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NEWS > SPORTS > BRYANT GUMBEL EXPOSES SLAVERY CONDITIONS FOR MILLIONAIRE NBA PLAYERS
BRYANT GUMBEL EXPOSES SLAVERY CONDITIONS FOR MILLIONAIRE NBA PLAYERS
October 19 2011
New York, NY – The way things are going, it is very possible that the entire NBA season could be cancelled. Already the first two weeks have been canned and with no apparent progress since that cancellation, it appears that things are just not going to be resolved anytime soon.
While that is certainly bad news for the fans of the league, and bad news for the players, it is probably worse news for the owners and the league. Aside from the bad press related to not being able to get their house in order, there remains a very distinct possibility that, should the season be cancelled, that there might be nothing to come back for once the labour issues are resolved with even players looking to outside venues to play ball.
The truth is, with a cancelled season the league could be in serious trouble but there is little that appears possible at this stage with rebellious players just not willing to do what the bosses want, and now the reason for that may have been revealed. During an editorial, broadcaster Bryant Gumbel revealed a dirty truth about the league and its players, equating it to the slave-owner relationships of the past that locks athletes into indentured loyalty to their overseers, with only scant millions to survive on, something players may be looking to break.
“Stern’s version of what’s been going on behind closed doors has, of course, been disputed. But his efforts were typical of a commissioner, who has always seemed eager to be viewed as some kind of modern plantation overseer treating NBA men as if they were his boys,” Gumbel said. “It’s part of Stern’s M.O. Like his past self-serving edicts on dress code or the questioning of officials, his moves are intended to do little more than show how he’s the one keeping the hired hands in their place.”
Amongst other restrictions, the NBA has restricted the types of shoes players wear and prevented them from bringing handguns into the locker room.
“The truth is the NBA players association is about the weakest in professional sports. They are really little more than a rubber stamp and have nothing dull teeth when it comes to dealing with the league and owners. In many ways, they could not even exist and it wouldn’t change a whole lot,” said Scrape TV Sports analyst Mark Marvins. “They have really become an extension of the owners and the league themselves and that doesn’t serve the players very well, locking them into multi-year contracts with only a few million each. It’s really disgraceful.”
NBA players get an average of a little under $5 million a year, by far the largest wage in professional sports, but have more restrictions than other leagues.
“I mean you can’t really blame Stern or the league. They are doing what they think is best for their business but until they do away with this owner-slave model the problems are going to continue. The money isn’t there but more importantly the freedom just isn’t what it needs to be,” continued Marvins. “Modern culture has moved so far in recent years yet we continue to work with this model in such a prominent position in the world. It just isn’t right, it really isn’t. Until they can change this owner-slave model the troubles are going to continue, and no one wants that to happen.”
A few players have been allowed to play for European teams should the lockout continue, mostly to keep them healthy and strong.
Alexi Orton, Sports Correspondent
NEWS > SPORTS > BRYANT GUMBEL EXPOSES SLAVERY CONDITIONS FOR MILLIONAIRE NBA PLAYERS
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