Player's Union sues Stern & co.

[The Crippler]

Interesting. Player's union sues the NBA for introducing the new basketball and also for the new "zero tolerance" rule.

Stick it Stern...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2682848

[bernardos70]

Lovely........... way to go for standing up against the emperor!

[WurzburgBorn]

I think their claims have merit. But that really doesn't matter to me that much. Any challenge to Der Stern's rule is a good thing in my book.
Go Players Association!

[HexNBA]

Players fighting back over ball, technical fouls

11:42 PM CST on Friday, December 1, 2006

By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News

The NBA players' union is taking the league to court about implementation of the zero-tolerance rule and the new basketball, among other things, and it's about time as far as Jerry Stackhouse is concerned.

The Mavericks' player representative said the league's unilateral decisions about changes to the game without player input has pushed the players into a corner.

"I put it in this context: The NBA, you go up to their offices," Stackhouse said. "Say they all use Windows XP. We as players say you guys are about to start using Macintosh today. Deal with it.

"They would tell us to get out of here as fast as you can. It makes no sense. If this is really a partnership, let's vote on it and see what [the players] think."

When he played for the Lakers, Devean George was their player rep, and he said the players are tired of rolling over and playing dead while the league makes fundamental changes to the rules or the basketball.

"They're trying to say that the experts say this and that, and guys want to know if any of these experts ever played basketball," George said. "Every time they have a meeting and ask who likes the ball, nobody raises their hand.

"They don't do a very good job of warning us about changes. They don't give us a fair share on rule changes. They just do it and say, 'Here it is.' Can't we get some say-so?"

Apparently, no, unless they file a lawsuit.

Stackhouse contacted union president Billy Hunter during training camp about the new, synthetic basketball that replaced the leather version that had been a staple for 35 years.

"Without using the ball and us working with it, how can we not have any say-so with the ball we used?" Stackhouse said. "He totally agreed and said they were filing what they did today against it. It violates labor laws that directly affect our work place."

And as for the technical fouls that have been doled out for demonstrative actions on the court, Stackhouse is adamant that the league should not be fining players.

"If it's a technical foul, it costs the team a point," he said. "But don't take guys' money. We're not robots. And they say they don't want us to be robots. But that's what it's becoming. A thousand dollars is a thousand dollars. I don't care if you make $10 million or $30,000."

Owner Mark Cuban said he has no desire to get in the middle of the issue.

"You know what the NBA stands for – Nothing But Attorneys," he said. "So this is a chance for them to go to work and earn their money. This is what they're best at. We'll let them handle it."

[mkat]

can they call for him to step down? that'd be great.

[nashtymavsfan13]

Good job by the players standing up for themselves. Stern sucks.

[mqywaaah]

I smell a coup ploy.

[ilMavvento]

Props to the Union for doing something about it in a language Stern might understand. I like Stack's analogy too.

[kriD]

MAVERICKS PLAYBOOK

Players call a foul on NBA

By DWAIN PRICE
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

DALLAS -- Amidst a season filled with one complaint after another from the players, the National Basketball Players Association filed a pair of unfair labor practice charges against the NBA on Friday.

The union charges that the players don't like the new synthetic basketball that is in use for the first time this season. The players also are upset about the league's crackdown on player complaints, resulting in an increase in technical fouls.

The charges were filed Friday with the National Labor Relations Board, with the blessing of many players.

"We're not robots," Mavericks swingman Jerry Stackhouse said. "They would say they don't want us to be robots, but that's what it's becoming."

Stackhouse believes the moves by the league stem from the brawl in Detroit in November 2004 when Indiana's Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson went into the stands and fought with fans. But Stackhouse said the league should deal with players on an individual basis and not lump everyone.

Players point out that the price for each of the first five individual technicals is $1,000.

"Don't penalize all 300 players because of four or five players and their antics," Stackhouse said. "A thousand dollars is a thousand dollars, whether you're making $9 million or $30,000."

The new Respect The Game rule was put into place this summer because NBA commissioner David Stern felt the players were overreacting to calls by the referees.

Meanwhile, Mavs owner Mark Cuban took the high road on the grievance filed by the union.

"I think everybody is just going to have a good time with that," he said. "That's what the NBA stands for, 'Nothing But Attorneys.' This is their chance to go to work and earn their money."

Stackhouse suggested that if fans don't like the players' behavior, they have the right to "go to the movies. You have the freedom to do what you want. If Rasheed Wallace comes to town and he bugs you that much, go see 007. We, in a democratic society, have the right of choice."

Through the first 225 games this season, 175 technical fouls were called by the refs, compared to just 120 at this same juncture last year. That discrepancy was too much for union director Billy Hunter and the players to digest.

"Our obligation to represent our membership dictates the filing of these actions," Hunter said in a statement. "There is virtual unanimity among the players about their concerns and intense dislike for the new synthetic ball and the 'zero tolerance' policy.

"After extensive consultation with our membership and player leadership, we determined that this was the appropriate course of action."

George rounding into shape

Devean George is waiting for the day he can show Mavs fans what he can do.

Signed as a free agent over the summer, George recently returned to the lineup after missing three games with a stomach illness and another four with a strained right knee. He said he's close to regaining the form he had during the previous seven years while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.

"It's going to take maybe a couple more weeks before I can probably get it back feeling 100 percent," George said. "There's really no pain, but for the most part it's just all about my conditioning.

"It's amazing how fast you get out of shape when you don't do anything for two weeks."

Howard joins Brand Jordan

To his surprise, Mavericks forward Josh Howard received a call from Michael Jordan this summer, requesting that he become a member of his Brand Jordan shoe company.

"It's a wonderful feeling, especially with [Jordan] being from North Carolina," said Howard, who played at Wake Forest. "He's the one who actually picks the guys. It's a blessing that he noticed me, so I'm going to take it and run with it."

Howard has three versions of the shoe with his initials and jersey No. 5 on it.

[dude1394]

Good for Josh on the shoe deal! This really may be his huge breakout season.

With respect to the lawsuit, it seems that he players have little recourse BUT to go to court. The NBA is changing their work environment, tools without so much as a by-your-leave.

Stern's being pretty stupid here..the one thing that the NBA imo has really going for them is a partnership between the front-office and the players. Techs, fines for wrist-bands, guys being forced to play with a different ball, etc forced by diktat is really unneccesary antagonism.

It's like the bulls-wallace head band deal. Sure he signs the checks and can make the rules, but you sure as hell don't have to like it. And ultimately Wallace has the power her. HE CAN just dog it in the end. If he just wanted to say "I can't play very well without my headband" there's not a lot they can do. This is his last contract and he will get paid irregardless.

In fact all players could easily do a work-stoppage and most would be quite fine financially. Stern acting like Napoleon does NOT help the relationship.

[WurzburgBorn]

In fact all players could easily do a work-stoppage and most would be quite fine financially.

Hey, as long as we're talking work-stoppage, I think it would be a lot more creative of the players (and more likely to garner public support) if instead of just not playing games, the players all started racking up technicals and getting thrown out int he first period until a team has to forfeit for not enough players. Players could then use short-lived televised games and post-game interviews as a way of getting their point across to the league and to the public.

Ok I'm getting ahead of myself here. Give the lawsuit a chance first, I guess.

[sike]

this makes me smile...overthrow the great satan!

[Dirkadirkastan]

Originally Posted by WurzburgBorn

Hey, as long as we're talking work-stoppage, I think it would be a lot more creative of the players (and more likely to garner public support) if instead of just not playing games, the players all started racking up technicals and getting thrown out int he first period until a team has to forfeit for not enough players. Players could then use short-lived televised games and post-game interviews as a way of getting their point across to the league and to the public.

Ok I'm getting ahead of myself here. Give the lawsuit a chance first, I guess.

Or you could get everyone ELSE to do this and pick up some easy W's.

[capitalcity]

NBA going back to old ball

02:08 PM CST on Monday, December 11, 2006

By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News

The NBA is planning a return to its leather basketball on Jan. 1, sources said Monday afternoon.

Commissioner David Stern has said in the last week that he was considering changing from the new synthetic basketball that has been met with near-universal bashing by the players. The ball was part of the reason the NBA players' association filed unfair labor practices against the league last week.

While details of the transition have not been finalized and the official date for the return of the old ball could change, the sources said the leather ball that was used for 35 years will be back in play before midseason.

It won't come soon enough for players who were irritated with the unnatural feel of the micro-fiber composite ball. They also had been getting the equivalent of nasty paper cuts on their fingertips and palms because of uneven ridges in the new ball.

The players were upset not only with the fact that the new ball is too sticky when it's dry and too slippery when it has sweat on it, but by the way the league made the change without significant consultation with the players.

It is unknown whether the league will commission Spalding, which makes both the new and old ball, to work on a different version for future seasons.

Players from Shaquille O'Neal to Steve Nash to Dirk Nowitzki had said they were strongly opposed to the new ball.

"If it's played with for two months or if it's brand new, it feels bad,'' Nowitzki said near the start of the season.

If the change is made on Jan. 1, it means most teams will have about 50 games left in the regular season.

[Bookit]

Originally Posted by capitalcity

NBA going back to old ball

02:08 PM CST on Monday, December 11, 2006

By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News

The NBA is planning a return to its leather basketball on Jan. 1, sources said Monday afternoon.

Commissioner David Stern has said in the last week that he was considering changing from the new synthetic basketball that has been met with near-universal bashing by the players. The ball was part of the reason the NBA players' association filed unfair labor practices against the league last week.

While details of the transition have not been finalized and the official date for the return of the old ball could change, the sources said the leather ball that was used for 35 years will be back in play before midseason.

It won't come soon enough for players who were irritated with the unnatural feel of the micro-fiber composite ball. They also had been getting the equivalent of nasty paper cuts on their fingertips and palms because of uneven ridges in the new ball.

The players were upset not only with the fact that the new ball is too sticky when it's dry and too slippery when it has sweat on it, but by the way the league made the change without significant consultation with the players.

It is unknown whether the league will commission Spalding, which makes both the new and old ball, to work on a different version for future seasons.

Players from Shaquille O'Neal to Steve Nash to Dirk Nowitzki had said they were strongly opposed to the new ball.

"If it's played with for two months or if it's brand new, it feels bad,'' Nowitzki said near the start of the season.

If the change is made on Jan. 1, it means most teams will have about 50 games left in the regular season.

Interesting. I guess the players won this one.

[jacktruth]

"You know what the NBA stands for – Nothing But Attorneys," he said. "So this is a chance for them to go to work and earn their money. This is what they're best at. We'll let them handle it."

Good or bad, like it or not, Cuban has some stones.