NBA On The Same Road As The NFL, Just A Different Direction

As the NFL finally takes the final junction off the lockout freeway, it appears that the traffic the NBA is enduring is not letting up anytime soon.

Since the start of July 1st 2011, the NBA has shut down its operation and players cannot have any contact with ownership or coaches. The talks to revive hopes of creating a new collective bargaining agreement have since dissipated into silence as both sides have no interest in resolving their issues in the near future.

On the other side of the spectrum, an agreement was finally reached after over 130 days went by since the NFL locked out its players. Realizing that the 2011 season could be lost if they didn’t work out their differences, both the player’s union and owners decided to bury the hatchet on squabbles and bring the public what they want: playing actual football this season.

Although the NFL was able to work out their differences during the longest lockout in the league’s history, a vision of compromise by both sides to end the lockout for professional basketball in America is much hazier at the moment.

The reasoning behind this issue is more understandable when looking from the perspective of the NBA players; they have multiple outlets to which they can produce an income and play basketball.

When it comes to visibility and popularity in sports on a global level, the guys that run on hardwood courts in shorts are bigger phenomenons than their helmet wearing, pigskin-playing athletic cohorts.

Football, arguably, is the most popular sport in America, but it is practically an unknown in discussions outside of U.S. soil. Americans undoubtedly know who Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Larry Fitzgerald, and Adrian Peterson are; but putting a name to a face would be like playing a game of “Guess Who” for anyone outside of the country.

The NBA, on the other hand, have standouts that are rock stars in other continents around the world. That is evident with the recent tournament held out in the Philippines, with the notable attractions being Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, and Chris Paul. The event was a huge success, with the players bringing out huge crowds in a country they rarely, if ever, play in.

While the NFL has gone overseas (London) and south of the border (Mexico) to play various games during their regular season, the idea of seeing Manning and Peterson heading anywhere outside of the U.S. to play a tournament or a setup game is pointless because the appeal of their sport doesn’t cross over like the NBA’s does. Not only do mass quantities of players head from their native countries to play pro basketball in America, but Americans go to those same countries and play before foreign fans as well.

With this option in their back pocket, NBA players have alternatives that will allow them escape plans if the lockout continues to extend into the coming months. If the fans of the league want to watch their favorite players they are so fond of, they will most likely have to acquire international cable outlets to get a gander.

Deron Williams is already heading out to Turkey to play since the league appears nowhere near coming to a conclusion on their problems. Bryant appears to be pondering the notion of joining the Nets’ point guard and may ultimately sign on in the near future. Carmelo Anthony and Paul are also considering playing in China as their options during the lockout.

Others might even swap sports as a means of dealing with the break they get during this trying time.

Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love will be losing his basketball shoes and running barefoot atop millions of grains of sand. The former UCLA star will be heading to Manhattan for a pro volleyball tournament event in August, which may possibly lead to future events in the sport.

Now that the NFL lockout is over, another star from pro basketball is thinking about trying to see if he can get back into an activity he hasn’t gone through since college. Nate Robinson may be one of the smallest players in the league, but with a five-foot, nine-inch stature and a previous history as a two-sport stud (he played both football and basketball during his time at the University of Washington), the NFL could be his new calling if the shut down of the NBA lingers.

Given what is transpiring for the players in the NBA, they appear to be in a stronger position of shrugging off the ill-effects of not playing in their professional leagues more so than their football cohorts. The NFL and their players may have taken a lengthy period to reach an agreement, but the players understood that no other decent alternatives were available to combat the issue of trying to earn an income in another competitive football league.

All of these issues lead up to one conclusion for where the NBA lockout will be heading in the near future: stuck in neutral with no road leading to an exit.

Field Of Dreams 2: NFL Lockout Edition

With the NFL Lockout still going strong, the brilliant minds over Funny or Die decided to do a parody trailer for the second edition of Field of Dreams.

The below sketch features actor Taylor Lautner, actor Ray Liotta, and a cast of NFL stars ranging from Ray Lewis to Marshall Faulk:

Field of Dreams 2: NFL Lockout with Taylor Lautner from Taylor Lautner

(Courtesy of Funny or Die)

A Call For Fans To Lockout The NFL And NBA

This has got to be one of the most frustrating summers in sports.

With the NBA and NFL reaching heights never seen in their history, both are now going into the next season…

Wait, there is no next season.

Say what?

Repeat that again please, because after seeing two underdogs emerge to be victorious in both of their championship games, all fans want is an encore. Yet, football or basketball have yet to figure out when that will kick or tip-off because both of the league’s owners and players can’t find a common ground as to what is fair for both sides.

What fair really means, though, is that each party is trying to gain a bigger portion of the massive money pot the leagues bring in.

The solution to this issue is simple and doesn’t require assistance from either side: fans should ultimately lockout the leagues

A fan lockout would allow both sports’ biggest producers to take a stand that these actions are not acceptable. The last thing fans want to hear is how big of a crisis both leagues are currently in when the issues of the world are reaching nearly unprecedented heights. It’s hard enough to worry whether or not a person’s job will ever be lost or if they will be able to put food on their table to feed their families.

These leagues are supposed to be the saviors during these problematic times, not adding more sadness.

Fans not only have every right to boycott both leagues for these actions, but should deploy this option at this very moment. The NFL and NBA have no understanding that they are destroying the purity of the game and the reason that professional sports exist; they are here to inspire those that admire and fantasize about being their heroes in the sport.

This illustrates how significant the NFL and NBA are in American life, but they are not essential for living. If either league never existed, it wouldn’t destroy society or affect any average Joe in the most serious of ways. Sports are watched as a means of enjoyment, spawn hope, and escape from the treacheries of regular life.

While everyday people are dealing with a horrendous economy, taking out bigger loans to combat growing college tuition fees, searching tirelessly for jobs to feed their budding families, and hope they can obtain a three to four figure income; both leagues sit back and fight over millions and billions of dollars that come out of the fans’ pocket.
Why both sports would bicker over money is obvious, because the all mighty dollar is essential for living. If administrators realize their businesses are losing money, they downsize their company by shrinking their payroll or reducing wages. Occasionally, this causes employees to clash with their bosses if they feel they are treated unfairly or are getting underpaid, usually leading to a strike.

Yet, this is an everyday occurrence and is needed in order to survive.

The owners and players continue to protest that they want what is best for the league and to return back to work for their adoring fans. That discussion is hard to believe when money is more the focus of the discussions. Yet, that same issue they fight over is obviously a more vital issue for those who attend the sporting events than those who participate in it.

Multi-millionaires in the league are only a small percentage of the players and all of the lower end players don’t make nearly as much as their superstar cohorts. Yet, any person who doesn’t play professional sports would gladly trade their crummy, 9-to-5 job just to sit on a bench or just be a practice dummy.

Being a professional athlete was always thought of as a privilege and a great honor, not a job or an occupation. Of course, the NFL and NBA are businesses, but it’s an industry that is viewed as an enjoyment or a luxury for fans, not a necessity. Other sectors in commerce produce goods or services that are required for existence.

What’s more important in life? Seeing LeBron James dunk a basketball and seeing Adrian Peterson breaking six tackles, or, being able to see a doctor if you are sick or getting help by the police in a time of need?

The owners of both leagues complain about money and that they are deserving of a bigger cut of the pot. This concept would be logical if everyday people had the kind of cash to invest into a company that could net them millions of dollars. Most of these owners have various other businesses that can generate revenue or come from a wealthy family, which is why a stoppage of the league doesn’t dent their bank accounts. All these are benefits that each member of the public could only dream of having while they struggle just to make it through each day of their life.

Money was never meant to drive sports, and yet it has stepped behind the wheel and maneuvered its way to the peak of the mountain as the reasoning why people want to play it.

The hope will be that both situations will pan out and the leagues can come to an agreement of what is “fair” to both sides. In reality though, what should truly be reasonable is that the feelings of the fans should be at the forefront of this issue and how both sides can provide the best product for its followers. Sadly, the definition of sport will forever be changed from a recreational activity to a greedy business that generates billions of dollars from its fans.

In order to demonstrate our disgust with the new characterization of sports, fans should lockout the NFL and NBA and take a stand that their current status is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

2011 NFL Schedule Posted; But What Good Is It With No CBA?

The new schedule for the NFL was released to the public recently amidst a crisis period in the league.

What is most intriguing and ironic with the schedule coming out is the fact that no one has a clue as to when the league will actually start. With the league on a temporary freeze as they figure out a new collective bargaining agreement, no teams are allowed to make transactions with other players and franchises or even talk to those currently on their roster. Essentially, the NFL Draft is the only active event going on in football until both sides can come to an agreement.

So with all the silence and standstill of activity, why would posting an NFL schedule have value at this point in the year?

The lockout leaves the league and its followers in the dark as to when an agreement will be reached and football activities will commence. With a schedule now set and a opening game posted for early September, the league may have dug themselves in a deeper hole. If both sides don’t attain an agreement in June, July, or even August; what kind of football will we see if players report in late?

Working out with coaches, specialists, and teams is one way football players can practice and maintain their skill. The problem is that all football players are incredible specimens that have talents most regular people can only replicate in their dreams. Having a less than five second time in a 40-yard dash, throwing a perfect spiral fifty yards downfield to a player running a fly pattern, reading an offense and beating them for an interception, or hitting them so hard that they fumble are not typical human abilities.

Athletes in other sports have talents that are superior to regular people just as the NFL players do, but they have an easier time at keeping themselves in game shape. A hitter can have a pitching machine throw as hard as they want or pitchers can throw virtually anywhere. A basketball player can work on a variety of dribbling, rebounding, passing drills or have someone stand in front of them with a broom up when they shoot.

To put it in other words: simulating real-time football is extremely difficult in comparison to simulating real-time basketball or baseball.

There is no way to manipulate the speed, intensity and magnitude of a football game because of the huge requirement of all 22 players on the field. Being that it is the ultimate team sport, if the lockout extends to the end of summer and the league stands pat on keeping the schedule as it is, expect a very ugly first month or two of football. Training camp and OTAs happen specifically to prepare for the pounding of the football season. Losing or cutting that time for the players will cause a big drop-off in how the year will look early on.

Another issue will be if the lockout marches deeper into the year.

If you are a fan and supporter of the NFL, you may find their most hyped matchups of the year going on early in the season, but will any of those games go on if the lockout rolls through September and October? While the league is keeping an open window of time in case a resolution isn’t reached, there is still a great possibility that those contests will end up being lost and inaccurately advertised.

Refer back to the 1982 NFL season to vision what a shortened season due to a lockout would look like. During that year, a strike began in mid-September and lasted nearly two months with no games being played. When a resolution was reached, football finally kicked off but with only nine games played during the regular season and the playoffs and Super Bowl commencing around the same time as it usually does.

If the current NFL lockout extends to the point that games are lost, don’t expect to see them returning at a later date.

Aside from the problems that come up with a schedule going public and no CBA in place, there can be only one logical reason as to why the NFL would do this: promotion..

The lockout has been on display for the public to witness and players jumping onto various social networks to explain their feelings on the stoppage. The owners and the league have been no where to be seen during this period and very little understanding where they stand on the situation, which has, in turn, given the appearance that they should be garnering more of the blame than the players.

Publishing the schedule helps to give assurance that they will do all they can to make sure that a season will be going as planned. This gives visibility that the league will work alongside the players to make sure that a fair conclusion is reached. Essentially, while all the players are going through the media and internet to voice their hopes and fears, producing a schedule is the league’s own way of voicing their belief to the fans that this conflict is only a minor bump in the road and that the season will go on as designed.

The only of excitement that can be generated with the 2011 schedule is that there is a glimmer of hope that a resolution is not far down the road for the NFL. The public is tired of hearing the accusations shot back and forth between players and owners, and would love nothing more than to know that they can finally get ready for a new football season.

Yet, optimism will only wane as time moves forward; and if the schedule dictates that the first game will start on September 8th, 2011, then the league better find a conclusion to keep their word.

Antonio Gates, New IT Guy At Jimmy Kimmel Live

Previously on Outside the Boxscore, we featured a clip of Eagles wide receiver Desean Jackson working at Jimmy Kimmel Live during the NFL Lockout.

Well, Desean isn't the only NFL player working there, Chargers tight end Antonio Gates appears in this sketch:

What Will Be Lost If There’s No NFL In 2011?

If you play for the Green Bay Packers or are a fan of theirs, you’ve got to like the idea that you might be champions for a longer period than previous Lombardi trophy winners.

The only problem is that while they can hold the crown for an unknown length of time, they all will undoubtedly want to begin preparing to defend their title as soon as possible and not sit around wondering when or if they will.

On March 11th, the NFLPA filed for decertification as a union, which now sends the dispute over the collective bargaining agreement between players and owners into a courtroom. With discussions breaking down and a lengthy time line for a conclusion appearing eminent, the first signs of players putting on pads doesn’t seem to be coming anytime soon this year.

While the issue deals more with the players and the owners, the biggest losers of them all will be the fans. Die hard football followers will feel their heart twist tightly as summer approaches and teams are not beginning OTAs. Sports enthusiasts will be distraught when the World Series ends at the end of October and there’s no football to fill the void of sports entertainment.

Here’s what would be lost for pigskin fans if there is a lockout for the 2011 NFL season.

1) No unofficial Super Bowl holiday party

It would be a shame to see the loss of one of the greatest days in America if there is no CBA agreement in place anytime soon.

The Super Bowl is a signature of American life, an event anyone outside of this country can associate America with. If Steve Harvey were to ask a 100 people to name an occurrence synonymous with the U.S. for his show “The Family Feud”, one of the highest answers would be the NFL title game.

Now that there is a possible lockout for the season, people in America, as well as around the world, will be let down that they can’t sit down with their families to watch the greatest championship game in sports. There will be no barbecue pits topped with loads of red meat, hot dogs and chicken wings burning over hot coals, or enormous amounts of salads, spinach dips, chili, or other pig out food to eat since the game may not go on as usual.

Along with the loss of the game and food comes the disappearance of the million dollar commercials that people love to watch. Some of the best and most comedic ads on television filter through the tube on this special day and if there is indeed no season, there will definitely be an extreme sadness for the loss of those over-the-top commercials.


2) No more Sunday chill-ins

When football season comes around, significant others of hardcore fans understand one concept: Sundays are spent sitting in the living room with games plastered on the tube from sun up to sun down.

Football is different from other sports, in that the games go on the last day of the week (aside from the Monday night and holiday games) instead any day in the week like baseball, basketball and hockey games. Having it on Sundays allows the fans to relax and unwind from the tension of the previous six days.

If the lockout indeed goes on and extends to the regular season, Sundays will be awfully boring for most people. No longer will they look forward to watching players smash one another on the gridiron and have to find other ways to culminate the week. The week will feel a tiny bit longer now that they don’t have football to vent away the frustration of the weekly grind.

At least significant others of those fans can be happy and begin to plan a nice Sunday or weekend outings and trips with the family if indeed football ends up being postponed.

3) Where is Chris Berman?

No one is more reflective of football than ESPN’s own Chris Berman.

When baseball and basketball come on, the network has shows such as Baseball Tonight and NBA Fastbreak/Shootaround that discuss games and news going on in those sports. Yet, these shows don’t have the face to go along with it like the NFL does with Berman when NFL Primetime and Monday Night Countdown pops on.

One of the greatest, if not the greatest, voices in sports, Berman makes football interesting to watch when there are no games on. Whether it’s the famous “Whoop!” shriek he makes when he describes a player juking out another player or when he mumbles about a player “rumblin’ and stumbling’” over tacklers, the analyst makes the game come alive even when it’s not going on.

The loss of Mr. Berman would be immense for the fans and for the sport as his antics and voice are just as important to the sport as the players are in terms of getting on the field and actually playing the game.

Everyone understands what will be lost if the NFL cannot come to an agreement both sides can agree on. Yet, there will be more that is lost if the sport doesn’t commence. Events and moments that are so valuable and dependent upon football, aside from just the actual playing the sport, will be nowhere to be seen for its fans.

In the end, a lockout means a loss of extreme magnitude not just for the players and owners, but for its fans and the experiences connected with football.

Ordinary People Try To Explain The NFL Lockout

On a recent episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live, Jimmy noted that the NFL owners and players could not come to a decision regarding the collective bargaining agreement and the NFL is officially locked-out.

So, he sent his Cousin Sal out to try and get ordinary people to explain what a lockout is: