Has David Stern Jumped the Shark? - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

LRB · 02-03-2003, 04:07 AM

Wanted to open discussion on whether David Stern has outlived his usefulness and needs to be replaced. David has done a lot of good for the NBA, but he has also built his little fiefdom. He seems more and more concerned to me in keeping his power than promoting the NBA.

We have an scandal brewing with NBA officiating. The NBA is rapidly digressing towards professional wrestling status with the refs "respect" calls favoring certain players and teams over others. While certainly rules such as traveling are only sporatically called if at all. The NBA officed headed by Stern continues to stick its head in the sand and refuse to address these problems.

David Stern doesn't have a clue on how to handle the young teenage players entering professional basketball ranks world wide. Sterns answer is to bar the door to all under 18 and force them to Europe or else where. This has worked so far, but for how long will it continue to work. Will the NBA eventually fall behind European basketball if the LeBron James of the world start migrating there at 15? What is Stern's plan to deal with this or does he even have one.

And what about the thug basketball that the NBA is promoting nowadays. This is nothing like the highscoring and high skilled basketball that hooked me as a fan in the late 70's and early 80's. What's to happen with all the "hard" fouls keep injuring the stars of the game when they do the highwire acts that fans love to see. The bad boys get little to no real punishment for multiple repeats, just slaps on the wrists to the pampered millionaires. And even the slaps are inconsitent.

The competncy level of Stern and his cronies is sadly in question. But more then just this, the integrity of the game is in question. I say David Stern and his buddies have jumped the shark and then some. It's time to oust king David and put somebody new in there. Too bad Jerry West just took a new job, but what about Larry Bird?

OutletPass · 02-03-2003, 05:03 AM

LRB...you and I agree on many things.
This is one more.

Drbio · 02-03-2003, 10:20 AM

Good post.

veruca salt · 02-03-2003, 03:12 PM

There is that respect thing again.
Very good post LRB, and i agree totally.
I think people will just stop taking the game
seriously if some egos aren't capped soon.

Dooby · 02-03-2003, 03:38 PM

I wish I had written this.<-Highest form of praise from Dooby

That being said, getting rid of Stern is the grandest form of pipe dream. In the owners' minds, he has made them far too much money.

Nash13 · 02-03-2003, 04:32 PM

i was saying this yrs ago. He should be replaced by Either Stu Jackson or Kareem Abdul Jabar.

Epitome22 · 02-03-2003, 08:09 PM

What "thug Basketball" is David Stern and the NBA promoting exactly nowadays? Did I miss the Nike ThugWear commercials? Were their commercials for games featuring previews of players punching each other out ala UFC? The Irony is that the game you fell in love with in the 70's and early 80's featured much more what could be construed as "thuggery" I.E. Cheapshots, Hard fouls, enforcers, literal punch outs and other left over John Briskerisms than the game today. The game today certainly has less of that than was around from the mid 80's to early 90's. As for the referee stuff the problem didn't originate with Stern nor will it end with his dismissal. As for dealing with teenage ballers, simply setting an age limit for the NBA that also happens to be the minimum age to do many things in this country like vote, purchase tobacco, sign most legal documents is not the same as ignoring them. Perhaps he can open up the NBDL doors to them. If they don't like those doors or don't want to go to college then I'm sure they'll get over the emotional trauma of having to wait until the ripe old age of 18 to play in the NBA. If some teen phenom doesen't want to go to college, wants to go straight to the pros but is too young and decides to go play in Europe for awhile then so what? What is so negative about this? Like the kid will forego the NBA and continue playing Euroball when he turns 18?

David Stern is doing just fine, and will probably continue to do so for at least another 8-10 years.

Dooby · 02-04-2003, 08:34 AM

1. Stern is absolutely the problem with the referees. If Stern wanted to, he could change the way the refs are selected, evaluated, compensated, etc. But Stern likes things the way they are. I don't think there is any question that some owners think Stern manipulates the refs. We have read the quotes, only to have them retracted.

And let's be honest, Stern is so media savvy, yet he refuses to look at the refereeing despite the constant cries from coaches, owners, players and fans. Why?

2. The NFL partners with college football. Both admit a relationship with high school football. Notice there are no NFL games on Saturday during the college football season. Notice that until recently, there were no college games on thursday or friday. Why? Because the NFL respects the NCAA and demands that both respect high school football.

Absolutely, it is Stern's responsibility to preserve the sanctity (such as it is) of high school basketball. But how can he, when he has already abdicated his role with respect to the college game?