Players pushing for decertification meet today in Chicago,
and will hold a press conference (Mult., 8/16). On the late
edition of ESPN's "SportsCenter" last night, Dan Patrick reported
that Michael Jordan "will apparently be a no show"
("SportsCenter," ESPN, 8/15). Agent Bill Strickland: "We hope
to demonstrate the decertification effort is still alive and
enjoys widespread support through the ranks of players. The
(tentative) agreement had done nothing to placate players'
concerns" (USA TODAY, 8/16).
FLY THE FRIENDLY SKIES: NBPA Exec Dir Simon Gourdine said
yesterday that union officials will meet players in 17 cities
through Aug. 28. The schedule: Oakland, L.A., Seattle, Phoenix
on Thursday; Denver and Chicago on Friday; Cincinnati next
Tuesday; Indianapolis and Detroit next Wednesday; Dallas, San
Antonio, and Atlanta on August 24; Charlotte and Houston on
August 25; Orlando on August 26; and Newark and Baltimore on
August 28 (Tim Povtak, ORLANDO SENTINEL, 8/16). Gourdine: "We
consider decertification to be a referendum on the agreement.
The issue of decertification is critically linked to whether or
not this agreement is something the players want. If they vote
to decertify, they are implicitly rejecting the contract and want
to proceed along the antitrust route. Conversely, if they vote
against decertification, they are saying they are approving of
the what the union has done and approving of this contract"
(Terry Armour, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/16).
