Joe G. likes to put up videos that reflect his current mood. Well, here is mine…
I swore that after talks broke off last week that I was done listening to any kind of rhetoric from either side and that I would just assume the season was lost, and nothing short of a signed deal would make me believe otherwise. But here I am, just six days later, with a glimmer of hope that this deal will get done relatively soon. My reasons? Well, they are a bit of a reach, but when you want so badly to believe, you tend to believe the unbelievable.
Reason #1- My best friend is a pretty prominent member of an NBA organization (one with an owner who was cast as a villain last week) and he had planned to meet me in Jacksonville for the Florida/Georgia game this weekend. This morning, he was told by his employers to cancel any and all travel plans for this weekend because things could progress rapidly and he will be needed.
Reason #2– If you listen to Bill Simmons fabulous podcast with Billy Hunter, Hunter claims that owners broke off talks because they would only continue to meet with the union if the union agrees to the 50/50 split. Hunter asked them to table that issue and focus on other issues, and the owners said that no other issues would be discussed until the players agreed to 50/50. So that means one of two things happened; either the players agreed to 50/50 (HIGHLY unlikely) or the owners are getting a little more flexible (Finally!)
Reason #3– This is somewhat tied into reason #2, as we have seen the owners lose in the court of public opinion for the first time since this whole lockout mess began. The stories just keep pouring out about their internal division and their unsubstantiated greed. The players can point to all the concessions they have made, while the owners have no leg to stand on in that arena. Not that the owners will fold and risk losing hundreds of millions of dollars because of public perception, but perhaps it will get them to become a little more reasonable in their bargaining tactics.
So there you go, these are my reasons to hope. This is how I got pulled back in. Just when I thought I was out.
3 responses to “Sucker for a good tease”
I wish I had your optimism. The note about the team employee is interesting, but it could just be mere prudence rather than an expectation of results.
This is certainly sunnier than what I have been thinking: delaying announcement of games being canceled to decide how much to lop off of the season (player paychecks) to send a message.
I actually think BOTH are rethinking stands.
Owners are making a move off the 50/50…but likely only 51/49.
This PLUS expecting to get a major move from players on cap limits.
And a deal length is going to be a sticker.
I know this will be a closer ending number than anything else.
Joe G. should win a blog award for running this one and the Saints. Just when I thought I was out the basketball blogosphere, he pulled me back in. As did you, Michael Mac.