Bryant Gumbel calls David Stern a "plantation overseer"

So many people are upset with Gumbel that he might have trouble keeping his carefully groomed pall bearers list at six.

If he can only manage a starting five, hope they don't let a corner droop.

Of course now Stern might volunteer to pick up the slack. Sooner the better.

 

"We didn't land in the NBA, the NBA landed on us..."

 

The players can create and market about 6 teams, max. And it doesn't matter where. If the NBA were reduced to 6 teams, New Orleans and Ok City would sell out as many games as Boston and Philly.

After about 6 teams, the elite player-owners would look at the economics of teams and realize that there are too many teams and players at the present costs and revenues. They'd also be incredulous at carrying and payinf for 7 coaches (Knicks) for 15 players.

In a real free market, the top 5-10 players in the league would command about 20-25 million/yr each, maybe more. And it would graduate until you hit the bottom 180 players in the league. In a free market players 10-12 on the roster could be had for 100K. The last 3 on each roster could be had for less than 100K. There would be as great a disparity in players salaries in a real free market as exists in any business or industry in America.

Lets see Gumbel rant against the inequality of LeBron making $76,000 a quarter and 3 of his teammates making 76,000 a year.

 

Mizzou is killing it on this thread.

I'm still laughing at "Slaves didn't have to pay child support."

 

OTOH neither player nor slave had to pay for his uniform

 

That nailed it for me. For years Billy Hunter and the Union blinked anytime Stern opens his mouth with nary a threat to take them down. Plantation owner my ass.

The Players Association wishes they were the MLBPA and the NFLPA, but never wanted to take that next step. I expect the season to start after Christmas.

 

I don't understand the "real free market" argument. I'd agree that, given a lack of constraint at the high end, the top players would make more than they do now. But just as there is someone dumb enough to pay Gilbert Arenas over $100mm or Eddy Curry $66mm, some deep pocketed owner will pay a 9th-15th man millions. It isn't a zero sum game for salaries in a free market.

I understand Gumbel's comments and that they were meant to be provactive, but Stern isn't a plantation overseeing, he's just a condescending prick. Now, he happens to be very successful condescending prick, but his attitude is always one that no one else understands the big picture as much as he does and as a result any disagreement about matters as big as the CBA or as minor as to what players should wear is by definition misplaced.

 

I long for the days when CBA was associated only with the Continental Basketball Association.

 

"I don't see any American dream; I see an American nightmare."
- Malcolm X

I'm guessing it wasn't meant for NBA players who make $15 million a year, but what do I know?

 

"You can't have capitalism without racism."
- Malcolm X, who was thinking about LeBron James when he said it.

 

"Our objective is runnin' hos, drivin' Escalades, and wearin' $30,000 gold chains ... by any means necessary."

 

"The millionaires have come home to roost."