NBA Lockout and Collective Bargaining Agreement Discussion

[WTF]

Re: NBA Lockout and Collective Barganing Agreement Discussion

They aren't getting railroaded though Mack. These guys aren't the guys that "earned" the deal that they currently have in place. The 57% is from the Jordan years, the golden years of the NBA when it was at it's all time profitable highs. A LOT has changed since then and now.

I don't feel sorry for the guys at all. There are other venues for them to go and play if they don't feel like they're getting paid enough. They have nothing at stake, they are just reaping the benefits of a system that allows them to profit, without the risk of loss.

Sure, the owners shouldn't put up that much money for some scrubs, I don't feel sorry about that... but the league isn't in the same spot that it was in 12-13 years ago.

[aholbert32]

Re: NBA Lockout and Collective Barganing Agreement Discussion

I support the players in this as well. In the end I know why I watch NBA basketball and it's definitely not to see the owners.

They're the attraction so why shouldn't they get the majority of the revenue? Asking for salary rollbacks of 7% right off the bat just so the owners, who don't provide me with any entertainment, can be guaranteed a year-over-year profit? NBA franchises continue to rise in value. Whenever they decide to sell their franchise, the owner will still make money. Owners can demand taxpayer funded arenas or threaten to leave bigger markets, like Seattle, to a smaller market like OKC and I'm supposed to feel sorry for them b/c they can't be guaranteed a year-over-year profit? Cry me a river. Open up their books for all of us to see exactly how they are losing money.

The NBA is the biggest players' league out of the major sports. Their stars are instantly recognizable, unobscured by helmets and facemasks or burdened by tradition to be as bland and robotic as possible. If any athlete deserves 10 year/$250M deals, it is the NBA player. The next time any of us tunes in to an NBA game to watch the owners then maybe I will side with management.

Couple of things wrong with this statements:

-The NHLPA, MLBPA and the NFLPA are all bigger (NFL and MLB are bigger in size and recognition).

- The owners opened up their books to the Union a few months ago. The Union doesnt dispute that the owners are losing money.

- Selling a Franchise is not a cure all for losses. Say I buy a franchise for 400 million and I lose 50 million a year for the first 3 years I own it (Total of 550 mil). Lets say I sell it for 500 mil in year 4.....I've still lost 50 million. Bob Johnson sold the Bobcats to Jordan and took an overall loss from the transaction.

- Salary rollbacks havent been on the table for the last few months so thats a non issue. The 7% (57% to 50%) is not a salary rollback. Its lessens the guaranteed total money that players receive from Basketball Related income.

[Dame]

Re: NBA Lockout and Collective Barganing Agreement Discussion

And people remember this: The NBA is a Lifestyle League and the LAST thing they need to be get are $250 Mil deals especially when half of them are going broke off of $100 Mil deals.

I dont think no one is calling for the players to make 25 mil a year deals...Well i hope people are not arguing that if so I need to check my position.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: NBA Lockout and Collective Barganing Agreement Discussion

Steve Nash needs to shut the **** up.

Why are the owners unwilling to negotiate in good faith? As a player I apologize to the fans that we're in this position

but we will not be taken advantage of. In our hearts we're desperate to play, in our minds we know better and are prepared to #standunited.

Good faith? They've softened on the "hard cap", guaranteed contracts, salary rollbacks, and even went down to an even freakin' 50/50 split. How could he say that they're not negotiating in good faith?! UGH.

I'm starting to feel like I'll have a really hard time rooting for these players even IF there's a resolution to the lockout sooner rather than later. Almost past the point of no return for me.

[Dice]

Re: NBA Lockout and Collective Barganing Agreement Discussion

Don't know about anybody else but I've said plenty of times that the Owners are just as responsible for this as much as the players are, so I know I definitely haven't been giving them a pass. The only thing I've really disagreed with everybody on is the whole "Blaming the Owners for giving out the contracts" part because I can understand the whole deal behind that part.

OK. So if your laying equal blame then my comments wasn't directed towards you.

But at least with the Owners, for the most part they've known when to speak up and when to shut up whereas the players have had a difficult time learning how to do one or the other, which is why I continue to dog them.

Couldn't agree more. HOWEVER, when it comes to who is responsible for this mess, to me dogging the players because of ignorance makes no sense.

But saying you're appalled though...not really sure why you are just because everyone is supporting the players or laying full blame at the Owners' feet LOL.

I'm not saying I hate every owner BUT I've always had a disdain for majority of them. I've had that feeling for a while. As much as we all admonish the players for their 'love of money instead of the game', owners were the first robber barons to overprice the game and basically take it away from the average fan. NOW, at the games all you see are the corporate fans because the regular working class people have been priced out of the games. How in the hell can an owner justify a 10% raise in ticket prices and their team was one of the worst teams in the league the previous year? look around. You'll find that in every league. We often wonder how all of a sudden players are suddenly money hungry. Look at the owners they are playing for. We all know that sports is a business. BUT the sport should come first and the business second. In today's sport, the business side is first and foremost.

[23]

Re: NBA Lockout and Collective Barganing Agreement Discussion

To be clear, its all just entertainment... I cant sit and proclaim that any player deserves 250 million

Truth of the matter is, I sat there and watched MJ, Magic, Bird and a host of others provide me with much better quality basketball and the were making anything from 800k to 2-3 million tops

I just find that statement outlandish without though behind it

[WTF]

Re: NBA Lockout and Collective Barganing Agreement Discussion

I'm ready for college Bball... the only bad part about it is the lack of 82 games a season. I need a bball fix, but the mouths on some of the players is making it hard to cheer for them.

[23]

Re: NBA Lockout and Collective Barganing Agreement Discussion

Then to make jokes about Spreewell for how many years now then come back and try justifying these players is also backwards

[Dame]

Re: NBA Lockout and Collective Barganing Agreement Discussion

Steve Nash needs to shut the **** up.





Good faith? They've softened on the "hard cap", guaranteed contracts, salary rollbacks, and even went down to an even freakin' 50/50 split. How could he say that they're not negotiating in good faith?! UGH.

I'm starting to feel like I'll have a really hard time rooting for these players even IF there's a resolution to the lockout sooner rather than later. Almost past the point of no return for me.

What have the players given up in negotiations? I figured i should know this if I want to keep arguing for the players(tried to research it but get too many inconsistent things on google)

[aholbert32]

Re: NBA Lockout and Collective Barganing Agreement Discussion

Steve Nash needs to shut the **** up.





Good faith? They've softened on the "hard cap", guaranteed contracts, salary rollbacks, and even went down to an even freakin' 50/50 split. How could he say that they're not negotiating in good faith?! UGH.

I'm starting to feel like I'll have a really hard time rooting for these players even IF there's a resolution to the lockout sooner rather than later. Almost past the point of no return for me.

Is that another max level player standing united....LOL. Nash is doing ****ing FIFA commercials, getting endorsement checks while Ty Lawson has to play in Lithuania to pay his mortgage.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: NBA Lockout and Collective Barganing Agreement Discussion

50-50 is getting railroaded now?


Yeah, you don't really believe this at all and anybody that really does....may the force be with you...or at least in your brain.

Did you not post an article on here a few pages back that even mentioned how the 50-50 isn't exactly this fair even split that we're all believing it is because it has 50-50 in the title. You posted something about BRI still not accounting for all the league's money so giving the players a 50-50 split of that still isn't sharing all the loot they'll be hauling in on top of the givebacks the players are already giving. I'm sure the Union have far smarter people than us posting here with all the numbers and information right in front of them on why 50-50 isn't this glorious offering that it's being trumped up to be by the owners and honestly I've not seen a single thing in good faith from the owners and Stern in this whole mess for 50-50 to have suddenly been pulled out of someone's *** in good faith.

[aholbert32]

Re: NBA Lockout and Collective Barganing Agreement Discussion

What have the players given up in negotiations? I figured i should know this if I want to keep arguing for the players(tried to research it but get too many inconsistent things on google)

I'll walk you through it. Two months ago this is what each side wanted:

Players: 57% of the BRI, System remains the same

Owners: 56% of the BRI to owners, Hard cap, Salary rollbacks.

Today here is where they are:

Players: 53% (maybe willing to go to 52) System remains the same.

Owners: 50%, no hard cap, reduced midlevel exception, no salary rollback, amnesty clause and a higher luxury tax.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: NBA Lockout and Collective Barganing Agreement Discussion

This whole "Stand United" crap is just pissing me off to no end because it's just the top dogs of the NBA spitting out that crap and it's real easy for them to say that when the money isn't an issue for the atm.

Ask the Rank and File of the NBA if they wanna "Stand United" through all of this or hurry up and get paid and get back to Basketball?

[The 24th Letter]

Garnett should take Ray Allen's stance and realized that he has been blessed and honestly can't ask for anything more

Ray Allen has changed his tune.....I dont know if he talked with someone who actually knows the situation or realized hes one of the "millionares" hes talking about...but hes expressed his support since.

I dont mind the players being united, they should be. Me personally, I dont have a side, I want basketball.

I dont understand how some can say on one hand "owners were forced to give out bad contracts", but on the other hand cant get how someone doesnt want to take a paycut from the job theyve earned. The latter is much more relatable I would think.

Or maybe its just me....I just took a paycut, and I have a meeting in a month to talk about if we should be taking more....sure, I can feed my family fine....but ive worked to be in the lifestyle im in. ****, I wont go on about myself lol.

whatever, I just want ball.

[aholbert32]

Re: NBA Lockout and Collective Barganing Agreement Discussion

This whole "Stand United" crap is just pissing me off to no end because it's just the top dogs of the NBA spitting out that crap and it's real easy for them to say that when the money isn't an issue for the atm.

Ask the Rank and File of the NBA if they wanna "Stand United" through all of this or hurry up and get paid and get back to Basketball?

The rank and file are overseas playing basketball. I dont even think they have Twitter in Lithuania and Turkey.