Artest's priceless gesture

We interrupt our regularly scheduled glorification of the trivial in sports to salute the significant.

Congratulations, Ron Artest.

In a year of other athletes being involved in scandal, the former Bulls' problem child became a reminder that many perform admirable acts.

Yes, we're talking about that Ron Artest, the one-time knucklehead's knucklehead who as an Indiana Pacer a few years ago climbed into the stands to attack Detroit Pistons fans.

That very same guy did something this holiday season that deserves at least as much attention as his previous transgressions, as Brett Favre being investigated for inappropriate texting and as Tiger Woods destroying his public image.

In fact, what Artest did was impressive enough to qualify him for Athlete of the Year, Sportsman of the Year, Person of the Year and All of the Above of the Year.

I don't know whether Artest is as worthy as Drew Brees, whose philanthropy Sports Illustrated honored, but he has inserted himself into the same classy class.

If you read about Artest's good deed you must have sorted through the sports section's briefs roundup to find it.

For the unaware, here goes: Last week Ron Artest raffled off for charity the championship ring he earned last spring with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The single piece of jewelry reportedly raised more than $500,000, which Artest will devote generally to his Xcel University charity and specifically to mental health.

Artest, who has had his own mental and emotional issues, also said he wants to donate a good portion of his $6.7 million salary to charity.

This isn't quite Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and other billionaires donating half their fortunes to charity, but Artest's gesture is remarkable in the context of sports.

A championship ring is like a religious artifact to an athlete. It's referred to reverentially. Its prestige is based on more than monetary value.

Some players wear their rings proudly every day of the year and some only on special occasions. Some stash them in bank vaults and visit them occasionally to bask in the glow.

Stories surface every once in awhile about older athletes who sell their championship rings on eBay to help pay medical bills or put grandchildren through college.

Ron Artest won't be able to do that 40 years from now, at least not with this ring. He sacrificed it to help others.

Maybe this shouldn't be so stunning. Many athletes on our local pro teams devote time, energy and cash to charity.

Still, I can't remember an active athlete like Artest surrendering his championship ring to benefit others, most of whom he'll never meet.

Raffling a championship ring is substantive, but it's also more symbolic than, say, fronting a celebrity poker night or golf outing.

It's surrendering something priceless.

Perhaps I'm being unreasonable for thinking that athletes are given so much that they should feel obligated to give nearly as much back.

They do work hard to get where they are and deserve their lifestyles. But people work harder in other occupations without being compensated nearly as well.

So I expect the most affluent athletes to set the national standard for giving.

Easy for me to say, but each should raffle a championship ring to help the less fortunate.

Because few do and Ron Artest did, hooray for him.

mimrem@dailyherald.com