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Leagues and Governing Bodies

HOOPS HELD HOSTAGE, DAY 163: FISSURES AMONG THE AGENTS?

          NBPA Exec Dir Billy Hunter found that "dissension"
     among player agents is "beginning to grow" as they are
     "losing patience" with the NBA lockout, according to Tim
     Povtak of the ORLANDO SENTINEL.  Hunter held a conference
     call with agents yesterday and asked "for more patience
     until the owners sweeten their latest offer to avoid
     canceling the entire season."  But "not everyone bought into
     Hunter's theory."  N.Y.-based agent Norman Blass: "If I were
     in the players shoes, I'd bang out the best deal they can
     right now and run with it."  Another agent said, "The union
     is still telling us that the owners have more to lose than
     the players (if the season is canceled).  The value of their
     franchises will plummet if the season is canceled."  But
     Blass said Magic Owner Rich DeVos, Heat Owner Micky Arison
     and Blazers Owner Paul Allen "don't need a season.  The
     players can't make up the money they are losing" (ORLANDO
     SENTINEL, 12/10).  Detroit-based agent Harold MacDonald:
     "Basically, Billy Hunter told us that (NBA Commissioner
     David) Stern would never throw the season, that the league
     would suffer incalculable damage in doing so and he would
     never take that risk."  MacDonald said that Hunter was
     "confident that the league would be up and running" in
     January.  During the call, Hunter said that he was empowered
     to "turn down any offer" and would not "put what he felt was
     a bad deal to a vote of the players" (Chris McCosky, DETROIT
     NEWS, 12/10).  One agent said, "The real negotiations begin
     now. ... The damage is done."  The agent added that the
     union "no longer will insist" on receiving 57% of BRI and
     another agent said that there was some "talk" of the union
     "agreeing to some form of a hard salary cap in the late
     stages of a six-year deal."  But there would be no
     compromise on the Larry Bird Exception.  One agent: "The
     mood during the conference call was very positive" (Frank
     Zicarelli, TORONTO SUN, 12/10).  On "Fox Sports News," Elise
     Hart reported that David Falk and Arn Tellem did not
     participate in the conference call yesterday because "they
     don't need a conference call for their update ... they have
     access to union powers anytime they want" ("FSN," 12/9). 
          THROWING STONES: Agent Keith Glass "criticized his
     peers and the all-star players" involved in the Showtime
     charity game in Atlantic City, NJ.  Glass opposes any of the
     proceeds going to NBA players, saying "for them to say this
     will benefit N.B.A. players as a charity is wrong."  Glass:
     "None of my players has ever asked me for money and will not
     accept money from this game.  The entire portion should go
     to charity.  The idea that a player making $275,000 can't
     manage his money, and needs the fans to bail him out, is
     absurd and insulting.  If that's the break between agents,
     so be it."  In N.Y., Mike Wise writes that other agents
     "echoed Glass's concern."  One agent: "We are taking a
     beating on this thing.  Let's just make sure we keep these
     guys out of the casinos" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/10).  In St. Paul,
     Charley Walters writes that the "word" is that free agent F
     Tom Gugliotta is "reconsidering his commitment to play" in
     "The Game on Showtime" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 12/10).
          ISIAH STILL IN THE MIX: Isiah Thomas said he has been
     approached by several "former and current" NBA players to
     mediate the talks.  But Hunter told agents yesterday that
     Thomas "cannot be fully trusted by the union because he is
     employed by NBC."  Others "believe Thomas was not asked to
     mediate by the union because of his adversarial relationship
     with Falk" (Terry Foster, DETROIT NEWS, 12/10). 
          ALL THAT JAZZ: On "Fox Sports News," Chris Myers spoke
     with Karl Malone.  Malone: "I really, in my heart, believe
     the owners and Commissioner Stern have a proposal that I
     think is fair.  I think they're waiting, they're waiting for
     guys to miss three or four paychecks."  Malone, on player/
     owner relations: "A whole lot of trust [has been] lost and I
     don't think we can ever get that back" ("FSN", 12/9).
          SHAVING GRACE? NBA Commissioner David Stern to FSN's
     Elise Hart, on why he shaved his beard: "Someone in my house
     thought it would be a good idea if I shaved."  On whether it
     was a sign that the lockout was ending: "No, it's just a
     sign that it would be a good idea for me not to have a beard
     anymore" ("Fox Sports News," FSN, 12/8).

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