Several NBA players yesterday "displayed their solidarity all day long with dozens of 'LET US PLAY' tweets and #StayUnited hash tags at the urging" of Lakers G and NBPA President Derek Fisher, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (10/10). Immediately after the NBA formally canceled the first two weeks of the season, several players took to Twitter, and in West Palm Beach, Ethan Skolnick noted it “included not only the two aforementioned slogans but also question-and-answer sessions (by Suns swingman Jared Dudley) and dissertations (from Suns star Steve Nash, who tried to convince fans that cutting salaries won't lower ticket prices)" (PALM BEACH POST, 10/11). Nash on Twitter last night wrote, "The players are negotiating to take less money & let's be clear that's not going to lower ticket prices, it just lines the owners pockets." He added, "You believe that? There's a reason they won't open their books. You know we want to play & you understand the propaganda/misinformation from the owners" (ARIZONASPORTS.com, 10/10). Heat G Dwyane Wade wrote on Twitter, "STERN's 'WORDS' 2day hurt the ppl who work at the AAA,other arena's,as well as local businesses &our fans." He later posted, "Those are the one's who are affected by STERN's 'WORDS' 2day..its a Lockout-NOT a Strike" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 10/11). Heat F LeBron James wrote on Twitter, "I wanna sincerely say sorry to all the fans!" (ESPN.com, 10/10). The PALM BEACH POST's Skolnick noted, "It’s clear that Wade has embraced the role as heavy during the lockout, while James has been advised not to get too far out front" (PALMBEACHPOST.com, 10/10). In Ft. Lauderdale, Mike Berardino asked, "What better way than Twitter to follow the frustrations of locked-out NBA players?" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 10/11).
STICKING TOGETHER: Trail Blazers F LaMarcus Aldridge indicated that he "will take a closer look at his overseas options." He said, “It could get bad. We thought it was going to be a good negotiation this time. We didn’t actually think this was going to happen. But we prepared for the worst." 76ers F Elton Brand said, "We are sticking with the union and what we are doing. I wish we were playing, and I hope we don’t alienate our fans but, at the end of the day, we were locked out. It’s a lockout” (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 10/11). Magic G and NBPA player rep Chris Duhon said, "This is something we expected for at least two years now. We've been preparing ourselves for it" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 10/11).
THERE'S STILL TIME? SI.com's Ian Thomsen writes, "Can the season be saved? The answer is yes, so long as the NBA owners are willing to negotiate into January, as they did to resolve" the '98-99 lockout. Thomsen: "In many ways these entire negotiations have gone according to form. ... The players are fighting to maintain their right to guaranteed contracts." But the "argument of equality among clubs vs. job security for players is proving to be divisive" (SI.com, 10/11). CBSSPORTS.com's Ray Ratto writes Stern "knows from his years on the job that the hardliners lead early, and the moderates are the ones who finish." But he "sees that the moderates have not yet decided to take control of the room, so he plays hard-nose for as long as he must" (CBSSPORTS.com, 10/11). Indiana Univ. School of Law Dean Gary Roberts said, "There’s a lot of concessions and painful adjustments that are going to have to be made for this to work itself out. And I don’t see that happening at the earliest probably until January. If they don’t have it worked out by then, you will lose the whole season" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 10/11). TRUE HOOP's Henry Abbott writes the assumption that players will eventually "do most of the conceding ... is frustrated by some recent realities." Abbott: "The main one is that players are currently invigorated and strident. That the union has recently taken a harder line is due not so much to the union leadership, but to players stiffening their negotiators’ spines. ... What’s clear now is that Hunter has moved to meet his players, rather than vice-versa. Looking forward, you have to wonder if Billy Hunter has a capacity to meet the owners' current position and hang onto his position" (ESPN.com, 10/11).
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Fisher acknowledges that decertification
of NBPA remains an option |
WHAT ABOUT DECERTIFICATION? Fisher acknowledged yesterday that union decertification "remains an option, but it remains to be seen whether a group of agents that for much of the summer has favored decertification will renew that push." One source said that the "latest demise of negotiations would not reignite a decertification pushing." The source said, "There's still time for talks to heat up again" (ESPN.com, 10/10). In San Jose, Adam Lauridsen wrote, "The sole game-changing move left for the players to pursue is to get a referee for this dispute: the courts." Lauridsen: "Although decertification is a radical step that will almost certainly wipe out the season if followed to its natural conclusion (litigation), it's the players' best chance for a deal better than the one currently on the table" (MERCURYNEWS.com, 10/10). In Atlanta, Michael Cunningham wrote, "Now we'll see if the players can maintain solidarity even as they lose money" (AJC.com, 10/10). In Oklahoma City, Jenni Carlson writes, "I've been on the side of the players' all along. ... But the players aren't blameless in this labor impasse, and frankly, I suspect the longer this lockout drags on, the more fault will fall on them" (THE OKLAHOMAN, 10/11). NBA TV’s Steve Smith said when games are cancelled, players “start to say, ‘Yes, this thing is for real,’ and we shall see how far it will go now.” TNT’s Kenny Smith said, "There’s no win when it goes past and you start cancelling games because no one seems right ... in the public perception.” (NBA TV, 10/11).
WHO'S AT FAULT? ESPN.com's J.A. Adande wrote under the header, "NBA Shows It Has No Game." Adande: "You know what else the NBA is asking us to believe? That a new system will automatically eliminate the case of the overpaid player. Why should we believe that when, for the most part, these are the same owners and general managers who continued to overpay players despite all of the cost-containment mechanisms that were already in place. The other fallacy is that if the owners get what they want it will promote competitive balance throughout the league" (ESPN.com, 10/10). In Memphis, Geoff Calkins writes, "What exactly did the players expect from the owners? What part of '$300 million in annual losses' didn't they understand?" Calkins: "Any sympathy I might have for the owners dissipates pretty quickly when I consider the example of the local one, Mike Heisley. After the most successful season in Grizzlies history, a season of triumph for the entire organization, he responded by taking a hard line with his assistant coaches, by laying off a half-dozen employees. ... This is what the players are up against" (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 10/11). Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver's "name has come up often with regards to the NBA's labor talks, and usually not in a positive light.” Sarver wanted to “remind everyone that the truth of his involvement will, at some point, be known." Sarver said, "I can say that eventually, when it's over, the facts of my role and my involvement will come out. And I look forward to that happening" (ARIZONASPORTS.com, 10/10).
MEDIA REAX: In DC, Michael Lee notes for the "second time in the past 13 years, the NBA will have a shortened regular season" (WASHINGTON POST, 10/11). In Toronto, Doug Smith writes, "Coming off a memorable season of unbridled fan support and astronomical revenues, the NBA is shutting down" (TORONTO STAR, 10/11). In Houston, Jonathan Feigen writes, "Amazing didn't happen. And it won't anytime soon" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 10/11). In Boston, Gary Washburn writes “the damage to the fans may be irrevocable” after the announcement that games have been cancelled (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/11). In N.Y., Mike Vaccaro writes, “How many true die-hards are there really? Well, we’re about to find out. And it's possible Stern, Hunter and the rest are going to get an eye-popping dose of truth” (N.Y. POST, 10/11).
IN OTHER NEWS: Thunder C Byron Mullens “has decided to leave Greece.” After signing with club Panionios last month, Mullens “had a change of heart and decided to come back.” He said he “felt out of the loop not being with my team here” (NEWSOK.com, 10/9)….Hornets officials said that “they need 835 more season tickets to be sold to reach their 10,000 sales objective” (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 10/11)…. In Orange County, Kevin Ding writes “even though revenue will be lost with this first cancellation of games, the Lakers don’t have any layoffs planned -- but it’s partly because they planned for this by not renewing many employee contracts at season’s end” (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 10/11).
