BCWWF
03-21-2005, 03:09 PM
There are obvious problems in the NBA right now, and unfortunately the Timberwolves have played a part in a lot of them. Here are some ideas that I thought of.
Set a hard salary cap: This is probably the most important. The NBA is experiencing extreme inflation in prices right now mainly due to the Knicks. For teams like the Knicks, they really have no limit on how much they are able to spend, so they can pay bad players above market value, which makes the value of other players go up and so on and so forth. If there is a hard salary cap, then you can not afford to put too much value into a bad player.
Make contracts non-guaranteed: The players simply just have too much leverage right now. Jim Jackson and Gary Payton just decide that they don't want to show up, and there is nothing the team can do but cut losses. If they don't show up, it should be in their contracts that they simply don't get paid. The other problem with this whole situation is that teams like Atlanta don't seem to care that they just have to drop a player because they are in an endless search for salary cap room.
Establish an age limit: You could go 20, but I almost want to say even 21. To me, college basketball doesn't need these players, but these players absolutely need college basketball (or at least minor league). Besides developing in the game (which I think most college basketball would do extremely) it also gives them experience in life. Can you imagine what it is like to go directly from high school into the NBA with a guaranteed multi-million dollar contract? Most of these guys come from areas where there isn't much money, so it is a complete change to them. I mean think about it, if you are Shaun Livingson, who are your friends? You leave your high school friends in Illinois and move to Los Angeles to play basketball and earn money, anybody befriending these people most likely just wants something. Anybody who has been to college knows that you learn a lot more then just whats written in the books, and even though division one basketball players have a slightly different experience, its still experience to teach you how to live on your own and develop new friendships and make good decisions etc.
Better fan relations: Nothing has pissed me off in sports more then having home Timberwolves playoff games starting at 9 or 10 pm last spring. The playoffs should be played in prime time, especially for the HOME TEAM so that people can actually watch it. I had to go to great lengths to watch some of those games that ended after midnight on schools nights. I can understand if a game in Sacramento starts at 9 pm here, but a game in Minneapolis should start at 6, 7, or 8 at the very latest on a weeknight. Then they have pretty rediculous ticket prices, in Minneapolis you can sit in the shittiest seats for $22 minimum, otherwise you have to hope you know somebody who's company has seats. It is obvious that the NBA does whatever they can to make money, and that is a serious fault. I can't see the NBA being a family league at all right now, and not because of the fight.
Find ways to increase atmosphere at games: Watching an NBA game on tv has become boring most of the time. Either they don't mic the crowds as well as college or else the fans just don't care. Fan support is a huge factor in excitement, even if you are just watching it on TV. Then, at least for the Timberwolves regional broadcasts, the quality of production is absolutely horrible. Its rediculous.
Finally - make Charles Barkley the commissioner: Sir Charles would get shit done if he was commissioner. He wouldn't be afraid just to put his foot down and get hard on the bitchy whiny players that are in the NBA right now. Right now, the game is much more of a job then a passion, and that is because money has taken over the game. Charles played in an a different era and I believe he could put back the old ideals of the NBA. From what I see of Charles, he is the only one in the NBA with any sense and any balls to actually set things straight.
Set a hard salary cap: This is probably the most important. The NBA is experiencing extreme inflation in prices right now mainly due to the Knicks. For teams like the Knicks, they really have no limit on how much they are able to spend, so they can pay bad players above market value, which makes the value of other players go up and so on and so forth. If there is a hard salary cap, then you can not afford to put too much value into a bad player.
Make contracts non-guaranteed: The players simply just have too much leverage right now. Jim Jackson and Gary Payton just decide that they don't want to show up, and there is nothing the team can do but cut losses. If they don't show up, it should be in their contracts that they simply don't get paid. The other problem with this whole situation is that teams like Atlanta don't seem to care that they just have to drop a player because they are in an endless search for salary cap room.
Establish an age limit: You could go 20, but I almost want to say even 21. To me, college basketball doesn't need these players, but these players absolutely need college basketball (or at least minor league). Besides developing in the game (which I think most college basketball would do extremely) it also gives them experience in life. Can you imagine what it is like to go directly from high school into the NBA with a guaranteed multi-million dollar contract? Most of these guys come from areas where there isn't much money, so it is a complete change to them. I mean think about it, if you are Shaun Livingson, who are your friends? You leave your high school friends in Illinois and move to Los Angeles to play basketball and earn money, anybody befriending these people most likely just wants something. Anybody who has been to college knows that you learn a lot more then just whats written in the books, and even though division one basketball players have a slightly different experience, its still experience to teach you how to live on your own and develop new friendships and make good decisions etc.
Better fan relations: Nothing has pissed me off in sports more then having home Timberwolves playoff games starting at 9 or 10 pm last spring. The playoffs should be played in prime time, especially for the HOME TEAM so that people can actually watch it. I had to go to great lengths to watch some of those games that ended after midnight on schools nights. I can understand if a game in Sacramento starts at 9 pm here, but a game in Minneapolis should start at 6, 7, or 8 at the very latest on a weeknight. Then they have pretty rediculous ticket prices, in Minneapolis you can sit in the shittiest seats for $22 minimum, otherwise you have to hope you know somebody who's company has seats. It is obvious that the NBA does whatever they can to make money, and that is a serious fault. I can't see the NBA being a family league at all right now, and not because of the fight.
Find ways to increase atmosphere at games: Watching an NBA game on tv has become boring most of the time. Either they don't mic the crowds as well as college or else the fans just don't care. Fan support is a huge factor in excitement, even if you are just watching it on TV. Then, at least for the Timberwolves regional broadcasts, the quality of production is absolutely horrible. Its rediculous.
Finally - make Charles Barkley the commissioner: Sir Charles would get shit done if he was commissioner. He wouldn't be afraid just to put his foot down and get hard on the bitchy whiny players that are in the NBA right now. Right now, the game is much more of a job then a passion, and that is because money has taken over the game. Charles played in an a different era and I believe he could put back the old ideals of the NBA. From what I see of Charles, he is the only one in the NBA with any sense and any balls to actually set things straight.