HBO did a show on NHL players playing in Russia. Apparently a bunch of oil barons are paying them big bucks to play in the middle of Syberia. 10-20K dollars a week for the stars.
You know the funny thing..... The Owners will talk about reducing costs and bring down players salaries.....then they'll go out and sign some stif to a $50,000,000 contract. Its like Baseball, remember a couple of years ago they said they needed to get costs under control. Just look at how much is being players this off season to anyone that can lift a bat over their shoulder.
I think the rule is, if a player is under contract when the lockout begins, then he can't play overseas. But players who were drafted in 1998 and didn't sign a rookie contract (because the lockout/cabbage started at the stroke of midnight on July 1) were allowed to go elsewhere because they were essentially free agents. Of course, like with most things I talk about, I'm probably horribly, horribly wrong. Michael Olowokandi played for some team in Europe in 98-99, he showed up out of shape and spent the half-season b****ing about his hurt knee, the first sign to many that he was going to develop into the bust we all regard him as.
A few thoughts: -Billy Hunter will be nearly as responsible as Stern if there's a lockout. -The real sad part about a lockout will be if we see what happened last time repeat itself: players letting themselves go to the point that their careers bottom out (Kemp, Ewing, Baker, etc). -Stern says he wants an age limit of 20. Players counter with examples of guys ready to go straight out of HS (Amare, LeBron, KG, etc). Most people agree that a minor league system would save us from teams having no clue whether a third yr kid "with potential" (Kwame, Dalembert, Nachbar, etc) will pan out or not. Send all draft picks automatically to the minors. If you know you have a stud on your hands, call him up after the summer leagues. To answer the union's concerns, once a player is called up, they can't go back (and veterans can't be sent down period). Also, first rounders can only stay down for 2 yrs max, 2nd rounders for 4. No drop in the rookie wage scale. -Stern wants contracts to only go 4 or 5 yrs max, mainly to dodge situations when a player gets the max but goes south within the first few years of it (Baker, Penny, etc). The downside to this, beyond the union objections to losing out on guaranteed money/security, is that you make it harder to keep a team intact. Does SA really need to sweat out a Duncan free agency every 4 yrs? Minny with KG? Us with Yao? God only knows how Kobe would love making the NBA twist and soaking the attention. The better idea? Put in either a team option after year 4, or include buyout clauses where the team can buy out the contract after 4 years for a determined % of the remainder (1/4 after 4, 1/3 after 5, 1/2 after 6). Evan
If that's true, and I was the players, I would play overseas and prepare for a legal battle. For all those that think it's absurd to have a job where you are guranteed millions, I think CEO's of most major companies can command that kind of contract/jobs. Not that it's necessary fair, but the situation do exist. But I have yet to hear a company that can keep you from working at another company at the same time not letting you work for their company.
The good news is that it is more than likely not affect any pre-season or regular season game for the 05/06 season. Conversely, the bad news is that it will wipe out (almost surely) the summer leagues thereby costing us an opportunity to see Badiane, Spanoulis and our 2005 draft picks this summer in action together.
Did you just call the NBA players poor? I'm sorry, but that is freaking rediculous. I think you have been spending too much time with Sprewell.
I hate baseball. Alex Rodriguez getting 250 million? Please.. He's not Michael Jordan or Shaq or even Yao Ming. Baseball is by far the worst American sport. Its gotten boring. We all know that once players get good, they go for the teams with the most money. No cap, players hitting .200 making 20 million. I hope the close down baseball like hockey.
This country is still not ready to deal with the fact that black people can make millions... What's wrong with Spree wanting to get max $$? They asked him to sacrifice for the chance to get a ring... Well, why wouldn't the owner sacrifice some dough towards that goal as well and pay Spree his going rate? Last time I checked the owner is the first person the trophy is handed to... Seeing the rap that people like Spree and Randy Moss get from the angry white sports media is just sad...
well they offered him 3 yr, 27 million which is probably about 6 or 7 million more than he should be offered given his stats and age. asking for the max was beyond ridiculous, as was the "feeding my family" line.
Ummm, Spree said that if he had to get ONLY 7 or 8 million a season, he wouldn't be able to feed his family. Now, assuming that Spree's family is not the entire state of Minnesota, that was beyond rediculous. No one is saying that black people can't make millions, and I think you are the first person to even mention skin color in this thread. It is also funny that you think they were trying to lowball him. I predict that he will not receive a more lucrative contract than the one the TWolves already offered and he scoffed at. No team is going to pay him the money that he feels he is worth. Rocket River said that the NBA players are poor young men, Sprewell agrees with him. Do you think they are poor? If so, that would bring the group of people that think someone with a multi-million dollar anual income is poor to three. It has nothing to do with black people, this country, or whatever other race-baiting crap you are trying to shovel.
If the owners used an once of self-control, there would be no need for this lock out. Why do they need protection from themselves? You don't want a 18 y/o on your team, don't draft them. You dont want to get stuck with a long-term contract, only give out 4 year deals. And if some other joker is willing to take the risk, let them . I thought there was this consus in business to let the market correct itself? So let market forces dictate these players values. As much as I hate guarnteed contracts, and the "Moochie Norris" deals, it's all part of business.
1. When compare to the owners. . .yes hey are poor 2. Before the NBA 90% were poor Am I wrong about either of these? So in the Owners v players world The Owners are the rich guys and the players are the poor guys [See Companies v Unions] Rocket River I like to clarify my statement and perspectives
the problem is. . . if i don't sign the 18 yr old my fellow folx may not show the restraint SO I want a rule . . so they cannot Not that *i* don't have self control it is . .uhm those OTHER GUYS . . I have to draft 18 yr old because they might and 18 yr old might be kobe The way the CBA is . .. . Harder on player movement so MISTAKED or EXCELLENT choices favor the team You get a kobe .. . u got a good chance of locking him up If u get a moochie u stuck with him If the owners ask for shorter terms . .. I think the players will ask that lil part that says The original team can offer the best offer. . .should go away . . . It will be interesting Rocket River
As much as I DO like the shorter length of contracts, Emjohn just brought up the one thing that DOES bother me about that. Teams that have legit franchise players dont want to be worrying every four years about getting them resigned! The Kobe situation would be a NIGHTMARE for LA! Maybe there can be a "franchise tag" or something like that. Where each team can have ONE player "franchised" which would allow for a 6 or 7 year deal whereas all the other deals are 4/5 years in length. Mistakes more often happen with the role players than with the teams BEST player. I think the "buyout" clause might favor the deep pocket teams. So I dont think that would fly. The Mavs, Knicks and Blazers would be buying out people right and left and then signing more bad contracts whereas a team like the Bucks wouldnt have the money to be able to do that.
