Comments on: League fines Spurs $250,000 for not playing stars vs. Miami

By: jdillydawg

jdillydawg — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 22:33:18 +0000

They should probably take up lawn bowling at their age then.

By: scalfor3

scalfor3 — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 16:21:13 +0000

My bad on the assumption about med interns. Either way, my point stands. Comparing the grind on pro basketball players to that on medical professionals is beyond comparing apples and oranges; the two have nothing in common. The physical toll professional basketball takes on players is insane. Pop wasn’t sitting his guys to give them a break from the mental toll (which is the only thing remotely comparable to a med intern), it was to give their bodies a physical break. Dismissing it as “just playing basketball” (as if an NBA game is equivalent to playing pickup ball at the Y) is incredibly shortsighted. And btw, I’m not dismissing the difficulties or importance of your work, just pointing out the job of an NBA player is more physically demanding than any non-professional athlete can fathom.

Check out Grantland’s Jalen Rose podcast. On one of them Jalen talks about the amount of effort it takes for older guys to keep up in the league. It takes hours of cold and hot tubs, stretching etc for them to just be ready for practice. You can dislike it all you want, but Pop didn’t make up the idea that veterans physically need a rest sometimes in the NBA.

By: kingcrusher

kingcrusher — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 03:15:12 +0000

Hmm, it’s a job… Stern is the boss. Wish I could just put my feet up and tell my boss “I’m tired today, sorry, ain’t coming to work!” lol, I’d not only be out my minuscule paycheck, but I’d be out of my job. These babies need to “rest” as they make millions playing basketball. Go get ‘em Stern!

By: chicagofan

chicagofan — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 01:44:44 +0000

There are many interns and residents in their 30s and you have togo through
4yrsof medical school before you can be an intern– few interns or residents are in their early 20s and I worked hard like that in my 30s also. They are playing bball not operating for 7-8hrs or treating critically ill patients in an emergency room or ICU for hrs on end. The point is it ain’t that hard to play multiple nights and if Pop wants to rest them,then sit them down at the end of quarters or the end of the Orlando game the night before or whatever but dress and play them against the defending world champs. As for the 5point game, I was not interested in watching Miami play down to the competition either and suspect many fans felt the same. The no name Spurs or Heat players are not worth spending a few hundred dollars to watch and just because Miami underachieved does not change that.

By: sportsnut101

sportsnut101 — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 19:57:10 +0000

Stern has to much power maybe he should retire sooner

I hope pop does it again Celtics rest Garnett for most of games where’s the fine there

Bobcats have sucked for yrs no fine for sucking

Spurs should have won game if it wasn’t for Neal thinking he was Kobe

By: ezzz2the

ezzz2the — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 17:56:43 +0000

Heat get most teams after playing either in Atlanta or Orlando most of the time off a back to back…Stern protects select teams and fines the rest F him

By: lemfaxx

lemfaxx — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 17:56:17 +0000

Let him(stern) play

By: Kurt Helin

Kurt Helin — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 17:25:54 +0000

For the record, Pat Riley was fined $25K for resting a healthy Magic Johnson. So if you want to bring back that era know this was going on then, too, they just disguised it with made up injuries.

By: santolonius

santolonius — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 17:13:45 +0000

pop wouldn’t have to do this if the nba knew how to make a schedule. this is the league’s fault for how they draw up the schedule, not pop’s. i guess stern is absolutely oblivious to the average age of the nba’s marquee players.

By: ksctychiefs

ksctychiefs — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 17:02:18 +0000

spurs shouldn’t have to pay anything……1). spurs show up on the commish’s door and ask to see a written nba policy on this,and/or a tv contract between the league and team on this( and they better already be in the file cabinet)…….2).when commish can’t produce #1 spurs are home free(and so are the rest of the league’s coaches!!!…..just think what the ramifications are here)………….3). spurs also show up at league’s office and show the commish that his name(the commish’s) does not appear anywhere on the coaching contract in the spurs office….4). as in marathon training you can train as hard as you want but a strict rule is thou must ‘rest’(you have to have rest/recovery days),this is called the science of exercise physiology…….as for the commish,’ c’mon man!!’…..

By: scalfor3

scalfor3 — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 15:50:29 +0000

When you were an intern at medical residency you were probably in your early 20s. Not in your mid-30s and physically going against guys like Lebron and Wade. The old guys need rest, their bodies do break down if they play too much in the regular season.

By: scalfor3

scalfor3 — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 15:47:29 +0000

I think that was the best part of Pop’s FU to the league. He knew they’d react like this and make themselves look even worse in the process.

By: mogogo1

mogogo1 — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 15:42:49 +0000

“The fans deserve a chance to see competitive games like Spurs-Heat with the stars and Pop deserves this reminder.”

Seems like you’re the one that deserves a reminder. Is a 5 point game decided in the final minute not competitive enough for you?

By: mogogo1

mogogo1 — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 15:40:58 +0000

The Stern legacy is set. The man leaves a tyrant and a joke. He can’t (or won’t) protect the fans from owners like the Shinns and Maloofs of the world, but he can dictate player minutes. He doesn’t want the biggest starts to play in the Olympics any more–and isn’t just against the idea but wants it legislated so nobody over 23 can play for gold ever again. What a loser.

By: omniusprime

omniusprime — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 14:36:59 +0000

David Stern is a pathetic crybaby fining the Spurs for Popovich just doing his job the way he sees fit. I hate Popovich and the Spurs but I defend his actions of resting players. He is the coach of the San Antonio Spurs, not that dirtbag Stern. If Stern wants to play coach then he should resign and get hired on as a coach, which would never happen because he’s not smart enough to be a coach. All Stern cares about is the stinking money, not the league or the teams or the players.

I’m sure the Heatstroke fans were totally brokenhearted by Pop’s resting three key players so that the fans could witness a home victory. I bet the Spurs fans are intelligent enough to trust Pop to do what’s best for the team to win another championship, that is the name of the game by the way stupid Mr. Commissioner. Chances are the rest of the fans didn’t mind either way, they would watch regardless of who did or didn’t play.

Fire Stern!!!

By: denverdude7

denverdude7 — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 14:18:20 +0000

Since when did David Stern become coach of the Spurs or any team for that matter? Television contracts are not the concern of a coach of any team. A coach is paid to coach and do what he feels is best for his team and his players period.

The NFL and MLB understand and support this without question or interference. A few seasons ago the Indianapolis Colts virtually benched every skill position player while pursuing an undefeated season. Was there a fine, a warning or any type of sanction? Of course not. The Indianapolis coaches and management came to the decision that winning a championship was more important than an undefeated season.

As for providing prior notification to the league office or the opposing team regarding who would be playing or who wouldn’t, what coach would do that? The element of surprise can be a part of an overall strategy designed to keep the other team off balance and perhaps “steal” a victory.

Again, I point to the NFL for an example. Does anyone recall the Miami Dolphins upset of the heavily favored New England Patriots using a college offensive scheme called the wildcat? Did Roger Goodell demand that the Dolphins warn the Patriots they would be using different players or change their offensive philosophy?

Of course not, that would be absurd. Every bit as absurd as a $250,000 fine from David Stern for a coach putting the welfare of his players ahead of a television audience.

Mr. Stern, your time at the helm of the NBA has expired. Your resignation should be submitted as soon as possible.

By: txnative61

txnative61 — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 06:22:32 +0000

The biggest problem for older, perennial contenders is the interminable length of the season—-when you play deep into the playoffs almost every year. Anyone could see the Spurs were gassed against the Thunder last year. Pop’s solution is obvious, and may help them. Stern now has to find a rationale to defend his arbitrary ruling, so now has to review the lineups of every game in case coaches are coaching contrary to the best interest of the league. The regular season has been made practically meaningless by the inclusion of the top half of the league in the playoffs, and round after round of lightly contested early games. The players association should step in on this one and save Stern from himself. Only so much blood to be squeezed from a turnip.

By: chicagofan

chicagofan — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 05:55:09 +0000

The NBA is there for entertainment and the fans –especially season ticket holders who spend thousands every yr and a few hundred bucks every night and have to put up with the Twolves,Toronto, and a bunch of sorry teams. The fans deserve a chance to see competitive games like Spurs-Heat with the stars and Pop deserves this reminder. He should raise the fine next time. It is a business and handsomely pays people like Pop and Duncan for playing a f–ing game. I don’t care if you are tired–when I was an intern in medical residency I would work for over 30 +hrs straight and 100+ hrs/week and was able to perform at a high level. They should be able to play 5games in 9nights without whinning they are too old.

By: zblott

zblott — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 05:41:38 +0000

Stern has done crap like this against the Spurs for a while since they’re not great for ratings (remember who he said was his dream finals: Lakers vs Lakers). If this is the precedent, then here are other teams that he should also fine:

http://www.behindthebasket.com/btb/2012/11/30/other-teams-david-stern-should-fine-250000.html

By: savvybynature

savvybynature — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 05:15:54 +0000

You say these guys get paid too much to get time off, but what about the end of the bench players? They get paid a lot too by average joe’s standards, and they hardly play at all! Why can’t they contribute to the team by playing hard for a night to give the other guys some rest?
It happens in every other major sport without any controversy. It’s like NBA fans have suddenly become the most entitled sports fans on Earth.

By: savvybynature

savvybynature — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 04:56:54 +0000

What’s great is that Stern has made himself look like a jerk because Pop has such integrity and respect for the game that he was completely honest about it.

This happens all the time but coaches just make up or exaggerate an injury. Pop just told the truth because everyone knows the reason he does it is because he IS trying to win. He isn’t throwing games, he’s putting his team in position to win more games.

To be penalized for that goes against every competitive inclination that exists in every competitor.

By: eagles512

eagles512 — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 04:44:13 +0000

If he had fined them for sending them home, he’d have a lot of support.

By: fomega64

fomega64 — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 04:04:26 +0000

Next step on the slippery slope … Stars must play every minute of the game. No substitutions! Injuries – forget about it – James must play for Miami in his wheelchair! If you are dumb enough to pay big bucks to watch morons run and jump, you get to pay to watch any moron run and jump. People should simply boycott NBA basketball it they don’t like it.

By: bjerkrulez

bjerkrulez — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 04:01:03 +0000

That $250k should go to the homeless people out there or maybe to the spurs charity to balance out the stupid act by the comish

By: pjmarn6

pjmarn6 — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 03:56:52 +0000

The fans who eventually pay the salaries of these players and coaches in both the visited city and who pay the cable fees and television fees deserve to see the best players available. It is denying the rights of these fans not to see these people. I can see the coach taking “ONE” player out of the lineup and resting him but “FOUR”?

COME ON! If you paid the big bucks to see the game and found out after you took your seat that you had paid to see subs, would you like this idea?

By: zidanevalor

zidanevalor — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 03:51:01 +0000

I just found it interesting that a fight warranted a similar fine (or less had Rondo’s salary been less) than resting your starters for a game.

By: redstar504

redstar504 — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 03:48:42 +0000

@thenmoveback I would have paid that much not to watch that game on NFLN I’ll be seeing Drew Brees throwing picks in my sleep for the next 10 nights. Someone replaced Drew with Tony Romo the last 2 weeks.

Football aside that is all this is all about ad revenue. The NBA and more importantly TNT was going to have a hard enough time going up against the NFL and Stern didn’t like the Spurs making the climb even steeper. My response to that is get over yourself. I am sure in Stern’s mind a top team in the west vs. a top team in the east was must see TV and must buy ads. The truth in the trenches is it’s one of 82 and Pop has his eyes on the prize come June and could care less about winning a ratings battle on a cold night in November. That’s where his eyes should be it’s why you play to make it to June. Pop did the right thing so Stern should just walk off into the sunset and let the coaches coach it’s about championships not TV ratings. The Spurs are an old team and to be fresh come playoffs guys need rest who the heck is Stern to tell Pop how to run his team?

By: stc1993

stc1993 — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 03:44:13 +0000

So the commish now thinks he can tell the coaches what to do just so the fans can see them play. He’s opening a can of worms that he can’t keep in the can.

By: sabatimus

sabatimus — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 03:34:01 +0000

So?

By: sabatimus

sabatimus — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 03:33:05 +0000

Stern has no grip on reality left.