BLOOMBERG's Scott Soshnick reported that the NBPA
yesterday "filed an unfair labor practice charge against"
the NBA, "alleging that its use of microphones on coaches
and referees and its plan to put cameras in locker rooms
weren't agreed to by the players" (BLOOMBERG, 3/27).
NHL: In NJ, Brad Parks notes that in recent "stick
swinging incidents" during NHL games, the "player on the
receiving end of the stick was black. Connection or
coincidence?" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 3/28). USA TODAY's Kevin
Allen writes, "On talk shows, and around the water cooler,
people, particularly non-[hockey] fans, have noted that the
NHL has only a small number of minority players and two have
been assaulted." The issue was raised on Tom Joyner's
nationally syndicated radio show. Joyner: "If you want to
integrate the sport, you cannot go around hitting your black
hockey players with your stick and expect black people to
get involved in the game" (USA TODAY, 3/28).
CART: In Toronto, Michael Grange noted CART's decision
not to hold a ceremony to retire the number of the late Greg
Moore, who died in a CART race last year, at the season's
opening event Sunday in FL. CART VP/Communications Ron
Richards: "We had thought about having a ceremony to
officially retire Greg's number. But there were some
members of our community who wanted to move on and not
necessarily have the ceremony held here." Grange cited
sources as saying that the "resistance came from some of"
Moore's fellow drivers, who "felt that recognizing Moore
moments before" the race "might prove a distraction." Also,
sponsors "simply wanted the season to begin on a more
positive note" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 3/27).
