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Leagues and Governing Bodies

STERN SPEAKS ON FIGHTING AND RILEY VOWS TO CHANGE HIS RULES

          NBA Commissioner David Stern joined TNT's Ernie Johnson
     and Kenny Smith during halftime of last night's Pacers-Bulls 
     game.  Stern, on a possible lockout: "When you've had 52
     years without a disruption, you would tend to think that you
     could continue to do it.  It doesn't mean that we're not at
     a considerable gap in our negotiations, but I'd like to at
     least remain the optimist."  Smith asked if labor issues are
     strong enough to stop the league from playing.  Stern: "If
     you have several billion dollars of revenue, and
     undisputedly the league's finances continue to go down,
     where I'd say next year we'd be lucky to break even, there's
     something to negotiate over, and it's up to us and our
     players to find a way to bridge the gap" (TNT, 5/19). 
          ON LATRELL: Stern said he "was saddened" to hear of
     Latrell Sprewell's intention to file suit against the
     league.  Stern: "I think this indicates that Latrell may
     have a problem in terms of thinking of himself as a victim
     here.  And, the one thing I can tell you is Latrell Sprewell
     is not a victim" (TNT, 5/19).  Sprewell has called a news
     conference for this afternoon in Oakland where he will
     announce his suit against the league (Mult., 5/20).  In
     S.F., Tim Keown writes the suit "is a more egregious act
     than the one that spawned the whole mess" and represents a
     "horrible misreading of public sentiment" (CHRONICLE, 5/20).
          ON YOUTH: During TNT's pregame show, Nets F Jayson
     Williams wondered "why" the NBA has "to take people in who
     are 18 and 19 years old.  Why not let them go to college and
     come out to be a Keith Van Horn, a Tim Duncan. ... I think
     we're now bringing in kids that are too young, and it's
     hurting the college game, and it's not doing [anything] for
     the NBA game."  TNT's Kenny Smith cited those remarks to
     Stern, who replied, "On balance, if you're running a league,
     you'd like the players to come in more fully developed. ...
     On the other hand, it's hard to tell those players that, no,
     we've decided what's best for you, even though you and your
     family think you have the ability, you have to stay out.  We
     have a couple of ideas to make it less attractive, perhaps,
     for young players to come in" (TNT, 5/19).
          ON FIGHTING: Stern said he met with Heat coach Pat
     Riley and Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy yesterday about the
     teams' hostile rivalry.  On Van Gundy's attempt to break up
     the Alonzo Mourning-Larry Johnson fight: "You know, it's not
     funny, because he could have gotten hurt."  TNT's Johnson:
     "Would you suggest those guys stay on the sidelines?" 
     Stern: "No.  I'm suggesting he came out to try to be a
     peacemaker, but ... trying to be a peacemaker, he put
     himself at risk. ... [I]t just shows the importance of
     eliminating the risk by ... demanding our players, and our
     coaches, and our teams, to tone it down" (TNT, 5/20).  After
     meeting with Stern yesterday, Riley said, "I don't like
     what's going on with the league.  I don't like the approach,
     the attitude of a lot of the players, and the overly
     physical play, the gesturing and the provocation. ... I'm
     tired of it.  Not only on my team, but in the league. ... If
     they say I'm contributing to that, then I have to do things
     a different way" (Steve Wyche, MIAMI HERALD, 5/20).

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