Union sues the NBA over new ball, tighter officiating

[BAMAPHIN 22]

The players' association filed two unfair labor practice charges Friday against the NBA over issues with the new ball and the league's crackdown on player complaints.

The charges were filed with the National Labor Relations Board.
"I think that's right within the NBA's wheelhouse," Dallas owner Mark Cuban said. "They say the NBA stands for 'Nothing But Attorneys,' so we're going to be great at dealing with those issues."

A number of players publicly have complained about changing the ball from leather to a microfiber composite. Although players are adjusting to the new ball, they're having a much harder time with the crackdown on reactions after the whistle, often referred to as a "zero-tolerance policy."

NBA commissioner David Stern enacted the policy, saying players were reacting too strongly after calls, and it has led to an increase in technical fouls called this season.

"It takes away from your natural reaction, the things that make basketball what it is," said Jerry Stackhouse, the Mavericks' player representative. "You think Bill Bradley never hit the support after he was called for a foul? That's the model citizen of all former NBA players. It's just a natural thing to do."

With players fined for each technical they receive, union director Billy Hunter told The Associated Press last month that legal action could be the next step if Stern didn't tell the referees to "back off."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/basketball/nba/12/01/players.grievance.ap/index.html

 

[Coral Reefer]

The players' association filed two unfair labor practice charges Friday against the NBA over issues with the new ball and the league's crackdown on player complaints.

The charges were filed with the National Labor Relations Board.
"I think that's right within the NBA's wheelhouse," Dallas owner Mark Cuban said. "They say the NBA stands for 'Nothing But Attorneys,' so we're going to be great at dealing with those issues."

A number of players publicly have complained about changing the ball from leather to a microfiber composite. Although players are adjusting to the new ball, they're having a much harder time with the crackdown on reactions after the whistle, often referred to as a "zero-tolerance policy."

NBA commissioner David Stern enacted the policy, saying players were reacting too strongly after calls, and it has led to an increase in technical fouls called this season.

"It takes away from your natural reaction, the things that make basketball what it is," said Jerry Stackhouse, the Mavericks' player representative. "You think Bill Bradley never hit the support after he was called for a foul? That's the model citizen of all former NBA players. It's just a natural thing to do."

With players fined for each technical they receive, union director Billy Hunter told The Associated Press last month that legal action could be the next step if Stern didn't tell the referees to "back off."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/basketball/nba/12/01/players.grievance.ap/index.html

Sports are getting ridiculous.
This is absurd.

 

[Slappy8800]

the nba is ridiculous...

 

[MikeO]

The union is a joke. The players are a friggin joke. This is why nobody cares about the NBA anymore on a national basis. Why the ratings are in the gutter.

What the heck kind of lawsuit is this???????? The players/union should be ashamed of themselves! If you don't like the "rules" or the "new ball".........QUIT!!! Get another job. Don't play in the NBA!

There is nothing unfair about what they did!

 

[tucker]

the ball does suck..have you used it before?

 

[finfansince72]

Ill follow the rules and act like a adult for the NBA minimum, let alone whatever half these guys are making. Hell Ill even play with a synthetic ball.

 

[djfresh47]

I think the officiating is out of hand. Guys can't even look at the refs without being t'd up.

 

[byroan]

Ill follow the rules and act like a adult for the NBA minimum, let alone whatever half these guys are making. Hell Ill even play with a synthetic ball.

I'd play with a rock for that kind of money.

 

[FinsNYanksFan13]

I might be touching on a sore subject but I think the crap that David Stern is pulling with the NBA rules has to do with the fact that the league is mostly black. If this was an all white league I bet you half these dumb rules wouldn't be in place and I don't care what any of you think, it's the truth!

 

[djfresh47]

I'd play with a rock for that kind of money.

Which is great but i'm guessing that you don't have the ability of the worst player in the NBA. It's hard to relate to any athelete because we see it as a game when to them it is their job. Some guys like the new ball and introducing something different always takes time to get used to. If Stern feels the ball will make a better product then that's great. I have no problem but guys can not even look at ref after a foul without getting a technical. The majority of the players in the association are African-American and the target audience is Upper-Class white males so Stern is trying to have his players be as marketable as possible to these people. I have a bigger problem with John Stockton's nut-huggers than anything done by the players in the association today.

 

[MikeO]

I might be touching on a sore subject but I think the crap that David Stern is pulling with the NBA rules has to do with the fact that the league is mostly black. If this was an all white league I bet you half these dumb rules wouldn't be in place and I don't care what any of you think, it's the truth!

Your probably right, but so be it.

All the Stern has done is have a dress code. He changed the ball (big friggin deal) and stoped the bitching to the refs.

You can't argue BALLS and STRIKES in MLB with the umpire its an automatic ejection. And you can't argue foul calls in the NBA. What's the big deal????

If the players don't like it, quit!! Find a new job!

 

[Rocky Raccoon]

I might be touching on a sore subject but I think the crap that David Stern is pulling with the NBA rules has to do with the fact that the league is mostly black. If this was an all white league I bet you half these dumb rules wouldn't be in place and I don't care what any of you think, it's the truth!

possibly, but it's just about cleaning it up. There is way too much complaining in the NBA. And now they're complaining about the complaining...or something. Just shut up, put on your uniform, follow the rules and play ****ing basketball.

 

[Slappy8800]

I might be touching on a sore subject but I think the crap that David Stern is pulling with the NBA rules has to do with the fact that the league is mostly black. If this was an all white league I bet you half these dumb rules wouldn't be in place and I don't care what any of you think, it's the truth!

maybe but thats the reason the nba has 0 ratings....look, im not a racist y any means....but the nba today has 0 appeal to us white people. The thug image has to go. I miss the days of magic,bird,jordan when SKILL was actually used in the game. I prefer a game with more shooting than dunking. But like I said, thats just me. A middle class white boy.

 

[UCFinfan86]

maybe but thats the reason the nba has 0 ratings....look, im not a racist y any means....but the nba today has 0 appeal to us white people. The thug image has to go. I miss the days of magic,bird,jordan when SKILL was actually used in the game. I prefer a game with more shooting than dunking. But like I said, thats just me. A middle class white boy.

It has alot of appeal to white kids, maybe not as much as black kids, but to say that middle class white boys don't like basketball is a stretch, Me and all of my friends play and watch basketball

 

[finfansince72]

I think the officiating has been a little overbearing but to get things in check the league had to go no-tolerance. If they for example, just t'd up Rasheed and a few other guys they'd be open to complaints and grievances. With a no tolerance rule the league can back itself up.
The league has a image problem, people think the players are thugs that run the show. That maybe overexxagerated but the image problem is real. The players took the complaining and showing up refs too far. Really the league should have cracked down on this years ago. I certainly switched the channel more than a few times over the last few years out of disgust with a silly Rasheed tirade or Ron Artest pouting session, it got silly.