RebKell's Junkie Boards

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The CBA expires after next season. The posturing begins now...

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/sports/atoz/article_1243273.php

[4ever_bball_fan]

One thing that keeps coming to my mind is that a lot of the current players, rookie through fourth year, have no idea what the original players organized for. The league has changed so much since then.

I think it is good to hear a player, who also holds an MBA, make the statements that Lesile made here. It lets me know somebody is thinking about all the players, not just the stars, and not just the rookies. The CBA did effectively take a lot of players out of the league...the Astou's, the Goody's, etc.

I also think it is good that someone like Tamika Catchings is the president of the players union during this time. Also schooled in business, she is very highly regarded by both sides in these negotiations. Hopefully, she will be able to build a coalition within the players that will keep them strong, and communicating well with each other.

The owners will be the owners. They are old hands at this, and will work hard to maintain the ground they have in the current CBA. They will cry and lament about how much money they are losing in this enterprise, so it will be interesting to see if the players can truly move themselves toward more in the salary area.

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The competitor with the will to win also has the will to work. John Wooden.

[Marjie]

Donna did say that she was going to push for more money for the players in the next contract.

[PUmatty]

[harlem_basketball]

[NK]

[acusefan]

The big issue last time was that they had players who have no clue about the CBA running their mouths. I forget who the player was but they were basically calling for the players to strike unless the salaries were almost doubled.

The bad news for the players that is even though the league is still around after 10 years its still not a major money maker. The owners know exactly what they're doing and the player have to figure out whats most important. The big money players will obviously push for a higher cap and max contract. If they're smart they'll argue for more free agency and a higher cap and a higher minimum especially for rookie FA.

I don't know the CBA by heart but Phoenix seems like a team thats going to need some cap relief at some point. DT is going to be a max player, Cappie/Irvin were early picks, Kamila/Taylor must be making money.

Also I think more free agency would build more excitement in the offseason if a team could boast a good free agent signing along with a draft pick.

[4ever_bball_fan]

Mock all you will, but some of those institutions are just as regionally accredited as state u's all over the county. Better credentials than some private schools.

And, if you have never studied in that external environment, you can't understand the discipline it takes to write a paper for an instructor/professor that you don't get to listen to in a class everyday, and already know their biases and points of view.

It is a different method of education, and I think you will find that most "traditional" schools are finally getting in on the same action.

**Note: I am not a graduate of the University of Phoenix, but I did have to wade through the throngs of their graduates while on my recent trip to the Desert.

***Note to NK: I will gladly call you Dr., and feel embarrassed since I didn't know you were a man of the cloth, as it were.

_________________
The competitor with the will to win also has the will to work. John Wooden.

[SORF]

Pilight...

[NK]

[NK]

[bullsky]

[SORF]

NK...

[accommodatingly]

My impression is that the current CBA encourages teams to replace decent, but non-All-Star quality,, veterans with younger players, maybe more so (I don't really know) than CBAs in men's leagues-- maybe too much so.

If I'm right, then younger and older players, except for the biggest stars (Leslie, Catch, Augustus) have opposite interests going into negotiations. (For example: Jess Moore should want younger players to remain cheaper, so that LA will be more likely to keep her, or other teams to pick her up, as they ditch veterans to avoid cap violations; Alison Feaster should want the opposite.)

It's hard to imagine the players being dumb enough to call a strike. Especially if Catch is running the union.

I do hope the next CBA does something about child care.

[Slovydal]

[pilight]

[amaha05]

I know this sounds trivial in the grander scheme of things.

But I hope that somewhere the players can lobby for charter flights.

Their game schedule is so incredibly grueling. And with the latest round of security increases, travel could be virtually impossible.

I am convinced that it hurts the product on the floor. And I think it contributed to the injuries sustained throughout the season.

I doubt we could have avoided people getting hurt, but I bet allowing teams to leave with a reasonable schedule could have helped.

Considering that their Male counterparts travel this way I don't see the big deal. I know it is costly, but isn't Southwest Airlines a Sponsor?
I also know a local Aviation Group that would love to get publicity at a NBA/WNBA game, and fly the WNBA around.

So yeah it might be a stretch But I bet something could be worked out.

As for the rest... Tamika is more than capable, and I have no doubt that something fair, reasonable and beneficial for all will be worked out.

_________________
I Don't know why they want to Test Me they Know I'm from Jersey... DeMya Walker July 18, 2004
Big Girls Rule...

I'd rather be trapped in someone else's dutch oven than deal with the "breath of fresh air" Gavin Newsom would bring to Sacramento.
That's change NO-ONE can believe in.

[hooper1]

[bluewolfvii]

[MsTena-T]

I would say the salary cap should be increased.

That being said higher salaries will cause higher ticket prices . . . and if you aren't selling out arenas at lower prices it is unlike it will get done at higher prices.

[Marjie]

Anyone have an idea of the breakdown of the costs to run a WNBA team? What % is player salaries & fringe benefits, administrated costs, areana use, transportation/travel, coaches/trainers/conditioning staff, etc, etc? Also, where revenues come from? Thanks!

[womens_hoops]

[Mirage32]

[auntie]

[p_d_swanson]