NEWSDAY'S PARKER SAYS NBA'S ATTENDANCE BEARS WATCHING

          The NBA's early-season attendance was examined by Rob
     Parker of NEWSDAY, who wrote, "All you have to do is look
     around the NBA these days.  Not even the great NBA spin
     doctors can hide this fact: NBA attendance is down in
     several cities and hope for a rebound looks bleak."  
     Parker: "Fans seem to be deciding that the game they have
     been brainwashed to believe is fantastic, simply isn't,
     anymore.  For sure, the reality of commissioner David
     Stern's watered-down league has finally sunk in. ... The
     reason?  It's simple.  There are too many bad teams in this
     league.  Too much expansion has eroded the talent level,
     making many games both uncompetitive and boring to watch."  
     Parker added that attendance is also affected in some
     markets because "the prices at NBA games are outrageous, the
     average ticket now is up to $36.32.  It's a miracle there
     are any kids in the stands" (NEWSDAY, 11/24).