CBA/Lockout Discussion Thread

[da ThRONe]

Re: CBA/Lockout Discussion Thread

The players have had their cake and ate it too for some time now.. just ask Eddie Curry. Well in his case he's had about 5 cakes LOL


Anyway, Just curious...who's side are you guys on and why?

Can't believe it, but I'm on the owners side. (Mostly)

Nobody owns a business to lose money. The economic down turn shouldn't effect only the owners. I think the NBA needs to be more competitive for the greater good of the sport. Sure the Lakers and Celtics should have an advantage, but not nearly as great as they do. We have to give people in Minnesota a reason to go see the Wolves once every now and again.

[WTF]

Re: CBA/Lockout Discussion Thread

I'm on the owner's side. I just can't see where the players are coming from. Yes, they are the talent, and get out there and play a game for a living, which is tough I get it.

If you don't want that job making millions, and would rather get paid what you're worth, go out and try to find a job on the job market. I don't care that you can't support your family on the 6-7 figure incomes... Here's an idea, make a lifestyle adjustment, be a little more wise with their money, and everyone wins.

The guys who own the teams shouldn't throw money around like that, but what are they supposed to do, when the players get an offer and bolt for the money?

I'm sorry, but I don't see the need for millions of dollars for playing basketball, football, or baseball. You don't like the salary you earn, make a career change and see where you end up. I guarantee that any of us here on OS would take the league minimum to play a game for a living.

[23]

Re: CBA/Lockout Discussion Thread

700K to sit on the bench and watch a pro game, sleep in fine hotels, let someone hit some jumpers over me in practice, or even fake an injury and act like i cant come back so I stay home and do what i want like open a side business... all for just nine months of the year... lets do it

[WTF]

Re: CBA/Lockout Discussion Thread

That's what I'm saying. If it is the way the league is saying, and several teams are losing money and/or not profitable... the players had better make a concession and give up some of that revenue, or else they'll all be in the real world soon enough.

Get over it overpaid whiners, until you end up in the daily grind like the rest of the world, if you're fortunate enough to get a job at all.

[da ThRONe]

Re: CBA/Lockout Discussion Thread

I'm on the owner's side. I just can't see where the players are coming from. Yes, they are the talent, and get out there and play a game for a living, which is tough I get it.

If you don't want that job making millions, and would rather get paid what you're worth, go out and try to find a job on the job market. I don't care that you can't support your family on the 6-7 figure incomes... Here's an idea, make a lifestyle adjustment, be a little more wise with their money, and everyone wins.

The guys who own the teams shouldn't throw money around like that, but what are they supposed to do, when the players get an offer and bolt for the money?

I'm sorry, but I don't see the need for millions of dollars for playing basketball, football, or baseball. You don't like the salary you earn, make a career change and see where you end up. I guarantee that any of us here on OS would take the league minimum to play a game for a living.

This isn't a fair assessment and nobody wants to watch us play for the league minimal and I'm a pretty good ball player.

How they earn the money they earn isn't even the issue. For me it's them not understanding the situation and adjusting accordingly. They deserve whatever money the NBPA and their agents can get them. They need to understand the current situation dictate that they need to take a pay cut for the time being.

[Drewski]

Re: CBA/Lockout Discussion Thread

700K to sit on the bench and watch a pro game, sleep in fine hotels, let someone hit some jumpers over me in practice, or even fake an injury and act like i cant come back so I stay home and do what i want like open a side business... all for just nine months of the year... lets do it

LoL, I've said I'll gladly sit on the bench and retrieve gatorade/water for everyone for a six figure annual salary a few times at work. So ridiculous.

[WTF]

Re: CBA/Lockout Discussion Thread

This isn't a fair assessment and nobody wants to watch us play for the league minimal and I'm a pretty good ball player.

How they earn the money they earn isn't even the issue. For me it's them not understanding the situation and adjusting accordingly. They deserve whatever money the NBPA and their agents can get them. They need to understand the current situation dictate that they need to take a pay cut for the time being.

Why is it not a fair assessment? Just curious to why you feel that way?

If the players aren't appreciative of the money that they've been paid for playing a friggin game, then let them go find a new job. It's as simple as that.

What I'm saying is, the league will fold if the lesser teams aren't able to show a profit... they lose their jobs... and all of their bickering about taking a cut in their percentages won't matter... and they'll all be looking for jobs elsewhere.

Take a cut off of your massively overpaid contracts, and play a game for a living. If you don't want to do that, go and work a regular job after you run through the million that you should have already saved.

I was a pretty decent ballplayer before blowing my knee out, and regardless if anyone would want to watch me fill up the water cups or hand out towels, that's on them. But if the players don't give up some of the share and allow the league to be profitable, then nobody will be filling up cups or handing out towels. It's simple.

If the only teams left are the 8 profitable teams in the league, then how many of these players that are "United" are going to be out of jobs so the rest of them can "earn" their millions.

Who loses then?

[Court_vision]

Re: CBA/Lockout Discussion Thread

If you don't want that job making millions, and would rather get paid what you're worth, go out and try to find a job on the job market. I don't care that you can't support your family on the 6-7 figure incomes... Here's an idea, make a lifestyle adjustment, be a little more wise with their money, and everyone wins.

It makes me sick every time I hear that line from a player. The average NBA players earns in a few years what a nurse and teacher earn in 60 years.

These guys have won the lottery.....instant millionaires who get to play basketball for a living and never have to crawl into an office and work 9 to 5.

Saying "the middle class players" need to be protected when their average salary is $4 million a year..............man, they've got to be VERY careful with this stuff as it's insulting to 99% of people.

I really hope this doesn't get messy. I love basketball, but I hate greed.

[WTF]

Re: CBA/Lockout Discussion Thread

Very well said monk, very well said.

When nurses, teachers, police officers and fire fighters on average make less than $40k a year where I live, I don't care if you are having financial issues on the lowly $4 million that you make in a year... When it's highly likely that most will never sniff that kind of money in a lifetime.

[da ThRONe]

Re: CBA/Lockout Discussion Thread

Why is it not a fair assessment? Just curious to why you feel that way?

If the players aren't appreciative of the money that they've been paid for playing a friggin game, then let them go find a new job. It's as simple as that.

What I'm saying is, the league will fold if the lesser teams aren't able to show a profit... they lose their jobs... and all of their bickering about taking a cut in their percentages won't matter... and they'll all be looking for jobs elsewhere.

Take a cut off of your massively overpaid contracts, and play a game for a living. If you don't want to do that, go and work a regular job after you run through the million that you should have already saved.

I was a pretty decent ballplayer before blowing my knee out, and regardless if anyone would want to watch me fill up the water cups or hand out towels, that's on them. But if the players don't give up some of the share and allow the league to better profitable, then nobody will be filling up cups or handing out towels. It's simple.

If the only teams left are the 8 profitable teams in the league, then how many of these players that are "United" are going to be out of jobs so the rest of them can "earn" their millions.

Who loses then?

There is a sense of entitlement that is rather sickening I agree. My point is we could do this with so many useless professions. These guys put in a ton of time into their craft and earn their money. The reason why you and me aren't getting the league minimal to play a game because there's no money in it. People already complain about the talent level in the NBA(which I don't buy).

They have position themselves to be able to make as much as they do and the right to argue for what they want. Who's to say owning a .com business, real-a-estate, or oil company is a more noble skill than hooping? Are we going to say cosmetic surgeons shouldntmake as much?

[Court_vision]

Re: CBA/Lockout Discussion Thread

Very well said monk, very well said.

When nurses, teachers, police officers and fire fighters on average make less than $40k a year where I live, I don't care if you are having financial issues on the lowly $4 million that you make in a year... When it's highly likely that most will never sniff that kind of money in a lifetime.

Not just the salary bro...these guys get accomodation, meals, travel all paid for. The kind of 'basics' that a working class person struggles with. A teacher / nurse has got to pay to get to work, buy their own food three meals a day...gets locked into amortgage with killer interest rates that eat away at their wage to the point there's little left for 30 years.

Even a "middle class" NBA player can buy a 5 star house within 12 months...never have a mortgage, never have to worry about where the next $ is coming from. Any dude who can't manage his life on $4 million a year has got serious, serious problems mentally.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: CBA/Lockout Discussion Thread

I'm really not on any side of this, I just want basketball in the fall. That said, I take issue with the constant arguments of getting paid to play a game cause that's not all these guys do. If I'm working at a bank, I maybe work, five, six days a week. I go to work, hand out some money, deposit some checks/cash, count some cash and maybe a few other responsibilities. When I'm done, I go home that night, I see my wife and kid, go to bed wake up and do it all over. I don't have to really do much of anything outside of that job once I leave those walls. If I'm a pro athlete, my job is literally my life. Some people won't even workout and get in shape to make sure they live as long as possible. You HAVE to stay in shape to be a pro athlete. Watching what you eat, what you put in your body and so on. I get up and go to practice, I may have a photo shoot to do, appear at some kid's school, make a visit to some army base or hospital or whatever other event the NBA Cares program has going on while things in my personal life may be complete **** and I don't feel like smiling at people all day. Nevermind the fact that for those six months of the season maybe eight if I'm deep in the playoffs alot of those nights I'm on the road away from my kid taking his first steps, hitting his first homerun, learning her first cheerleading routine or whatever the situation may be. Meanwhile I have to deal with jackasses who don't wanna work seeing me as an easy target to rob so my family's life is in danger EVERY SINGLE day moreso than the average guy and the money to pay for that kind of round the clock security people think I shouldn't get because I 'only play a game' and therefore am overpaid.

God forbid I wanna go out to a club or bar or something to unwind after work like the casual people everyone thinks I should be and live so much like. Cause when the jackasses there recognize me and decide they wanna get rich quick off picking a fight and suing I get crap for the rest of my career for being a trouble maker or an idiot for being in a club or uneducated or whatever other clever insults bloggers, sportswriters and internet message boarders come up with after hearing about the incident on the news.

Not a personal shot at anybody so don't take it that way. Just saying these guys have a lot more on they're plates than just 'playing a game' and it's annoying as **** when people bring that up for why they're overpaid. Greenberg made a good point this morning and it's one I ask all the time. Why is it, that no one ever raises a bitchfit about actor's salaries? Brad Pitt makes like...10-20 million dollars a movie for pretending to be something he's not. At least athletes have legitimate talent. No one ever goes on tirades about actors being overpaid whiners or CEOs that are living in million dollar houses when a lot of them all they do is sit on their asses and delegate they're work to someone making 80 thousdand dollars a year. When it comes to athletes though, especially basketball players, it's all in on dissing they're pay.

[WTF]

Re: CBA/Lockout Discussion Thread

I'm just saying:

League losing money (other than the 8 profitable teams noted on ESPN)

Players making large sums of money

If the other 22 teams in the league don't become profitable by getting a larger % of the income. 15 players per team x 22 teams = 330 players out of a job

LARGE amounts of stadium employees, team representatives & executives who don't earn millions of dollars but their families rely on the income of them having a job and going to work... are going to be out of work.

So in all, there is going to be 8 profitable teams x 15 players per team. What are the guys who are arguing that their pay isn't good enough going to do when they're all out of work? Do they think about the stadium workers who rely on their small wages who are going to out of work?

I know this isn't going to happen... but the league, if it doesn't figure out a way to become profitable could start contracting some smaller markets. A lot of people say this is a great idea, less diluted talent pool. If this happens though, because these small markets aren't profitable, then what happens to the all for one players stance? Are the ones who get to stay in the league going to look at the ones whose markets were contracted, and offer them a percentage of their paycheck, because they weren't willing to come to an agreement that would still be profitable for both players and owners?

I see where you're coming from, yeah they put forth all kinds of hours "honing their craft", and a lot of them are genetic freaks. Sure. Entertaining? You bet. What happens when a lot of them are out of jobs though... They aren't looking at the long picture. They're looking at the immediate future... If the "middle of the road" and lesser tier players would take a step back and look at it through my eyes... they'd see, "Hey, if we don't do something to make the league more profitable, my *** will be working a 9-5 soon..." "Sign the deal guys."

[King_B_Mack]

Re: CBA/Lockout Discussion Thread

WTF I totally get where you're going with the future talk. That said though man, this is putting all the blame for the league's failings on the players though. The owners still have to not be stupid ****s paying Darko the money he's making, or Rashard Lewis what he's getting or giving Eddie Curry the deal he got. The league could improve their revenue sharing to help with the problems they're having with these teams losing money but they don't wanna do that cause they're trying to take as big a bite of the pie that you're on the player's backs for taking.

[WTF]

Re: CBA/Lockout Discussion Thread

I'm really not on any side of this, I just want basketball in the fall. That said, I take issue with the constant arguments of getting paid to play a game cause that's not all these guys do. If I'm working at a bank, I maybe work, five, six days a week. I go to work, hand out some money, deposit some checks/cash, count some cash and maybe a few other responsibilities. When I'm done, I go home that night, I see my wife and kid, go to bed wake up and do it all over. I don't have to really do much of anything outside of that job once I leave those walls. If I'm a pro athlete, my job is literally my life. Some people won't even workout and get in shape to make sure they live as long as possible. You HAVE to stay in shape to be a pro athlete. Watching what you eat, what you put in your body and so on. I get up and go to practice, I may have a photo shoot to do, appear at some kid's school, make a visit to some army base or hospital or whatever other event the NBA Cares program has going on while things in my personal life may be complete **** and I don't feel like smiling at people all day. Nevermind the fact that for those six months of the season maybe eight if I'm deep in the playoffs alot of those nights I'm on the road away from my kid taking his first steps, hitting his first homerun, learning her first cheerleading routine or whatever the situation may be. Meanwhile I have to deal with jackasses who don't wanna work seeing me as an easy target to rob so my family's life is in danger EVERY SINGLE day moreso than the average guy and the money to pay for that kind of round the clock security people think I shouldn't get because I 'only play a game' and therefore am overpaid.

God forbid I wanna go out to a club or bar or something to unwind after work like the casual people everyone thinks I should be and live so much like. Cause when the jackasses there recognize me and decide they wanna get rich quick off picking a fight and suing I get crap for the rest of my career for being a trouble maker or an idiot for being in a club or uneducated or whatever other clever insults bloggers, sportswriters and internet message boarders come up with after hearing about the incident on the news.

Not a personal shot at anybody so don't take it that way. Just saying these guys have a lot more on they're plates than just 'playing a game' and it's annoying as **** when people bring that up for why they're overpaid. Greenberg made a good point this morning and it's one I ask all the time. Why is it, that no one ever raises a bitchfit about actor's salaries? Brad Pitt makes like...10-20 million dollars a movie for pretending to be something he's not. At least athletes have legitimate talent. No one ever goes on tirades about actors being overpaid whiners or CEOs that are living in million dollar houses when a lot of them all they do is sit on their asses and delegate they're work to someone making 80 thousdand dollars a year. When it comes to athletes though, especially basketball players, it's all in on dissing they're pay.

My problem with your first paragraph is from my time as a Police Officer. Your family is constantly targeted by the scum of the earth that you arrest. You literally fear after each arrest that this POS, who often lives in the same town as you do, will sit and wait for you to be called out (or even make a fake complaint to get you away from your home) and take action against you. It happens all the time. Going to schools and being a positive role model... part of the job. Being in the sight of the public, and being scrutinized for every single thing you say or do... always.

Constantly taking your job home with you. Yeah, it's there. Staying in shape, eating right... If you do it right, extremely important.

Do they make millions of dollars, sacrificing seeing a lot of family life, being away nights and weekends, going to court for unpaid trials and testifying against scumbags trying to keep them in jail on your "day off".

Making millions of dollars for trying to make things safer... Nope.

I don't care how anyone spins it. If you can't survive off of the median salary of $4 million per year, then you're doing something wrong. I don't care what you have going on, that you can't. Shawn Kemp and his 84 kids MAY be the one exception, but if he'd cut out the doughnuts, even he could budget on $4million.

Actors, singers... in the same boat. The only difference is, I don't think, and I may be wrong, that they've had a lockout because they weren't making enough, and the studios that produce the movies are profitable.