The NBA Players Association newsletter sent out last month to all 450 NBA players has eight subheads in all, but it's the first one on the back page that jumped out at this reporter the most."2011-12 Lockout."
No question mark at the end of that sentence. No qualifiers such as "Possible 2011-12 Lockout" or even "Likely 2011-12 Lockout." The headline was written with absolute and total certainty that this topic was more reality than mere possibility because, well, it's still looking that way now just as it was back in July.
"As nothing has fundamentally changed in the owners' bargaining position since their initial proposal, we continue to advise that you prepare for a lockout to commence on July 1," the in-house report obtained by FanHouse reads. "More meetings are forthcoming, but we think it is unlikely that any real progress will be made in the coming months. In short, a lockout is just as likely now as it was six months ago."
While the player's association, as has been reported elsewhere and confirmed by FanHouse, is hoping to eliminate the league's age restriction from 19 years old (and one year removed from high school) that is has been in place since 2005, that is merely one of a myriad of items on its agenda being ignored by the owners. As such, the union is left guiding its players through what it perceives as posturing and politicizing by the league in an attempt to secure the pot of gold at the end of its rainbow: a hard salary cap.
While NBA commissioner David Stern has openly shared his view on why a hard cap is necessary and opined at length about how to go about fixing the system he sees as broken, the union advises its players in the newsletter to, in essence, ignore him as much as he's ignoring them.
Regarding Stern's talk of contraction that first arose in October: "We believe that Commissioner Stern's recent comment regarding possible contraction is simply a negotiation tactic intended to bolster his exaggerated claims about the league's financial condition."
Regarding his statements about wanting to eliminate $750 to $800 million in player salaries: "Like Commissioner Stern's contraction claim, the request for an $800 million reduction in player salaries is posturing for negotiation. By requesting one-third reduction in player compensation, Commissioner Stern hopes to anchor the negotiations and make us negotiate against an extreme position. Again, we recognize and dismiss Commissioner Stern's hard bargaining strategies. Given the unprecedented financial gains of this year, we simply are not inclined to discuss salary reductions."
Regarding Stern's claim that the league is projected to lose $350 million this season: "The NBA's loss projections are incorrect. One of our most fundamental disagreements with the Commissioner and owners involves the financial health of the league. It is indisputable that the NBA will achieve record setting revenues for the 2010-11 season. The league has sold a record 50,000 new season ticket packages and TNT generated the network's highest rating in 27 years for the 2010-11 season opener. Additionally, NBA officials have predicted that merchandise sales will achieve record levels for the coming season. ... The league has underestimated its revenue projections over the past two seasons and we are confident this season will be no different."
No questions here as to why that headline didn't have a question mark. The lockout looms larger than ever.
E-mail Sam amick.sam@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @samickAOL.
U.S. Acknowledges Four American Citizens Killed In Drone Strikes
Man Reportedly Beheaded In Brutal Assault In London Neighborhood
Man Shot During Bombing Interview Made Shocking Confession: Report
Issa Backs Off After Compromise
NY Times Eviscerates Obama White House
The 1 Chart That Reveals Just How Grossly Unfair The U.S. Tax System Has Become
Chicago Board OKs Largest Planned Public School Shutdown In U.S. History
GOP Lawmaker Thinks IRS Leaked Mitt Romney's Tax Info To Harry Reid
You Just KNEW There Would Be 'Tornado Truthers,' Didn't You?
Pope Francis Says All Who Do Good Are Redeemed - Atheists Included
10 Children Confirmed Among The Dead After Oklahoma Tornado
Former Miss America Draws Buzz As Potential McConnell Challenger
Oklahoma Senate Votes To Defund Planned Parenthood Two Days After Tornado
IAEA Report: Iran Significantly Upgrades Nuclear Program
And The Healthiest City In America Is...
Another Republican Governor Reverses Course On Obamacare
State GOP Leader Refutes Harassment Claims
Obama Visiting Moore, Oklahoma
Fox News Erupts Over Surveillance Scandal
Bill Could Block Newtown Records Release
GOP Gov. Can't 'Find' Latino Staffers
Tornado Survivors' Emotional Reunion
LOOK: Chechen President's Instagram Is Simply Amazing
Hickenlooper Grants A Temporary Reprieve
New Bill Would Allow Pets On Amtrak
What Immigration Reform Opponents Don't Want You To Know
Julian Assange Sues Military Over Bradley Manning Trial Secrecy
Rick Perry Heckled
Sergio Makes 'Fried Chicken' Joke About Tiger
PHOTOS: Topless Activist Arrested At Notre Dame Day After Essayist's Suicide
