Jerry West describes Silver's Durant comments as "unfair"

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Omg.....

@CitySushi I just fell the fuck out laughing at your screen name now that I know you are Asian.

 

[trojanfan12]

I am not one of those folks that can't admit to being wrong.

So, I concede on some of Wiggy's points.

"Puppet" was way to strong of a term.

You can make a case that he would come down on Owners,especially Cuban.

But, I still think most of that was personal cause Mark basically double dog dared him to fine him...lol

Stern is kinda the MJ of Commisioners.

He may be ranked as the greatest of All time.

But, like Jordan...He was a selfish, self serving, flawed ball buster who benefited greatly from rising to prominence before the social media era.

Otherwise, both might be remembered quite differently.

That's the thing. No one has denied Stern's accomplishments. But let's not pretend that he was somehow anything more than his employers allowed him to be or that he "molded the league to his vision."

He did what the owners expected of him and allowed. He enforced the NBA's rules and regulations and most important of all...he made sure the league was hugely profitable, which in the end, is what really matters to the owners.

 

[Black Adam]

Omg.....

@CitySushi I just fell the fuck out laughing at your screen name now that I know you are Asian.

heh, a "now I get it" moment...

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

That's the thing. No one has denied Stern's accomplishments. But let's not pretend that he was somehow anything more than his employers allowed him to be or that he "molded the league to his vision."

He did what the owners expected of him and allowed. He enforced the NBA's rules and regulations and most important of all...he made sure the league was hugely profitable, which in the end, is what really matters to the owners.

Totally agree.

That was where @WiggyRuss argument went off the rails.

Claiming that Stern was Autonomous doesn't just "imply", it states implicitly, that Stern was a one man band and that is simply not true.

 

[trojanfan12]

Totally agree.

That was where @WiggyRuss argument went off the rails.

Claiming that Stern was Autonomous doesn't just "imply", it states implicitly, that Stern was a one man band and that is simply not true.

Exactly. Every commissioner, no matter how good or bad he is, serves at the pleasure of the owners and can only do what the owners allow. If the league wasn't hugely profitable, Stern would have been gone years ago. If the league doesn't continue to be profitable under Silver, he'll be gone.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

the end of the 2011 finals told THAT story with one picture. Stern didn't even hand Cuban the trophy personally...

there was definitely a li'l bit o' dislike with those 2...

If that didn't do it, this was the final nail in the " is he petty" coffin.

But if I'm honest, I thought it was pretty funny when this happened.



Rome: "...was the fix in for the lottery?"

Stern: "No, and a statement: shame on you for asking."

Rome: "I understand why you would say that to me. I think it's my job to ask because I think people wonder."

Stern: "No, it's ridiculous. But that's OK."

Rome: "I know you think it's ridiculous, but I don't think the question's ridiculous, because I know people who think that. I'm not saying that I do, but I think it's my job to ask you that."

Stern: "Have you stopped beating your wife yet?"

Rome: "I don't know if that's fair.

Stern: "Why is that?"

Rome: "Because I know you read your emails and you probably follow on Twitter, and people really do think it, whether it's fair or not. You don't think it's fair to ask if your fans think it?"

 

[WiggyRuss]

That's the thing. No one has denied Stern's accomplishments. But let's not pretend that he was somehow anything more than his employers allowed him to be or that he "molded the league to his vision."

He did what the owners expected of him and allowed. He enforced the NBA's rules and regulations and most important of all...he made sure the league was hugely profitable, which in the end, is what really matters to the owners.

insanity and fabrication and not even REMOTELY close to the truth.

Stern had more power than any other commissioner in North American sports- i quoted NUMEROUS articles that said just that- including Adam Silver even saying that it was not Sterns job to be impartial- it was his job to act in the best interest of the league. Of course that doesnt look good to your argument so you delete it Stalin-style.

for anyone with at least 1 eye that can read and has access to a computer the facts are simply at your fingertips.

Stern absolutely was the most powerful man in basketball for decades and without a doubt molded the league to his vision. For anyone who is even remotely informed they know this to be 100% true.

if i were you i would delete all those posts that DIRECTLY contradicted your ridiculous argument to.

 

[WiggyRuss]

That's the thing. No one has denied Stern's accomplishments. But let's not pretend that he was somehow anything more than his employers allowed him to be or that he "molded the league to his vision."

He did what the owners expected of him and allowed. He enforced the NBA's rules and regulations and most important of all...he made sure the league was hugely profitable, which in the end, is what really matters to the owners.

this is just 100% not true to reality AT ALL. Anyone who can actually read would KNOW otherwise. Doubling down on bullshit doesnt make it true- sorry---- Stern had more power and shaped the league more than any individual in the history of the league.

As citysushi said- we wouldntb e on this message board if not for him----as the numerous articles said- Stern did not act as a controller or vice principle- he acted as the CEO as the owners PUT HIM IN CHARGE because they knewa nd respected and trusted him enough to make the decisions that led to enormous growth in the league.

anyone suggesting otherwise just doesnt know what they are talking about and is clueles to how functionally things ACTUALLY work in the league office.

defaulting to the owners are his boss and have to sign off on everything is absolutely not true-100% bullshit

 

[WiggyRuss]

This is what you call OVERWHELMING evidence: Summary judgment ? YUP

David Stern To Retire After Delivering $12 Billion In Value To Owners

Forbes:

It marks the end of a wildly controversial run for the longest serving commissioner in sports. Stern oversaw four lockouts, six franchise relocations, owner spats, trade vetoes, a referee betting scandal and the implementation of a player dress code. His all-wielding power caused some to dub him “The Godfather.”

One group that should never complain about Stern’s tenure are the longtime owners in the sport, who have made a mint under Stern’s watch. The NBA was a very different league in 1984 when David Stern took the reins. CBS was paying $22 million a year for the broadcast rights to games. Playoff games were shown on tape-delay with only the NBA Finals shown live. Average per game attendance around the league was embarrassing in places like Atlanta (7,139), Chicago (6,365), Cleveland (5,075) and Washington (7,920).


NBA's czar will step down

LA Times:

If David Stern ruled the NBA with an iron fist, he cushioned the blows by transforming a league that couldn't get its championship final live on national TV in the early 1980s into a powerful marketing machine that made players and owners incredibly rich and turned its stars into international icons.

Stern announced Thursday he will step down as commissioner on Feb. 1, 2014, 30 years to the day after starting a job that seemed unattractive at best and impossible at worst.

"If there was a Mt. Rushmore of sports commissioners he'd be front and center," said Scott Rosner, faculty associate director of the Wharton Sports Business Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania.

Will We Miss David Stern’s Heavy Hands?
Stern’s constant meddling and overbearing conspicuousness has created a rainforest-humid climate for conspiracy-theorizing. Do superstars get to the foul line more easily than the plebes? Unclear. Was Jordan’s first retirement actually a secret gambling-related suspension? Probably not. Was that 2002 Sacramento Kings playoff series fixed? Well, maybe. Was the 1985 draft lottery (the first ever), which handed the number-one pick (Patrick Ewing) to the league’s most prominent beleagured team (the New York Knicks), rigged? Er. The common denominator here is that Stern's record left a lot of people willing to believe he was willing to put his thumb—at times his whole hand—on the scale in favor of the powerful.

Ian Thomsen: Ranking the 10 most powerful people in the NBA
Sports illustrated: most powerful in the NBA
1. David Stern, NBA commissioner

The NBA commissioner remains in charge of the league's daily business until next February, when his 30-year term will end and deputy commissioner Adam Silver will take over. Stern's impact will be felt for years to come, as the new collective bargaining agreement that has reshaped the league will continue to express his point of view long after he has gone -- as will attempts by the league to continue to build its business in the foreign markets explored initially by Stern. Even on his way out, he will continue to be the dominant personality of basketball around the world.

David Stern leaves as 'No. 1 reason' for NBA success

Easily the best: USA TODAY: From your guys God Pat Riley even, LOL

"David Stern is the No. 1 force, the No. 1 reason why this league is where it is today," Miami Heat President Pat Riley said. "That's not disrespectful to any one great player in any one era or any owner. This has to do with the leadership of one man.


"Over that span of time, things don't change because they're coincidences. They don't. There's somebody at the top who is going to eliminate what is bad and market what is good. He was a very forceful, very pragmatic visionary."


BA Commissioner, David Stern, Tops Larry H. Russell's 2012 Power 50
I wish this could have been a little more…exciting. I wish this choice would not have been the obvious one.

But it is.

Like there’s any doubt?

There is not anyone more powerful that has anything to do with the NBA than the actual boss himself, David Stern. Congratulations, David.

This is never supposed to be the case. Leaders are supposed to be benevolent, caring, and democratic.

David Stern possesses none of these traits. Quite the opposite. He’s relentless, ruthless, and authoritarian.

Leaders are supposed to pragmatic. Leaders are supposed to have manageable egos, willing to surround themselves with the best and the brightest – where they can engage in constructive discourse in efforts to maximize inputs and outputs and the quality of pivotal decisions. Think the Abraham Lincoln cabinet, and his ‘Team of Rivals.’

Not Mr. Stern. Stern surrounds himself with yes-men. You don’t see or hear of anyone who disagrees with the commish. Which tells you one thing: Stern doesn’t allow it. And if you do – you are banished to irrelevancy.

Stern rules the NBA by decree. In no other sport does a commissioner have that much power where he can set any rule, punish any entity, and promote/demote any asset which he chooses.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

David Stern To Retire After Delivering $12 Billion In Value To Owners

Forbes:

It marks the end of a wildly controversial run for the longest serving commissioner in sports. Stern oversaw four lockouts, six franchise relocations, owner spats, trade vetoes, a referee betting scandal and the implementation of a player dress code. His all-wielding power caused some to dub him “The Godfather.”

One group that should never complain about Stern’s tenure are the longtime owners in the sport, who have made a mint under Stern’s watch. The NBA was a very different league in 1984 when David Stern took the reins. CBS was paying $22 million a year for the broadcast rights to games. Playoff games were shown on tape-delay with only the NBA Finals shown live. Average per game attendance around the league was embarrassing in places like Atlanta (7,139), Chicago (6,365), Cleveland (5,075) and Washington (7,920).


NBA's czar will step down

LA Times:

If David Stern ruled the NBA with an iron fist, he cushioned the blows by transforming a league that couldn't get its championship final live on national TV in the early 1980s into a powerful marketing machine that made players and owners incredibly rich and turned its stars into international icons.

Stern announced Thursday he will step down as commissioner on Feb. 1, 2014, 30 years to the day after starting a job that seemed unattractive at best and impossible at worst.

"If there was a Mt. Rushmore of sports commissioners he'd be front and center," said Scott Rosner, faculty associate director of the Wharton Sports Business Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania.

Will We Miss David Stern’s Heavy Hands?
Stern’s constant meddling and overbearing conspicuousness has created a rainforest-humid climate for conspiracy-theorizing. Do superstars get to the foul line more easily than the plebes? Unclear. Was Jordan’s first retirement actually a secret gambling-related suspension? Probably not. Was that 2002 Sacramento Kings playoff series fixed? Well, maybe. Was the 1985 draft lottery (the first ever), which handed the number-one pick (Patrick Ewing) to the league’s most prominent beleagured team (the New York Knicks), rigged? Er. The common denominator here is that Stern's record left a lot of people willing to believe he was willing to put his thumb—at times his whole hand—on the scale in favor of the powerful.

Can't argue with his Business acumen, nor his marketing prowess.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Can't argue with his Business acumen, nor his marketing prowess.

its not even a question - he is EASILY the most transformative figure associated with the NBA--- not Michael or Larry or Magic.....all of those guys have their own individual importance--- but it is simply undisputed to anyone who knows what they are talking about that no one on Earth molded the NBA to their vision the way Stern did- that was his job.

I mean- do you guys just thinki am making this stuff up? lol, like fabricating all these sources? lol....what a joke.

 

[Black Adam]

Can't argue with his Business acumen, nor his marketing prowess.

Far as it goes, though. That "absolute power" slant's COMPLETE bullshit...

 

[WiggyRuss]

Can't argue with his Business acumen, nor his marketing prowess.

the mic drop is right here

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/26/s...ba-commissioners-hat-to-adam-silver.html?_r=0

“I’ll be Adam because David set the tone,” Silver said. “I think he enjoyed that sports fan relationship with other sports fans and I think they understood, even if they criticized him for certain decisions, that he was trying to do what he thought was in the best interests of the league, if not for an individual team.”


Thisis Adam Silver ACKNOWLEDGING that Stern acted in the best interest of the league- "IF NOT FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TEAM". lol.

i mean geezus. This is the dumbest shit that you have ever propogated meca- i seriously haven o clue what you are thinking withthis one. I am at a total and complete loss.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Far as it goes, though. That "absolute power" slant's COMPLETE bullshit...

yup---you and TROjanfan are right- and all those national publications and writers and SIlver etc. are wrong.....I think YOU guys should be the next co-commissionerso f the NBA, lol.

It’s been two years now since Stan went on his famous rant about Dwight’s one-game suspension for accruing too many technical fouls. In defending his franchise player, Van Gundy made the monumental mistake of going geopolitical in his criticism of Stern and comparing the commissioner to ex-Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi.”

 

[Black Adam]

yup---you and TROjanfan are right- and all those national publications and writers and SIlver etc. are wrong.....I think YOU guys should be the next co-commissionerso f the NBA, lol.

It’s been two years now since Stan went on his famous rant about Dwight’s one-game suspension for accruing too many technical fouls. In defending his franchise player, Van Gundy made the monumental mistake of going geopolitical in his criticism of Stern and comparing the commissioner to ex-Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi.”

and I think you're looooooonnnnggggg overdue for psycho- analysis if you TRULY think Stern bossed any of the league's owners...

 

[WiggyRuss]

“David was very much the protector of that brand and the integrity of the league,” says Silver. “I think the job has very much evolved over the years to more closely align to a CEO position than just the cop-on-the-beat, commissioner notion.”


as brady quinn would say- b OOM- now im done.

gotta get SOME work done.

(bows...takes exit)

 

[Black Adam]

“David was very much the protector of that brand and the integrity of the league,” says Silver. “I think the job has very much evolved over the years to more closely align to a CEO position than just the cop-on-the-beat, commissioner notion.”


as brady quinn would say- b OOM- now im done.

gotta get SOME work done.

(bows...takes exit)

Yep, go lay down...i mean, get some work done...

This is no proof either...

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

the mic drop is right here

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/26/s...ba-commissioners-hat-to-adam-silver.html?_r=0

“I’ll be Adam because David set the tone,” Silver said. “I think he enjoyed that sports fan relationship with other sports fans and I think they understood, even if they criticized him for certain decisions, that he was trying to do what he thought was in the best interests of the league, if not for an individual team.”


Thisis Adam Silver ACKNOWLEDGING that Stern acted in the best interest of the league- "IF NOT FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TEAM". lol.

i mean geezus. This is the dumbest shit that you have ever propogated meca- i seriously haven o clue what you are thinking withthis one. I am at a total and complete loss.

You were destined to be a Lawyer.

You are the King of the Red Herring defense.

What does anything quoted in this article have to do with Stern's Power being autonomous?

I mean, that is the actual word you used.

Me: Stern did not have complete autonomy to unilaterally make decisions, hand out punishments.

You: He made everyone billionaires.

Me: that's great, you are right, he's a great business man but worked within the power granted by the Owners.

You:


:

 

[WiggyRuss]

You were destined to be a Lawyer.

You are the King of the Red Herring defense.

What does anything quoted in this article have to do with Stern's Power being autonomous?

I mean, that is the actual word you used.

Me: Stern did not have complete autonomy to unilaterally make decisions, hand out punishments.

You: He made everyone billionaires.

Me: that's great, you are right, he's a great business man but worked within the power granted by the Owners.

You:


:

Stern's impact will be felt for years to come, as the new collective bargaining agreement that has reshaped the league will continue to express his point of view long after he has gone -- as will attempts by the league to continue to build its business in the foreign markets explored initially by Stern. Even on his way out, he will continue to be the dominant personality of basketball around the world.





wait wait--- does that say- the owners point of view? or "his" point of view.....hmmm...

???


wait wait--- does that say--- the owners told Stern to explore foreign markets- or does it say " INITIALLY BY STERN"....not sure...can u clarify?

 

[LAD]

“David was very much the protector of that brand and the integrity of the league,” says Silver. “I think the job has very much evolved over the years to more closely align to a CEO position than just the cop-on-the-beat, commissioner notion.”


as brady quinn would say- b OOM- now im done.

gotta get SOME work done.

(bows...takes exit)

Well, I'm pretty sure when a quote starts with the words "I THINK" it is safe to say that is an OPINION rather than fact.