NBA Lockout thread

[salsadancer7]

MORE from the article...

Back on All-Star weekend, Hunter had been bold in a locker-room address to the league’s stars, insisting the union wouldn’t bow to Stern. He cornered the commissioner, ambushed him, and the players loved it. Stern lost his cool, and left them all stunned: He knew where the bodies were buried in the NBA, he said, because he had buried a lot of them himself.

The stars were stunned to hear Stern talk that way, and rallied around Hunter for the way he had gone after the commissioner, a bully of monumental acclaim. In the end, Stern does bury the bodies in the NBA. This death march to a brutal deal was the union’s choice, and now it’s hard to see a way out. Stern warned the players there would be “enormous consequences” for failing to come out of this weekend’s bargaining sessions with the framework of a deal. The suggestion he would cancel the entire season now is ridiculous. That wasn’t his message on Wednesday. It was this, one team president said: “Once they start canceling regular-season games, all bets are off. The deal the players accepted in ’99 was worse than what was offered before games had been lost.”

Yes, the players need to blink on Friday for the Emperor, blink and bow, because he’s decided this is the time to make a deal with them. A lot of these owners don’t love Stern anymore, but they know he’s a closer, know he’s cutthroat and know he can deliver their billions of dollars over the next decade. Yes, Stern knows where the bodies are buried, and he’s telling the players again: Cut the deal, cut your losses, or you’ll get whacked, too.

WOW....Stern is the dictator EVERYONE hates, but desperately wants on their team...

 

[SandraC]

Here is an unbiased article from Michael Rosenberg of Sports Illustrated, that gives insight without pointing fingers:

One group of owners holds key to salvaging NBA season - Michael Rosenberg - SI.com


Sandra

 

[salsadancer7]

Here is an unbiased article from Michael Rosenberg of Sports Illustrated, that gives insight without pointing fingers:

One group of owners holds key to salvaging NBA season - Michael Rosenberg - SI.com


Sandra

I read...and I still believe, without a shadow of a doubt the Stern's is the owners bulldog because of his longevity. I think Adrian's article wasn't so much bias to the players as it is a legit profile of just how much a dictator Stern is. That is why I said that the owners really don't like him, but they are sure glad as hell they have him on their side.

As the old saying goes...everyone hates lawyers....until you need one. That is David Stern.

 

[SandraC]

David Stern works for the owners. He's SUPPOSED to be taking their side.


Sandra

 

[salsadancer7]

David Stern works for the owners. He's SUPPOSED to be taking their side.

Sandra

A commissioner should be working for the game.

 

[SandraC]

A commissioner should be working for the game.

It's not like that in any sport. All commissioners are hired by, and work for the owners.


Sandra

 

[atl14dat]

Here's hoping Stern absolutely crushes the PA.

Time for a little reality check for Billy Hunter and his minions.

 

[riffjim4069]

I haven't been a fan of the NBA in years and I hope the season is cancelled. The owners take the majority of the risks and are responsible for building the business...players should be grateful to be paid for playing an idiotic game. Players should be fairly compensated...and not paid millions, if not tens of millions, for often their lackluster performances: dribble, dribble, foul...shoot/miss free-throws; rince and repeat (i.e., the end of 90% of NBA games).

Plus, everyone is forgetting about the fans! Fans are tired of being gouged by both owners (especially the multi-billionairs who needlessly overspend acquiring talent because basketball is their folly and not their business) and the players (who don't give a rats-arse about the fans). How 'bout "rolling back" ticket prices to where they were in 1985?

Until then, I will be following North America's most popular sport...Hockey!

 

[riffjim4069]

Here's hoping Stern absolutely crushes the PA.

Time for a little reality check for Billy Hunter and his minions.

Absolutely!

 

[salsadancer7]

Here's hoping Stern absolutely crushes the PA.

Time for a little reality check for Billy Hunter and his minions.

And that reality check is coming from owners that make 3 times as much as they do and hold cities hostage for new stadiums and the lie about whether they are really losing money...? Those guys are suppose to dose out a "reality check"?

ROFLMAO....!

 

[salsadancer7]

It's not like that in any sport. All commissioners are hired by, and work for the owners.

Sandra

Bart Giamatti and Faye Vincent worked for the game and kept both the players and owners in check.

 

[atl14dat]

And that reality check is coming from owners that make 3 times as much as they do and hold cities hostage for new stadiums and the lie about whether they are really losing money...? Those guys are suppose to dose out a "reality check"?

ROFLMAO....!

I don't care one iota if the owners make 10 times what the players do, 100 times for that matter. They own the team. As for holding cities hostage, that should be between the City, the taxpayers, and the owners. As for lying, not sure who is lying both sides contend they are telling the truth.

 

[salsadancer7]

I don't care one iota if the owners make 10 times what the players do, 100 times for that matter. They own the team. As for holding cities hostage, that should be between the City, the taxpayers, and the owners. As for lying, not sure who is lying both sides contend they are telling the truth.

You have no clue what the lockout is about do you? The players have not lied because they liked the status quo.

Please, show me WHERE the players "lied"?

 

[SandraC]

Bart Giamatti and Faye Vincent worked for the game and kept both the players and owners in check.

All commissioners 'keep the owners in check' to some extent. Every town needs a sheriff. But when it comes to collective bargaining negotiations with the respective union, ALL commissioners are 100% working for the owners.


Sandra

 

[salsadancer7]

All commissioners 'keep the owners in check' to some extent. Every town needs a sheriff. But when it comes to collective bargaining negotiations with the respective union, ALL commissioners are 100% working for the owners.


Sandra

Fay Vincent worked with BOTH. Not just on the owners side but with the players as well for the benefit of the game. Infact, if it weren't for him working with BOTH sides, the 1990 lockout was looming to be long and ugly. He was able to have both sides come to an agreement and the season only started 1 week late than not playing at all.

...THAT is what a commissioner is supposed to do.

 

[salsadancer7]

Fay Vincent worked with BOTH. Not just on the owners side but with the players as well for the benefit of the game. Infact, if it weren't for him working with BOTH sides, the 1990 lockout was looming to be long and ugly. He was able to have both sides come to an agreement and the season only started 1 week late than not playing at all.

...THAT is what a commissioner is supposed to do.

And since then, well.... you see...

 

[SandraC]

Fay Vincent worked with BOTH. Not just on the owners side but with the players as well for the benefit of the game. Infact, if it weren't for him working with BOTH sides, the 1990 lockout was looming to be long and ugly. He was able to have both sides come to an agreement and the season only started 1 week late than not playing at all.

...THAT is what a commissioner is supposed to do.

LOL and that's probably what led to Vincent being moved out of the commissioner's office.


Sandra

 

[salsadancer7]

LOL and that's probably what led to Vincent being moved out of the commissioner's office.


Sandra

Well...more so the fact that he thought of THE GAME 1st when he stated in public that the owners colluded against the players. Ironically, one of the "Great Lakes Crew" or whatever they called them to oust him is the current commissioner of baseball. And you can see the wonderful job HE has done....

The game, whether it is the NBA, NFL, MLB or NHL, has to be bigger than the owners. Everyone is always saying that about the players, but they always seem to forget that about the owners.

 

[salsadancer7]

I haven't been a fan of the NBA in years and I hope the season is cancelled. The owners take the majority of the risks and are responsible for building the business...players should be grateful to be paid for playing an idiotic game. Players should be fairly compensated...and not paid millions, if not tens of millions, for often their lackluster performances: dribble, dribble, foul...shoot/miss free-throws; rince and repeat (i.e., the end of 90% of NBA games).

They take SOME risks. Most of that financial risk is taken by city, county and state governments. It's THOSE contributions that "builds the business", not the owners. And that is a piss poor excuse about the players should not make millions. WHO offered the millions? The last time I looked, there was no gun to an players head stating "take this $120 million dollar contract or your finished!". PLAYERS have not set the bar, OWNERS have. Once you give one lousy, over-priced contract...another owner will follow suit. THEN the owners cry poverty because of contracts THEY agreed to. Hell, they AGREED to the current CBA with the players...the game has grown and now they don't like the pie THEY cut.

Look, I clearly agree that the players have TOO much of the pie. Currently, they get approx. 57% of the revenue and to me, that is too much. There is NOTHING wrong with a 50/50 split because the players and ownership has to be a partnership, but now the owners want MORE than 50%...why?

Plus, everyone is forgetting about the fans! Fans are tired of being gouged by both owners (especially the multi-billionairs who needlessly overspend acquiring talent because basketball is their folly and not their business) and the players (who don't give a rats-arse about the fans). How 'bout "rolling back" ticket prices to where they were in 1985?

Until then, I will be following North America's most popular sport...Hockey!

You pretty much answer the 2nd comment yourself. The owners don't give a sh** about fans because EVEN if the players salaries were down, they would STILL find a way to increase prices. Players cannot be blamed for large salaries because you sure as sh** would say no if your managment offered you 5 times more than the average(what it is that you do).

 

[SandraC]

They take SOME risks. Most of that financial risk is taken by city, county and state governments. It's THOSE contributions that "builds the business", not the owners. And that is a piss poor excuse about the players should not make millions. WHO offered the millions? The last time I looked, there was no gun to an players head stating "take this $120 million dollar contract or your finished!". PLAYERS have not set the bar, OWNERS have. Once you give one lousy, over-priced contract...another owner will follow suit. THEN the owners cry poverty because of contracts THEY agreed to. Hell, they AGREED to the current CBA with the players...the game has grown and now they don't like the pie THEY cut.

Look, I clearly agree that the players have TOO much of the pie. Currently, they get approx. 57% of the revenue and to me, that is too much. There is NOTHING wrong with a 50/50 split because the players and ownership has to be a partnership, but now the owners want MORE than 50%...why?



You pretty much answer the 2nd comment yourself. The owners don't give a sh** about fans because EVEN if the players salaries were down, they would STILL find a way to increase prices. Players cannot be blamed for large salaries because you sure as sh** would say no if your managment offered you 5 times more than the average(what it is that you do).

By that logic owners cannot be blamed for cities, counties, states, funding their stadiums...because if you were an owner, you sure as sh** would not say no if you were offered the money.


Sandra