Ok now I'm officially against the players.

[icewill36]

Are you trying to say that being done negotiating is not ending a negotiation?

The 47/53 is a non starter to begin with and Stern knows this. The players aren't going to accept a deal which puts them as the worst paid players of the 4 major sports leagues, despite them being most important to its success.

4th worst paid huh ? fitting since they are 4th most popular....

players have been overpaid since 99, deal with it.

[PowerGlove]

On the contrary, he sounds like a fan who wants NBA basketball.

Someone gives you a shitty offer and you just submit because you want something?

4th worst paid huh ? fitting since they are 4th most popular....

players have been overpaid since 99, deal with it.

4th most popular out of what? The NBA has been getting better ratings than the MLB and NHL.

[Bernie Nips]

4th worst paid huh ? fitting since they are 4th most popular....

players have been overpaid since 99, deal with it.

Total NFL players: ~1,700
Total MLB players: ~750
Total NHL players: ~1,500


...


Total NBA players: 360

And they're getting paid the worst. Doesn't make sense.

[copper]

since when does a owner of a business Have to give the workers a 50% or better revenue share? anyone? thats right...never. If the owners feel they are not generating the revenue they want...guess what? they can and did shut the tap off for these millionaire morons. let them go overseas or let them get a real job. cant survive on a few million dollars a year? maybe you dont need a raise, maybe you need better decisions to be made for you. I cant even imagine the audacity it would take to walk into my bosses office and tell him, " ya know what? you made a hell of a lot more money than me last year, you need to split that with me".... are you friggin kidding me? As far as Stern not bargaining in good faith? he gave an offer, which was rejected, he gave another offer that was rejected..so whats wrong with him saying, look this is a waste of our time to continue with empty avenues, the players want something they arent gonna get, so until they decide to accept it....end talks.

[ConanRulesNBC]

Someone gives you a shitty offer and you just submit because you want something?

The players looked stupid today. This isn't even a matter of my opinion that they're paid a ridiculous amount of money to play a sport. That's a whole different discussion.

This is my opinion that there's no way they're going to get a better deal offered than this and they look like idiots for turning it down when they're going to get offered and accept a worse deal in a month or so from now.

[InspiredLebowski]

NBA players routinely make by FAR the biggest average salary.

NBA - 5.15 mil
MLB - 3.31
NHL - 2.4
NFL - 1.9

[DMAVS41]

No...he sounds like a loser. If they take this crappy deal, there will be another lockout after this CBA expires.

First off, its really not a crappy deal given the current climate and future uncertainty.

Second, even if it was a crappy deal, business wise it should be taken because the alternatives make less sense. This is exactly what "power" and "leverage" do in a negotiation. They work hugely in favor of the side that have them. The owners have them.

I would understand more if the owners were holding to their demands about wanting 57% BRI, a hard cap, salary roll backs, non guaranteed contracts...etc.

But they aren't doing that. The logical place for a lot of this is where we are now. The players had it way too good the last decade and they got spoiled. Those days are over....they ended with the last CBA. Its a new deal for a new day.

The players are now operating far more out of ego and pride than out of business sense. I just hope the courts favor the players so we can get back to basketball as quickly as possible...because if the courts favor the owners....we honestly might not have the NBA for 2 full years.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Someone gives you a shitty offer and you just submit because you want something?

Stern put it best: This sham of magically we're taking the union and performing an act of magic and it will become something else...it's just a big charade. And it's irresponsible given the timing of it. Their timing is not very good. Their rhetoric is almost humorous in terms of this magical trick that is going to allow them to improve their negotiating position.

They aren't going to get a better deal, that's the point. Lets see how many players can go a full season without a paycheck, because the way things are looking now, I'm seriously doubtful we do have a season. Both sides have officially gone hardline.

[ConanRulesNBC]

Total NFL players: ~1,700
Total MLB players: ~750
Total NHL players: ~1,500


...


Total NBA players: 360

And they're getting paid the worst. Doesn't make sense.

MLB, NFL and even the NHL in some markets are way more popular than the NBA.

[Jasper]

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/pos...olling-members

a vote 30 / instead of 450

I can't wait for next season .. .DL players starting while elite players playing in China

If the players bust the chops on the league in a law suit , trust me , not one owner will pay a player over 10 mill.

[Kellogs4toniee]

My biggest gripe isn't against the players, but against the union and figures who rep the players. I just read that the latest proposal wasn't even shown or mentioned to the player base, it was just shown to the 30 players who rep there respective teams. Now I understand what the purpose of a rep is, but I have a hard time believing 30 players truly represent what the majority of the 450 players feel in this situation.

For something of this magnitude and at this late, important, and obviously very crucial phase where each decimal point in percentages can make or break a deal, the Union should have shared it with all the 450 players. For those players who aren't on the rep teams, all there hearing from the reps is "the deal blows, we're not taking it." I strongly believe if most if not all of the 450 player base had a chance to really take a look at the most recent proposal and the numbers, the vast majority would have accepted it with the understanding that its best just to take it and let the season start.

Billy Hunter and the 30 player reps really did a horrible job during the last stretch of these negotations. Even more so then before. I would be surprised if more players do not come out in the following weeks bad-mouthing how bad of a job they have done.

That's my two cents, and why I am on the owners side. Stern has done a remarkable job of painting the players as the morons, ignorants, and bad guys in the media. This is lose lose for everyone, and now it just seems like the players keep digging themselves into a bigger hole negotiation by negotiation. Well played folks *NOT*

[G-train]

Now I can't wait to see some of these idiots go broke.

.

A decent % of them would be already. The ones that live cheque to cheque.

This is a 10-15 year deal or whatever.
I can understand Stern's offer.

His team understands the worlds econimics right now, and its projected economics.

The players act like they live in the moment.

For the nba to be guaranteed viability in 10 years it needs an owner favored deal where they make money.

Or there wont be a league.

I feel this is the worst things the players could have done.

It is a 'unfair' deal today, but it was essential for the future. The world is changing, not just the NBA.

Beginning of the end.... stupid lawyers for the PA just want more money.



out.

[InspiredLebowski]

By basically not taking this deal, however you want to view the act of doing that, the players will lose more money by missed games than they'd have "lost" (compared to the previous CBA) throughout the life of the new deal.

[nycelt84]

I'm happy to see David Stern being exposed as the overrated commissioner that he is.

[PowerGlove]

The players looked stupid today. This isn't even a matter of my opinion that they're paid a ridiculous amount of money to play a sport. That's a whole different discussion.

That amount of money is ridiculous to you, you dont agree with it nor comprehend it, gotcha.

This is my opinion that there's no way they're going to get a better deal offered than this and they look like idiots for turning it down when they're going to get offered and accept a worse deal in a month or so from now.

I doubt that the owners will maintain their hardline stance once they realize that they arent making money at all while tons of players start balling overseas.