Going Off The Grid: Former Players Talk Favorite Hobby, NBA Expansion

"Going Off The Grid" is a weekly survey of sports execs and personalities offering their thoughts on a handful of pressing (and trivial) issues in sports and pop culture. This week, we caught up with five former players and National Basketball Retired Players Association members while they were in Charlotte for NBA All-Star Weekend to discuss their favorite city to visit during their playing days and advice they would give current players.

• Rick Barry
  -- Biggest gripe with today's NBA is that officials don't call the game by the rule book.
• Alex English
  -- Values the NBRPA for the connection and camaraderie it provides to former players. 
• Nancy Lieberman
  -- Loves to cook and has been to cooking school two or three times.
• Theo Ratliff
  -- His kids have turned him on to Cardi B and Migos.
• Sidney Moncrief
  -- Had to listen to "Start Me Up" by the Rolling Stones before every game.

Going Off The Grid
	Favorite hobby you've picked up after retiring?	Favorite city to visit during playing days?	Should the NBA expand?	Biggest change from your era to today's era of basketball?	Advice for current players?
Barry	New passion in life is fly fishing	S.F., Milwaukee and N.Y.	No -- you don't want to water down the product	Technology and advancements in training, nutrition, recovery	Appreciate what you have
English	Reading and writing	L.A., N.Y. and Houston	Yes -- they should return to Seattle and Vancouver or add Nashville	Shooting more 3's and analytics	Manage your money well and be kind to your fans
Lieberman	Golf and tennis -- I just love competing	Seattle	Only if it's beneficial for the league and owners	Ways of communicating with players in the digital age	Come prepared to work and don't take it for granted
Ratliff	Investing in businesses, especially tech companies	N.Y. -- nothing like the atmosphere in the Garden	No -- it would water down the league and game	Physicality on defense	Understand your net worth and cultivate relationships
Moncrief	Anything having to do with the outdoors	Gotta love N.Y., Boston, Philadelphia and the Bay Area	No -- talent will get spread too thin among teams	The 3-point shot	Be passionate about what you do and enjoy the game

Do you want to get your thoughts in the Grid? If so, shoot an e-mail to mchupita@sportsbusinessdaily.com.

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