Metta World Peace: America Finally Ready to Give Ron Artest a Chance

Of all the things weird and bizarre I have seen in the sports world, the oddest has to be Ron Artest shifting from villain to lovable goof. With his appearance on "Dancing with the Stars," I can assume that the nation is indeed ready to love him. 

This is a man who once had the words "deplorable" and "villain" follow him wherever he went. Now he is labeled as goofy, zany and on the wrong side of wacky. 

On Monday, Ron Artest, who is now legally Metta World Peace, will take to the national stage on one of the hottest TV shows in the last few years. 

"Dancing with the Stars" is a show received by all sorts of people, through all walks of life. This is a show that will be seen by millions, a good portion are sports fans, while even more couldn't tell you what Ron Artest does for a living. 

If they know anything about the Lakers forward, it's that he was once involved in something horrible. They may have overheard that Artest is self-certified, calling himself just as wacky as his fans would. 

The great part about Metta World Peace is that he doesn't take himself seriously. Those with the same issues that he has would cower from the spotlight, but Peace just wants to have a good time. 

That is the first thing you will notice about him. When he gives interviews or is asked a question, there is forever a glint in his eye and a smirk on his face. 

This is a guy who thought he would forever be defined by the day he rushed the stands at The Palace in Auburn Hills. 

He now has a renewed image to go along with his altered name. That image of class clown is a far cry from the man that almost tore the NBA asunder. 

At that time, I never would have guessed Artest would star on a network TV show watched by millions of viewers crossing a whole swath of cultures and ideals. 

I guess it is not so weird when you consider that he is no longer Ron Artest. Metta World Peace changed his name, but altered his image a long time ago. Now America can enjoy the best kept secret in the NBA. Enjoy all the laughter, because there will be plenty.