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Sports InsiderNBA Admits Mistake in the Introduction of the New Balls.
December 7th 2006 06:28
Let’s give David Stern the Commissioner of the NBA credit as a savvy promoter of the game and if it wasn’t for him the NBA would have surely died a painful death. Stern took a league that was out of sorts and transformed it into a global, multibillion dollar
juggernaut. Rarely has the man made any serious missteps in regards to the sport – that is until this season.
The controversy that cannot die down is the introduction of the new microfiber composite ball replacing the much beloved leather made ball. Stern not only erred in judgement by substituting an integral part of the sport with an untested new orb, but didn’t consult any of the players in the process.
Players have griped and groaned about the ball and in most instances the head honchos dismissed their views with disdainful arrogance. The men that make the NBA happen were fighting to be heard and the ballers that were loudest in voice were some of the biggest names in the ‘L’.
Stern has been adamant that the ball is an improvement on the old one but is now willing to listen to the dissenters: “It's an improvement in many ways," Stern told the New York Times in a story posted on its Web site Tuesday. "But if our players are unhappy with it, we have to analyze to the nth degree the cause of their unhappiness.” (AP, 2006)
Dirk Nowitzki, Shaq, Bron-Bron have all discredited the new ball as a poor move, while Steve Nash has started taping his fingers because the ball causes cuts on the fingers. Stevie Wonder’s case isn’t the lone example, with Kidd and the Big Sauerkraut also finding the ball slicing and dicing their digits.
The basketball has become a blight on the game which is a shame because this has been a standout season thus far. The Big Cheese as alluded to earlier has admitted that everything is up for discussion and debate with nothing discounted.
NBA watchers would have noticed some real peculiarities in the way the ball has acted in games, most notably in regards to how the ball would stop dead when a player threw up a brick. Hell, Vince Carter won a game for the Nets with a poorly shot three that died and went in.
With news that the new ball might be replaced many detractors are expressing relief that the much adored leather ball might be making a comeback.
Put it this way: the leather ball returning is as much anticipated as the return of Christ for Christians. That dear reader is how much this ball is loved by players.
Perhaps the strangest rumour as to why David Stern suddenly changed balls is that the wife of the owner of the Houston Rockets, who is also close friends with Stern’s better half, urged the Big Cheese to change balls. Why? You ask. Well, she apparently is a big supporter of animal rights and urged the NBA to take a look at a ball that wasn’t made from animal products!
This of course is just rumour and innuendo but still, the introduction of the new ball was a little bit hurried. The league should just admit they made an error and go back to the old ball for the sake of the game.
* All images from wikipedia.
David Stern has admitted that the new ball may be a mistake.
The controversy that cannot die down is the introduction of the new microfiber composite ball replacing the much beloved leather made ball. Stern not only erred in judgement by substituting an integral part of the sport with an untested new orb, but didn’t consult any of the players in the process.
Players have griped and groaned about the ball and in most instances the head honchos dismissed their views with disdainful arrogance. The men that make the NBA happen were fighting to be heard and the ballers that were loudest in voice were some of the biggest names in the ‘L’.
Stern has been adamant that the ball is an improvement on the old one but is now willing to listen to the dissenters: “It's an improvement in many ways," Stern told the New York Times in a story posted on its Web site Tuesday. "But if our players are unhappy with it, we have to analyze to the nth degree the cause of their unhappiness.” (AP, 2006)
Dirk Nowitzki, Shaq, Bron-Bron have all discredited the new ball as a poor move, while Steve Nash has started taping his fingers because the ball causes cuts on the fingers. Stevie Wonder’s case isn’t the lone example, with Kidd and the Big Sauerkraut also finding the ball slicing and dicing their digits.
The basketball has become a blight on the game which is a shame because this has been a standout season thus far. The Big Cheese as alluded to earlier has admitted that everything is up for discussion and debate with nothing discounted.
NBA watchers would have noticed some real peculiarities in the way the ball has acted in games, most notably in regards to how the ball would stop dead when a player threw up a brick. Hell, Vince Carter won a game for the Nets with a poorly shot three that died and went in.
Superstar players such as Jason Kidd are hating the new balls.
Put it this way: the leather ball returning is as much anticipated as the return of Christ for Christians. That dear reader is how much this ball is loved by players.
Perhaps the strangest rumour as to why David Stern suddenly changed balls is that the wife of the owner of the Houston Rockets, who is also close friends with Stern’s better half, urged the Big Cheese to change balls. Why? You ask. Well, she apparently is a big supporter of animal rights and urged the NBA to take a look at a ball that wasn’t made from animal products!
This of course is just rumour and innuendo but still, the introduction of the new ball was a little bit hurried. The league should just admit they made an error and go back to the old ball for the sake of the game.
* All images from wikipedia.
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i do take your point and agree with your comments but have a caveat. for us mere mortals the basketball isn't important just as long as it bounces and acts the way its supposed to we don't care. however, with pro athletes little tweaks in equipment have wide ranging ramifications because they are so attuned to nuances the rest of us never notice. the tension of the strings of a racquet, or the degree of the face of a golf club have far reaching effects no matter how minor.
plus the ball and the hoop are the 2 most fundamental things of basketball so tweaking the core aspect of an entity without consulting the proponents of the game is pretty short sighted. the nba hasn't won fans to their corner as well with their belligerent approach to player criticisms.
deorre - that is good community thinking there!