RE: Stern's message about agents -Reply

["Simon Kean" <skean@atlasmail.com>]

Good point on Stockton - I am by no means a fan of Stockton, but I have some
admiration of this guy in terms of his perspective when it comes to the
"finance" side of the NBA. When it came time to negotiate his last contract,
management told him to "name any price" and they would pay it. He settled
for a 2-3 year deal averaging about 3-4 million per season. While this by no
means is chicken feed, he makes less than mere backup guards like Chris
Childs. His reasoning for the deal was so that his team could afford to
re-sign guys like Ostertag (who they did overpay) and Bryon Russell.
Remember, this guy is a future hall of famer! Notice how he was making
attempts to be the voice of reason in Vegas also.

While I hate this guys' dirty plays involving elbows coming off screens, and
the like, I have some new found admiration for him.


Simon

I'm pissed at the owners for their shortsighted greed for offering
outrageous amounts to players who did not deserve such a lofty contract.
(Donyell Marshall makes more than John Stockton for goshsakes!!)  And I'd
like to shake the players for; A. Depriving me of my beloved Celtics, B.
Threatening the livlihood of the players less fortunate than the top
percentage, and, C. Showing such greedy personalities to the most
impressionable, our youth who aspire to be like these spoiled, pampered,
millionaires.

Cecil