Touchy are we? Where did he say anything about money being the reason for not using a leather ball abroad? Calm down.
I got to hold and test the new ball and I've said along that this will help out perimeter shooters. It feels lighter than the old ball and releasing it makes you have a different "stroke". I did notice however in pre-season that Yao was having problems with what were automatic low post shots last year were now going in and out this season. Shooters who use the backboard are definitely gonna have to adjust to the new ball. However, look at all the 3 pt shots Novak and other shooters have been making. I'm not gonna say it's ALL because of the ball but it does make one wonder. These players are making millions of dollars so they better quit their crying - and that's how the ball bounces!
i think one of the most most most Important factor with the new BBall and it again pointed out by both cuban's finding and stu was: -NBA tested and retested the ball, but failed use actual NBA players to test the ball -cuban research team stated that the ball bounces funny if it being throw for more than 4 FEET. now how many NBA players are shorter than 6 feet when they pound the ball? (given 2 feet of room) Yao is 7'6", so his pounding of the ball bounce will be weird every single time. How many shoots or passes that are shorter than 4 feet? Not to mention the slippery factor, which can be neglected by switching to new ball every quarter.
This is all you need to read to understand the reason for the change. To avoid bad press and the punks over at PETA. This is what happens to countries who become to liberal and feminized.....LOL Bottom line is that the players are the ones complaining about the ball. If David Stern doesn't care about what his players think then there is a deeper concern here to worry about. Little freakin' meglomaniac! As far as everyone saying get over it......please! Is your job performance on the line? I don't think so, and from the plethora of posts in this BBS the minute something happens or changes that you don't like here come the whiners and complainers. So don't be a hypocrit. If the players who use the ball everyday say it sucks then I would have to side with them. I mean guys like Steve Nash and Yao are complaining? That warrants some attention IMHO.
I thought animal activists just didnt like animal mistreatment. Like doing experiments on them. They hate it when people eat them too? Well how bout going and telling that lion in the Safari to stop hunting down other animals. It is violating their rights. Or maybe we should put them on trail. Yes, lets put Simba away for life.
It is about the money over the ball. Spalding probably can't produce the amount they want to at the price they want to with leather, and get enough out on the market with China/World exploding onto the scene. It wasn't long ago I heard some statement come out of Spalding saying there wasn't enough leather on the market to keep making the balls, i.e. we can make them faster and cheaper with the composite material, and the NBA/Stern can make more money overall with more "NBA" balls on the market.
It seems to me they will adjust and get used to the balls (hopefully). All new things take a while to get used to.
I don't want to misdirect the topic of this thread and turn it into a debate on animal rights, so I'll just say it shouldn't be difficult to understand how some people just might consider slaughter to be a form of mistreatment. . . and I'll leave it at that.
When the Rockets win the championship, this year, will there be an asterick? *Houston Rockets 2006-2007 NBA Champions *:won because of a new ball
Stern must get asked about the ball at every interview he does. This is like the 100th time I've heard him say "You're going to ask me about the ball". I don't know if its just me but I would have rolled out the ball in the NBDL for a season, see if it affected turnovers and shooting and see if the players got used to the ball down there before bringing it into the NBA. The ball is really the only piece of equipment in the game and Stern should not have introduced it so casually into the NBA.
capitalist, folks capitalist. it is all about money. it is absurd to think a composite leather ball will be better than the real leather ball. it is like saying composite leather lounge are better than leather lounge, yuk.
I don't get it when people trying to use NCAA is playing with synthetic balls to justify NBA should also use these balls. You just dont get it, do you?! IT's not about the freaking balls, it's about the habit. You are using leather balls for years and suddenly new balls come in. Of couse you need spend time to adjust to it. Nobody would like this kind of hassle. If you play with this type of ball for all your life, of couse you have nothing to complain about.
I'm surprised no one has posted this yet: http://www.chron.com/sports/. Right after T-Mac story, there's a video that says "Rockets on new ball: Still orange, still round".
