Saturday Stuff!

Saturday October22, 2011

NBA Lockout

No matter how hard I attempt to evaluate the current state on the NBA can I find reason to side with the players union. This is the most unreasonable and selfish thing I have ever seen any group associated with labor do.  Np matter how many arena workers are taken to dinner, how many charity games take place, how many millionaire players donate to charity in the next few days, this is wrong, greedy, and selfish.

I wonder what type of money would these players earn if the NBA closes its doors forever. What would 80 percent do. Maybe go to Europe for $150,000 a season with a  few players earning $5,000,000 a year. But that is a far cry from they $20,000,000 type contracts most receive. Could you even imagine Michael Jordan forfeiting his last mega contract and losing endorsement money to venture abroad to earn $10,000,000 as opposed to the $35,000,000 he often earned in a season?

Well, even those who could demand 5 to 10 million a season abroad is a very small percentage of the current players. In fact most would be looking at $1,000,000 type contracts with housing, meals, and cars thrown in. Maybe the bigger stars would receive Mercedes and the lessor stars would receive Honda's. And to be honest even the amount they could earn abroad is way above the national norm of what folks earn here in the greatest country in the world.

How in heavens name can they even expect to earn a higher percentage of the revenue? Regardless of whether NBA Commissioner David Stern, who I do agree is a true arrogant egotistical man behind the phony smile and calm type voice according to what I have heard, is lying or not about the many teams who actually lost money in the past few seasons. I would not care if every team has turned a serious profit. They are after all  in business to make money or they would just be a AAU team. Oops I forgot AAU Guys are now making decent money as well. More on this another time!

What would these guys make if they could not play basketball? Or if they did not play in the NBA? Players with statistics such as 10 points and 7 rebounds a game are earning $10,000,000 per season! Guys averaging 7 points and 3 assists are millionaires! And they feel they are under paid?

Well, in this economy, one that we have seen national unemployment go up and down with people losing homes, families, careers, and health benefits, it is hard to be sympathetic to the NBA Players Union!

On another note Mr. David Stern. Have you forgotten you are from Teaneck, NJ and attended Teaneck HS? You must have since they cannot get you to even stop in every 5 years to encourage kids and faculty. Would not hurt if you even took some of your mega bucks and gave a few thousand to the HS yearly to help keep the freshmen sports programs up and running. Similar to what great guys like Mike Fratello does at Hackensack, NJ HS!

Big East Expansion

OK who is actually running the Big East? Daffy Duck with Elmer Fudd assisting? Are they dumb or just dumber? Looking at schools out of the area where the Big East has ties is just dumb and strange as evidenced by the TCU move without participating. Why not go after the University of Alaska? Maybe the Red Army National Team? Dumb stuff to say the least!  The way they are going seems to be a quick fix and nothing else. They are considering weak teams for the football side and strange teams for the basketball side who really would be using the BE as a spring board to a better fit conference with natural rivalries and better travel options. Please see TCU as a reference. Missouri? Are you kidding me?  Kansas? Why would they? The bottom line is the BE can remain strong based on Basketball and the current schools football programs. Here is my salutation.

For basketball bring in the following teams and only these teams. Xavier (strong Program and they will not jump in 3 years), Temple (natural choice and they have football), Dayton (Outstanding Fans and program), And Duquesne (Improving basketball programs in The Pitt market).  These are the teams that are needed. For football they can hold serve just as things are. Even if they lose West Virginia.  UConn's programs is getting better yearly. Rutgers is doing fine. I honestly do not even see the big loss in those who left if the BE gets the teams mentioned.

Lastly on this subject. Notre Dame is not really needed, especially since they maintain independence in Football. The days of having some teams in the BE and some in other conferences based on team sport is only an opportunity to fail in waiting. You do not see the Big 10, ACC, SEC, etc. doing such foolish stuff. All Teams in, or all teams out! I honestly would even ask Notre Dame to exit if the FB program does not become a part of the conference. Percentages could change but they need to be part of the BE in football. And honestly as bad as they have been in recent years they need to really think about this.

I know football brings in huge revenue but when mentioning the BE the next word out of 95% of people's mouths is basketball! Get those teams mentioned and forget about partial participants in football. Especially weak programs such as Army and Navy! If that's the case why not just add Manhattan or Monmouth for basketball? Same thing!

Four Big  HS Events

Went to IS8 last week and the place was crowded and jumping. Nice to see so many old friends and fellow basketball lovers. Unfortunately it was the same old thing with folks yelling at Refs from the sidelines, and Parents coaching from the stands. Hey wait a minute that was me years ago (smile). Also saw  Coaches on one knee thinking they would get discovered and offered jobs and little un-atheletic guys walking in with stud players and acting as advisors while they really are no more than exploiting adults looking for ego satisfaction or a payday. Sickening!!!!!!  I often wonder how certain folks act as if they are  so important that they can act a certain way. More on this at another time. Trust me it is coming!!!! Again it is coming!!! And it sure will not be popular!

Today is the semi finals at IS8. Might go depending on what I get done this AM. Later at Baruch I need to be at The Jim Couch Event. I LOVE JIM COUCH and SEAN COUCH and all the other wonderful volunteers with the Jim Couch Foundation. My son and I owe them so much. As I have told my son on a number of occasions. After his next big movie or TV job he needs to send them a CHECK! Also needs to send a check to TEANECK HS!  The Jim Couch event gates place at Baruch College in Manhattan today and tomorrow.

Later tonight is an All Star Game between NJ and NYC at Bishop Loughlin HS in the Clinton Hills section of Brooklyn NY. Both a girls and boys game will take place to benefit a scholarship fund established by Kamani Young in honor of his Wife, who passed away a few years back. This game will be exceptional with the best players regardless of class playing. This means there will be stud players across the board. I guess that means the little un-atheletic advisors will be in attendance as well.

Sunday is a huge day at Baruch College with some of the best young players in the country flying in and playing in an  undergraduate All-Star classic as part of the Jim Couch Foundation weekend at Baruch College. They have flown in players from all over the country and they will compete tomorrow in exciting games. You really do not want to miss this!

Well, thats about it for now. Watch out for my next post. It might just come sooner than you realize. And in the future I have some interesting observations to share with you. Even if I do not mention names you will know who I am referring to. Stay tuned!