Les' wife to blame for new ball???

I heard the same thing this morning and consider an exaggerated half truth. I fully believe she exerted all the influence she could and her interest in animals is a fact (Power Dancers wore anti-animal cruelty shirts in the second half for numerous seasons).

To suggest that she convinced Stern to pull leather balls for animal interests is beyond ridiculous. Stern isn't that easily influenced, and I've yet to hear him mention this angle as a pro for switching.

The reason for the switch:
Stern got an 8-yr, $125 million deal with Spalding (the largest equipment deal in the history of pro sports) 2 years ago. A big piece of that agreement was switching to the new ball. You can't buy authentic leather game balls in stores, due to many reasons including cost, but Spalding wanted to sell authentic/genuine/official game balls as part of this deal. Composite balls let that happen. The new balls were supposed to show up last year, but Stern held off because of all the negatives that players are griping about now. Spalding could threaten to tear up the deal, so Stern finally shoved it down the league's throat this season.

Crappy crappy crappy situation.

But the take home message: Stern makes deals based on business. Always has, always well.

Evan

 

hahahahah

I rather have some lambs sacrifice their skin so we can have McGrady hit his shots

 

Frankly, any player who does not want to play with the new ball shouldn't have to...just quit the league.

What's O'Neal complaining about -- when he's on the court, which is rare nowadays, he's either trying to dunk or missing free throws -- what does it matter what ball he uses?

As for Lebron, carry your team to ONE freakin' championship before you start complaining about your multi-million dollar job.

 

HOly Shiz $125 million dollars! I'd eat **** and drink piss for half of that. Can't really blame Stern for taking that money.

 

Hey, the uncanny prophecy of wnes can never be underestimated:

 

yeah, what I've heard is the cows they raise to make these basketballs never leave their tight cages and get forced fed with syringes to get so fat their leather is pre-stretched, which makes for a better basketball. And of course, they only use supple, veal skin.

 

wives of rich men are nothing but trouble

 

I thought they got a divorce a long time ago. Am I wrong?

 

That's the story I heard. But from what I understand, they are both pretty vocal and influential in the Animal Rights movement.

 

I agree that claim is beyond ridiculous.

As an animal rights advocate, I am thrilled by this development. But to suggest that Nanci Alexander is responsible for it is crazy. Hell, the Power Dancers aren't even wearing those shirts anymore. Toyota Center doesn't even have all that many vegan/vegetarian options in the concession stands. And not only that, the Rockets have a deal with McDonalds to give out free hamburgers if the Rockets win while scoring over 100 or holding their opponents under 80. Just think, that can be upwards of 10 thousand Big Mac's consumed every time the Rockets accomplish that and do you think Leslie couldn't easily nix that deal? If they (Nanci and Leslie) aren't making moves toward making Toyota Center a more animal friendly place then I find it very difficult to believe they could possibly have anything to do with something NBA wide.

 

The thing about that deal is we can assume Spalding would have settle for leather balls in a lower cost deal. Let's say $30m less Spalding agrees take out the new ball part of the deal. That's just an extra $1 per team over 8yrs = $125K a yr for the owners.

$125K a yr chump change, and to allow Spalding to change the ball for that is just petty.

 

stop eating the poor animals!

 

I don't know that it's fair to guess how the numbers would change without being privy to the meetings. As far as we know, it may have been an $80 million bargaining chip.

Evan

 

that's a broad generalization

 

I didn't fight to get to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian! They made those balls out of leather...not Whopping Crane or Bald Eagle for Christs sake!

 

that's a broad generalization

was that suppose to be pun-ny? if so, nice one.

 

As well as their mistresses!

 

You fought to be at the top of the food chain? Did you start by brawling with single celled organisms and work your way up to things like tigers and grizzly bears? Damn, man! My hat is off to you! Eat on!

 

If this is the case, we should consider using a plastic basketball.