http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/7080905/nba-lockout-sides-meet-11th-hour-attempt-sources-say I honestly think this meeting is just so both parties and save face and at least say they both tried before games that mean something are canceled.
I'm going to change my pessimistic stance and say an agreement is reached tonight. The sports gods were brutal enough with my football teams this weekend. I think they will have some mercy and at least give me my basketball.
Ha Ha, remember that's the guy that elbowed you in the face. I dont think its up to Fisher. Its all in Stern's hands.
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Looks like the meeting already started. HowardBeckNYT HowardBeckNYT by ChrisMannixSI NBA and union began meeting at 6pm. Conflicting info about how it came together, but told it was not based on owners softening on 50-50. WojYahooNBA Adrian Wojnarowski As labor meeting unfolds in NY, several NBA execs have hope of deal in next 24-48 hours. Why? They don't have faith in players holding line.
I really don't like this 50 game talk. They would be robbong the fans if they had anything less than a full season. There would be an asterisk next to this seasons champions names if the season were cut short. There would historically be the assumption of "if there were a full season".
Good job with all the updates. I hope the owners just take 53 and move on. Either it OFFICIALLY BEGINS. Games will be gone 4 sure.
Just trying my best hsf09 impersonation, but that dude is a machine. Anyways, here's the latest. ChrisMannixSI Chris Mannix Word is meeting started at about 6:15. So coming up on hour number three. daldridgetnt David Aldridge Representing owners: Stern, Silver, attorney Dan Rube, Neg Board Chair Peter Holr (Spurs) & BOG Chair Glen Taylor (Wolves). daldridgetnt David Aldridge Representing union: Hunter, Fisher, union VP Mo Evans (Wizards), attorneys Jeff Kessler, Ron Klempner, Jared Alula. Could be a while, folks.
daldridgetnt David Aldridge A few things to keep in mind while we wait 4 white or black smoke: the sides are $120M apart (50% proposal from owners, 53% from players). daldridgetnt David Aldridge That is, from the owners' perspective, about $4 million/team/yr--or less than the first-year cost of one mid-level exception. daldridgetnt David Aldridge They are already guaranteed at least $160M/year in salary givebacks, or more than $5M/team/year. And it will certainly be more than that. daldridgetnt David Aldridge Like owners, players don't all make the same. But collectively, the amount they're arguing over, compared to what they'll lose, is daldridgetnt David Aldridge The players stand to lose around $2.1B in salaries if there's no season. That's around $360M/month. They're holding out for $80M. daldridgetnt David Aldridge I'm not taking a side here. I'm pointing out that the losses for both sides are much greater for both sides than what separates them. daldridgetnt David Aldridge Or, put it this way: the sides started 22 points apart. They're now 3 points apart. There's a deal to be made but it will require sacrifice. daldridgetnt David Aldridge Someone will get less than what they want. But I've always been told the best, fairest deals are when both sides leave a little ticked off.
Just my opinion, but no way they don't do a deal out of this. They did it quietly without the mid-week media spotlight and B.S. games in the media. It's on the eve of the supposed deadline before some regular season games are canceled. I really question whether either side is prepared to lose games. I'd say owners might be more than the players. My understanding is several owners (including our own) did not want to offer the 50-50 split. I thought they were going to do a deal by around Wednesday of last week because I thought that was the deadline to lose games. If tomorrow is really the deadline, I think they have a deal by then. Many players can't survive long without those checks... I imagine the pressure on Fisher and Hunter from players and agents was enormous. Lockouts don't interest me at all and sap my interest in the sport. If they come to a "50-50" agreement on the last day they could, how can you not think this was anything more than greed and power games.
How greedy can the players be? Like they can't take a little less pay. It's probably because a lot of them go broke because they spend their money on "whips" and "bling". It's such an insult to not just the fans, but most of the human race that they won't take a little less money for playing, yeah that's right, BASKETBALL! It's a child's game! This is a big insult to teachers, construction workers, and all of the other people that actually work hard.
I'll repeat what I said last week: The way an agreement is reached might be as important as getting it done. In this case, it was necessary for it to go down to the wire so both sides could feel like they pushed the other to the limit and got the best deal possible. I bet the players would have voted NO on 50/50 two weeks ago.
