Season cut short by greed...

[MattWasGF4L]

I'm loving the NBL ATM anyway
3 games a week! Get into it while the NBA bickers over the $ and inject some into Aussie bball!

 

[A_Iverson_I]

lol the 20 billion was just a rough ballpark figure i through that out there geez hahhahah hence the "lets just say"

as for the plucking out of anyhwere another 300 players who is to say that the current players are the best in world? surely they have worked hard and deserve a spot but given the chance to some others , really there is a lot of undiscovered talent you would be suprised what they might find.

Same goes when people stay in the league for years blocking up and coming new talent from a place in the starting line up or even getting on a team.

There may be a couple of "undiscovered talent" around the world, however it's laughable to suggest the whole NBA can be replaced..... the NBA isn't a secret society, everyone knows about it and if people were as good as you say they are I'm sure they'd be lining up to earn million of dollars.

 

[matty83]

lol the 20 billion was just a rough ballpark figure i through that out there geez hahhahah hence the "lets just say"

as for the plucking out of anyhwere another 300 players who is to say that the current players are the best in world? surely they have worked hard and deserve a spot but given the chance to some others , really there is a lot of undiscovered talent you would be suprised what they might find.

Same goes when people stay in the league for years blocking up and coming new talent from a place in the starting line up or even getting on a team.

I dont think you would need to replace 300 players, i mean Kobe....yeah Lebron.....yeah Griffin....yeha Durant.....yeah thats about it the rest are cr@p

 

[sgt_pepper]

i think also you need at least some form of hard-core dedication. alot of time goes into becoming a pro at anything, and most people wouldnt have the follow through. its life consuming...

 

[PistonsFan00]

But the NBA is not a specialised sport... Hockey you have to be skilled and rough. Football you have to be damn tough. Baseball is very specific skills. Basketball? Who can't chuck a ball into a hoop.
The NBA gets by on star power, but the stars are already VERY WELL PAID... hell, even the bums are WELL PAID...

are you kidding me? who cant chuck a ball into a hoop? you go back and watch the nba then watch the nfl or nhl and tell me which sport has more talent and needs more talent.

 

[ljandkg]

I am so angry about this. And I completely and utterly blame the greed of the players. The owners want to make money, after all, it IS a business. The players get paid INSANE amounts of money to play a fairly simple game... and all this 'let us play' and 'we want to play' is a load of BS. If they wanted to play they would. Instead they want to be paid.
Case in point - Joe Johnson. Does anybody in the world (other than his agent and the fools that gave him the contract) think he deserves the money he's earning? And the players want MORE share??
F##k off you greedy c###s and play the damn game.

And who agreed to PAY JJ that money? His useless owner. Rashard Lewis - 118 million? Mate if someone at your work said 'Hairy, you're a good professional we'll double your wages - would u say no?" The bloody owners have created the current market, not the players - Milicic 31 million over 4 years??? Lots of the owners are incompetent and have been for years - Glen Taylor of the Twolves?? Sterling in LA?
They sign **** players to massive contracts and then complain when teams like Boston pays lux tax which THEY can't afford because of the ridiculous contracts they've handed out TO CRAP PLAYERS.

---------- Post added 13-10-2011 at 10:09 AM ----------

I dont think you would need to replace 300 players, i mean Kobe....yeah Lebron.....yeah Griffin....yeha Durant.....yeah thats about it the rest are cr@p

Is this a serious post? You're implying there are 4 good players in the NBA and the rest of them are crap?

Did that make u feel powerful saying that??


The NBA IS star power - there is no way in the world I'd watch another 300 players play. I'd rather watch the NBL where I know the players. On top of the owners ineptitude in signing players, they also hide money too. Very few of them are fans who love their team/the game like say Cuban, Boston's owners...

 

[hairyangryfella]

are you kidding me? who cant chuck a ball into a hoop? you go back and watch the nba then watch the nfl or nhl and tell me which sport has more talent and needs more talent.

I clearly stated my reasoning, seems you didn't read it..?
NFL you require big balls to take those hits, and also the skill to throw/catch/block etc.
NHL you require tremendous skill to control and shoot the puck while skating and maintaining balance... plus the physicality of it all.
NBA you run up and down a court and throw a ball into a hoop. Admittedly you need skill to make some shots, but in essense it is the most basic of the sports...

And who agreed to PAY JJ that money? His useless owner. Rashard Lewis - 118 million? Mate if someone at your work said 'Hairy, you're a good professional we'll double your wages - would u say no?" The bloody owners have created the current market, not the players - Milicic 31 million over 4 years??? Lots of the owners are incompetent and have been for years - Glen Taylor of the Twolves?? Sterling in LA?
They sign **** players to massive contracts and then complain when teams like Boston pays lux tax which THEY can't afford because of the ridiculius contracts they've handed out TO CRAP PLAYERS.

I agree. But the players are already earning huge/stupid money so do they really need to make such a big deal about a small percentage..?

 

[ljandkg]

They've already dropped 4% and the owners haven't moved. U need to think of the lowest rank of NBA player too, not just the guys pulling the big cash. Sure they still make heaps more than us but lets face it - they entertain the planet - billions of dollars is made because of their efforts. Owners sit at home and do nothing.

---------- Post added 13-10-2011 at 11:48 AM ----------

Hairy - if u wanna simplify skills.
NFL - WR's catch the ball and run, RB's get given the ball and run. SOme players just push each other! Then they sit down while the Offence plays and vice versa. So they get tackled and they're tough. They also only play 16 games. - that's 36 weeks off a year playing the playstation.

Baseball players swing a bat, or throw a ball. Mostly they stand in the outfield - Pitchers play once a week.

Hockey players skate and hit a puck - they get smashed - they're also covered in the biggest pads you can buy.

You're simplifying things in regards to the NBA - I play ball, I don't just shoot it. I battle my nuts off for rebounds and positioning, play hard team and 1-1 defence...I could go on but u get the point...

 

[A_Iverson_I]

They've already dropped 4% and the owners haven't moved. U need to think of the lowest rank of NBA player too, not just the guys pulling the big cash. Sure they still make heaps more than us but lets face it - they entertain the planet - billions of dollars is made because of their efforts. Owners sit at home and do nothing.

---------- Post added 13-10-2011 at 11:48 AM ----------

Hairy - if u wanna simplify skills.
NFL - WR's catch the ball and run, RB's get given the ball and run. SOme players just push each other! Then they sit down while the Offence plays and vice versa. So they get tackled and they're tough. They also only play 16 games. - that's 36 weeks off a year playing the playstation.

Baseball players swing a bat, or throw a ball. Mostly they stand in the outfield - Pitchers play once a week.

Hockey players skate and hit a puck - they get smashed - they're also covered in the biggest pads you can buy.

You're simplifying things in regards to the NBA - I play ball, I don't just shoot it. I battle my nuts off for rebounds and positioning, play hard team and 1-1 defence...I could go on but u get the point...

Great post man..... I don't know why but that's exactly what Hairy is going - he's detailing things for the other sports but simplifying them as he sees fit for the NBA..... if I didn't know any better I'd think Hairy was a "hater".

He makes it sound like the whole sport is based around a guy shooting free throws or something!

 

[hairyangryfella]

Great post man..... I don't know why but that's exactly what Hairy is going - he's detailing things for the other sports but simplifying them as he sees fit for the NBA..... if I didn't know any better I'd think Hairy was a "hater".

He makes it sound like the whole sport is based around a guy shooting free throws or something!

No... what I'm saying is that it takes less specific skill/toughness to play basketball so the players should appreciate what they have and just get on with it... because they would be more easy to replace if they weren't willing to, than the other players of major sports...

 

[Allstar cards inc]

From what I'm reading, a lot of you blame the owners for paying OTT money for average players at best. And to a point this is true....the buck stops with them. However the real culprits in all this are the player managers who negotiate these deals.

It's the same in Australian sport as well....particularly AFL and NRL. Managers are using tactics with questionable business ethics to try and get the best deal for their players (eg Alan Toovey in the AFL)....these deals can come at the detriment of the players reputation and the expense of team unity and stability.

 

[Jaames]

They've already dropped 4% and the owners haven't moved. U need to think of the lowest rank of NBA player too, not just the guys pulling the big cash. Sure they still make heaps more than us but lets face it - they entertain the planet - billions of dollars is made because of their efforts. Owners sit at home and do nothing.

---------- Post added 13-10-2011 at 11:48 AM ----------

Hairy - if u wanna simplify skills.
NFL - WR's catch the ball and run, RB's get given the ball and run. SOme players just push each other! Then they sit down while the Offence plays and vice versa. So they get tackled and they're tough. They also only play 16 games. - that's 36 weeks off a year playing the playstation.

Baseball players swing a bat, or throw a ball. Mostly they stand in the outfield - Pitchers play once a week.

Hockey players skate and hit a puck - they get smashed - they're also covered in the biggest pads you can buy.

You're simplifying things in regards to the NBA - I play ball, I don't just shoot it. I battle my nuts off for rebounds and positioning, play hard team and 1-1 defence...I could go on but u get the point...

Running a WR's route and catching the ball while loosing your defender is insanely hard. Just say.

 

[Heafy83]

From what I'm reading, a lot of you blame the owners for paying OTT money for average players at best. And to a point this is true....the buck stops with them. However the real culprits in all this are the player managers who negotiate these deals.

It's the same in Australian sport as well....particularly AFL and NRL. Managers are using tactics with questionable business ethics to try and get the best deal for their players (eg Alan Toovey in the AFL)....these deals can come at the detriment of the players reputation and the expense of team unity and stability.

Yep true to a point, but after all it is a business and what seems as unethical business practices here have been the norm in american sports and european soccer for a decade. In the end I have no problem with what something like Toovey is doing. Footballers have very short careers and its all about maximising your value while you can. What's wrong with setting your self up for life? Toovey obviously realising he may have sacrificed another couple of premierships but obviously he's ok with that.
I used to be more cynical, like you, until I met a few ex-players who were now in their 50s and their bodies were fudged. They had given so much for the game and now it hurt them just to walk a few hundred meters. All of them have some medical problem related to the football careers and these players played before they were properly compensated.

 

[A_Iverson_I]

No... what I'm saying is that it takes less specific skill/toughness to play basketball so the players should appreciate what they have and just get on with it... because they would be more easy to replace if they weren't willing to, than the other players of major sports...

The basis of your argument is that the players just have to "shoot a ball in the hoop". That's simplifying things.

Anyway....looks like we're just gonna have to agree to disagree as I don't agree with your viewpoint in this whatsoever.

 

[hairyangryfella]

The basis of your argument is that the players just have to "shoot a ball in the hoop". That's simplifying things.

Anyway....looks like we're just gonna have to agree to disagree as I don't agree with your viewpoint in this whatsoever.

Ok how about this...

NBA players have a better lifestyle and less demanding profession, that pays them mega money, so why should they deserve to strike when pretty much any fan in the entire world would LOVE to be in their position - and probably do it for nothing!

 

[A_Iverson_I]

In a perfect world I'm sure they would do it for nothing too, but that's not realistic; also, where is your proof it's "less demanding"? Less demanding than what exactly?

I don't think anyone disagrees with you that they make mega-money (because they do); but why would they be happy with letting the owners have as much as they want of it when the money generated comes from seeing them and affiliated products of them? They should just be happy with whatever the owners wanna give them and shutup and do as they're told!?

 

[ljandkg]

How about this then? The 43-57% split is unacceptable to the owners. They want a 50-50 split. This is a massive shift. But the players decide to counter offer in good faith by going more than halfway back on the 7% shift by cutting back 4%, to a 47-53 split.
Those owners, who are nothing but multimillionaires themselves, say NO? And refuse to budge 1%???

Those players travel around the country for 8 months of the year if they do well in the playoffs. The longest time they have with their family at one time is about 5 days. Basically their family time is screwed 8 months of the year. Don't get me wrong I'd swap with them in a heartbeat but it's no picnic.

Also who is attracting the audience? TV dollars? The players.

No one forces owners to sign cheques - Sure player managers are parasites but all owners have to do is say no, it's too much.

Jaames - no doubt about WR's - was just simplifying skills like Hairy had been. Hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in sports at the top level. But hitting a corner 3 with a 6'8 uber athlete in your face when you've run up and down a court for a whole game is no picnic either.

Lastly - get on twitter - all NBA writers are slamming the owners. Sure it's not all their fault, this was coming but their, and Stern's behaviour towards the players in the negotiations has not been good enough. And that's why we have a lockout.

 

[hairyangryfella]

In a perfect world I'm sure they would do it for nothing too, but that's not realistic; also, where is your proof it's "less demanding"? Less demanding than what exactly?

I don't think anyone disagrees with you that they make mega-money (because they do); but why would they be happy with letting the owners have as much as they want of it when the money generated comes from seeing them and affiliated products of them? They should just be happy with whatever the owners wanna give them and shutup and do as they're told!?

Less demanding than other sports, hence more easily replaced... I feel like I'm going round in circles. It's kind of known that a running back has a window of about 8 years for a career due to all the beating they take. There's my proof...

As for the last part, when it's as close as it is already, and they are already making shedloads, then yes!!
OR - the amount that they are both apart they should agree to put into the communities - help those affected by the depression/natural disasters etc etc. It could do so much more than line the pockets of the already sickeningly-rich (owners AND/OR players)

 

[A_Iverson_I]

Also FTR Hairy.... the players didn't go "on strike"; the owners locked them out.

 

[hairyangryfella]

How about this then? The 43-57% split is unacceptable to the owners. They want a 50-50 split. This is a massive shift. But the players decide to counter offer in good faith by going more than halfway back on the 7% shift by cutting back 4%, to a 47-53 split.
Those owners, who are nothing but multimillionaires themselves, say NO? And refuse to budge 1%???

Those players travel around the country for 8 months of the year if they do well in the playoffs. The longest time they have with their family at one time is about 5 days. Basically their family time is screwed 8 months of the year. Don't get me wrong I'd swap with them in a heartbeat but it's no picnic.

Also who is attracting the audience? TV dollars? The players.

No one forces owners to sign cheques - Sure player managers are parasites but all owners have to do is say no, it's too much.

Jaames - no doubt about WR's - was just simplifying skills like Hairy had been. Hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in sports at the top level. But hitting a corner 3 with a 6'8 uber athlete in your face when you've run up and down a court for a whole game is no picnic either.

Lastly - get on twitter - all NBA writers are slamming the owners. Sure it's not all their fault, this was coming but their, and Stern's behaviour towards the players in the negotiations has not been good enough. And that's why we have a lockout.

The thing is, it's the owners who forked out the several-hundred million bucks for the team in the first place, so they should be entitled to the majority as a return on their 'investment'. Players are employees and contributed nothing to the purchase - though they are the drawcards to the performance...