Stern vs. The Spurs

[Raps08-09 Champ]

Pop and spurs discussing possible appeal

Good. They'll probably win.

[Sly Guy]

It kinda does have difference. People expect teams to rest star players at the end of the season. Most expect stars to play in the beginning.

He tried to set the culture that he thought was best for the NBA.

It doesn't, that's my point. The each regular season game counts the same statistically from beginning to season to the end.

Besides, the ticket prices don't change in the last 5 games of the season....

[Guppyfighter]

How is this setting a culture? Pop was doing this to win more games later on. Stern was doing this financially.

I much prefer Pop's culture.

[Raps08-09 Champ]

It doesn't, that's my point. The each regular season game counts the same statistically from beginning to season to the end.

Besides, the ticket prices don't change in the last 5 games of the season....

It does has some differentiation. You just don't want to see it that way.

[JasonJohnHorn]

Has anyone seen this yet?

I think this one is thread worthy! You should post it.


Seems very much out of character for Duncan (and Parker for that matter).

That said, Crawdford is awful.

[Raps08-09 Champ]

How is this setting a culture? Pop was doing this to win more games later on. Stern was doing this financially.

I much prefer Pop's culture.

You said it yourself.

He's setting a culture for financial benefit (as well as the culture of entertaining the fans). Stern wants the league to get money. Sitting your players out during important games doesn't exactly equate to money if it happens in a consistent basis. Imagine sitting someone out Christmas day for rest. That would piss sponsors and fans off.

[Sly Guy]

Has anyone seen this yet?

wow, this whole situation has the makings of a scandal.

[Guppyfighter]

Yes, but it won't maximize profits when an injury occurs from playing too much.

Six times more likely to be injured on that kind of a stretch.

[Raps08-09 Champ]

Yes, but it won't maximize profits when an injury occurs from playing too much.

Six times more likely to be injured on that kind of a stretch.

I never said he couldn't sit out his players. I understand if he wants to sit guys out to prevent injuries. But when you know this game has a large magnitude, at least warn them in advance, especially when you made your decision before the season started that they wouldn't play.

[Guppyfighter]

That doesn't help Pop win. And the CBA says he can strategically rest players. There is no reason why he should tell or have to tell.

[SLY WILLIAMS]

Some dads can barely afford to take their kids to 1 game a year. When I pick a game to watch who the opponent is plays a huge role in what tickets I would buy. The star players and best teams are obviously going to be much more valued games than the Cavaliers or Wizards. It used to be near impossible to get tickets to see the Knicks play Jordan. I would feel really bad for a family that can barely afford to go to a game to show up to find out the other team decided not to play their real team. If this was 1 player late in the season or sitting players in various games it might be different but sitting 4 of your 5 starters without injury on the same night? That is going way too far. People that paid to see the Heat play the Spurs got ripped off. Stern did the right thing. If Lebron and other star players were told they would not have to make the trip to SA Peter Holt would freak out.

[Guppyfighter]

Some dads can barely afford to take their kids to 1 game a year. When I pick a game to watch who the opponent is plays a huge role in what tickets I would buy. The best players and teams are obviously going to be much more valued games than the Cavaliers or Wizards. I would feel really bad for a family that can barely afford to go to a game to show up to find out the other team decided not to play their real team. If this was 1 player late in the season or sitting players in various games it might be different but sitting 4 of your 5 starters without injury on the same night? That is going way too far. People that paid to see the Heat play the Spurs got ripped off. Stern did the right thing. If Lebron and other star players were told they would not have to make the trip to SA Peter Holt would freak out.

The entitlement in this thread is baffling.

[Raps08-09 Champ]

That doesn't help Pop win. And the CBA says he can strategically rest players. There is no reason why he should tell or have to tell.

Doesn't help Pops win when he sits his best players against one of the best teams to begin with. He doesn't have to tell them, but clearly there's something on the line for the NBA Pops should be aware of.

Either way, Stern is changing the rules. Nothing we can do. No point of debating about it.

[Sly Guy]

It does has some differentiation. You just don't want to see it that way.

it doesn't. As a fan of what is marketed as the best league in the world, I expect the entertainment of the best players in the world play. I pay the same ticket price as everyone else, I expect the same value out of that ticket. If a team decides to pull it's players, then I feel ripped off. What difference does it make what point of the season that is?

The fact of the matter is we as fans already know teams do this. We've accepted it as practice. Therefore, in all fairness of the league, we get no policing of it, nor should there be any. To suddenly hand out sanctions without precedent shows favoritism. Favoritism is bad. It kills sport. If what Stern is doing becomes practice [and some may even say it already has], then the league has no credibility.

I love basketball. More than I love my favorite player, more than my hometown team. This is why I'm so outraged at the league these days, these kinds of scandals damage the game to the point where I can't love it anymore.

[SLY WILLIAMS]

The entitlement in this thread is baffling.

Its not entitlement. Fans paid to see the Heat play the Spurs with the warranted expectation that it would be the actual healthy Spurs not the Spurs reserves. The fans who paid for those tickets were ripped off. Would you pay the same price for a CBA game? They paid for the Spurs and got the Spurs backups.