From the Chicago Tribune:
“Everybody know it’s not [the players’] fault. If it was up to us, we’d be out there playing. I think it’s wrong. I know [the owners] can easily take care of it and not take advantage of people.
“They’re not thinking about anything we’re saying. They’re not taking into consideration anything we’re trying to give them.
“The biggest thing is you just want to get back out there and play, It will hurt us. But it will hurt basketball period. We had a great year last year. For us not to have a season or take this long to come up with a deal, I think it’s wrong.”
No offense to Derrick — because, seriously, I love the kid — but his comments are a pretty drastic oversimplification.
I mean, he says: “If it was up to us, we’d be out there playing.” This statement overlooks the fact that it is up to the players. They could accept the deal being offered by the owners, resume making millions of dollars, and be playing basketball right now (or very soon).
Whether or not the owners are thinking about anything the players are saying or trying to give them…I have no idea.
Rose is correct that the lockout is hurting basketball period. Most troubling is the “oh well, ho hum, who cares” attitude the general public seems to have about the potential for a canceled NBA season. None of the hand-wringing and sheer panic associated with the NFL lockout is happening with regards to the NBA lockout.
This is coming on the heels of one of the more compelling seasons in recent NBA history.
To me, that’s the sign of a flawed product. David Stern and the owners are, ostensibly, concerned about the long-term financial viability of the NBA as a business. They’re so concerned about how the honey pot should be divided that they don’t appear concerned about the ever-widening gulf between the fans of the sport and the sport itself.
And so now the owners and players are willing to lose a season — maybe more — to settle their differences. Are they also willing to strike a damaging and lasting blow to their fan base?
A lasting blow to the NBA fanbase won’t ever even happen no matter how nasty this lockout turns out to be,especially when this NBA fanbase has already seen this movie once before during the 98-99 lockout when just 50 games were played and yet the fans still stayed with basketball all the way until today.Another thing this is–this has always been a nation that gets over and totally tolerates the harshest circumstances no matter how nasty they are.GO BULLS!!!!!!!!!!
While Rose’s argument is trivially mistaken, you’re missing the point by saying that the players can get things started by taking whatever ridiculous proposal the owners deign to throw out there.
It’s purely unreasonable to ask the players to cover new owners’ loan payments, as though that’s some sort of league operating cost. Yet, covering those payments amounts to 2/3 of the “$300m” in losses that the league is reporting.
Sure, the owners are having problems with their *other* businesses because of the economic downturn, but it’s not a basketball issue and owners are deeply dishonest in trying to say that it is.
When Antoine Walker’s real estate investments blow all his money away, the players don’t get to say that they deserve a bigger cut of the BRI.
So, yes, I suppose the players could technically take whatever ridiculous “deal” the owners are offering, no matter what it is, but there’s a point where it’s unreasonable for fans to expect them to cave in when the owners aren’t offering a deal that acknowledges what the players are actually worth to the league.
Sorry D-Rose, but you’re wrong on this one. At a time when owners are incredibly worried about their investments, with some teams even losing money, the players should do like Dennis Rodman said and simply stand down.
It is almost embarrassing how greedy the employees (players) of the NBA are being. I wish I could go to my boss and tell him I’m not writing another line of code until you raise my already obnoxious salary.
D-Rose made $6mill+ this season…how the hell are you going to start demanding more money? What happened to the modest kid from Englewood? Seriously, players thinking they’re owed something more is incredibly egotistical and disrespectful to the fans who work their butts off to pay for overpriced seats and jerseys.
The NBA is a joke. They need to take this time to figure out how to fix it. Having some of the over paid players go over seas is not bad for basketball. Having players that come in and actually care about their team instead of just the money and the fame is something that the NBA needs. Or they can sign a deal and get back to business as usual, having all basketball fans go to college games and then catch ESPN’s Top Ten at the end of the night.
The lockout is going to force players overseas which will broaden the fan base in the longterm.. This is an investment in the future of the NBA in a global marketplace. Nice one NBA
This is only Happening because of the Overpaid, Spoiled, GREEDY Players. There Shouldn’t be any Money Split to Them. Their already Super Overpaid!
This lockout is the fault of the owners. I’m not just siding with Derrick. The whole reason that the NBA makes the money that it does is because of the players. Fans don’t buy expensive tickets to watch the owners. Even though they are responsible for managing teams and making them great, a team depends on its players.
“When Antoine Walker’s real estate investments blow all his money away, the players don’t get to say that they deserve a bigger cut of the BRI.”
Exactly.
The only reason the owners have ANY public support is because the fans view the owners as stalwarts of the business world with near-magical powers in idea creation and idea implementation. On the other hand, that see the players, in general, as lucky bums who should be thankful they have been given the chance to play a game for money by the owners and would likely be out on the street selling drugs, robbing liquor stores, or doing some other menial tasks to earn a meager living.
The owners want near guaranteed profits, special exemptions from standard antitrust & labor laws,the ability to separate basketball revenue from their other business empire revenue as if it isn’t all related, and salary inflation protection, not from the players mind you, but from THE OTHER OWNERS.
What part of free market capitalism is that? Adam Smith is rolling in his grave.
“It is almost embarrassing how greedy the employees (players) of the NBA are being. I wish I could go to my boss and tell him I’m not writing another line of code until you raise my already obnoxious salary.”
Although your analogy is critcally flawed in many respects I’ll first address it on it’s face.
You COULD do that! And your boss has the option of either granting your request (which happens ALL THE TIME in business) or telling you no. At which point you can either go back to work or QUIT.
Now, as we both know, software developers are vastly easier to come by than elite world class athletes/entertainers. Plus, you do no generate the amount of revenue that basketball player do nor are you negoiating with the COLLECTIVE of developers at your job. In fact, I’m sure your company would go on unaffected by your absence.
I repeat…
“The only reason the owners have ANY public support is because the fans view the owners as stalwarts of the business world with near-magical powers in idea creation and idea implementation. On the other hand, that see the players, in general, as lucky bums who should be thankful they have been given the chance to play a game for money by the owners and would likely be out on the street selling drugs, robbing liquor stores, or doing some other menial tasks to earn a meager living.”
Wow, Wow wow,
1) When the last strike happend the NBA had MJ to thank for bringing back the fans to the game the league was losing money and support .
2) The owners make tons of money if it were not for the players the owners would not be able to make the money they make , in hindsight if the players should decide to go and start there own league I think they would actually get alot of support for we the fans don’t spend our money on games and jerseys because of who owns the team.
3) D Rose has a valid point because I myself feel even though the players are over paid thus so are the owners which in this case makes them both greedy not just one or the other mean while they are losing millions now missing games and other Jobs for people that are lost for the time being.
4) The NBa might lose big support I for one if it were not for my favorite player D Rose playing in the NBA I would be done wit it now there are other sports ,I will survive without NBA B Ball. The real Question is will the NBA once it settles this thing survive without real fans that love the game . I fed up with this stuff someone is getting more than me wa wa wa they are all just greedy plain and simple . Money is the root of all evil.
They need to grow up and why can’t they play under the old contract at the very least until a new one gets worked out mean while others are lost no money job , or Basketball least and the NBA oh Well College is coming nothing like March madness.
Im with that other dude I think the players should start their own league but I imagine they thought about this already I wonder what if anything would stop them