Comments about ‘NBA players need to get a new dose of reality’

On the money Doug. Something the players aren't getting any of right now. Those who have chosen to go play overseas, such as DWill and others...have turned their backs on their fellow players and have said "I'm going to go get mine...good luck you suckers". If I were a player who was a bench player just trying to keep my job in the league watching the superstars going overseas to get paid I would be ticked.

There are a lot of college basketball games. The fans should just dump the NBA (or even get off the couch and play a little ball instead). I know, I am dreaming.

I agree.

You are on the right track Doug, however, if we are going to reform the system lets go all the way. How about carving off say 10% (as just a random number, someone would have to take a closer look at what is realistic) of the Business Related Income (BRI) and send it to the NCAA for distribution to all the colleges (this should be the same for football as well by the way). Since they are the farm system for the NBA, and the NFL, and everyone is saying the college players should be paid, then lets pay them by using some of the BRI to offset the colleges expenses for scholarships. They can distribute it equally to all the colleges to pay for scholarships so the colleges can give those to real students who actually go to school to get an education. Not just as a stepping stone to a professional sports career. They could also use it to pay a stipend to the players. Try proposing this to the players and see how much they truly care about each other and making things better for the future! Any bets on their response...

10-4. Good article and the reasoning within. Pro sports should "all" be like the NFL in that these primm-donnas can be cut at any time for lack of contribution irregardless of their contracts. Owners do have a black mark for letting it get to this as well, as do agents and the media! Just shut it down for a year or two or whatever it takes to get back to reality!

Couldn't agree more!! Players need to wake up and try using both their little, greedy brain cells on this one. Heck, I don't even care if they play pro-basketball anymore. College is enough for me.

Wall Street egomaniacs take note. We will survive without the NBA and without you and your inflated self worth. Attending professional sports events has long been out of range for me, my children and grandchildren so it won't affect me to have a cancelled season. But what in the world will the NBA players do now? Trim trees?

I agree with all Robinson's fan demands except the shorter season. I personally follow basketball throughout the year. Maybe start at the same time but just shorten the amount of games to avoid some of the back to backs the Jazz can never seem to win.

And the quote of it being the equivalent of putting food on the table....puhlease. Nice to see that Mike Miller is doing his best to put food on the table (sarcasm) by selling his 18 million dollar home in Florida with 200,000 in property taxes each year.

Don't shorten the season, that would further cut player pay and they'd hold out even longer. Besides, not only do I watch the NBA all season long, I DVR it and study it.

By insisting players go from 57% of basketball related income (BRI) to 50%, owners are basically asking players to take a 7% cut in pay so that all 30 teams can be profitable.

To the players' credit, at one time they agreed to 52.5%... that means the two sides were only 2.5% apart!

With as much money as they make, not even the rookies would miss that 2.5%!

Nevertheless, the players were too proud to "cave" and take the deal and play ball.

To his credit, Kobe Bryant, who coined the phrase "nuclear winter" for a missed season, twice tried to get the players to come to grips with the 2.5%, but they wouldn't do it.

Michael Jordan's Charlotte Bobcats are losing $7 million a year, and the minority owners want out. He can't replace those investors because of player costs.

And 21 other teams are in the same boat.

The players need more than just a dose of reality.

This article sounds like it was written by an NBA owner or some other greedy billionaire looking to deflect blame. Make no mistake: these billionaire owners, seeking even MORE money, are the ones responsible for the lockout. The players didn't go on strike; they want to play basketball, and ultimately offered the owners MORE THAN $3 BILLION in basketball-related income over the next ten years (which would have been more than enough to cover the owners' stated losses, though these stated losses have never been supported by any financial documentation). The owners decided that an extra $3+ billion wasn't enough. So tell me, who are the greedy ones here? If YOU worked for a billionaire and your company was enjoying great success, how would you react if you were asked to take a massive pay cut?

Good story. At some point in time, the players need to realize that the fans (who really pay their salaries) are not on the side of the players. Players have forgotten that the fans are the league. Without fans, there is nothing!

I still think the owners need to dissolve the NBA and form a new league from the ground up.

As for playing in Europe--good luck with that! They will soon miss all the pampering that they get in the NBA, super hotels, great per diem, chartered airplanes, etc. And the overseas fans will soon get tired of putting up with these 'rich kids' from America.

I will watch pro basketball when it comes back, but I am not missing it yet.

Make no mistake: these billionaire owners, seeking even more money, are the ones responsible for the lockout. If you worked for a billionaire and your company was enjoying great success, how would you react if you were asked to take a massive pay cut? The players didn't go on strike; they want to play basketball, and ultimately offered the owners more than $3 billion in basketball-related income over the next ten years (which would have been more than enough to cover the owners' stated losses, though these stated losses have never been supported by any financial documentation). The owners decided that an extra $3+ billion wasn't enough and are holding basketball hostage as a result.

The players didn't go on strike; they want to play basketball, and ultimately offered the owners more than $3 billion in basketball-related income over the next ten years (which would have been more than enough to cover the owners' stated losses, though these stated losses have never been supported by any financial documentation). The owners decided that an extra $3+ billion wasn't enough and are holding basketball hostage as a result. So tell me, who are the greedy ones here?

You are right on Doug, these guys need to float back down to earth and face the reality that everyone has to face and that is that if the business that employs you is losing money they can't give you a raise and may have to tell you good bye. I think the NBA should start over with guys who want to play and make a better living than they can anywhere else. Tell the others to go apply at McDondalds.

Amen!!! Who pays the players anyway? It's the fans and we're not represented at ANY negotiations. Look, I love sports like most people, but it's time all professional athletes' salaries are brought down from the stratosphere and the athletes become normal people. That would even enable owners to reduce ticket prices, so average income Americans can once again afford to occasionally attend the games.

The players are not stockholders; they are employees. Sure, stock options may be a form of compensation, but it's not a guarantee. They have a right to get paid for working, but the earnings should go to the owners for taking the risk. Players were more than fairly compensated with their salaries alone. The problem is the players and their greed. They need to come back to earth and earn an honest living like the rest of us.

@ Eric L

The players are the greedy ones without any doubt. When a guy like Carlos Boozer makes millions of dollars every year and yet his coach can't put him on floor because he is a lazy defender that tells you all you need to know. Boozer is the poster child for about two dozen others just like him. When a large majority of the teams are losing money every year just exactly how long do think they are supposed to continue? Do you know of any other business that will pay employees like Boozer and others way more than they are worth and lose money doing it? This is Business 101,, if you don't make a profit you don't have a viable business. Very simple.

who is eric l? is he a player? these guys ought to take some risk if they want more $. remember most of them couldn't get much more than a minimum wage job. they live in la la land.

Shocking: A columnist from the LDS Church-owned newspaper isn't siding with the majority African-American players, but rather, with the majority white owners! Stop the presses. Also: the players were locked out by the owners! Also: teams allegedly not making money (or winning games) are selling for record amounts! Golden State Warriors purchased in 1995 for $119 million. After compiling 2nd worst record in league over 15-year stretch, sell for $450 million this year! Waaaaaahhhh!!! Poor owners!!!

Sorry Eric L but you are off base. These owners should not give these players one thing but a salary. It would be my hope that the NBA would go bankrupt and these players out of a job. The owners are smart and can just start another business but these whiny crybaby millionaire players would be out of work and that is just fine with me.