctor" that's big news don't miss the message. During the 2011 season Ron Artest was named "NBA Citizen of the Year" for donating his time to Mental Health Charities and helping others with mental conditions. Not only was Artest acknowledging his condition but the NBA naming him citizen of the year was acknowledging his condition as well.

On September 16th 2011 Ron Artest changed his name to Metta World Peace, when a man with a mental condition changes his name usually people say something about it or stop the individual. I understand the whole World B. Free issue but I think we missed the message. I am not calling Ron Artest "Sybil" but sometimes when we think we have done so good in life in a particular issue of weakness as humans we tend to relax on the treatment that got us to a successful point in our lives. Taking personal mental treatment for granted and opting to become more of a spokesperson instead of a patient.

Back to NBA basketball, secondly what we saw was two teams on the collision course of becoming bitter rivals. The Lakers still competing to hold on as NBA title contenders versus the young Lions of the NBA seething to prove they are the new team on the block. Competitive juices started flowing James Harden was "yappin" talking as he usually does being annoying in the ears of MWP and Kobe Bryant. Positioning his body in ways to make a player frustrated. MWP was feeling good dunking and stealing the ball, playing his best basketball since donning a Lakers uniform. Celebrating after a momentum changing dunk and James Harden decided to be annoying and it was at that one split second "Ron Artest" jumped out of the body of Metta World Peace "get the message" this was not malice. In the NBA fans have seen much"worse"

Reality check... Metta play's basketball on television not in his backyard. "Go to any park in America on a Saturday were local citizens play basketball and watch the frustration on the court". World Peace was celebrating and the most annoying player on the court purposely decided to get in the way. This was a man who's issues were dormant like a volcano (every now and then they spill ash) but the NBA knows this right. In the heat of the moment Metta World Peace was Mentally Competitive and Annoyed