NBPA President Buck Williams "has several ideas for
restructing the union," according to Roscoe Nance in USA TODAY.
Williams is considering a change in the bylaws to allow CBA
ratification by popular vote rather than a 3/4 vote of player
reps, a clearer definition of "power and responsibility" within
union leadership, a new electronic bulletin board "to get
information to players quickly, and the hiring of additional
staff. Williams: "A lot of restructuring needs to be done, and
the time is right. We've never been able to put into place an
up-to-date organization. We haven't had the revenues for a
first-class union. It's been run like a mom-and-pop shop."
Williams added the Exec Committee has not yet discussed a renewal
for Exec Dir Simon Gourdine. Williams, on Gourdine: "He took a
serious credibility hit. Simon has my full support. The bottom
line is he was able to press on and bring home a $5 billion
deal." Gourdine: "Of course I want a new contract. When it's
going to happen, I don't know" (USA TODAY, 9/22).
ONE VOTE FOR CHANGE: Hornet Alonzo Mourning, on Mitch
Richmond's attempt to establish a new union: "I'm not in favor
of forming a new players' union, but I am in favor of making some
changes in the present union. You know, I think we need to make
some changes, I'm not going to go into detail right now about
what we need to change, but I really feel that changes are
necessary" ("Up Close," ESPN, 9/21).
DEFCON 1: Yesterday, U.S. District Court Judge David Doty
granted a motion by the dissident players to withdraw their
request for preliminary injunction against the NBA (Jay Weiner,
Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 9/22).
