Man, what happened to the NBA?

[Irish Envy]

NEW YORK -- The players' association filed two unfair labor practice charges Friday against the NBA over issues with the new ball and the league's crackdown on player complaints.

The charges were filed with the National Labor Relations Board.

"I think that's right within the NBA's wheelhouse," Dallas owner Mark Cuban said. "They say the NBA stands for 'Nothing But Attorneys,' so we're going to be great at dealing with those issues."

A number of players publicly have complained about changing the ball from leather to a microfiber composite. Although players are adjusting to the new ball, they're having a much harder time with the crackdown on reactions after the whistle, often referred to as a "zero-tolerance policy."

Source: ESPN.com

 

[ACamp1900]

laughable

 

[Irish Envy]

Are these jokers for real? They're really filing a lawsuit about the type of ball (I've played with one at my gym and love it, BTW) and that they're getting too many technical fouls called against them? W-T-F.

Seriously.

I used to have admiration for the athletes in the NBA, but the league is now filled with prima donnas, thugs and guys that can't hit a midrange jumper or free throw. The league is a complete joke and I refuse to sit and watch games anymore.

It's sad... I grew up on the NBA, too. Larry Bird, Magic, Air... these guys were great and they played hard all of the time. They didn't bitch and when they did, they knew when to stop and put on a show.

 

[ACamp1900]

Doug Gotlieb (In place of D.P.) announced today that the NHL players assoc. will be filing a suit in response to the notion that the net might be moved back six inches in 2038...

 

[michigandomer]

Wow well that sounds quite beneficial hopefully this will help encourage their goal of making a fast paced game with many goals

 

[LuckoftheIrish86]

I can kind of understand the issue with the ball but the Technical Foul complaint is rediculous

 

[jmg21]

I actually still love the NBA - and I don't agree with those that say it is full of "thugs." Obviously, there are a few guys that fit the bill (Stephen Jackson and Ron Artest), but the league on the whole is not bad. The NFL, for example, has had many more players arrested/in trouble the last few years than the NBA has. For some reason, though, there is a double standard and fans overlook the NFL players' behavior. You can also see the same thing when it comes to steroids: baseball players that are suspected of taking steroids are villified while football players that get suspended for steroids are welcomed back with open arms. I don't get it.

To me, the complaints about the NBA are totally unsubstantiated. It's just one of those things where everyone complains that "the players are thugs, they can't hit jump shots, the refs don't call travelling" so much that people begin to take it as fact. I follow the league very closely and don't believe any of it to be true. Sure, players sometimes get away with traveling, but it's not as bad of a problem as people want to believe it is. MJ, Bird, Magic, and their contemporaries got away with it too. Plus, don't offensive lineman get away with holding on just about every down in football, anyway?

Sorry, this turned into a long-winded post, but it bugs me when people rag on the NBA so much because I'm still a big fan and I truly believe that the criticisms are unfair and exaggerated. That being said, I agree that the players union is picking a stupid battle here. I think that they are just trying to flex a little muscle - they aren't upset with the changes as much as they are that they weren't consulted about them before they were implemented.

 

[tedwick]

I'm sorry. But the tech's have gotten ridiculous. I'm a Pistons fan, so I certainly see my fair share of whining. But last year, Rasheed Wallace got a tech for LAUGHING. link here. This year, it's even worse. The players can't even DISCUSS fouls anymore. It reminds me of the "If you say another word, that's another week of grounding" parenting technique. And it makes no sense.

With the ball complaint: Can you imagine the fallout if the NFL changed their ball to one of the tacky (in the sticky sense, not the fashion sense) synthetic balls? "They're so slippery when their wet! Fumbles will triple!" "Recieving yards are going to double!" etc. The synthetic might be "better", but there was no real reason to change the ball (other than to drive up scoring, which apparently the ball does. the ball basically dies on the rim.)

The NBA is still pretty vibrant. I still enjoy watching. It's no '96, but there are still entertaining games going on.

 

[Pete]

Svo-
Thats why the US can't win gold anymore, a bunch of prima donnas who can't hit the midrange j or free throws.

Also jmg21-
A NFL team has 53 guys on the roster, while a NBA team has 12/13 on its roster.
NFL has 32 teams gets you 1696 while The NBA has 30 teams and you get 360 players.

 

[tommy]

i quit watching the NBA when jordan quit playing

 

[jmg21]

NBA roster are now expanded to 15 players, but there are obviously more guys in the NFL.

My point was more that you always hear people say, "the NBA is full of thugs - I can't watch in anymore" but you never here people say, "the NFL is full of thugs - I can't watch it anymore." I'm not sure why that is when both leagues have had issues with players getting in legal trouble.

 

[tommy]

i think its the whole nature of football ruthless mentality and that the fans are closer to the players

 

[jmg21]

I think a lot of it has to do with the visibility of the players, too. In the NFL, there is a lot more anonymity - the players are covered up in pads and helmets. We don't necessarily even know what most of the players look like (especially on the defensive side of the ball). There are only a handful of players (like Peyton Manning, Mike Vick, Brett Favre) that are recognizable stars. In the NBA, the players are seen/known a lot better.

 

[ChiND]

I also quit watching the Nuthin' But Asses after Jordan and Barkley retired. Iverson and the new crew REALLY turned me off...and then when (God forbid) they have to wear a tie and slacks on the bench -vs- the latest FUBU and bandana....

I wish I could get paid a couple of million and dress like a jackass!!

 

[tinman]

I used to be one of those guys that despised the NBA after the Celtic/Lakers rivalry of the 80's ended. It was probably because I felt the league had become too focused on the individual instead of the team, and I probably felt that the players epitomized that focus by becoming "selfish", too worried about their stats or their hip-hop image.

And all that may be true to some degree, but I can't watch Steve Nash and believe that. I don't watch Jason Kidd and think that. The playoffs last year were great to watch. The games were exciting, and fairly well played. I've got to admit that I'll sit down and watch a game when I can now.

This union thing...sounds like some politicking gone bad to me.

 

[trvtec]

Playing in a fantasy NBA league captured my attention for about 1 month, after that, same ole stuff with the NBA. I just can't get into it. I loved the Bulls in the '90's (who didn't?) but there just hasn't been that connection since for me.

Todd.

 

[dyrtdogg]

I used to be a huge NBA fan in the mid-80's. My wane in interest had more to do with the decline of passing, planned offensive plays being run, and overall team basketball, accompanied by the rise in 1-on-1 ball, than it had to do with the thug image. That being said, I completely support the NBA's right to take the measures they have taken to try to expand their game's appeal to a more mainstream audience. As employers, they have the right to dictate dress and codes of conduct (within reason, of course). I believe that the union's effort to attack this right is silly and, ultimately, futile. The ball issue sounds to me like something that should be addressed outside the legal arena between management and labor (unless management circumvented whatever procedure laid out for such rule changes).