NBA officials announced recently that all November games have now been canceled. (Yawn.)They must be ready to stick to their guns since NBA-TV is already hard up for programming.The other night they showed back-to-back-to-back “Hoosiers.”Classic movie but that’s not the point. Maybe they’re hoping the spoiled pro players will watch a movie about the true love for basketball.Those kids poured out their hearts and souls for that little town of Hickory and got nothing in return but their team picture hanging on the gym wall.They also came away with a sense of pride and the meaning of a team.
The players bickering in this NBA lockout have no pride or could not care less about the team.They want those extra millions to support their materialistic habits.Can’t say the owners are in the right either.
Kris Humphries got the shaft.Not only is he not playing basketball and making lots of money, his wife, Kim Kardashian, kicked him to the curb and is threatening to keep the $2 million ring.Ouch. His brother-in-law of 72 days, Lamar Odom, must be keeping his Kardashian happy as he is still following her around everywhere she goes.What else does he have to do? It seems to me that these whining overgrown boys would be thrilled to get paid the huge salaries that they have been getting and get on with their shallow lives.
NBA Commissioner David Stern has locked horns with National Basketball Players Association President Derek Fisher.While they have some progress on “system” issues, the split of the all-important revenue has caused a great divide. The NBA and owners have offered a 50–50 split, but the players’ union is holding firm with its demands of a 52 percent share.That may not seem like a big deal but it accounts for millions upon millions of dollars.
It’s rumored that Fisher is playing one side against the other while trying to stay in favor with both of the parties.That’s unlikely to happen as they would have to get 30 percent of the players to sign a petition and a majority vote in favor.Fisher is trying to calm the union by harping on his allegiance to them. The UALR alum has denied any secret negotiations or side deals.
The lockout, which began on July 1, does not appear to be over anytime soon unless appointed federal mediator George Cohen can get the two sides to agree. Fisher has stated that although the players want to get back to work, they will not sign off on a bad deal just to save this season.
Hopefully the players have enough money in their bank accounts to last them awhile.But the real everyday people who depend on these games for an income are out of luck.The arena workers, food service providers and other businesses that profit from the basketball industry will be left out in the cold.The owners and players are pointing their fingers at each other, but we all know there is enough blame to go around every arena in the country.Stop your whining and get on with it.
