Just For Feet and Caesars Atlantic City will sponsor
"The Game on Showtime" exhibition on December 19. Just For
Feet will be the lead sponsor and Caesars will be the
official site and hotel sponsor of the event (THE DAILY).
ARE PLAYERS TALKING TOO MUCH: Players will miss their
fifth paycheck of the lockout Tuesday (N.Y. DAILY NEWS,
12/13). Heat F P.J. Brown said criticism over the players
earmarking some of the Atlantic City game's proceeds to
fellow players in financial need was misguided. He said
that despite the controversial comments of Heat C Alonzo
Mourning and Knicks C/NBPA President Patrick Ewing, "there
are some guys who are hurting out there" (MIAMI HERALD,
12/13). In Miami, Steve Wyche reported that the "negative
backlash" surrounding the December 19 game has led Heat G
Tim Hardaway to say players "should be seen and not heard."
Hardaway: "We should have a gag order on some of our
players. Some people are not saying the correct things.
They're blah, blah, blahing this out and blah, blah, blahing
that out, and man, ... they should be quiet." Wyche wrote
that "it was clear" Hardaway's comments were aimed at
Mourning and Ewing. Hardaway: "People are ready to see
basketball and wouldn't mind paying to see it. But what
people on our side are saying may have turned them off."
Wyche wrote that "some players feel if the game flops, the
aftermath could be ugly." P.J. Brown: "If this thing flops,
there are 400 guys with 400 different opinions, and you're
going to hear some flak" (MIAMI HERALD, 12/12).
ENGLISH ON THE BALL? On CNN/SI.com, Alex English wrote,
"In the end, I think these exhibitions may prove to be an
embarrassment for the players -- proving that, as
individuals, they amount to little without a competitive
league to showcase their talents" (CNN/SI.com, 12/11).
NO LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN? Former NBPA Exec Dir Charles
Grantham said he doubts the players could form a "credible"
new league. Grantham: "First of all, there would have to be
pockets of endless depth. Then, where would these teams
play and where would the investors come from? There are few
arenas around the country that aren't owned by the league's
team owners." One NBA team exec: "It's one of the more far-
fetched ideas I've ever heard. Where are they going to play
and who is going to deal with the labor-league relations in
that league" (Martin McNeal, SACRAMENTO BEE, 12/12).
CHARITY FROM THE MILLS FACTORY: Sunday's Chris Mills
charity game at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion, which featured
numerous NBA players, drew roughly 2,000 fans. In L.A.,
J.A. Adande wrote it "didn't do much to whet the appetite
for the real NBA season" (L.A. TIMES, 12/14).
