From: ada@riemann.math.mun.ca (Ada Cheng)
Subject: Re: Alonzo Mourning, greedy SOB
Organization: CS Dept., Memorial University of Newfoundland
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 19:36:32 GMT

In article <1992Oct12.141338.21921@dg-rtp.dg.com> goolsby@harpo.rtp.dg.com (Chris Goolsby) writes:
>In article <1992Oct09.223746.18558@bnr.ca> yount@crchh473.BNR.CA (Jeff Yount) writes:
>>I hear that Alonzo Mourning's contract negotiations have
>>come to a halt recently. It seems that poor Alonzo is not
>>happy with the maximum the Hornets can pay him his first
>>year under the salary cap. They have 2.1M, he wants 2.3M.
>>So what is his solution? He wants the Hornets to trade
>>away some talent to free up more money for him. Now that's
>>team spirit. Supposedly his total contract value is not
>>the problem, he just can't live on so little money his
>>first year. I don't think Alonzo understands the Charlotte
>>crowd. The Hornets are Gods in Charlotte. Every member of
>>the team is popular. When he holds out for more money than the
>>team is allowed to pay, then forces the team to trade
>>a popular player to pad his ego, hurting the team, he is
>>not setting himself up for a great welcome. Have you ever
>>heard 24,000 college style fans booing as loud as they
>>can? Grow up Alonzo! When you finally come down off your
>>ego, you'll just be #2 to LJ (maybe #3 after Kendill).
>>
>
>I've been equally disgusted by this continuing debacle.  However, I
>put more blame on Alonzo's agent, Falk, than on Alonzo himself.  This
>Falk clown is being a complete dick about the whole negotiation
>process.
>
>Charlotte is turning into a pretty good organization (no more "draft
>J.R. Reid because of local connections" and similar crap) and they
>made a good offer to Mourning.  They got several players to
>restructure their contracts and offered Alonzo more money than they
>gave Larry Johnson last year, I believe.  Enter Falk.
>
>He tells Alonzo that it's not enough.  He tells Charlotte to trade one
>of their big men for a second round draft choice to free up more money
>for his unproven client.  Charlotte tells him to forget it and that
>they'll be even less money soon, because they plan to sign their
>second round pick (I forget the name) to the league minimum before
>training camp, which will leave less money available under the cap to
>sign Mourning.  Falk doesn't budge.  Charlotte signs the player.  Falk
>goes to the press and threatens to have Alonzo sit out the year.
>Charlotte shrugs and says Falk should be talking to them and not the
>papers. . . .  What a mess!
>
>I'm willing to give Alonzo the benefit of the doubt and say that he's
>just being poorly advised.  Maybe he's just ignorant, instead of
>egotistical.  In any event, I'm disgusted with him and Falk both.  I
>was really looking forward to seeing Charlotte make some real strides
>this year, but now I expect that Mourning (if he is ever signed) will
>have built up too much ill will in the coaches, his fellow players,
>and the fans to have a good year.  Shades of Anderson and New Jersey
>last year.
>
>Who is the Falk guy anyway?  Anybody know who else he represents?
>

I don't know what's the big deal of Alonzo's action. I mean he has the 
rights to ask as much money as he thinks he deserves.  Personally, I think
the players that holds out after they already sign a contract some previous
year but decided that since they have a great season last year they should
receive more money are the one that I'm disgusted at. They sign a contract and
they should honor it.

AC
Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.pro