Brawl @ MindSay

Today was awesome!  I went to a sweet White Sox game against the Cubs.  A bench-clearing brawl broke out, and 4 guys ended up getting ejected.  It'll be interesting to see what fines result from this.  Worth it, though, because it seemed to get the team energized, and it was right after that when the team started scoring all the runs.  The Sox ended up winning 7-0.

Indiana Pacers Ron Artest, Jermaine O'Neal and Stephen Jackson all pleaded no contest this morning to misdemeanor assault and battery charges stemming from a Nov. 19 brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

The three stood quietly in Rochester Hills District Court before Judge Julie Nicholson. They are expected to be sentenced this afternoon each to one-year probation, community service and ordered to pay fines and court costs. At the end of five years, if they stay clean, their records will be expunged.

The brawl made international headlines after a fan heaved a cup of beer at Artest. Pacers Anthony Johnson, David Harrison, Artest, O'Neal and Jackson were charged with misdemeanor assault and battery.

After their pleas were entered this morning, Oakland County Assistant Prosecutor John Pietrosesa said, "I think the players wanted to come in and take responsibility for their acts and put this disaster behind them."

Johnson pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor assault charge for his role in brawl - a decision that will spare him a trial but likely get him a fine and community service. Johnson appeared Sept. 16 before Rochester District Judge Lisa Asadoorian with his attorney, Paul Rinaldi, and admitted he was on a surveillance tape that showed him involved in the brawl.

Johnson is to return to Michigan on Oct. 7 for sentencing. He faces up to 93 days in jail, but the judgeis expected to fine him $500 and order him to perform community service.

Harrison's pretrial is set for Oct. 7.