Adrian Wojnarowski: Fear and Loathing of David Stern

[WBrownTrophy]

It's a private enterprise.  There doesn't need to be freedom of speech per se'. 

Legally, there doesn't need to be freedom of speech...but how else can we be assured that the games are being played completely fairly? As huge fan of basketball, that is extremely important to me. How else will those within the NBA be held accountable? There are certainly many ways that players are held accountable...I just don't see many other ways refs and even owners are.

I understand it is a business and Stern wants to do everything to make more money...but when your customer is the general public (many being youths) and your product is what should be a pure game...doing anything that could be perceived as contaminating the game is a risky venture

[the_Bird]

The only question in my mind is whether Stern is going to sue Wojo for defamation, or have his kneecaps broken.

I've got to say, I'm a Celtics fan but it's real hard sometimes to be an NBA fan, not with the way the league is run.  It's just so many little things that cumulatively make you wonder if everything is on the up and up.  I'm anything but a conspiracy theorist...  but Stern's ways just have to make you wonder.

[Finkelskyhook]

It's a private enterprise.  There doesn't need to be freedom of speech per se'. 

Legally, there doesn't need to be freedom of speech...but how else can we be assured that the games are being played completely fairly? As huge fan of basketball, that is extremely important to me. How else will those within the NBA be held accountable? There are certainly many ways that players are held accountable...I just don't see many other ways refs and even owners are.

I understand it is a business and Stern wants to do everything to make more money...but when your customer is the general public (many being youths) and your product is what should be a pure game...doing anything that could be perceived as contaminating the game is a risky venture

If the integrity and purity of the NBA game is extremely important to you....I would suggest you find an NBDL team to follow.  The quality of the basketball is solid and competitive.  The officials have little if any agenda and call the games evenly.  

If you're following the NBA game for entertainment reasons, follow it.  But if you're following it for the purity and integrity of the game,.......That's been long gone since the Jordan years.

[Chris]

It's a private enterprise.  There doesn't need to be freedom of speech per se'. 

Legally, there doesn't need to be freedom of speech...but how else can we be assured that the games are being played completely fairly? As huge fan of basketball, that is extremely important to me. How else will those within the NBA be held accountable? There are certainly many ways that players are held accountable...I just don't see many other ways refs and even owners are.

I understand it is a business and Stern wants to do everything to make more money...but when your customer is the general public (many being youths) and your product is what should be a pure game...doing anything that could be perceived as contaminating the game is a risky venture

If the integrity and purity of the NBA game is extremely important to you....I would suggest you find an NBDL team to follow.  The quality of the basketball is solid and competitive.  The officials have little if any agenda and call the games evenly.  

If you're following the NBA game for entertainment reasons, follow it.  But if you're following it for the purity and integrity of the game,.......That's been long gone since the Jordan years.

Yup.  I also don't think coaches and players (much like fans, and certainly color analysts) are the most impartial judges to inform us that the game is on the level.  They are competitive, and they are always going to think they are the ones being treated unfairly. 

Their job is to play and coach.  Leave the commentary to those who are not supposed to be representing the league. 

[WBrownTrophy]

It's a private enterprise.  There doesn't need to be freedom of speech per se'.  

Legally, there doesn't need to be freedom of speech...but how else can we be assured that the games are being played completely fairly? As huge fan of basketball, that is extremely important to me. How else will those within the NBA be held accountable? There are certainly many ways that players are held accountable...I just don't see many other ways refs and even owners are.

I understand it is a business and Stern wants to do everything to make more money...but when your customer is the general public (many being youths) and your product is what should be a pure game...doing anything that could be perceived as contaminating the game is a risky venture

If the integrity and purity of the NBA game is extremely important to you....I would suggest you find an NBDL team to follow.  The quality of the basketball is solid and competitive.  The officials have little if any agenda and call the games evenly.  

If you're following the NBA game for entertainment reasons, follow it.  But if you're following it for the purity and integrity of the game,.......That's been long gone since the Jordan years.

Yup.  I also don't think coaches and players (much like fans, and certainly color analysts) are the most impartial judges to inform us that the game is on the level.  They are competitive, and they are always going to think they are the ones being treated unfairly.  

Their job is to play and coach.  Leave the commentary to those who are not supposed to be representing the league.  

I just want to be able to watch the team I love, the Celtics, without having to think twice about the fairness of the game being played....I guess that is too much to ask? Should I really be that cynical to assume that is not possible?

I agree coaches and commentators aren't the best judges....but does that mean there is no hope for holding refs accountable?

[Finkelskyhook]

I agree coaches and commentators aren't the best judges....but does that mean there is no hope for holding refs accountable?

The only way to hold them  accountable is to not buy their product.

[Chris]

It's a private enterprise.  There doesn't need to be freedom of speech per se'. 

It is not like that is the only reason I am following it

It's a private enterprise.  There doesn't need to be freedom of speech per se'. 

Legally, there doesn't need to be freedom of speech...but how else can we be assured that the games are being played completely fairly? As huge fan of basketball, that is extremely important to me. How else will those within the NBA be held accountable? There are certainly many ways that players are held accountable...I just don't see many other ways refs and even owners are.

I understand it is a business and Stern wants to do everything to make more money...but when your customer is the general public (many being youths) and your product is what should be a pure game...doing anything that could be perceived as contaminating the game is a risky venture

If the integrity and purity of the NBA game is extremely important to you....I would suggest you find an NBDL team to follow.  The quality of the basketball is solid and competitive.  The officials have little if any agenda and call the games evenly. 

If you're following the NBA game for entertainment reasons, follow it.  But if you're following it for the purity and integrity of the game,.......That's been long gone since the Jordan years.

Legally, there doesn't need to be freedom of speech...but how else can we be assured that the games are being played completely fairly? As huge fan of basketball, that is extremely important to me. How else will those within the NBA be held accountable? There are certainly many ways that players are held accountable...I just don't see many other ways refs and even owners are.

I understand it is a business and Stern wants to do everything to make more money...but when your customer is the general public (many being youths) and your product is what should be a pure game...doing anything that could be perceived as contaminating the game is a risky venture

If the integrity and purity of the NBA game is extremely important to you....I would suggest you find an NBDL team to follow.  The quality of the basketball is solid and competitive.  The officials have little if any agenda and call the games evenly. 

If you're following the NBA game for entertainment reasons, follow it.  But if you're following it for the purity and integrity of the game,.......That's been long gone since the Jordan years.


I just want to be able to watch the team I love, the Celtics, without having to think twice about the fairness of the game being played....I guess that is too uch to ask?

Yup.  I also don't think coaches and players (much like fans, and certainly color analysts) are the most impartial judges to inform us that the game is on the level.  They are competitive, and they are always going to think they are the ones being treated unfairly. 

Their job is to play and coach.  Leave the commentary to those who are not supposed to be representing the league. 

I agree coaches and commentators aren't the best judges....but does that mean there is no hope for holding refs accountable?

Of course not.  Refs should be held accountable.  And I personally believe they are held at least somewhat accountable...just not enough.  And more importantly, I think the problem is that they do not deal with it publically enough.

But that is not going to change with players or coaches whining to the press.  That is only going to change when it starts affecting the bottom line by the fans not paying for the product.  

I think a lot of the stuff about refs are overblown.  I think they are disciplined for making things personal and crossing the line, and I really don't think that happens often.  However, I also think they absolutely will favor superstars, and I also believe that there may be some credence to the theory that the league does put thought into which refs they schedule for games, with the hopes of getting a certain outcome that will benefit the league financially.

And these are the things that will not change until the lashback hits them in the wallet.  Currently, it is still increidibly beneficial to the league to favor guys like Lebron and Kobe, because they bring in ratings and cash to the league.  And since the owners benefit from this, they generally are in favor of it (other than in the occasional game where they are the team that suffers).  

This is not about Stern.  He is really just a figurehead.  This is about a corporation that has found a way that works, and brings in more money.  They only way they would stop it is if it started costing them money, and so far, that is nowhere close to happening.

[bdm860]

Shocking, Wojo writes a scathing article about a guy that the vast majority of fans hate.  I never saw this coming...

Lol, tp.

There is definitely some spin going on here though (like all of Wojo's articles).  In regards to the Clippers story about an employee's medical costs, I think we all know that the Clippers are run very cheaply.  Some companies want the best workers and will pay the best and offer the best benefits to get them.  Some companies are happy with average workers and offer middle-of-the-pack salaries and benefits.  And some companies want to cut costs and think they can make the most money by paying the least in salaries and benefits.  This is how the real world works, and I think we all know which one the Clippers are.

That being said, why should Sterling pay this guys extra medical costs?  No doubt in my mind that the Clippers offer the least amount of health insurance possible.  If you don’t think what your company offers you is enough, then you need to go out and get some supplemental coverage.  I’ve worked in the insurance industry, many people do this.

Sure, it’s not the classiest move.  Do I think Mark Cuban would pay for the treatment?  Sure I do.  Do I think every NBA owner (or sports team owner or business owner in general) would pay for an employee’s extra health care coverage above and beyond what they already provide?  Nope.  There was just a story a couple of weeks ago how Yankees players donated money to help out a Red Sox coach. The article says the Red Sox were generous (not that the same could be said for Sterling), but it sounds like all the costs weren’t covered.  I'm making an assumption here, but Hughes actual costs were probably a lot higher than $70k. Biopsy's, MRI's, CT scans, doctor visits, etc, all probably covered by insurance Sterling provided.

Personally, I don't think most owners of companies would step up and pay here.  If you're offering minimal health insurance, your employee's well-being isn't your main concern. I wouldn't be surprised if Sterling doesn't even know the guys name.

But that's a major reason why some people work for less pay, or work in a different industry than they prefer, because a different company, in a different industry pays less but offers great health coverage.  Having good/great health coverage is important to some people, it doesn't seem like it was on the top of the priority list for Hughes.  Sterling has made the business decision to offer employees minimal health care coverage.  There's probably somewhere between 250 and 500 employees that work for the Clippers.  If you decided to pay extra for one employees health care coverage, you'd have to do it for ALL employees.  That's a tough thing to do.

Not the classiest move by Sterling, but this kind of thing happens every day in many different companies.  There's also a dozen or so other millionaires that work for the Clippers too, and it's good to hear that some of them stepped up.

Now I can support Sterling on that one issue, the other things mentioned, definitely something should be done about.  And I agree Stern should do something about it.

[Andy Jick]

Stern runs the NBA like a dictator and he's all about the Benjamin's...

I have little respect for him and believe the NBA has become watered down since it's glory days of the mid-80's to the mid-90's.

[Chris]

Stern runs the NBA like a dictator and he's all about the Benjamin's...

I have little respect for him and believe the NBA has become watered down since it's glory days of the mid-80's to the mid-90's.

A dictator does not have to pass anything he wants to implement through a board of Governors. 

[Andy Jick]

Stern runs the NBA like a dictator and he's all about the Benjamin's...

I have little respect for him and believe the NBA has become watered down since it's glory days of the mid-80's to the mid-90's.

A dictator does not have to pass anything he wants to implement through a board of Governors. 

also known as "figureheads."  They're simply there for window-dressing and a part of the background.  This is Stern's world and everyone else is just along for the ride...

[Chris]

Shocking, Wojo writes a scathing article about a guy that the vast majority of fans hate.  I never saw this coming...

Lol, tp.

There is definitely some spin going on here though (like all of Wojo's articles).  In regards to the Clippers story about an employee's medical costs, I think we all know that the Clippers are run very cheaply.  Some companies want the best workers and will pay the best and offer the best benefits to get them.  Some companies are happy with average workers and offer middle-of-the-pack salaries and benefits.  And some companies want to cut costs and think they can make the most money by paying the least in salaries and benefits.  This is how the real world works, and I think we all know which one the Clippers are.

That being said, why should Sterling pay this guys extra medical costs?  No doubt in my mind that the Clippers offer the least amount of health insurance possible.  If you don’t think what your company offers you is enough, then you need to go out and get some supplemental coverage.  I’ve worked in the insurance industry, many people do this.

Sure, it’s not the classiest move.  Do I think Mark Cuban would pay for the treatment?  Sure I do.  Do I think every NBA owner (or sports team owner or business owner in general) would pay for an employee’s extra health care coverage above and beyond what they already provide?  Nope.  There was just a story a couple of weeks ago how Yankees players donated money to help out a Red Sox coach. The article says the Red Sox were generous (not that the same could be said for Sterling), but it sounds like all the costs weren’t covered.  I'm making an assumption here, but Hughes actual costs were probably a lot higher than $70k. Biopsy's, MRI's, CT scans, doctor visits, etc, all probably covered by insurance Sterling provided.

Personally, I don't think most owners of companies would step up and pay here.  If you're offering minimal health insurance, your employee's well-being isn't your main concern. I wouldn't be surprised if Sterling doesn't even know the guys name.

But that's a major reason why some people work for less pay, or work in a different industry than they prefer, because a different company, in a different industry pays less but offers great health coverage.  Having good/great health coverage is important to some people, it doesn't seem like it was on the top of the priority list for Hughes.  Sterling has made the business decision to offer employees minimal health care coverage.  There's probably somewhere between 250 and 500 employees that work for the Clippers.  If you decided to pay extra for one employees health care coverage, you'd have to do it for ALL employees.  That's a tough thing to do.

Not the classiest move by Sterling, but this kind of thing happens every day in many different companies.  There's also a dozen or so other millionaires that work for the Clippers too, and it's good to hear that some of them stepped up.

Now I can support Sterling on that one issue, the other things mentioned, definitely something should be done about.  And I agree Stern should do something about it.

I read the story about the Clippers coach a few days ago, and I don't blame them for not paying for the surgery.  Frankly, I think it would have put them in a bad situation legally if they had.

Apparently, the coach decided to go to a surgeon who is not covered by the teams insurance (he knew this), because they were able to do the surgery earlier than the other surgeons, and would allow him to return to coach sooner.  

If the Clippers had agreed to pay for that, it would set a precedent, where other employees could claim unfair practices if they did not recieve the same benefit, which could cost the team a LOT of money, with no real reason, since the surgery would have been covered by insurance if he had just waited a couple more months.  

[Chris]

Stern runs the NBA like a dictator and he's all about the Benjamin's...

I have little respect for him and believe the NBA has become watered down since it's glory days of the mid-80's to the mid-90's.

A dictator does not have to pass anything he wants to implement through a board of Governors. 

also known as "figureheads."  They're simply there for window-dressing and a part of the background.  This is Stern's world and everyone else is just along for the ride...

Its the other way around.  These guys do not invest hundreds of millions of dollars to not have a strong say in how the league is run.  The owners run the show, and they sign Sterns checks.  He is the figure head, they are the ones who run things.

[get_banners]

This reminds me of the awesome Dictator Stern article that came out last year after the Finals. Pretty spot-on piece from Wojnarowski. I think the NBA needs a flat-out rebellion from the players against Stern to change anything, honestly. His response to a reasonable, albeit borderline crossing-the-line, rant from SVG was nothing short of gangsta. I mean...just unreal.

[FLCeltsFan]

I wrote an article way back in April before the Donaghy scandal hit talking about Stern's iron hand and absolute power over the NBA.  Even before the Donaghy scandal I predicted it would happen because no one is allowed to question the refs or Stern.  The fact that Stern has absolute control over the refs and everyone else and no one is allowed to question the refs or Stern or the league, makes it very easy for refs to carry out vendettas, grudges, biases, and agendas.  Not to mention it makes it easy for them to manipulate games.  It's is long past time for David Stern to leave.