The Boston Globe is reporting they have a deal in principle.

NBA owners and players reached a tentative agreement early Saturday to end the 149-day lockout and hope to begin the delayed season on Christmas Day.

Neither side provided many specifics, but said the only words players and fans wanted to hear.

‘‘We want to play basketball,’’ Commissioner David Stern said.

After a secret meeting earlier this week, the sides met for more than 15 hours Friday, working to try to save the season. This handshake deal, however, still must be ratified by both owners and players.

Stern said it was ‘‘subject to a variety of approvals and very complex machinations, but we’re optimistic that will all come to pass and that the NBA season will begin Dec. 25.’’

Barring a change in scheduling, the 2011-12 season will open with the Boston Celtics at New York Knicks, followed by Miami at Dallas in an NBA finals rematch before MVP Derrick Rose and Chicago close the tripleheader against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.

The league plans a 66-game season and aims to open training camps Dec. 9.

What a bunch of heroes.

It was not really complex at all, it was just about divided up millions.

Which they’ll be doing again in a few years if they don’t fix this mess.

Don’t care.

I hope the league destroys itself.

As for these sports commissioners, they are useless shills for ownership granted ridiculous absolute powers. The gap tooth midget, Darth, Bud and Gary are nothing more than puppets.

Why the hell these unions even recognize and accept that type of unilateral authority is beyond me.

But at least we go back to the business of hating LeBron James.

So the Battle of the Greedy Basketball Bastards may be coming to an end?

Really. Does really give a shit anymore?

I find myself quietly rooting for rose and the gang but not really caring any more.

TomD - 26 November 2011 08:06 AM

So the Battle of the Greedy Basketball Bastards may be coming to an end?


Really. Does really give a shit anymore?

It no different for the other leagues.

The fans’ collective loyalty is the pawn in the game.

Neither side cares about the customer. They gut the customer as much as possible.

It is simply a business of entertainment. Nothing more. And the object is not the product but rather the maximum extraction of profit taken from the customer.

And then it is war between owners and employers over the share of the pie. At the complete expense of the customer.

Time and time again, these players and owners demonstrate absolute disrespect and apathy toward their paying customers.

The customer? All of us.

Why?

Because we devote our leisure time and spending money on the concept that we somehow are important in the mix. That these games actually mean something to our lives. That we feel better about ourselves when “we” win. That the history of our local teams is important. That the players representing our jerseys, our emblems, our traditions are important.

All of the above in the previous paragraph is bullshit.

The reality?

Neither owners or players even care. The customer is the outside third party. We are just expected to pay. And watch. And then leave.

Players are mercenaries. Owners operate franchises.

It is like McDonald’s. Nothing more. How is your $25 Big Mac?

When they decide there will be more games, they will inform us. They will put out phony commercials thanking us for our patience. They will say how much they care about you and I.

All lies. They don’t care. They care about my money and yours.

That is the sport in itself. Getting as much out of all of us as possible.

There is no sport in “professional sports”. There never was.

It is entertainment and nothing more folks.

Big Star - 26 November 2011 07:31 AM

Don’t care.

I hope the league destroys itself.

As for these sports commissioners, they are useless shills for ownership granted ridiculous absolute powers. The gap tooth midget, Darth, Bud and Gary are nothing more than puppets.

Why the hell these unions even recognize and accept that type of unilateral authority is beyond me.

But at least we go back to the business of hating LeBron James.

I liked the old days when commissioners didn’t take sides. Bud Selig may have been first to work only for owners and let the players fend for themselves. I don’t how much input he had in latest CBA, but he probably does warrant some credit for not locking out the players.

Think the NBA players and owners realized it was now or never to save the season. They both realized they were all going to lose millions if there was no season.

Bud Selig was the first not to pretend not being partial to ownership wants and needs.

Big Star - 26 November 2011 08:50 AM

TomD - 26 November 2011 08:06 AM

So the Battle of the Greedy Basketball Bastards may be coming to an end?


Really. Does really give a shit anymore?

It no different for the other leagues.

The fans’ collective loyalty is the pawn in the game.

Neither side cares about the customer. They gut the customer as much as possible.

It is simply a business of entertainment. Nothing more. And the object is not the product but rather the maximum extraction of profit taken from the customer.

And then it is war between owners and employers over the share of the pie. At the complete expense of the customer.

Time and time again, these players and owners demonstrate absolute disrespect and apathy toward their paying customers.

The customer? All of us.

Why?

Because we devote our leisure time and spending money on the concept that we somehow are important in the mix. That these games actually mean something to our lives. That we feel better about ourselves when “we” win. That the history of our local teams is important. That the players representing our jerseys, our emblems, our traditions are important.

All of the above in the previous paragraph is bullshit.

The reality?

Neither owners or players even care. The customer is the outside third party. We are just expected to pay. And watch. And then leave.

Players are mercenaries. Owners operate franchises.

It is like McDonald’s. Nothing more. How is your $25 Big Mac?

When they decide there will be more games, they will inform us. They will put out phony commercials thanking us for our patience. They will say how much they care about you and I.

All lies. They don’t care. They care about my money and yours.

That is the sport in itself. Getting as much out of all of us as possible.

There is no sport in “professional sports”. There never was.

It is entertainment and nothing more folks.

Wonder if the NBA fans will be back, or will they stay home and watch the games on TV?

NBA fans will return with a standing ovation.

I guess I have three questions.  What’s the split on the Basketball Related Income (BRI).  What impact did the anti-trust law suits have.  I think it’s transparent that less than two weeks after the suits were filed the parties reached their tentative agreements. How will current contracts be affected.  Will the players receive 66/82 of their contract values or will they receive full payment?

Big Star - 26 November 2011 08:50 AM

TomD - 26 November 2011 08:06 AM

So the Battle of the Greedy Basketball Bastards may be coming to an end?


Really. Does really give a shit anymore?

It no different for the other leagues.

The fans’ collective loyalty is the pawn in the game.

Neither side cares about the customer. They gut the customer as much as possible.

It is simply a business of entertainment. Nothing more. And the object is not the product but rather the maximum extraction of profit taken from the customer.

And then it is war between owners and employers over the share of the pie. At the complete expense of the customer.

Time and time again, these players and owners demonstrate absolute disrespect and apathy toward their paying customers.

The customer? All of us.

Why?

Because we devote our leisure time and spending money on the concept that we somehow are important in the mix. That these games actually mean something to our lives. That we feel better about ourselves when “we” win. That the history of our local teams is important. That the players representing our jerseys, our emblems, our traditions are important.

All of the above in the previous paragraph is bullshit.

The reality?

Neither owners or players even care. The customer is the outside third party. We are just expected to pay. And watch. And then leave.

Players are mercenaries. Owners operate franchises.

It is like McDonald’s. Nothing more. How is your $25 Big Mac?

When they decide there will be more games, they will inform us. They will put out phony commercials thanking us for our patience. They will say how much they care about you and I.

All lies. They don’t care. They care about my money and yours.

That is the sport in itself. Getting as much out of all of us as possible.

There is no sport in “professional sports”. There never was.

It is entertainment and nothing more folks.

Substitute a couple of words, and you’ve described my workplace.

bones73 - 26 November 2011 11:24 AM

Big Star - 26 November 2011 08:50 AM

TomD - 26 November 2011 08:06 AM

So the Battle of the Greedy Basketball Bastards may be coming to an end?


Really. Does really give a shit anymore?

It no different for the other leagues.

The fans’ collective loyalty is the pawn in the game.

Neither side cares about the customer. They gut the customer as much as possible.

It is simply a business of entertainment. Nothing more. And the object is not the product but rather the maximum extraction of profit taken from the customer.

And then it is war between owners and employers over the share of the pie. At the complete expense of the customer.

Time and time again, these players and owners demonstrate absolute disrespect and apathy toward their paying customers.

The customer? All of us.

Why?

Because we devote our leisure time and spending money on the concept that we somehow are important in the mix. That these games actually mean something to our lives. That we feel better about ourselves when “we” win. That the history of our local teams is important. That the players representing our jerseys, our emblems, our traditions are important.

All of the above in the previous paragraph is bullshit.

The reality?

Neither owners or players even care. The customer is the outside third party. We are just expected to pay. And watch. And then leave.

Players are mercenaries. Owners operate franchises.

It is like McDonald’s. Nothing more. How is your $25 Big Mac?

When they decide there will be more games, they will inform us. They will put out phony commercials thanking us for our patience. They will say how much they care about you and I.

All lies. They don’t care. They care about my money and yours.

That is the sport in itself. Getting as much out of all of us as possible.

There is no sport in “professional sports”. There never was.

It is entertainment and nothing more folks.

Substitute a couple of words, and you’ve described my workplace.

Yup. Sports is business.

dui_attorney - 26 November 2011 10:41 AM

I guess I have three questions.  What’s the split on the Basketball Related Income (BRI).  What impact did the anti-trust law suits have.  I think it’s transparent that less than two weeks after the suits were filed the parties reached their tentative agreements. How will current contracts be affected.  Will the players receive 66/82 of their contract values or will they receive full payment?

ESPN said players get 51.2% of the BRI. I’d imagine that they’d receive 66/82 of their contract values but that sounds like too much common-sense…

Nick - 27 November 2011 02:16 AM

dui_attorney - 26 November 2011 10:41 AM

I guess I have three questions.  What’s the split on the Basketball Related Income (BRI).  What impact did the anti-trust law suits have.  I think it’s transparent that less than two weeks after the suits were filed the parties reached their tentative agreements. How will current contracts be affected.  Will the players receive 66/82 of their contract values or will they receive full payment?

ESPN said players get 51.2% of the BRI. I’d imagine that they’d receive 66/82 of their contract values but that sounds like too much common-sense...

Nick, you’re right about the common-sense factor.  But if I had a guaranteed contract for $10 million for a season, I would sure as hell expect to receive the entire $10 million irrespective of the games I played.  My legal argument would be the owners are the ones who shortened the season by their actions so the owners take the risk and therefore must pay.  In addition, if a player were to be injured and only play 66 of 82 games in a full season, he would receive the entire 88 game payment.  I’m pretty sure there won’t be many (none) sports reporters who will check on this information.