"And is Detroit's signing of 50-year-old ESPN analyst Nancy Lieberman a smart roster move or a publicity stunt?"

Is that really a serious question?

hahaha...no, of course not. But I'm sure she could still take me.

Though maybe it's both: a smart roster move AND a publicity stunt.

Maybe we should bring Vicki Bullett and Nikki McCray out of retirement, too.

"Tuesday's incident"

What incident?

Ben Wallace gets suspended 7 games for pushing another man as big and physical as he is in Ron Artest. Rick Mahorn pushes a woman that's significantly smaller & less physical than he is and gets 2 games? Say what!? Ron Artest also didn't fall to the floor when Ben Wallace pushed him, whereas Lisa Leslie did fall to the floor when Rick Mahorn pushed her. Now Lisa Leslie is far bigger and more physical than the average man, but compared to a guy who used to do battle under the boards with Karl Malone in Rick Mahorn, she's just like an average woman against an average man. If what Ben Wallace did was worth a 7 game suspension, then what Rick Mahorn did ought to be a year's suspension.

Lisa Leslie only got one game for slugging a coach? Mahorn was clearly a peacemaker and should have gotten one game like the rest of them.

A publicity stunt, you really needed to ask??? A 50 year old in any sport is a publicity stunt. Now, I just want to know how she'd commontate on her own play.

Mahorn should not have been suspended at all. If you saw the game on ESPN, immediately after the altercation two of the ESPN analyst who saw Mahorn's contact with Leslie when it happened said that it he did not even extend his arms when he attempted to keep her from the scrum. It was their perception that he did not push her down but rather she lost her balance and fell. Her teary-eyed reaction afterwards was a bit much. She was acting like he slapped her.

i was watch the game tuesday and candance packer should have got 2 game suspension like pierson I didnt agree,and Coach Mahorn did push Leslie she lost her balance so I dont think those do should got suspension and Milton should got 2 day susension.

If I understand Alex correctly, there are different consequences for the same behavior. So, if Mahorn had shoved Kate Moss, he should perhaps be suspended 10 years and receive 6 months in the local pokey. But if he shoved Shaq, he should receive a 5 minute suspension and get docked 2 Big macs in the post-game meal.

As silly as that premise is, why would anyone look at differential punishment on the basis of whether a man or a woman commits the offense? What happened to equality?

I watched the game Tuesday, the ref's blew the game....bad calls results in bad emotions. Donna Orender made it worse with these suspensions...Diane Taurasi in another incident was previously suspended two games for only talking offensively to a ref after a close loss, but here Candace Parker is only suspended for one game, even though she pulled Pierson to the ground,threw and landed a punch....Parker got the same suspension as Braxton, Sam, Humphrey and Powell who instinctively left the bench but did not get involved in the altercation.

The powers that be are treating Candace Parker like they treated Lebron James in his Rookie year, it's disgusting...people should earn their rep, they should not be handed success before they earn it.

The WNBA has sunk to the low standards of the NBA. These women don't realize that the thugs in the NBA can get away with being punks because they earn millon$$. WNBA players are a dime a dozen. The league should fire the worst offenders, fine and suspend the rest. Get the message out now or the woman's game will soon be full of thugs like the NBA.

These suspensions were mild and they should be. The WNBA doesn't need to start pulling marquis players out of the lineup. Many people have tuned into the WNBA this year to watch the progression and performance of the person who may become the greatest female basketball player in history - Candace Parker. What are they going to do, suspend her for 10 games and lose a significant audience they have been struggling to gain? I don't think so. They took action, the kind of action they can cope with as a league which amounted to barely a slap on the wrist. The harshest punishment was to Pierson for instigating and so it should be since her lack of judgement saw an MVP player wheeled out and a coach now in the forefront of this controversy. Mahorn got a bigger suspension than any of the players involved in "his" specific altercation as well he should have - lesson to the big guy, grab your own players, not the opposing team's regardless of what you are trying to do. Only conspicuous absence of what might have been cause for a suspension was Nolan's behavior. Bottom line, congratulations to the WNBA for taking some form of action, but not cutting themselves off at the knees - they can't afford to do so. And I'm not all that appalled by this action. Unfortunate circumstances happen in sports, deal with it, make nice and move on.

"grab your own players, not the opposing team's regardless of what you are trying to do."

So, if a whole bunch of opposing players start attacking your bench, just grab your own players and drag them away. Yeah, that makes sense. Sounds like an argument from someone who has never had to deal with a physical altercation in their lives. Stuff happens, people react.

In my opinion the league got it right. Pierson started it all. Candance was only defending herself. It's unfortunate that all of this happen but Pierson should have kepted her cool. And yes, Mahorn did push Lisa Leslie. I don't think he realized how much force he used, but he did push her which caused her to loose her balance. Shame on Pierson. Not only did she cause this whole affair but she caused her teammate to get her and is out for the season. SHAME ON PIERSON, SHAME, SHAME.
Also, the media has build up Candace Parker to be the best player in the WNAB, by the way, she is, so now the players are going to hold a gruge against her. And that's TOO BAD.

To be fair, the WNBA should have suspended Candace Parker and Lisa Leslie for two games. Plenette Pierson's punishment is justified. As for the players who left the bench, but did not engage in altercations, a one game suspension would have sufficed. Finally, I understand what Rick Mahorn's intentions were, but he should have grabbed his own players, e.g., Plenette from escalating the event any further. Surely, he would have been able to contain her. I'm a fan of both teams, but believe that Candace Parker deserved more time. She got off easy.

The only reason Candace Parker got a one game suspension is because of ticket sales and Friday's game at the Garden. The Sparks got off easy, because overall, Tuesday night's game was a physical one and the refs did not control it accordingly. The Liberty is a tough team, too, so in the heat of the moment, this type of activity may happen again. It happens in all competitive sports. No one wants to lose.

This whole this is RIDICULOUS!!!! Maybe Candace Parker fans will say she didn't start it, but any reasonable person who watched the game saw that Pierson gave Candace a good box out,nothing illegal, no elbows or anything. Parker being frustrated purposely entagled her arms with Pierson. All bball players know how to do that and its a easy way to make it look like its the other person fault.

But Parker irratated tangled up with Pierson. Pierson had every right to get in her face the way she did. You should play fair and not pull dirty stunts just becasue you get caught off gaurd with a great box out.

Then Parker purposely pulled Pierson down and if you watched the tape she then landed a punch. How can you tell me Pierson instigated this. All she did was get in Parker's facve and let her know that no matter how good she is she's still a rookie and needs to act accordingly.

The WNBA didn't punish Parker becasue they dont want to loose money and that's ashame

I can't wait for the Liberty/Sparks game.

I hope Candace get her arse pounded to the ground.

1 game suspension, Pierson may have started it, but Candace didn't have the maturity or sense to let it go. She took down Pierson, that deserves a 2 maybe game suspension. Diana Taurasi got a 2 game suspension for mumbling epithets to a ref.

And that leads into the next question, what about the refs in that game, I guess they got no disciplinary action at all.

I cannot believe how light Parker's punishment is. One game? The same as a player who left the bench area? Geez, you'd think she wasn't in the middle of it all. I watched that game, and if you think Parker was a victim in all this, you're mistaken. Hey, I like Parker and think she'll do great things for the league, but she was a participant, not a victim. Maybe she shouldn't get the same as Pierson (although I'd have given her the same), but she should be suspended more than one game.

Another question: Are Doris Burke, Pam Ward and Rebecca Lobo also going to be suspended for fanning the flames of the rivalry? No? Then how about suspending Doris Burke for being annoying and pompous?

ESPN should use Debbie Antonelli or Carolyn Peck instead of Burke.

You know that is why superstar's think that they can get away with anything, the punishment is not given to them but to everyone around them. I have palyed ball and my daughther plays ball and I would hate for her to play like that or to think that that type of behavior is ok.

pierson should have gotten 8 games for inciting this incident,it's clear that she was the instigator and was out of control while being restrained by teammates.her actions also caused the loss of one of the shocks best players in cheryl ford.parker was right in defending herself against a player who was out of control charging her.pierson was acting like a manaic.

Wrong, wrong, wrong!!!!

Don't let the corporate spin fool you. There was no aggregious hip check from Pierson.

Its called boxing out a bigger player in a physically aggressive game. So if someone was at fault besides Parker I'd say check the refs.

Rookie Brat Parker was the instigator of this slapfest

but you knew that truth wouldn't happen as soon as the league analysts began frantically weaving victimization stories courtside to explain the fight.

The "face of the league" needs a attitude makeover. I say give Pierson another moment to get at that mean mug pouty princess next time.

BOOOOOOO league!!!

Shouts out to Milton-Jones for having Anna Mae's back.
I see you girl!

The refs allowed this game to get out of control. They let a physical game turn into a tight game. Allowing the "big mouth bruise brother coach" to verbally challenge every call antagonized the refs, the players, and the fans.

The Detroit thugs doing all they can to ruin the game and blemish the league. Being great players and exceptional talents just isn't enough for some.

Pierson has been a bad actor for years and should have gotten a longer suspension. It's a joke that Parker only got 1 game. But hey she's the new "face of the league."

I'm looking forward to the Sparks-Liberty game. McCarville can throw some elbows (ask Coco).

everybody involved should have more than one day suspension. if you can disrespect a coach by physically putting your hands on him or vice versa then donna orrender should have laid it down real heavy and that way it wont occur anymore but this is nothing the punishment was a slap on the hand for all involved. sock it to them candance should have been suspended for 4 games as well and lisa punched at mahorn and he lifted his arm up and lisa fell she should get 4 game suspension milton should get 4 bobbit 4 and the rest that left the area should be fined to the point the next time a fight jump off they will be scared to leave there seat. it's a way she could have nipped all this in the bud. there will be another fight just wait and see.

Did anyone really expect the league to come down hard on its gravy train? HA!