Stern: "Substantial Sanctions Forthcoming" After Spurs Rest Stars

[JetsFan4Life 542]

 

It's the same thing. He's making an executive decision for the good of his team,

 

Good of the team? They lost.

Edited December 1, 2012 by JetsFan4Life

[Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014]

Good of the team? They lost.

 

Because one regular season loss matters a ton. Resting players will keep them fresher throughout the season and the playoffs and can prolong their careers with less mileage.

[JetsFan4Life 542]

Because one regular season loss matters a ton. Resting players will keep them fresher throughout the season and the playoffs and can prolong their careers with less mileage.

 

With the way Memphis and OKC are playing one loss could definitely be the difference between being home or on the road (which makes a big difference against a team like Memphis or OKC who are so tough to beat at home).

 

And there's no actual way to judge, "well they would've won this game if they didn't play this game back in November." What happens if they lose in the first round of the NBA playoffs? Do we still call it good strategy?

 

I think benching your players for a game in November will have NO EFFECT on April and May games and how the players feel.

 

Now am I saying there should be sanctions or Stern is right? Absolutely not. Like I said it's all about money for him it's a business and he didn't like that on a night when they were competing against an NFL Game the Spurs benched most of their lineup.

 

I'm also not denying Pop is a good coach as evidenced by how good his team played last night without three of their stars. But, I don't see how resting in a game in November will help the way your team competes in April and May.

Edited December 1, 2012 by JetsFan4Life

[BwareDWare94 723]

If I might say this, I think the Spurs playing Miami so tough with so little of their lineup was a fluke. You match those teams up 10 times in a row and I think Miami destroys these scrubs and goes 10-0 with maybe one or two close games.

[Playmaker 2]

Stupid. No one should be deciding who plays and doesn't play, besides coaches.

[Guest Phailadelphia]

Maybe no one has hammered this home enough in here, but the fine very obviously did not come because Pop wanted to rest players, or because the league doesn't want teams resting players. This goes back to last year, when Duncan didn't play and was listed as "DNP-OLD." And then to announce just before a hyped, primetime game you've sent 4 of your starters home? It's a subtle "Fuck you" to the league masqueraded as "we just want to rest our players!" Bull. Shit.

 

Combine that with the fact that you're losing the league money by resting starters on a night like that? Yeah. Popp knew exactly what he was doing. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Edited December 1, 2012 by Phailadelphia

[WindyCitySports 407]

If it ensures that healthy players dress, as they should, and play in the damn game, then I'm damn happy David Stern is doing so. You people who think Popovich should be allowed to do this are completely disregarding the paying fan. What Pop essentially did was take a couple that paid a lot of money for a handmade coffee table and give them a $20 Wal-Mart model. This is not okay. The citizens who dropped cash are due the best product available.

Fans do not sign a contract with the NBA when they buy tickets that says that all starters will be playing. I understand that Stern wants to make the fans happy nonetheless, but once you take the coaching element out of the game you completely discredit the game. In my opinion, all of this garbage that the NBA has done over the last few years to make the "experience" better has actually turned off a lot of fans (including me). I would be much happier if they focused more on the game being played as it was meant to be played.

[BradyFan81 404]

Don't agree with Stern at all, he looks really stupid in this situation. He let his personal vendetta against SA cloud his decision making.

[oochymp 2,393]

You're all defending this decision as if you'd paid the gargantuan amounts it cost to attend a professional sporting event and didn't mind that so many key players were missing when they didn't have to be. As a fan, I'd be flat out LIVID if this occurred. Common, work-a-day folks like all of us deserve the best product when it's available and I absolutely love that Stern is doing this.

and if Pop started the four and one (or more) had a stress related injury that takes them out a week (or more) does that not do a disservice to the fans who go to the games during that following week?

 

Stern's authority to fine Spurs comes from Article 35A of NBA CBA. Empowers commish to levy fine up to $1M for conduct detrimental to the league. And there's your precedent.

but what the fuck kind of precedent does it create? you must check with the commissioner's office before sitting a player?

 

 

Yea, they play a bunch of bad teams, and all their players play, in a bunch of blowouts. Get plenty of rest in each game too. But nope, not enough rest, so send them all home to rest up some more literally right before they finally play a meaningful game on national television.

I'm not sure a game against Miami, an Easter Conference opponent, in November is really that meaningful a game to the Spurs

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

David Stern should fine himself for suspending Rajon Rondo. Think of all those fans who paid money to see him play those two games he has to sit. Conduct detrimental, indeed!

[Guest Phailadelphia]

but what the fuck kind of precedent does it create? you must check with the commissioner's office before sitting a player?

 

 

The fine has absolutely nothing to do with the Spurs trying to rest players. There's a bigger story behind this.

[BradyFan81 404]

The fine has absolutely nothing to do with the Spurs trying to rest players. There's a bigger story behind this.

That Stern hates the Spurs? Agreed.

[Guest Phailadelphia]

That Stern hates the Spurs? Agreed.

 

They won 4 championships over an 8-year window so he can't hate them too much.

[oochymp 2,393]

The fine has absolutely nothing to do with the Spurs trying to rest players. There's a bigger story behind this.

here's Stern's statement:

 

"The Spurs decided to make four of their top players unavailable for an early-season game that was the team's only regular-season visit to Miami. The team also did this without informing the Heat, the media, or the league office in a timely way. Under these circumstances, I have concluded that the Spurs did a disservice to the league and our fans."

 

I don't know what that says other than check with me before you decide to sit people

 

also, here's a quote from NBA deputy commissioner Adam Silver from April discussing the Spurs sitting players then:

 

"The strategic resting of particular players on particular nights is within the discretion of the teams, and Gregg Popovich in particular is probably the last coach that I would second-guess."

 

Both quotes are from SI.com

Edited December 1, 2012 by oochymp

[Thanatos 2,847]

Here's a good albeit long read about all this.

 

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/ken-berger/21207416/spurs-arrogance-fueled-penalty-new-nba-injury-policy-could-result

 

What I got from this article is that the NBA is a terribly corrupt organization, that Poppovich showed that, in his own way, that Stern was mad his league got exposed as a fraud, and that this somehow justifies Stern's decision.

 

The article makes zero sense. If what the article says is true, the NBA needs to re-evaluate itself, and it does not, in any way, justify Stern's fine of the Spurs.

[BradyFan81 404]

I preferred this article: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--david-stern-stumbles-again-in-his-failed-culture-war-against-the-spurs-194828970.html;_ylt=AvzxapjBIPoB4ft2BFHiQqK8vLYF;_ylu=X3oDMTN1NWNkbWgxBG1pdANGRUFUVVJFRCBNZWdhdHJvbiBOQkEEcGtnAzFlZjUwY2FjLTU1OTktM2ZmYS1iYzdhLWIxZTRlMzYyZjgzNgRwb3MDMQRzZWMDbWVnYXRyb24EdmVyA2EzYTBiMjIzLTNiNTYtMTFlMi1iYjdmLTEzYzg4YjQyMzgzNw--;_ylg=X3oDMTFoNjVvZWVyBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANuYmEEcHQDc2VjdGlvbnM-;_ylv=3

[BwareDWare94 723]

Oh my God, how are people still defending Pop?

[housemd 338]

They won 4 championships over an 8-year window so he can't hate them too much.

They won 4 championships over an 8-year window because they played great basketball,not because Stern doesn't hate them too much.

[BradyFan81 404]

Oh my God, how are people still defending Pop?

Because the NBA doesn't get to decide what is or isn't best for a team.

 

David Stern doesn't decide what's best for the Spurs. The Spurs decide what's best for the Spurs.

Edited December 1, 2012 by BradyFan81

[Thanatos 2,847]

Oh my God, how are people still defending Pop?

 

Because defending David Stern is asinine. Pop is completely in the right to be able to sit who he wants, when he wants. 90% of people are defending Pop, the fact that you are somehow surprised at this is rather funny.

[Mathias 394]

Very stupid. Stern acts like he gives a fuck about the fans, when in reality he doesn't. He didn't fine the Spurs for the fans, he fined them because his wallet and his league took a ratings hit and probably lost a good chunk of money from people not tuning in.

 

Did he give a fuck about the fans when he locked out the players until December? No. He doesn't care about you. Never has. Never will.

 

It's ok for teams to tank a season but it's not ok to tank one game. What a crock.

[oochymp 2,393]

Oh my God, how are people still defending Pop?

I'm surprised anyone has ever defended Stern, and I'm not just talking about this situation

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

Oh my God, how are people still defending Pop?

 

Replace "Pop" with "Stern" and I'm thinking the same exact thing.

Edited December 1, 2012 by ICum4Falcons

[Thanatos 2,847]

I preferred this article: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--david-stern-stumbles-again-in-his-failed-culture-war-against-the-spurs-194828970.html;_ylt=AvzxapjBIPoB4ft2BFHiQqK8vLYF;_ylu=X3oDMTN1NWNkbWgxBG1pdANGRUFUVVJFRCBNZWdhdHJvbiBOQkEEcGtnAzFlZjUwY2FjLTU1OTktM2ZmYS1iYzdhLWIxZTRlMzYyZjgzNgRwb3MDMQRzZWMDbWVnYXRyb24EdmVyA2EzYTBiMjIzLTNiNTYtMTFlMi1iYjdmLTEzYzg4YjQyMzgzNw--;_ylg=X3oDMTFoNjVvZWVyBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANuYmEEcHQDc2VjdGlvbnM-;_ylv=3

 

This is a great article.

 

Thanks for posting it.

 

And yet, once more, Stern's tossed a temper tantrum that left everyone around him embarrassed, humiliated and wondering why he insisted on staying until February of 2014. All these years, Stern and his underlings privately complained and moaned that no one wanted to watch the Spurs, that they destroyed his TV ratings, that they were uninteresting, unappealing and impossible to market to the masses.

 

And now, this act of condemnation for Popovich – which resulted in a $250,000 fine for San Antonio handed down by the league office Friday evening – would be bathed in the ultimate of twisted irony: Without the Spurs' stars, Stern was selling that the NBA logo had been desecrated, that a public trust had been betrayed.

 

So true. Stern is such a hypocrite.

Edited December 1, 2012 by Thanatos19

[Thanatos 2,847]

Doc Rivers is against the fine of the Spurs, and says that it won't stop coaches from resting players. He even goes so far as to say that

 

''Whatever is going to help your team win, a coach is going to do,'' he said, ''because if you don't and it hurts your team then you're the one that won't be around.''

 

So he won't avoid sitting players out because the Spurs were fined.

 

''We'll do it when we want to do it and we should be able to do it,'' Rivers said. ''It could be early in the season, the end of the season.'

 

Pretty much telling Stern that if he wants to do the same thing as the Spurs, then he will do it and if Stern doesn't like it, too bad. Props to Rivers.

 

Source

Edited December 1, 2012 by Thanatos19