The NBA Lockout: Views from the man of random intelligence

It is officially Thanksgiving, and there is lots to be thankful for. However, during the down times, one of the escapes we look to, the NBA, is currently not on. Unfortunately, it may not be on until February, if at all this season. 

Personally, I believe if an agreement is not made by the middle of the January, perhaps the entire season should be lost. At that point, the most games you would get would be 40/team, and millions in revenue and ads would already be lost. Plus there would be much more risk for injury due to lack of conditioning and being around your teammates. Look how many injuries have occurred in the NFL this year due to their lockout. They only lost 1 preseason game,  but they lost out on the proper conditioning and coaching that keeps players in better shape. Plus this is professional basketball. Many players are already talking about going overseas to play ball. The NBA is in trouble indeed.

It is definitely a sad state of affairs. The NBA is at a peak moment of excitement, unseen since the 90s when Michael Jordan's Bulls dominated the decade.  Since then, the Western Conference with Kobe Bryant's Lakers, The Dallas Mavs, Spurs, have been on the forefront. The past few seasons, teams such as the Celtics, Heat, Bulls, Magic, and even the Miami Heat with LeBron James and Dwayne Wade, have made the league balanced and much more exciting.  Now we may miss out on that because of greed. Greed, plain and simple, by owners and players alike. 

David Stern has performed an admirable job of building the NBA's image into a clean, competitive one. But now he may have to build from scratch.  For those reading this that don't fully understand the lockout, here it is in a nutshell. It is the millionaires (players) versus the billionaires ( owners) .  Thus far, both sides are greedy and can't reach middle ground on an equal share of team revenue. Something will have to give. But when?

Chris Rock made a joke in the 90s about being rich and being wealthy. Shaq, Kobe, and those are rich. But those billionaire owners such as Mark Cuban of the defending champion Dallas Mavericks are wealthy billionaires. And they write the lucrative checks to these pro players. 

What both sides fail to realize is that even more money is being lost by continuing to postpone games. We're approaching the time where the much anticipated Christmas Day matchups are coming, and the All-Star game in February. The Christmas matchups obviously will not occur unless an agreement is met soon, and the All-Star game could be as late as April, just like in 1998-99, also a lockout season.

Now I will still watch the NBA, play fantasy basketball and be a fan even with a reduced schedule.  But I honestly look forward to 2012, when the NBA starts slowly returning to the fine, exciting league it once was. 

Happy Thanksgiving and I'm thankful for all that read my posts!

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BONUS BLOG

Top 10 Ways Women ruin relationships without even knowing:

  1. Ultimatums

  2. Trying to change him

  3. You argue with your partners about nothing

  4. You tease him mercilessly about how he shows his feelings (he's not you)

  5. You’ve jumped ship to avoid confronting your emotions

  6. You forget to give That Man His Space

  7. You use Facebook to initiate arguments or broadcast your relationship issues

  8. You become too available and forget that you had a life before him

  9. You’ve gone for the attractive man over the guy with personality

  10. You’ve rejected a man because he doesn’t fit your ideal

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Loyalty Is Golden

I value loyalty in every aspect of my life. Whether be my personal life (friends, romance), professional career, family, or my health, I'm dedicated to keeping promises and supporting the folks and things I care about.

I have a modest circle of friends, and I do my all to be loyal to them. From supporting their various endeavors such as concerts, parties and radio shows, to even being a groomsman in my best friend's wedding, I always want to be there. I'm not perfect and don't ask much in return, but I wanna be there for my friends whenever possible.

I'm the same way in a relationship. I give my all to the lady I'm with at the time. Heck I give it my all when I'm trying to attract her attention. I don't smother her, but I do call, text, spend as much time as possible, buy gifts, write poetry, and such. When I feel that lady deserves it, she is not only #1, she is my only one.

I work as hard as possible at my job. I'm very diligent, attentive, listening to my employers and others, and doing my best to get along with everyone I work with. Plus I take pride in my work. Whether I'm lifting a box or preparing a report, second best doesn't cut it with me. I feel I excel in all that I do, and I don't want to let my company down.

I feel I'm the ultimate family man. I especially look after and out for my mom, ensuring she has all the love she needs and wants. I also don't miss many family functions, and I help update my family tree so I can keep up with new additions to my great family. I love all my family and I'm blessed to have loving, supportive relatives.

Finally, I'm always looking for ways to improve my health and well-being. I always look for different workout programs and physical challenges to keep in shape and push myself. I also work hard and am just as loyal to my diet.  I have taken some leaps and bounds upward and downward, but I'm dedicated to perfect health. I'm a work in progress, but seeing results always makes me smile.

I dedicate my life to being a loyal person in nearly every aspect. I feel a person is only as good as their word and actions, and I always want mine to be consistent.

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