Suns President Jerry Colangelo said that his
conversations with Suns players "indicate that some" may not
be getting "all the details about the owners' latest offer,"
according to Bob Young of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. After
speaking to at least eight players, Colangelo said, "It has
been apparent that a lot of the information has not been
shared within the union. This isn't meant to attack the
union or break the union." Suns F Danny Manning: "You hear
about what's going on with their side from the Players
Association, and it's not quite the same as hearing it come
from Jerry. They could say exactly the same thing, but it's
just different hearing it come from the horse's mouth" (AZ
REPUBLIC, 11/11). Knicks President Ernie Grunfeld "spent
most of the day contacting his players." Knicks C/NBPA VP
Herb Williams: "He didn't try to put on a squeeze or
anything like that. He just called to say that if I had any
questions, or if I needed to clear anything up about the
owners' proposal, that he was there." Williams said it was
"important for the players" to hear Grunfeld, "just so they
can make up their own minds. Sooner or later, they'll have
to make a judgement. It's in their best interest to see
what's on the table" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 11/11).
FALK TALKS: David Falk is interviewed by Lacy Banks in
the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: "I know what David Stern is doing.
He's trying to use me as a scapegoat to divert the players'
attention away from the substantive issues of the deal. ...
My only concern is that all the players around the league
who don't know me too well don't get fooled by Stern's
negotiating ploy" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 11/11).
EWING HEARS BOOS: Patrick Ewing and Allen Iverson were
"booed" by fans at the Georgetown-Temple basketball game
last night at MSG. As Iverson and Ewing walked toward the
locker rooms just before halftime, "the fans let them hear
it." NBPA President Ewing: "Did they boo me? I'm trying to
do what's best for the players" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/11).
LOCKOUT FALLOUT: Bulls Chair Jerry Reinsdorf said the
NBA will have an alienated fan base when the lockout ends:
"Any time you make your customer unhappy, there's going to
be a negative effect flowing from it. Of course there's
going to be some residual bad (feeling)." But fans should
gain from a new economic system: "If we can control our
costs, we can control our ticket prices" (SUN-TIMES, 11/11).
...USA TODAY's Rudy Martzke reports that NBC Sports "has
told the entertainment division to arrange for programming
on Christmas," which was to mark the "NBA on NBC"'s opening
doubleheader (USA TODAY, 11/11)....Hornets C Vlade Divac has
"authorized his agent to pursue offers from Europe." Divac
said that he'd wait until "at least late December before
giving up on the NBA season" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 11/11).
