Hey, David Stern

[cosmiccowboy]

I guess the next time everyone pays high dollar to go to a game better not complain if the team just plays its second string and sits all the superstars you were expecting to watch play.

Happens all the time at the end of the season.

[chancito1]

Do you think pop gives a s*** about a non conference game against the heat? He did the right thing stern is an idiot. They are playing a western conference game Saturday against the grizzlies that is far more important that the heat game. Heat almost lost that game stern should be glad starters were not there or his beloved heat would have lost!

[quackerback]

I guess the next time everyone pays high dollar to go to a game better not complain if the team just plays its second string and sits all the superstars you were expecting to watch play.

so what about when the nfl makes you buy preseason tickets before you can buy regular season tickets.

[Daniel75]

so what about when the nfl makes you buy preseason tickets before you can buy regular season tickets.

They do that for season tickets.

[rladner]

Happens all the time at the end of the season.

And fines have been handed out for it too. Lakers in the 80's and again in the 90s. Most of the time though they don't rest pretty much the entire starting line up, just one or two

[rladner]

so what about when the nfl makes you buy preseason tickets before you can buy regular season tickets.

Not sure what that has to do with this. Like said before, those are for season tickets, not individual games. But, it probably just makes the case stronger. Why does the NFL do that? Probably because no one wants to pay to watch a bunch of scrubs, they are paying to watch the best atheletes compete. So, the NFL uses a little leverage. I agree with the fact he can do what he wants as a coach, I'm simply pointing out that he is only focused on what is happening with his team and Stern is more concerned with the public perception of the NBA as a whole. Popovich himself had the best arguement against what he did. He said, "If I was taking my 6-year-old son or daughter to the game, I would want them to see everybody, and if they weren't there, I'd be disappointed," He understands that. Still doesn't change his mind on what he did, but he gets it.

Also, with regards to the arguements about it happening at the end of the seasons, yes, it does, but you tend to expect that, plus, that is after playing almost the entire season. This is still November. There's a lot of ball to be played. If you need to rest now then good luck with the second half of your season, its going to be heck.

[150class]

I guess the next time everyone pays high dollar to go to a game better not complain if the team just plays its second string and sits all the superstars you were expecting to watch play.

Do you really think the people that were at that game were there to watch Duncan, Parker, and ginobli..?
They went to watch their boys, James, wade, bosh, ect not the spurs players. And in top of that they got to see a great game.
Stern over reacted and I have yet to see anyone on tv take his side completely. He'll probably have a apology by the end of today or tomorrow

[rladner]

Do you really think the people that were at that game were there to watch Duncan, Parker, and ginobli..?
They went to watch their boys, James, wade, bosh, ect not the spurs players. And in top of that they got to see a great game.
Stern over reacted and I have yet to see anyone on tv take his side completely. He'll probably have a apology by the end of today or tomorrow

You may be right. I'm not arguing FOR Stern, I'm simply putting his point of view out there. And yes, its a good chance some people were there watching the Spurs. Yes, I'll say it, I live in Dallas and am NOT a Mavs fan, but yet I go to certain games each year simply because of who they are playing and wanting to watch certain players play. So yes, if that happened to me and I had to pay "premium" prices for my tickets because of who was on the other team's roster and they weren't there (except in the case of injury/illness) I'd be a little ******. Remember, all those fans paid a "premium" (except season ticket holders) to attend that game because Duncan, Parker and Ginobli were expected to play. I think that's part of the issue.

[HillCoBowHunter]

Honestly this whole situation could be solved if playoff seeding in the NBA had any meaning at all. Regular season games don't mean crap as long as you make the top 8 from each division. It's a new game when the playoffs start.

The real issue is when teams tank games for draft positions. Who cares about non conference games on a long road trip at the start of the season!?!

I doubt people who went to that game could care less that the Spurs didn't play everyone. They just want to see their team win, and they saw a darn good game too!

[wyliescrib]

sorta makes me wonder if thats such a big deal about not seeing the great players sit down that maybe stern has the reffs laying off calling fouls so that they dont foul out... maybe there is something going on behind the sceens that stern might need to be looked at..... you ever notice how they sometimes wait to call a foul to see if the basket is made or not... maybe stern has his claws deeper in this game than watching timmy sit out....and if a close call is made it sorta always favores the star... hey stern what the deal with that....your not controling the reffs to make nba stars favorable calls are you? just sayin...

[quackerback]

so if they had been hurt either the night before or so the ride to the arena, should stern be upset and fans be upset because the players were hurt and they did not see them. should pop put them out there to get injured more

[rladner]

so if they had been hurt either the night before or so the ride to the arena, should stern be upset and fans be upset because the players were hurt and they did not see them. should pop put them out there to get injured more

no, that'd be silly. . Its ok that everyone is supportive. I don't have a problem with that, but for me I'd be mad. Its something you accept when they get hurt. You are still upset about it and disappointed, but you understand that accidents and injuries happen. Plus, the chance of all them being hurt for the same game in not very likely. Buuuut to me, If I paid a premium to watch them play and they didn't because the coach didn't think the game was important, I'd be mad. I didn't pay that premium to watch the bench, I paid it to watch THEM. But, to each their own, if other people don't mind being charged the extra money then fine. I'm not judging. I'm simply stating that I personally would not be happy about it. If I'm charged for something and pay it, I expect to get it. Sure, maybe one of them gets hurt, but I'm still able to get most my money's worth watching the others. In this scenario I'm not sure I'd even know who the heck was out there playing.

[CaptainDave]

I don't blaim pop at all. Not a Spurs fan, but I do know that even the Rockets have filed grievances with the league in the past regarding bad road game scheduling similar to this. The NBA does sometimes provide beneficial scheduling to certain teams.

[huntnfishtex]

integrity of the game not sure a fine is merited but thats tantamount to throwing in the towel.

that and the spurs can kiss my rear

[1369]

A freaking $250K fine? Stern's a joke.