With NBA players "around the league starting to express
concern about the future, the players union brought many of
its team representatives to New York on Wednesday for a
session designed to provide information for the rank-and-
file," according to ESPN's David Aldridge. Aldridge: "Over
the past week, the union has tried to close ranks. Union
head Billy Hunter spent half an hour on the phone Tuesday
with Grant Hill and Tim Duncan. And he spent Wednesday on
the phone with Michael Jordan." More Aldridge: "Players
made suggestions on Wednesday on minor modifications to the
union's latest proposal. Hunter will likely call [NBA
Commissioner David] Stern either Thursday or Friday to set
up the next meeting. That meeting likely won't take place
until next week" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 11/11). Hunter had
a "more tranquil" attitude toward NBA personnel contact with
players and said that "team officials did not understand the
proposals as well as the players did." Hunter: "The
feedback we're getting is our players know more about the
proposals than those people associated with the teams. I
don't think they (team officials) know all the nuances [as]
well as we do. We spend a lot of time educating these guys"
(MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 11/12). In NJ, Dave
D'Alessandro calls yesterday's session a "shoring up [of]
the flanks at its most rudimentary level," as Hunter met
with 27 players (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 11/12). On CBS
SportsLine, Mike Kahn reports that "momentum continues to
build in opposite directions" (CBS SportsLine, 11/12).
STERN SITTING ON NEW OFFER? Hunter claimed that Stern
"wants players to miss their first two paychecks before he
gets serious about" negotiating. Hunter: "David indicated
he has another offer but he's not prepared to put it out
there at this time. He sort of indicated that the passage
of time was necessary. I interpret that to mean maybe they
need to sweat our guys a little longer" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER,
11/12). NBA Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik: "We have no
idea what he's talking about" (L.A. TIMES, 11/12).
HYMN A NEW TUNE: One day after saying he would benefit
from the owners' current offer, free agent G Eric Murdock
said Hunter and Heat C Alonzo Mourning discussed the deal
with him: "[They] broke it down and said in the long run, it
will turn out to be just like the agreement we reached in
'95. ... The way they explained it, the owners' proposal is
still a hard salary cap and no teams will have any room to
make moves. ... I felt good after the telephone call with
Coach Riley, but Billy broke it down. Coach Riley was not
trying to sell us anything. He just gave us the proposal
from the owners' point of view" (MIAMI HERALD, 11/12).
Speaking to Dave Shore and Kermit Washington on Portland's
KFXX-AM, Blazers G Damon Stoudamire said owners "haven't
been fair to us as far as what they have been proposing.
You just can't take anything" (KFXX-AM, 11/11).
SIEGFRIED & ROY LOVE THIS GAME: In Chicago, Lacy Banks
reports that Michael Jordan is "expected to join other NBA
stars" in an exhibition game scheduled for Las Vegas.
Hunter: "Whether or not [Jordan] will play won't be known
until the last moment. If he doesn't play, he'll coach.
But he'll be physically present and involved" (CHICAGO SUN-
TIMES, 11/12). In NJ, Dave D'Alessandro reports that the
"reason for the uncertainty, one source said, is that Jordan
is in relatively poor shape, and doesn't like being
embarrassed" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 11/12). Hunter said that
Showtime was interested in televising the event, but the
network had no comment (USA TODAY, 11/12). Besides for the
exhibition game, a "one-on-one tournament for NBA players"
is also being proposed (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 11/12).
HONEST ABE: In N.Y., Richard Sandomir profiles
Wizards/Capitals Owner Abe Pollin. Pollin: "We're prepared
to gut the season. We went into this knowing that if we
can't make a fair deal, the season would be gone." On the
NBA's recovery from the work stoppage: "I think the NBA will
recover quicker [than MLB]. There's no question the league
will survive. It's not something you look forward to, but
I'm sure we have some good ideas." Pollin also "praised"
the leadership of NBA Commissioner David Stern: "He doesn't
do this by himself. But we agree completely. There is 100
percent unity. There is no split" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/12).
FALLOUT: ESPN Chilton Sports Poll Founder Rich Luker
tells USA TODAY that the NFL "will be the prime beneficiary
of missed NBA action." Polling has shown that the NFL is
"already the most popular sport among people who actually
describe themselves as NBA fans. Luker said the NBA fan has
always been "soft" until mid-winter: "The NBA can get by
fairly unscathed if they're playing in February" (USA TODAY,
11/12)....NEW YORK magazine's Hugo Lindgren writes under the
header, "Who Owns The NBA?" Lindgren reports the "dealings
between the players and the NBA owners has nothing to do
with labor: It's a partnership between a content provider
and a distributor, and their dispute is not so much about
money as it is about power." But if Michael Jordan "started
his own league, it's hard to imagine he couldn't give the
NBA a serious run for its money" (NEW YORK, 11/9)....In
Chicago, Hevrdejs & Conklin: "Chicago theaters are off to a
strong start this season -- and maybe the Bulls' lack of a
start is a reason" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/10).