"Silence greeted" the NBA one day after it canceled the
first two weeks of its regular season, according to Bart
Hubbuch of the DALLAS MORNING NEWS. NBA Dir of Sports Media
Relations Chris Brienza: "There have been a few calls, but
no huge outcry" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/15).
OWNERS PLAYING TOUGH: In Chicago, Lacy Banks: "In 26
years of covering the NBA, I never thought the owners would
sacrifice games to rein in the players. ... I believe this
lockout is about owners trying to bring players' attitudes,
as well as their salaries, under control. Both are related
because bad behavior in a public enterprise is bad business.
The market is being turned off" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 10/15).
In Houston, John Lopez writes that, unlike in most labor
disputes, the players are not fighting for a "cause."
Lopez: "This time, there is not one. At least there is not
one with a shred of nobility or benevolence to it." Lopez:
"For NBA players, this lockout shows that not only are they
like other reality-skewed pro athletes who have disappointed
fans before, but they are worse. ... This fight should go to
the owners. This fight by the players merely is about more,
more, more" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 10/15). On CBS SportsLine,
Bob Ryan writes the canceling of games is "good news, all
right, because we all will save money which would have been
spent watching games we really didn't want to watch." Also
on CBS SportsLine, Larry Guest writes, "The people I've
heard over and over the past few weeks [are] openly wishing
the NBA cans the whole bleeping season" (CBS SportsLine,
10/15). An editorial in the FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM stated
that unless a deal is reached quickly, owners and players
"could look up and find very few people in the stands when
play finally resumes. If that should happen, both greedy
parties would deserve it" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 10/15).
On "CBS Evening News," Byron Pitts said, "In the court of
public opinion, both sides have already lost" (CBS, 10/14).
"FIRE" THE OWNERS? In Sacramento, R.E. Graswich: "Fire
the owners. Let the players and their agents organize the
schedule. Let them keep all the money. Name one fan who
pays to watch an owner. I'm waiting" (SAC. BEE, 10/14).
