Re: DAVID STERN -Reply

[Ryan Falcone <FalconeR@nvg.com>]

>>> "Icarus" <skmishra@sprintmail.com> 11/20/98 11:51am >>>
-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Meninno <jim_meninno@hotmail.com>
>Stern was livid that the interviewer suggested that the teams have not
>been entirely honest about disclosing revenue.  He asserted that the
>teams have provided the union with full and acurate financial
>disclosures for (I believe) four years.

Stern has reasons to be livid because by saying that teams not provided
full and accurate disclosure of their accounts implies that teams are
fudging their balance sheet and profit and loss account.  <<<


That wasn't really the point.  Stern was livid because the interviewer (I
don't know the name of the new "Up Close" host is)--in response to a
Stern statement about how it would be fiscally better for several NBA
teams to not have the 98-99 season than to engage in full operations
under the current collective bargaining agreement--asked him:
     "C'mon, David, are you telling me that the fans should be expected to
believe that there are teams that are truthfully losing money?"

To which Stern replied something like:
    "Are you suggesting that the teams haven't truthfully divulged their
financial status?  When you use the word 'truthfully' in that context, it
implies that the teams have concealed information, when in fact they
have fully disclosed all financial documents for the union to assess..."

Later in the interview, Stern said the most rational thing that I've heard in
the 140-however many days this lockout has lasted:

"I'm not taking sides with the owners OR the players.  Nor is this a
dispute over furthering the interests of the owners over the interests of
the players.  Rather, it is a repudiation of the current system.

"All of the league's teams are required to operate within a set of rules,
and the teams seek to compete within the framework of the rules. 
Unfortunately, the system is broken, and must be fixed."

Bravo, David Stern!!  Now all you have to do is convince Messrs.  Falk,
Ewing, Jordan, and Hunter (in that order).

Disgruntled in Syracuse,
Ryan