David Stern has made a point of trying to crack down on the “thug” image that the NBA has earned. We’ve seen this especially in the dress code he has enforced, not to mention the suspensions for actions he deems inappropriate. After watching the brawl at Madison Square Garden last night, I’m going to go ahead and say it hasn’t quite worked out as he hoped.

I’m as big a fan of brawls as anyone is. I can’t count the number of times I’ve watched the Pistons and Pacers go at it in the Palace. I love when batters charge the mound and when the benches and bullpens clear for slap-boxing at most. Last nights brawl was solid, but it was certainly missing the haymakers of the Pistons fight of two years ago.

The Knicks and Nuggets may not have the powerful fists of Ron Artest or Jermaine O’Neal, but Carmelo did his best impression of those two with his right hook to Mardy Collins. I don’t really have a whole lot to say about this fight other than these players are obviously idiots. I’m just thankful Tank Johnson didn’t show up.