ItalianStallion wrote:I find it interesting that almost all the ex stars that have spoken publicly think the players should take the 50-50 deal because things have changed. Barkley has been saying it from the start and Magic Johnson said the same thing on ESPN 1050 today.
Real men figure out how to make it work.
Barkley never won a title but he never compromised to conspire (superfriends) nor ride anyones coat tails.
Players today are all buddy-buddy. Back in the day players did not hang out, they often did not like each other. I'll give Isiah some credit, he did not come to Knicks to try to win another and he was a true self centered prick. It cost him, but he was true.
Magic's sense of entitlement was not that huge. Bought it on the court and when struck down in his prime to a hideous virus he struggled a bit with coaching but then went out and BUILT A FUCKING EMPIRE!
Then you had Mike beocome the biggest name on the planet and was a true prick of a human. A true sociopath honeybadger type who took what he wanted and would rip the opponent, and his teams heart out to get it. MIke want some extramarital some-some, he don't care, he don't give a ****. Mike want another ring? Buddy up to mike but mike will take your soul and your ring! Mike don't care, he don't give a ****. Mike owns a team now.
COmpare to today where we got Lebrons inflated sense of entitlement, Bosh is the court jester, Wade is out for wade, Stat is cool, but running around nake't and on 7th ave fashion houses looking pretty (not that there is anything wrong with that) and Melo also just styling it big to build his brand.
Restrictive was when Earl the Pearl wanted out of Baltimore cuz he was making only $20,000 a year! In the new Knick book he laments having to leave and wonders if he stayed in Baltimore how good they could have been, and how big his name could have been as he was the star! He had to share it with Clyde. Im always greatful he come to knicks but he was poetry in motion in Baltimore!
Im glad the players and the game has grown so all could profit. My feeling is Lebron really pissed off Gilbert and some other owners are pretty steamed they cater to the players and they use their leverage to hold the teams hostage. Dwight Howard is doing it asking for lots of exensive help which can be gotten by taking on contracts and trading picks. A player leaves the franchise is screwed. Lebron gets Jamison others and then leaves.
Owners can say "NO" but letting a star player walk, or forcing a trade never quite equates. Denver got some nice pieces trading Melo but no replacement for his star/draw power in return. He had leverage. Dolan was generous (in retrospect his way of perhaps not rocking the boat given his natural advantage).
Players deserve to be paid and they will. Somewhere in the last few years the players tipped the balance of power in their favor away from the owners.
If you hate the owner you side with the player. If you own a business or manage perhaps you understand the employees can't run the business nor dictate profits. Not if you can help it!
And thats in my opinion is why the owners are being such dicks.
