Business It Isn't

[Josh Ozersky <josh_ozersky@yahoo.com>]

Frankly I am sick to death of this argument, but I suppose I ought to
weigh in with a couple of points.

Talking about ownership of an NBA team as "business" or "capital" is
about as meaningful as the mindless saw about "what would happen if I
choked my boss" refrain of a few months back.  The reason the league
is in the situation it is is that teams are more like yachts or trophy
wives, and bear little relation to the rules of business or the
marketplace.  Likewise, the ownership of some teams by communications
corporations are write-offs which are more than recompensed by the
vast tv revenues of a big city market.

Another factor that makes the union's positon untenable is the extent
to which, in this watered-down, over-showcased league, superstar
players are the ONLY route to success.  People see a Mutumbo or a
McDyess exit Denver, and then see what a joke the franchise becomes. 
They see Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippin dominate the league for a
decade with a "supporting cast" which couldn not have gotten 10 day
contracts from the teams they are routinely compared to.  And since
every championship team has been led by a superstar drafted by them
(almost always in the top three picks) the abyss of losing that player
makes it impossible for owners to NOT pay.  Look at Paul Gaston.  He
wants to do the right thing, resist the trend, draw a line in the sand
-- and if it costs us Antoine, we will curse him for it until we die. 
The celtics will be basement-dwellers.  Pitino will eventually depart
as well.  Think about that when you accuse the owners of it being
their own fault -- and despair!

Seriously.  The players have enjoyed a situation where superstars have
raised market expectations to a ridiculous level, because of a
freakish environment.  And since the players have almost to a man
never had real jobs or known the first thing about business, they
believe that all the owners have limitless money (in the same way that
all jews have limitless power, or all blacks can dunk and tap dance --
i.e. through simple ignorance).  Their backgrounds have led them to
distrust anything but cold hard market value, and that value, floating
with blinking eyes in the airless void of salary  relativity, has
brought the league to the brink of ruin.

Anyone who thinks otherwise just hasn't been watching.

Josh




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