Wake me when the lockout ends ... or not

“We make a lot of money, but we spend a lot too.”

Out of touch: Patrick Ewing (right) provided the most ridiculous
quote in profesional sports history.

That was the gem provided by none other than resident bonehead Patrick Ewing back during the previous National Basketball Association labor dispute. Latrell Sprewell, owner of a three-year, $21 million contract tried to reason with the public with a similar beauty: “I have a family to feed,” when a lockout threatened the NBA season.

So here we are today with yet another dispute between the billionaire owners, and the millionaire players. The owners claim they lose millions of dollars each year ($300 million to be exact).  Officially, 22 out of 30 teams lost money (CNBC).

To counter that, the owners have asked the players to take a pay cut from their previous 57 percent of basketball related income, to a nice, clean, 50-50 split. Not to mention a $45 million salary cap (down from $58).

Well, that hasn’t really gone over too well for the players, as you can guess. And so here we sit today with the preseason and first two weeks of the season cancelled. Now there’s talk that the NBA season might resume by Christmas if both sides can come to some conclusion.

Well, in my opinion, you have a better chance of seeing Santa come down your chimney than you would seeing the much awaited L.A. Clippers – Oklahoma Thunder matchup that I know you have circled on your calendar.

What is strange is to see the lack of concern by most sports fans. I saw a quote that the country needed the NFL (the league went through their own lockout this summer before finally coming to an agreement), and really could care less about the NBA. This speaks volumes and is true.

The NFL is America’s Game. Bypassing Major League Baseball (quick, name the two teams that lost their respective league championship series).

The NBA. Well, the general population could care less about billionaires and millionaires fighting over money. Especially with today’s economic worries with families struggling to survive and their faith in Wall Street about on par with the Celtics’ offense at the end of each quarter.  Zero.

I do feel for those that are affected: the front office personal including a few of my former students, concession workers depending on actual games at arenas to make a living, parking attendants and the many others.

Think the NBA players care much.  They’re off in Europe already playing.

Just tap me on the shoulder when the season starts. I’ll be watching football.