By on October 14, 2011
At Quality Minutes, Shoals presents some of his favorite links of the week, at B/R and elsewhere.
The New York Times: A Lot of Talk But Few Stars Have Left the Country to Play. One of the most persistent myths about the lockout? That NBA superstars will always have a job waiting for them overseas, at pay that would make the average citizen squirm. Not so, says Howard Beck. Seasons have started, rosters are set, and Deron Williams was the only big name to defect.
B/R: Five Signs John Wall is Headed for a Breakout NBA Seasons with the Washington Wizards. Few stars have been as visible this summer as Wall, who rivaled Kevin Durant for exhibition game appearances. But while Durant is already among the league's elite, Wall is getting ready to make the leap into the upper echelon. Matthew Brown argues that he's got the tools ready...whenever the season starts.
The Memphis Commercial-Appeal: Grizzlies' Tony Allen Upset by Fans' Anger at NBA Players. Allen is one of the more outspoken and entertaining players in the league; games lost to the lockout won't dent his brand one bit, as his Twitter feed is one big adventure. Ronald Tillery compiles the Grizzlies swingman's response to fans blaming the lockout on him and his peers. Allen, always intense on the court, doesn't mince words.
B/R: LeBron James NFL Dreams Could Become Reality. Well, not really, but it's fun to think about possibly the most physically gifted athlete ever, and former all-state wide receiver, suiting up to pass the time during the lockout. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll made a playful run at recruiting James over Twitter. The frightening thing about LeBron is that, no matter how silly all this was, somehow it never seemed like a total impossibility. Matthew Faulconer gives you the rundown.
Huffington Post: Do the Players — And Cities — Really Need the NBA Owners? This week, Amar'e Stoudemire announced that if there were serious time missed, the players would start their own league. Maybe this summer's heightened exhibition circuit was a gesture in this direction. Dave Berri makes a compelling economic case that, in fact, the owners need the players more than the players need the owners, and that if properly organized, a players' league is totally feasible.
B/R: 25 Worst Decisions of the Last Decade in the NBA. No basketball? No problem. Chris Johnstoneaux digs deep to rehash some franchises's least pleasant memories. That bad contract that crippled your team for years? It's in here. They say that we should learn from the past, so maybe this should be evidence that owners don't always know best—and that players have no reason to suspect that they won't get money thrown at them for a long time to come.
Detroit Free Press: No Shock Detroit Doesn't Miss These Pistons. Jamie Samuelson spits hot fire on this one, arguing convincingly that his city isn't going to care about a locked out team that doesn't give them much reason to care. Once again, the easiest way for a team to lose money is to make bad deals and hurt its product. There's no reason the players should pay a price for that, and no reason that fans can be expected to want to show up and pay for tickets.
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