About the Lockout

[snoopy1@pig.net]

A letter, I thought about actually mailing about ten minutes after the
announcements today....


To: The NBA Owners, and the Player's Union
Re:  What We All Have Coming To Us

Dear Morons;

     Due to your collective inability to make a decision about who gets to
spend the millions of dollars at stake, you have thus far cost the fans the
entire preseason, and two weeks of the regular season(and counting...).

     Since no one could argue that the fans are what makes the NBA so
popular, I am recommending that any profits over and above those necessary
for the day to day operations of the NBA and it's teams; as well as any
profits over and above the median American worker's income level (let's be
generous, and say $35,000 yearly, before taxes) be redistributed back to
the fans who have had to live with this paen to ineptitude for months now.

     I think since no one has even talked about rescheduling the lost games
(the arenas, even in Boston, are now all air conditioned, so playing in
July isn't so bad as you might think), it's become obvious that no one
involved in the "negotiations" is really all that concerned about getting
any Basketball played.

     Once again, sportsmanship is sacrificed at the Altar of the Almighty
Buck.  Said Buck stops here, people.  

     If you don't want to play, we don't want to pay.  We want refunds with
interest accrued on those season tickets we bargained out firstborn
children for.  We want to see something useful done with the now-open dates
in various venues...personally, I think the bunch of you owe us some free
games, or some benefits for various causes.

     If you really think it's beneficial to "play hardball", at least have
the decency to start hitting the road, and you could use the various
plahying sites...think of it...management goes on the Offensve in Boston,
then we head to LA to see the players union on defense.  You might even try
playing a little one-on-one, and try getting the crowd into it.  Just wear
helmets, since nobody'll be throwing roses.

     Do you perhaps get the idea?  We don't CARE who gets what money. Some
people would commit a felony to get a rookie's salary.  Maybe you missed
the Baseball thing a while back.  I got a lot of people interested in the
NBA (and several in the Celtics specifically) because there were no games
on the field, due to games OFF the field.

     None of you are worried about where your next meal is coming from, or
how to pay the mortgage (or, God forbid, the rent).  there's not two sides
here..there's THREE.  No matter what you hash out, WE make the final
decision.  And every day this drags out is one more day to start learning
about another sport.  Heck, if you keep this up, the WNBA can start early.
They have some good teams, and they actually like the idea of going out and
playing Basketball.  What a concept....

     In conclusion, I've estimated my bill for lost time to the NBA at
$5,000.00 for the time, effort, and aggravation.  Either play...or pay.
But get off the flamin' fence already, huh?

(signed)
Snoopy, the Celtics beagle

I wonder if I can start a zamboni tour.....?

poof...