Owners, players reach handshake deal to end lockout

[ellisonz]

Source: Yahoo Sports

Owners, players reach handshake deal to end lockout
Adrian Wojnarowski

By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports 27 minutes ago

The NBA and the Players Association have reached a tentative agreement to end the five-month old lockout and start the season on December 25.

After 16 hours of negotiations Friday, the two sides reached a handshake agreement a little after 3 a.m.

Both sides must still get final vote approval from owners and players to finalize the agreement

NBA Commissioner David Stern is holding a joint news conference with Players Association executive director Billy Hunter and Players Association president Derek Fisher(notes) at 3:40 a.m. in New York.

Read more: http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AnoUnNMdu24d3VKFDybnCX68vLYF?slug=aw-wojnarowski_nba_lockout_ends-112611

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woohoo!

[WillParkinson]

1. Too bad...

I was looking forward to a stress-free winter.

[ellisonz]

2. Go Celtics!

:spank:

[WillParkinson]

3. I'm hopeful the players will reject the offer...

I need the downtime this season. Plus ball players are cheap tippers.

[ellisonz]

4. Lotta other people are going back to work...

...that need those cheap tips. Ushers, concession workers, security guards, janitors...you name it.:pals:

Sorry you don't get tipped well but those people are grateful they're going to be able to salvage the season.

[ChazII]

11. Agree 100%.

There was a story a few days ago about a grandmother who had to move to a smaller apartment because her job at the stadium was no longer needed. She washed the uniforms of the employees at the stadium. (Sorry that I don't remember which city - the story was national)

Those tips and salaries help students and senior citizens. That is what I hear from folks who work here in the Phoenix area.

[ellisonz]

24. That's how it is in a lot of place.

Dedicated employees who depend on that work to get them through the year.

[WillParkinson]

31. And for them I'm glad...

For those of us where I work we're rather nonplussed about the whole thing. I realize some people DO need them (and I will never say the money we do make isn't needed) but for us it's a lot of work and stress for very little appreciation.

[harrose]

25. You know...

... there are lots of "little people" who are out of work because of the lockout. I'm glad you think that your stress-free winter is worth more than the livelihood of the ticket takers, vendors, ushers, etc.

[WillParkinson]

30. You know...

My job depends on them, too. You don't need to remind me about the money as I'm well aware of it. As are the bellmen and other servers where I work. None of us was too broken up over the fact that they might not be playing.

I never said my opinion was the only one. I said that *I* was looking forward to less stress. My personal opinion is just that. Mine. Thanks though.

[bluestateguy]

5. Damn.

Another annoyance that will only distract away from when MLB pitchers and catchers report on February 15.

[Sherman A1]

6. Great!

I have no interest in Basketball or sports, but it does help in creating some jobs for folks so it's good news for them.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

7. Both sides realized that nobody else cared that there was no NBA

[blueclown]

8. Except millions of NBA fans.,,?

What is it with DU's obsession with hating on the NBA? Is it because the league is predominately black?

BTW, great news to wake up too.

[ellisonz]

13. For real...

...you wouldn't hear it about MLB, which just signed a 5-year-contract. If they had been locked out the complaining would not have stopped.

[jorno67]

20. Baseball is a far superior game than basketball...end of story.

[blueclown]

21. You know, you really have to wonder.

I mean, you don't hear this type of venom spewed at predominately white sports, such as baseball. However, whenever an NBA thread comes around, we also see the same types of people telling us that "Who cares about the NBA!" despite the fact they opened up the thread and took the time to reply to the thread. You really have to wonder if there is some subconcious feelings among certain people on this forum...

[ellisonz]

22. I've really felt like responding...

...millions of Black children.

The NBA has really cleaned up its act from the late 90s.

I'm also really pulling for the players to agree to a 2 year out of high school requirement. Want to play pro-ball - get into college.

[northzax]

26. You don't remember the baseball lockout?

Or the strikes of the 80's? Plenty of vitriol directed at 'greedy' players. Baseball's had almost 20 years of relative labour peace, after Selig basically broke the union (still a stronger union than nflpa or mlbpa, both of which were shattered this year or god forbid hockey, where the union was crushed like an empty Molson can) just because the players make a lot of money doesn't mean they aren't labor. The players just agreed to make less money and have less job security.

[blueclown]

32. DU wasn't around in 1994.

So it's hard to compare. But the intense hatred of the NBA on DU compared to other sports such as baseball, hockey and football really makes you wonder. Why do people love to come to NBA threads and tell us how much they don't care abou the NBA? Do baseball, football and hockey threads get the same negative attention?

[shanti]

28. i know!

or football. basketball hatred (except for a handful of DU'ers) here has always puzzled me. there isn't even a basketball discussion board, but there are for baseball and football (which i hate personally). :shrug:

[BeyondGeography]

9. That's a relief

Pour moi, anyway. I root for the Knicks, the franchise that has been disfigured by the Son of Cablevision. Forty years ago, we were pretty fucking good though.

[ellisonz]

15. Yes they were...

1972-73 - NBA Champions

[BeyondGeography]

23. Frazier and Monroe in the backcourt

It was beautiful. :thumbsup:

[lunatica]

10. Some people will undoubtedly be happy but

[ellisonz]

12. Jobs, Jobs, Jobs.

[northzax]

27. Not very many

Maybe a couple hundred very low paying jobs, and a couple hundred very well paying ones. Basketball arenas are not like football stadia, used a dozen times a year. Ushers at the Verizon Center are still working concerts, meetings, etc. The place is in use 300 days a year without basketball.

[Dream Girl]

14. Who cares? won't change my life one bit...nt

[ellisonz]

16. Neither will the new Mars Rover...

...but it's still pretty damn interesting for a lot of folks and keeps a good organization in business.

[indypaul]

17. Can't start the season soon enough

was getting bored watching rugby,Australian football
and "professional" wrestling. Remember when basketball
was called a "non-contact sport?"

[hughee99]

18. Now we'll get to see how much people really cared.

Will the people come back? I'm sure they will in some cities, but I think attendance will be WAY down in most. I believe the Owners and players greatly overestimated the league's popularity and will take them a number of years to recover.

Personally, I watched a lot of basketball last year, and not just my Celtics either. I enjoyed it when it was on but found I didn't miss it when it wasn't. I've just been watching more college BB and hockey.

[Odin2005]

19. Too bad, less sports means less stupidified sheep.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

29. I don't think I'm going to watch this year ...

I'm embarrassed for everyone involved during this time in which most families are making paychecks stretch; I hope these players enjoyed fighting for their extra millions while the rest of the working class starves.