NBA 2011-2012

**CivilWars** · 01-20-12, 08:57 AM

Or, maybe the fact that we are in the second worst economic state in the 200+ year history of our country might have some impact on revenue? To act like the owners are the only ones to blame is naive at best. Mark Cuban is one of the most intelligent, involved, and dedicated owners in the game, and he wanted to hold out for more cutbacks.

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**Alundil** · 01-20-12, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by kibner

Sorry that the skill you worked on and developed is lower on the supply-demand curve than professional athletes.

This is irrelevant. Don't try and make this about me. I am not jealous of their salaries and certainly not their lives. I am not at all upset by what I earn. I love my job and am compensated well for it. I am quite happy with how my life is going thus far. This is not a "sour grapes" issue.

Originally Posted by kibner

Farmers, teachers, law enforcement, and medical care professionals are probably the most important for our society but they get paid a hill of beans (doctors are an exception, I guess - you obviously don't know pay scales in the healthcare industry as doctors, anesthesiologists and CRNAs all start with over 6 figure salaries in many places, PAs are close-ish to 6 figures at start, as are advanced practice nurses, RNs can start in the mid 50s almost anywhere and within 3-4 years (competencies allowing) be into the 70s-80s). There are a lot of people to fill these jobs, otherwise they would be paid more.

This is true - but also irrelevant to the discussion.

Originally Posted by kibner

Elite level athletes are entertainers with an incredibly rare skillset and/or body. People enjoy watching them so much, they are willing to pay lots of money. There aren't many people with the ability to play at the professional level, so the pay is spread across just a few people.

This is also true and I've never said otherwise. But is also, sadly for your point, irrelevant.

Originally Posted by kibner

Still, just because someone makes more money than me, doesn't mean they deserve to get screwed by incompetent management.

No one "deserves" to be screwed by incompetent management (if that is truly what happened). However, choosing professional athletes as your "charity case" of people getting screwed by their management is probably not all that effective as those players don't need your concern or charity. They are, as you've already pointed out, very well compensated. 10% isn't that big a deal to them in the grand scheme of things. If you want to complain about people being screwed out of their money by poor (terribad) management perhaps talking to former Enron employees and pleading their case might be more effective? Or people being laid off due to bankruptcies like Kmart, Sears or Borders to name a few recently in the news. All of those could be used as examples of poor management (failing, terribly, to out think competition or even see the trends in their own industries) causing pay cuts or outright layoffs for their employees

Originally Posted by kibner

Some/most players are dumb with their money, but so what? They still earned it.

You're right, some/most are dumb with their money and yes they did earn it per the terms of their contract? What was the point of this statement?

**kibner** · 01-20-12, 09:47 AM

I don't see the need to be angry at players over the lockout and the general hate for professional athletes making lots of money. That's really my only point. I don't think they are particularly greedy. So what if it is a recession? The common people are still paying to watch these guys even during the recession. If someone feels that a person is getting too much money during an economic downturn, then don't give that person/business money. Basically, it is kind of dumb to be angry at people that make money through a fair means just because others aren't able to get a job (especially when it is a non-essential product like entertainment.

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**kibner** · 01-20-12, 09:55 AM

Cuban was all for the lockput not even happening. If the owners truly wanted to save money, they would have worked out better revenue sharing and get rid of the salary floor.

If they wanted more competitive teams, they would have gotten rid of max contracts and many of the other silly rules in the salary cap.

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**Alundil** · 01-20-12, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by kibner

I don't see the need to be angry at players over the lockout and the general hate for professional athletes making lots of money. Basically, it is kind of dumb to be angry at people that make money through a fair means just because others aren't able to get a job (especially when it is a non-essential product like entertainment.

Who is "angry" at them?

**CivilWars** · 01-20-12, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by kibner

Cuban was all for the lockput not even happening. If the owners truly wanted to save money, they would have worked out better revenue sharing and get rid of the salary floor.

If they wanted more competitive teams, they would have gotten rid of max contracts and many of the other silly rules in the salary cap.

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And IF they held their ground on those issues we would still be discussing an active lockout, not a crappy season. I personally am not angry at either side, nor do I blame one over the other. They are both in the business of getting the best deal they can for themselves. If I were a player I would want the biggest contract I could get, as long as the league and my team could afford to pay it. If I were an owner I would want to keep as much of the revenue as possible, and still have the best players. It is only natural.

**kibner** · 01-20-12, 10:31 AM

I don't even know why we are arguing anymore.

Oh well, maybe I just needed to get some things off my chest about people here and I mis-targeted. Still, good points all around.

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**CivilWars** · 01-20-12, 10:34 AM

And for the record I am an NBA fan. I am a Mavs homer, but I also am starting to love OKC. Durant is a UT kid, and I like the style they play. With the Mavs finally winning it all last year I will be happy this year as long as the Heat don't win.

**kibner** · 01-20-12, 01:51 PM

Mavs are struggling at the start this year, but seem to be coming around. I honestly don't like the way the Thunder play offense (a billion free throws). I also kinda have it out for them in general because they tried to prevent the Hornets from going back to NOLA after Katrina. So I doubt I will ever cheer for them. :shrug:

Rubio on the Wolves is real fun to watch. He's gonna be a stud. The other players suck and I'm not the biggest fan of Love. Clippers play no defense and Vinny is an awful coach, but CP3 makes them entertaining enough to watch. Heat can sometimes be fun, but not when the offense gets into free throw mode. Kings are kinda cool. Have lots of guys that can score from anywhere on the court. Too bad no one passes and they have undisciplined defensive effort. Pacers are cool, too.

Wizards games always make me feel better about my team.

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