This column had already thought that it had said it?s goodbyes to Steve Francis for the season, so it came as a great surprise to learn that the Magic guard would only be suspended for three games.

Consider Dennis Rodman was suspended eleven games in 1997 for kicking a cameraman at the Target Center.  Rodman?s suspension was severe for it?s time, since the NBA was still in their pre-Artest days.

The NBA is more guarded and sensitive about their image than they ever have in the past.  Artest?s season-long suspension was intended to send an inflexible message, rather than impose a fair penalty that fit the breadth of the infraction.  

In suspending Francis for just three games, the NBA has let it?s employees (players) and customers (fans) know that there is neither rhyme nor reason when it comes to issuing penalties.

This is a huge departure for a league that successfully implemented an automatic one-game suspension for leaving the bench during an altercation.  This rule left no room for bias and interpretation, ensuring that all player?s were treated fairly and the rule prevents full-scale brawls, which are so common in the MLB where dugouts clear to the field, and relief pitchers storm in from their respective bullpens.

The NBA will argue that Artest was given such a severe suspension in comparison to Francis because of his track record, but track records are more often reputation creations made by my peers in the media.

Francis is a respected player by his peers and by members of the media, far more so than Artest, but he certainly does not hold an impeccable record.  Just this season he grabbed at the ankle of Rockets? guard Bobby Sura during a scramble for the ball on the floor in which he received a technical foul.  He also was suspended as recently as March 5th during a game versus the Nets. But Francis is not a problem player, as he is a very good player and a fierce competitor, nothing more.

But what strikes me as the most egregious mistake that Francis committed was not the kick, but his attempt to lie about it after the game, which was borderline pathetic and unquestionably weasel.  Perhaps Francis didn?t notice that the incident was witnessed by a good number of KeyArena spectators, leading them to boo him each time he touched the ball.

The argument here is not that Francis? suspension should have been longer, but that the NBA is grossly inconsistent in their suspension decisions.  When a player is set to be suspended, he shouldn?t be blindly guessing what his penalty will be, nor should it be determined by how many times the infraction was looped on national television.  That is too much power for one office to have when millions of fans are subject to the whims of that office to see who will and will not be playing for the sport?s ultimate prize.

There is nothing wrong with the length of Francis? suspension and besides is punished everyday by not being able to play with his longtime mate Cuttino Mobley, if had been suspended longer than three games, then he really would have a hard time finding a reason to get up in the morning.

The columnist may be reached at Christopher.Reina@realGM.com.