David Stern to Retire in 2014

[manl_lui]

David Stern is and will always be one of the greatest commissioners in the history of professional sports. He did more to grow his game than possibly any other professional sports commissioner ever.

That said, the game, the business of sports, and his ability to interact with and understand the people in the sport has passed him by. He should have retired years ago and him holding on for 15 months in kind of ridiculous.

I agree, most people have a lot of problems with David and many also have crazy conspiracy theories about him. But I respect the man, he transformed the game of basketball and  introduced it/made it more well known since his tenure. The 92 Dream Team set the standards for basketball players internationally.

[celtsfan84]

David Stern is and will always be one of the greatest commissioners in the history of professional sports. He did more to grow his game than possibly any other professional sports commissioner ever.

That said, the game, the business of sports, and his ability to interact with and understand the people in the sport has passed him by. He should have retired years ago and him holding on for 15 months in kind of ridiculous.

I agree, most people have a lot of problems with David and many also have crazy conspiracy theories about him. But I respect the man, he transformed the game of basketball and  introduced it/made it more well known since his tenure. The 92 Dream Team set the standards for basketball players internationally.

I can't really blame him for holding on a bit too long.  I don't think he wanted to leave the NBA in bad shape, and during our recent economic downturn, the league was in worse shape than it is now.  Plenty of teams were losing money, as has been documented by all sides.  This gives him the opportunity to leave on a great note. 

Now there is an owner for every team, teams have a better system for profitability, the popularity of the league is at his highest since the Jordan years, there is labor peace, the league's media breadth is expanding, etc... It is a nice time to step down.  I think he wants the extra 15 months because he loves the job so much and would prefer to ease into his departure.  Well done, Commish.

[CelticG1]

I wouldn't be surprised if some bombs dropped on Stern after he's gone.

Especially the steroid bomb which is only a matter of time

[nickagneta]

I wouldn't be surprised if some bombs dropped on Stern after he's gone.

Especially the steroid bomb which is only a matter of time

The WADA just recently already hinted at this:

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8521302/wada-director-general-says-nba-gaps-anti-doping-program

The director general of the World Anti-Doping Agency says the NBA's anti-doping program is insufficient.

"They've got gaps in their program, between what they do and what we suggest would be better," David Howman said.

"They know what we would suggest," added Howman, who calls for the NBA to test for human growth hormone, among other things. "And I would just hope that they would be discussing all of those things rather than just putting them on the side table."

The NBA declined comment.

WADA designs testing protocols that are employed by hundreds of leagues and national federations globally, including the Olympics and international cycling. Professional cyclists say aggressive testing in recent years led many cheaters to mend their ways, and analysis of key race data suggest they may have: Riders are measurably slower by key measures than in the years of heavy doping, which is seen as confirmation the sport is cleaner.

Cycling also has seen a string of confessions, including in testimony before the United States Anti-Doping Agency that has shattered the reputation of cycling legend Lance Armstrong.

Howman's concern is that practices that have evidently been effective in other sports are not all being deployed in the NBA.

In the past, including in testimony before Congress in 2005, NBA officials have made the case that performance-enhancing drugs are unlikely to be effective in basketball.

"They do not feel they have such an issue as the other major leagues and therefore haven't addressed it in quite the same way," Howman said. "I just think you've got to be very careful when you start saying performance-enhancing drugs are not beneficial in any sport, because you're going to be proven wrong. And you'll be proven wrong when you're not expecting it."

At present, HGH is banned in the NBA, but the league does not test players' blood for it. WADA strongly recommends the test, deployed by many sporting organizations, including the Olympics and, in limited ways, Major League Baseball. The NFL is interested in implementing the test but faces hurdles from the union. The NBA and its Players' Association have formed a committee to explore HGH testing, but no progress has been reported.

As of yet, no major North American leagues have adopted WADA's full code of recommendations. Howman said there has been progress in football and baseball, but noted basketball is a laggard.

"I had meetings last week with both the MLB and the NFL," Howman told ESPN.com by phone. "Although through their collectively bargained agreements, they have not embraced the World Anti-Doping Code, they've certainly come much closer.

"Everybody likes to think their sport is one that's not tainted. We work on the basis that there's no sport, and no country, which is immune. Better, therefore, to be aggressive in the way you go forward than to be complacent. I think those who are too complacent end up being bitten where they don't like to be bitten."

[CelticsFan9]

I guarantee Sactown's holding a huge party tonight!

[Celtics4ever]

Good riddance!

[Eja117]

Say what you will about the man but he did do one hell of a job promoting the game of basketball globally.


Definitely the right time, though.  The whole thing with him putting the kibosh on ESPN hiring Stan Van Gundy seemed really petty and vindictive.  It's time he took a step back from the game for both the games and his own sake.

Agreed.  Like him or hate him (which most here do), the guy did wonders for the NBA and increasing its popularity.    He is majorly responsible for globalizing the game.

That being said, he stayed about 5-7 years past his shelf life IMO.

Kinda similary career arc to Gene Defilipo at BC.  Both did great things but towards the end really outstayed their welcome and in my opinion were detrimental to their organizations.

Not ready to put Geno in the same breath as Stern.

NBA is in a lot better shape going forward than Boston College athletics is.

Would you say BC is in worse shape than it would have been had Geno not arrived when he did?

[Eja117]

Maybe Stern needed to devote more time to burying bodies

[perks-a-beast]

two words: Sexy Silver