Jeff Chapman: Blame The Owners

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

                     [Chicago Tribune]    [SPORTS]


                     BLAME THE NBA OWNERS
                                   
                     Jeff Chapman                   
                     October 25, 1998                 
                                                   
                     SCHAUMBURG -- I am so tired o
                     the barrage of negative press
                     and on-air coverage regardin

                     the NBA players' role in the  
                     current lockout. Yes,
                     professional athletes are        
                     overpaid (relative to their     
                     workload, apparently not for 
                     their entertainment value).
                     And yes, NBA players probably
                     could not have a less eloquent
                     (to be kind) spokesman than
                     Patrick Ewing.

                     However, the NBA players were
                     willing to play through the
                     end of the
                     collective-bargaining
                     agreement--the owners were
                     not. It is not the inherent
                     responsibility of NBA players
                     to protect the owners from the
                     stupidity of their fellow
                     owners. The now infamous
                     "Larry Bird clause" was put in
                     place to restrict player
                     movement and allow a given
                     team to have the ultimate
                     leverage to keep its
                     "once-in-a-generation player."

                     Boston ownership was not
                     complaining about keeping
                     Larry Bird. Chicago ownership
                     should not be complaining
                     about keeping Michael Jordan.
                     The NBA owners' problem is the
                     NBA owners. Not one of them
                     has to pay a player more than
                     they should.

                     It's not the NBA players'
                     fault that New York overpaid
                     Patrick Ewing, that Charlotte
                     overpaid Larry Johnson, that
                     Miami overpaid Alonzo Mourning
                     or that Washington overpaid
                     Juwan Howard (which they did
                     because Miami's owners tried
                     to abuse "their own" system to
                     steal Howard away).

                     And NBA owners should not have
                     the nerve to say that the
                     pressure from fans makes them
                     overspend for a winner. They
                     were not concerned enough
                     about pressure from the fans
                     to avert this lockout. They
                     are actively trying to peddle
                     the blame over to the NBA
                     players.

                     If NBA owners want to earn
                     back a little credibility,
                     they should play out the
                     current collective-bargaining
                     agreement while they manage
                     their own respective
                     businesses the correct way.
                     The Larry Bird clause is still
                     there to benefit them.
                     Gentlemen, play ball!