NBA and union officials met briefly yesterday and
"agreed ... to resume full-scale collective bargaining" on
Saturday in N.Y., according to Mark Asher of the WASHINGTON
POST. After lengthy meetings on Friday, a source said the
sides were "essentially in agreement" on the mechanics of an
escrow account that would set aside money to be returned to
the owners if player salaries exceeded a certain limit. But
sources "aligned to the players" said yesterday that the
league "attached to their acceptance of the union's escrow
plan at least four conditions, two of which the union
considers to be deal breakers" (WASHINGTON POST, 11/24).
POOR TIMING ON THE FREE-AGENT ISSUE? In Newark, Dave
D'Alessandro reports that "at least one" player rep at
Friday's meeting said that a deal was "actually within
reach" until the owners "broached a long-forgotten
provision" on the Larry Bird Exception. The "timing rules"
have any team signing another's free agent giving up the
right to re-sign its own players under the Bird rule.
D'Alessandro writes, "Presumably, this issue was mentioned
yesterday" during the one-hour meeting, and "judging" by NBA
Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik's reaction "to the union's
latest protestation, it would appear" that talks have "taken
a step backward." Granik: "It's things like that that might
cause us to not make a deal this season." Magic C Danny
Schayes said the issues had been on the owners' "back sheet.
... Now it's become a 'we-gotta-have-it' issue. It's a
major problem." Granik: "You have to make up your mind --
you can't have it both ways. To go out and sign a big-
priced free agent, then go way over cap, and then sign your
own guys. ... If you want the Bird Exception, then do it to
sign your own player" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 11/24).
MORE TALK: Granik: "I'm sorry if you got too inflated
after Friday night. We did make some progress, but we're so
far apart on so many issues that we're really a long way
from a deal." Granik said NBPA outside counsel Jeffrey
Kessler's comments that the "timing issue" could be a deal-
breaker "weren't very conducive to making a deal." Granik:
"It's sort of typical that, as soon as we think we're
getting close on an issue, up crops some other issues that
is now their take-it-or-leave-it issue" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY
NEWS, 11/24). Spurs G Vinny Del Negro: "It seems whenever
we appear close to a deal, they throw a wrench into the
works" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 11/24).
CLEVER, VERY CLEVER: The Hornets sent out Thanksgiving
postcards to fans and supporters with a shot of their
mascot, Hugo, carving a turkey under the tag, "So Much For
The 'Bird' Exception!" On the flip side it said, "Thanks
For Hanging In There! Happy Thanksgiving!" (THE DAILY).
LOCKOUT FALLOUT: In N.Y., Mike Wise writes a follow-up
on Celtics G Kenny Anderson, who was quoted a month ago
saying he would have to get "tight" during the lockout and
perhaps sell one of his eight cars. Wise: "The backlash
Anderson suffered made me wonder if I should have followed
around an N.B.A. owner to see how he spent his money. If
the season ever does get under way, Anderson will be the
victim of a few chants behind the bench" (N.Y. TIMES,
11/24)....AZ attorney Andrew Peyton Thomas writes an op-ed
in the WALL STREET JOURNAL titled "NBA: Nasty, Brutish
Athletes." Thomas: "True fans of the NBA must hope that the
current labor negotiations will address the rising tide of
boorishness and outright crime that threatens to reduce the
league to a confederation of outlaws" (WALL STREET JOURNAL,
11/24)....PGA Tour player Mark O'Meara, on the lockout:
"When I hear players saying they can't play for $16 million
in one year, I'm sorry, I don't agree with that." Fellow
golfer Lanny Wadkins: "We don't have the unions bitching
about the things they're complaining about. I mean, NBA
players wanting marijuana to be legal? Give me a break.
These guys don't have a clue" (CBS SportsLine, 11/20).
