The Side Line: We’re watching you NBA
Earlier in the semester I was upset about the NBA lockout, tobacco in Major League Baseball and the misuse of instant replay.
In the past month, the sports gods have shown their graces and made me a happy man: the lockout’s done, tobacco is gone and instant replay is more beneficial. The best update to my problems is the end of the 149-day NBA lockout, but the settled issues don’t mean the NBA should not be scrutinized for its lack of leadership when it was needed most. On Nov. 25, when many were crowding stores for Black Friday, the Players Association met with the team owners for 15 hours and eventually ended the tumultuous lockout.
A 66-game schedule begins on Christmas Day with a slew of rivalries and training camp commencing 16 days earlier on Dec. 9. Free agency begins the same day training camp starts, and that small amount of allotted training time is going to cause a mess, not to mention a higher risk of injuries since players haven’t been in full team workouts for months.
Do not misunderstand me, I am as happy as any basketball fan that play will begin soon (maybe the Hawks will make it far in the playoffs), but my concerns are based on my want for the best and most efficient game. Once again the fans, who it should all be about, lost opportunities to watch games and teams lost valuable time.
The Major Leagues cleared it up without a lockout or negative media to report, the MLB Players Association worked with MLB and settled a deal that reversed two of my previous complaints with professional baseball. Instant replay, while I agreed was necessary for baseball and benefited a home run call, was being left out of fair or foul balls. In the new agreement instant replay includes fair/foul balls and “trapped” balls to determine if a fielder uses the ground to assist a catch.
Personnel all have to conceal their tobacco product while on the field. Well done MLB, you fixed issues fast, collectively and with the fan in mind; take notes, NBA.
In the past year the NFL and NBA lockouts showed us how these two groups will argue for their best needs before they settle for something they don’t desire. I am sure there were many in the Major League collective bargaining talks that were not satisfied with all the final decisions, but sometimes accepting a minor sacrifice in your ideas will better the league and progress the system.
We’ve seen the length and amount of time the NBA/NFL can be stagnant on important decisions. Hopefully the public anger and dissatisfaction thrown their way will prepare them for their next meetings.
Posted by Taylor Lamb
on Dec 1 2011. Filed under News.
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