Occupy The NBA

I.   Have You Guys Been Reading Your Paper?

On Monday AM New York, a free newspaper in New York City, listed a game between the Sixers and the Bulls as scheduled to be shown on ESPN that night at 8:30.  If only that were true.

II.  Occupy The NBA

Spotted a while back at Occupy Wall Street:   A 3-4 foot high little basketball hoop.  What this says to me is that someone at OWS thinks the cause is important enough to stay there with their infant...and also that it's time for the big boys to play.  And while the two big boys factions from the 1% continue beefing, the league has placed a proposal on the table - with an approval deadline of Wednesday - and the players' association is supposedly revisiting the concept of decertification of the union.  President Obama said he was "heartbroken," and that alone almost seemed to move negotiations forward...but as it turned out, only temporarily...and they're still at an impasse.  So I came up with a couple of ideas of my own.  I don't know if they will move things forward any more than did Obama's comments, but here are my suggestions:

1)  Since the major stumbling block between the sides seems to be the share of BRI, or basketball-related income...and the players and owners each basically want 53%...instead of a 50-50 split, why not do a sliding 47-53% scale for the players? That way both sides can say it could wind up working in their favor, and therefore they won, so it's time to go back to work.

2)  Occupy Wall Street/Oakland/Philly/Atlanta/Denver, etc. should take their protests to visit the arenas on behalf of the 99% who sell the tickets, cook the hot dogs, pour the beer, screen the t-shirts, and everything else in and around an NBA arena and/or team that is affected by this lockout.  I wonder if that wouldn't bring folks back to the table.

III.  Occupy New Jersey

I also have a suggestion for the soon-to-be divorced Kim Kardashian, whose ears are still stinging and ringing from the almost universal trashing she's taken for her 72-day marriage to the New Jersey Nets' Kris Humphries.  Instead of (allegedly) seeking to pay Kris to keep her $2,000,000 ring, a nice p.r. move might be if she would donate some cash to the people employed by the New Jersey folks affected by the lockout.

IV.  You Da Man

When Cliff Lee chose to leave the Texas Rangers via free agency to rejoin the Philadelphia Phillies, many people - myself included - anointed the Phils the favorites and blew off the Rangers.  Therefore, it was to the surprise of many people when the Phils...winners of 102 games, no less...failed to make it out of the first round, while the Rangers returned to the World Series.  Guess Texas skipper Ron Washington deserves some American League manager of the year consideration.

V.  Next Exit

Who would have thought the legendary Joe Paterno would be walking out the door to keep from being kicked out?

VI.  Exiting Too Soon

Unreal to hear of the passing of rapper/actor Dwight "Heavy D" Myers.  Rest in peace, Heavy D, and you will be missed!

VII.  The Last Round

"The world has lost a great champion.  I will always remember Joe with respect and admiration." - Muhammad Ali.