Minstrel

Yes, the joys of monopolies. Being able to turn an industry into a "closed system" and "if you don't like it, leave the country."

Monopolies, and their attendant disregard for worker's rights and consumers, are considered SO American.

__________________
You'll never live like common people
You'll never do what common people do
You'll never fail like common people
You'll never watch your life slide out of view
And dance and drink and screw
Because there's nothing else to do.

HKF

You know Spreewell was a four year player and an idiot. Thad Young went to college for one year and he is contributing in the starting lineup for Philadelphia. Stern is over-thinking this. If you change the rookie wage scale or get rid of it in it's entirety, then an age limit doesn't matter to me. I do have a problem with owners having the opportunity to make more money without sharing a reasonable percentage with the players. Let's be honest, this is about money, nothing else.

Josh McRoberts went to college for two years and he got worse. The reason guys jump to the league is because of the rookie wage scale. NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS. I can't say the NBAPA agreeing to this without major financial concessions from the owners, which I doubt will happen.

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My favorite NBA players: Deron Williams * Kobe Bryant * Carmelo Anthony * Ben Gordon * Joe Johnson * Kevin Martin * Tim Duncan * Kyle Lowry * Thad Young * Amare Stoudemire * Dwight Howard * Josh Smith * Brandon Roy * LaMarcus Aldridge * Rudy Gay * Al Horford * Brandan Wright * Craig Smith * Renaldo Balkman * Wilson Chandler

2008-09 Favorite Rookies: Jerryd Bayless (POR), Roy Hibbert (IND), Greg Oden (POR), Chris Douglas-Roberts (NJN), Joe Alexander (MIL), Patrick Ewing, Jr. (NYK)

College Basketball: "Where 7-Foot Bigs Foul Out Happen"

Minstrel

Yes, and the NBA teams (the actual employers and businesses that make up the league) feel the players have met the requirements. That's why they want to draft them and employ them.

__________________
You'll never live like common people
You'll never do what common people do
You'll never fail like common people
You'll never watch your life slide out of view
And dance and drink and screw
Because there's nothing else to do.

BlazerCaravan

I can't argue my point for all the straw men you're throwing at me. Well done.

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The kids are all right!

Minstrel

On this much, we agree.

"Strawman" is a popular accusation among people who have run out of arguments.

Your description of the league as a "closed, private system" which can exclude whoever it wants from an entire industry is almost the textbook definition of a monopoly. Your inability to defend your position doesn't make my arguments less valid, dear.

__________________
You'll never live like common people
You'll never do what common people do
You'll never fail like common people
You'll never watch your life slide out of view
And dance and drink and screw
Because there's nothing else to do.

BlazerCaravan

Nor does it make it any more valid.

It is a legal monopoly, hon. You'll just have to deal with the fact that, if the player's union agrees, and the owners union agrees, it's legal. I actually don't have to justify my position at all. As far as the US Government is concerned, everything's even stevens.

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The kids are all right!

Minstrel

I agree. The weakness of your arguments don't make mine stronger. The strength of mine rest entirely upon their own logic, logic which you've yet to show in error.

You're confused. I never argued that the NBA's actions were illegal. I was arguing that they were wrong...you know, ethics and such. There are many actions that are legal in society that aren't ethical or reasonable.

This is one of them.

__________________
You'll never live like common people
You'll never do what common people do
You'll never fail like common people
You'll never watch your life slide out of view
And dance and drink and screw
Because there's nothing else to do.

BlazerCaravan

I can definitely see an ethical issue. Kids want to earn the cash as soon as they're able to. I can totally see that. I would encourage kids who feel disenfranchized to bring up a class-action lawsuit against the NBA citing lost wages.

But, I don't see kids doing that.

__________________
The kids are all right!

LameR

I think it's good for basketball, and the athletes. It makes them focus on more than just basketball, and at least begin to get an education (and maybe some perspective too). Regardless of players like Kobe, and others who come out of high school and dominate, there are so many more who come in and just flop. Having this rule would at least begin to give them some stability if basketball doesn't work out, and may help kids focus on academics in high school as well. I don't really see a negative to it.

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(\_/)
(O.o)
(> <)

The LameR has spoken. C^2

BlazerFan22

My vote went to yes although I hate seeing players jump right out of high school and into the NBA. Insted of haveing and age limit I think they should have it so a player must have at least 2 years college. Or have some sort of program as to whare players could get drafted out of the NBDL if college isen't for that player.

hasoos

Really, I find it quite discriminatory, as it doesn't allow a person an equal opportunity for employment. Besides, your point about guys taking 3 to 4 years to develope, I hate to say it, but it really mostly only applies to guys who play on the Blazers. Many players who came into the league from high school turned out pretty good, and to tell the truth, many of them are carrying the league in talent now. KG. Kobe. Tmac. Captain Jack. Lebron James. Some guys who didn't come straighout of high school but who would have been affected by this: Carmello Anthony. Allen Iverson. Chris Bosh. Are you going to tell me they weren't ready to play when they came in the league? When it comes down to it, most of the blame for guys who came into the league too early and not ready, falls on to the GM's who decide it is worth the chance to draft them. Not the players themselves.

Now secondly, I would like to point out it is easy for fans to say "Oh they can wait a year or two." But you are not the one who is putting your career at risk playing college ball, and risking multi million dollar contracts to play. You are saying deny that opportunity. I say live the american dream.

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Hasoos

BlazerCaravan

Yeah, I'm starting to side with Minstrel and hasoos. It'd be nice if the NBA had a more robust NBDL, and offered on-the-job training for post-HS draftees. That way players could be earning good money on something like a three-year "redshirt" contract in the $100,000/yr range that lets the team bring up the player anytime after the first year in the NBDL. And the teams don't have to invest millions right off the bat on a player who is a project.

Of course, "Sure Things" could be signed directly to the pros.

This gives GMs more flexibility because projects can be had at a budget prices, and trained for a couple of years while still earning twice as much as the average American. And if it turns out that they lack the skills and talent to play in the NBA, they've earned enough money to go to a good state college and earn a degree.

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The kids are all right!

MrJayremmie