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Leagues and Governing Bodies

STERN SHOWS LITTLE OPTIMISM AS LOCKOUT APPROACHES

          On "SportsCenter," ESPN's David Aldridge reported that
     NBA Commissioner David Stern "offered almost no room for
     optimism" in avoiding a long lockout.  Stern: "I think that
     once the shutdown comes, I would tune back in a longer
     period of time than they [the union].  Stay in touch but
     don't tune in for several months."  Aldridge: "The league is
     not anticipating any type of eleventh-hour negotiations,
     neither is the union.  There is going to be a lockout and
     it's going to be a long one and a difficult one."  Aldridge
     expects the owners advisory committee to recommend a lockout
     next week, "with a full vote to follow by all 29 owners and
     the lockout to come on July 1" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 6/24).
          ON TNT: TNT started its NBA Draft coverage with updates
     on a possible lockout.  Tape of NBPA President Patrick Ewing
     labor comments were followed by Craig Sager's interview with
     NBA Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik.  Ewing: "The owners
     want a bigger share of the pie, and we want our share of the
     pie and we feel that the pie is big enough for everybody,
     but we're not going to give back in what we've feel ...
     we've earned."  Granik: "I can understand that Patrick
     doesn't want to make any changes because the agreement has
     worked very, very well for the players.  It hasn't worked
     well for the owners. ... We've been in a system where the
     owners really have no knowledge in advance of how much they
     are going to have to pay in total salaries and that's what
     we have to try and correct in the new deal."  Granik said
     about a lockout that "looking at it right now I don't think
     that there's really much choice.  Absent some miracle
     between now and June 30, I think we'll have to commence a
     lockout on July 1."  Granik called the players' decision to
     boycott this summer's World Championships "very unfortunate
     for USA Basketball. ... I don't know why the players chose
     to take this position.  I think they must have some very
     serious misunderstandings about the relationship between USA
     Basketball and the NBA" ("NBA Draft," 6/24).
          STICKING POINTS: ESPN's David Aldridge said the Larry
     Bird exception continues to be "the sticking point" in
     negotiations.  Aldridge: "The owners want to try and limit
     the amount of money being paid out.  They want cost
     certainty.  The only way that you can achieve cost certainty
     ... is to limit the amount of money the owners are paying to
     re-sign their own free agents. ... But the players are
     adamant -- no limitations, no conditions under which they
     give up [the Bird clause]" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 6/24).
          TALK OF LOCKOUT: In Ft. Worth, Richie Witt reports that
     the Mavs "believe they will be able to keep consistent
     contact with at least a couple of players" during the
     lockout.  They hope that injured players may meet with team
     doctors and trainers at a site away from the team's facility
     to chart their rehabilitation (STAR-TELEGRAM, 6/25).
          FEELING A DRAFT: In Boston, Bob Ryan writes on last
     night's NBA Draft, saying it "has become one of the most
     depressing nights of the year on my sporting calendar.  What
     we had last evening was another example of the beast
     devouring its young" (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/25).  In Detroit,
     Terry Foster writes under the header "The Free-Agent Market
     Has Taken The Wind Out Of The NBA Draft."  Foster: "The
     draft is no longer about sending chills up your spine,
     unless you get one of the top five or six picks. ... Draft
     night is more fluff and puff than hard-core substance for
     most NBA fans" (DETROIT NEWS, 6/25).  NBC's Jay Leno: "The
     NBA Draft was held earlier today.  Top prospects are
     expected to receive contracts worth $20 million, which
     should just enough to cover the players' child support
     payments" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 6/24).
          NBA NOTES: The NBA will announce today that the 2000
     NBA All-Star Game will be held in Oakland (S.F. CHRONICLE,
     6/25)....NBA referee Joe Crawford was charged with tax
     fraud, the eighth official named for such an offense.
     Crawford "offered his resignation to the league and will
     plead guilty" (AP/ESPN SportsZone, 6/25).

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