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Steve Wyche On Today's Vote Of Confusion
Published Wednesday, January 6, 1999, in the Miami
Herald
NBA
Players to vote today
Open ballot may not favor owners
By STEVE WYCHE
Herald Sports Writer
Leaders of the
NBA's players
union are
expected to
allow each
willing member
to raise his
voice, or at
least his
hand, in a
vote today
regarding the
league's
unsettled
labor
situation. The
results could determine whether there will be a
season.
But some players may not be willing to be heard or
seen out of fear of reprisals from their
colleagues, some players and agents said Tuesday.
``I think it would be a different story if it were
a secret vote,'' said a Heat player who asked not
to be named because he might side vote for the
owners' offer. ``If it's going to be an open forum
the majority would reject the deal like the union
wants.
``Behind closed doors who knows what could
happen.''
There won't be any doors to be closed, according to
union sources.
An estimated 200 players of the union's 400-plus
membership are expected in New York this afternoon
to vote before the entire assembly on whether to
reject the ``final'' offer submitted by league
owners Dec. 27.
The Heat's Alonzo Mourning, a member of the union's
negotiating committee, Tim Hardaway, Mark
Strickland, Eric Murdock and Keith Askins, who last
week publicly demanded a vote, will be on hand.
Askins is the only Miami player to go on record
saying he would vote for the owners' deal. Two more
said they would be inclined to do so but requested
to remain anonymous.
``They shouldn't use a secret ballot,'' said agent
Keith Glass, who represents Heat free agents Eric
Murdock and Marty Conlon. ``If you want to take a
position, stand up and take a position. The owners
are saying to the guys `We know we've pushed you
around and we have not negotiated, but do you want
to play or not? This is an oppressive deal.''
Should the majority of players vote against the
owners' proposal, the sixth-month labor standoff
could come to an unprecedented end Thursday -- the
NBA's deadline -- with owners canceling the season.
No North American professional sports league has
lost an entire season.
Should the majority of players vote in favor of the
owners' proposal, it is unclear how the NBA will
react but is seemingly would call for immediate
talks with the union to finalize an agreement. The
NBA and its Labor Relations Committee rejected the
union's ``final'' offer on Monday.
Union leadership said it will report the outcome of
the vote to the NBA either way.
Several agents and some players said that even if
owners cancel the season, a deal could be struck a
day or two later. NBA deputy commissioner Russ
Granik said Monday that once the season is
canceled, it is canceled.
``It looks very bleak right now,'' Murdock said.
The sides appear close enough on several issues --
including maximum player salaries, the length of
rookie contracts and the overall percentage of
league revenues paid to players -- that one last
bargaining session could generate an accord.
Union leadership proclaimed Tuesday it will suggest
to all those assembled to reject the owners' deal.
It then will call for a vote either by roll call or
a show of hands.
The vote actually may not come until Thursday, the
league's deadline, as some close to the union said
the brunt of today's meeting may be to ``educate,''
if not persuade players, to stay strong with the
union.
``We want to get out the message that they really
understand the deal,'' Hawks guard Steve Smith
said. ``Our stand is the deal is not good for us.''
Some disagree. But it may take a bold stance by a
few prominent players, like critics Jayson Williams
and Nets teammate Keith Van Horn, to stand up to
union leadership to cause mass opposition.
Williams said more than 40 players have called him
over the past two days, ``and they all feel the way
I feel,'' he said.
He said he thinks the owners' deal is fair but does
not know if he or others will stand up to the union
hierarchy.
``If there were a secret ballot I think it might be
close,'' he added. ``But with an open ballot, the
union will win.''
Most players and agents were kept in the dark
Tuesday about the structure of the vote --
potentially an intentional measure to lure players
to New York where they might not get what they
expect, one agent said.
Some sources said before there is an actual vote,
union leaders may ask players to show who is on
their side, a means of intimidation one player
said. Another source said the union may not even
put the owners' proposal up for a vote.
``There might be some pretty [ticked] off
players,'' said one source close to the union who
asked not to be identified.
There already are plenty of ticked-off players.
Already out of work, some say having to buy a plane
ticket and possibly pay for lodging on such short
notice is an unneeded expense. Some players and
agents argue that players should have the option to
vote via phone call or at a polling place set up in
each team's respective cities.
``I'm really upset with the fact that you're asking
guys to come from around the country on a day's
notice to get to New York when there's quicker
means to do it,'' Askins said. ``I think they know
a lot of players can't make it.''
Added a Heat player who asked not to be named:
``They put people in a position where a lot of guys
can't be there so they have the majority of guys
there who can vote this down even though we all
should have a say in it.''
Copyright © 1999 The Miami Herald