Sports Agenda For Friday (12/9/11)
Big Story:
The Panthers won again last night! Kudos to them. But this agenda is about only one topic today: the NBA.
NBA Update:
If you haven't heard already, the NBA managed to make themselves look even worse last night.
If you want owners to hate and are looking for the worst commissioner in professional sports, look no further than the NBA.
Last night, the Lakers/Rockets/Hornets agreed to a three-way trade.
The Rockets would get Pau Gasol from the Lakers. The Lakers would get Chris Paul from the Hornets. And The Hornets would get Luis Scola, Kevin Martin and Lamar Odom.
It's a great trade for all three teams.
The Lakers begin rebuilding with younger pieces. The Hornets get something for Chris Paul. The Rockets get the big man they desperately need.
The deal was completed in principle
Then David Stern and Dan Gilbert happened.
If you remember Dan Gilbert, he's the gutless, spineless, spiteful, good for nothing owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Remember, he who vowed to win a championship before LeBron would and proceeded to run his team into the ground.
He was also the hardest of hard liners trying to steamroll the players into a cancelled season cause he got his feelings hurt when LeBron realized he was a moron and jumped ship.
Yeah, that Dan Gilbert.
So the trade was in the league office because the league owns the New Orleans Hornets and refuses to find a buyer for them.
Gilbert immediately emails the commissioner when word of the Paul trade leaked out.
Here's a sampling of what he said:
"It would be a travesty to allow the Lakers to acquire Chris Paul in the apparent trade being discussed. Over the next three seasons this deal would save the Lakers approximately $20 million in salaries and approximately $21 million in luxury taxes. That $21 million goes to non-taxpaying teams and to fund revenue sharing."
So let's get this straight: Gilbert is ticked off because the Lakers figured out the new system and are a destination team that everyone wants to play for because the organization is run very well. Plus, he would get less money because the Lakers would be smart enough to get under the luxury tax and not have to contribute as much to revenue sharing.
And Gilbert is realizing that his stance in the lockout is backfiring.
Here's what I mean.
The owners had two choices on what to push for in the lockout. They could push for more givebacks, or they could push for more control over player movement.
They chose more money and allowed players to still determine where they are going to go.
Hence, Gilbert and his fellow owners' greed has kept them in the same situation they were in before.
Nice move by the players there fleecing the owners on player movement, score one for Jeffrey Kessler and Billy Hunter.
It's just comical at this point Gilbert's actions.
The last line of his email to the commissioner reveals how dumb Gilbert really is:
"When will we just change the name of 25 of the 30 teams to the Washington Generals?"
Hey Dan, I watched your team last year….the Washington Generals are much better than your pathetic excuse for a franchise.
His actions are an embarrassment to the league and the city of Cleveland.
Now, from the players' point of view, I have a real simple solution.
Gilbert submarined this move and helped lead the lockout to miss millions of dollars in pay.
So, if I were the newly reformed NBPA, I would instruct any free agent and pending free agent to not sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers no matter how much money was offered.
Make Gilbert really feel it in the pocketbook just like he took millions of dollars out of players pockets.
The NBA would have no recourse and couldn't do anything about the boycott.
Gilbert would have to make do with whatever he could find on the side of the road.
Really teach him what it's like to be the Worst. Owner. Ever.
But you know who has to be laughing the hardest right now?
Miami Heat superstar LeBron James.
He got out of that idiot's mess last year after Gilbert was given multiple years to assemble a good team around LeBron and instead let Danny Ferry try to pick up overpaid stiffs who couldn't carry LeBron's water.
Gilbert was mad at LeBron last year and his petulant ways have really cost him and the league hundreds of millions of dollars.
Yknow, there's a reason why Cleveland is the graveyard of professional sports; they continue to let idiots like this lead their franchises.
Now, as for Commissioner Stern.
His already tarnished legacy is even more stained now after he let Gilbert become bigger than the commissioners officer.
If you thought players didn't respect the commissioner before…just wait until all of them get word of this.
Miami Heat:
The Heat begin training camp today at 2 p.m. and all of the superstars will be there.
Plus, the Heat will welcome in Shane Battier to the mix Friday.
They'll have 7-foot Eddy Curry in for a training camp tryout, so we'll see what he has left.
If I'm Pat Riley, I still look at signing Kwame Brown…unless Dexter Pittman has improved enough to be a contributor.
If he has, look out NBA.
Oh yeah, the Heat have a message for small-minded owners like Dan Gilbert….Suck it.
Panthers: (@ Buffalo, 7:30 p.m., Fox Sports Florida)
They are in second place in the Eastern Conference and a win tonight combined with a Philadelphia loss or tie would move the Panthers into first place in the Eastern Conference.
When they return home to play next Tuesday, go see them!!!
