NBA Lockout

Have you ever wanted $300 million? At what cost? I was sitting on my couch, watching ESPN on Thursday, June 31st when David Stern, the commissioner of the NBA (National Basketball Association), announced that the NBA will lock out its players, effective at 12:01 ET on Friday, July 1st. As I was watching I learned that the NBA league "claims" that they are losing $300 million a year so they want to cut the players' salary by 40%. The National Basketball Players Association filed a complaint with the National Labor Relation Board accusing the league of negotiating in "bad faith" (they have no intention to lose anything, they are only looking to earn something.) So the team owners locked out the players from their buildings so players cannot use the gyms to work on their game or use the weight room, so they can't lift weights or ultimately play any games. By now your probably wondering what this has to do with me. I feel like the greed of owners and players is costing me the pleasure of watching, learning and growing. The first thing I felt after I was done watching the announcement was anger, disappointment and frustration. The lockout is effecting me as a fan and a player. If there is no season, that would effect me because I watch every game and look closely at the players to learn from their mistakes and how they get to be so good. I watch specific moves and practice them to improve my game. My dream to play in college and beyond motivates me to get good grades, to be healthy, to work out and to behave. Lastly, I just love to watch the game of basketball and the fact that the players and owners who make millions of dollars a year can't be content with the money they have makes me want to poop in their yard. Usually the NBA season starts around October 31st, so there is now about a month until the the NBA season begins. Since players and owner have failed to make any progress in negotiations Commissioner Davis Stern has cancelled the first two weeks of preseason training camps and games. So many players are signing contracts with foreign teams overseas it appears there will probably not be a season. Examples are Virtus Bolonga has announced that the team is speaking with the agent of Kobe Bryant to bring back the superstar to Italy should the lockout continue. Rudy Fernandez, the long time Portland Trail Blazer, has signed in Spain to play for Real Madrid in upcoming season after being traded to the Dallas Mavericks on the night of the NBA Draft. Kyle Singler, who was the third pick in the second round of the NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons, has signed a deal with Lucentum Alicante in Spain, according to the team's twitter feed. Kevin Durant is in negotiations with Besiktas the Turkish team that recently signed Net's guard Deron Williams. Again,what does this have to do with me? These guys are the best of the best and they are all going away so I can't watch them play. Kobe Bryant, arguably the best player currently playing in the NBA is gone so I can't watch him play and learn from him. Kevin Durant, My absolute favorite player who I watch religiously, I can't watch because he will be gone. If they can't find a resolution what is going to keep the players from staying overseas to play when their contracts are up if owners cut their salaries 40%. In conclusion the owners and players need to come to some resolution because I am losing the opportunity to watch the players play and learn from them. I wonder if they are even thinking about the fans or are they only focused on themselves and the money? Until they make a decision I just have to wait and hope and replace the time that I watch the NBA with inferior things like you tube clips, college games or I can pay extra to watch old classic games on ESPN.