Federal Judge David Doty said Friday he would not rule on
the dissident players' motion to end the NBA lockout until after
the NLRB announces the outcome of the NBPA decertification
election. That announcement is expected tomorrow, but Doty said
he will not rule for about two weeks and gave no indication how
he might rule (Mark Asher, WASHINGTON POST, 9/9). NLRB Chair
William Gould: "The question of whether a majority of the NBA
players wish to continue to be represented by the union for
purposes of collective bargaining with the league should be
determined by this agency and not by a court" (AP/N.Y. TIMES,
9/9).
OUTTA HERE: According to the ORLANDO SENTINEL, Scott Skiles
has withdrawn his support from the antitrust suit against the
league, and his agent, Keith Glass, has resigned from the agents
advisory committee. Skiles, in a letter to pro-decertification
attorney Jeffrey Kessler: "I do this for my own reasons, which I
could never explain in letter form. I respect your efforts in
this matter but have grown uncomfortable with certain practices
which have accompanied my involvement" (Tim Povtak, ORLANDO
SENTINEL, 9/9).
MORE VOTES TO GET: The L.A. TIMES reports that NBA owners
are scheduled to vote September 18 on the proposed CBA. NBA
Commissioner David Stern: "I can tell you that I'm planning to
deliver the vote, and I've never had a problem before. And I
don't expect one now, although it won't be unanimous" (Scott
Howard-Cooper, L.A. TIMES, 9/9).
"AGENT FROM HELL"? David Falk was profiled by Tim Povtak in
yesterday's ORLANDO Sentinel. Povtak, on Falk's role in the NBA
labor dispute: "If the union is decertified when the election
results are released this week, Falk will be instrumental in
charting the next course of action the league will take." Povtak
also looked at the role of agents in the labor dispute. Povtak:
"Alternately described as slimy, sleazy or greedy, but rarely
credited for being shrewd, innovative or caring, sports agents
have been blamed for a variety of woes that have permeated the
sports world for years. The labor management/fight that has
handcuffed the NBA is just the latest -- but may be the most
serious --problem they supposedly have caused." Keith Glass:
"If the owners were such sweet people, I wouldn't have a job."
Steve Kauffman: "I personally have no desire to run sports. I
just want what's best for my clients. The reputation doesn't
bother me. We're already looked upon as slime. You can't go
much lower than that" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 9/10).
