How NBA Players Should Handle the Lockout

Players like Anthony, Rose, Bryant and James should play
somewhere, but where?

The NFL lockout sent chills down fans' spines as they pondered what they would do on a Sunday afternoon without football. Thankfully the league worked out a deal just in time and on September 8th the NFL season will get under way and it promises to be a great year. NBA fans don't have that comfort yet as the two sides do battle this offseason. Some players say they are optimistic that the season will be played as planned but others seem unsure. After such an electric 2010-2011 season the NBA would be making a HUGE mistake if they couldn't come to an agreement. However, the players seem to be set on playing this year even if that means going overseas. Wilson Chandler was the most recent player to ink a deal with a club overseas and Deron Williams is the biggest name to have signed. Much has been made about whether players should play for another team and it is a risky move but this is their job. Who wants to be laid off for a year?

If the NBA players were to go play somewhere else for the year they would obviously put themselves at risk of injury which could damage their NBA career. The organizations can't be too keen about their players going to play for another organization, but I am on the players' side about this. However, here is what I would love to see happen: led by Kobe Bryant, the 2012 U.S. Olympic team should barnstorm around the world playing teams. I had heard a rumor about this a while back but it seems to be far from true. Yet, I can't help but think how amazing and beneficial this would be. If the European or Chinese teams paid Team NBA a decent sum of money they could split that evenly and the teams overseas would benefit because their arenas would be filled to capacity every night the NBA players took the court. It would be like the Harlem Globetrotters and if ESPN put the games on tape delay during primetime here in the States fans would still tune in.

For those who aren't a part of the that squad they can make their own team and do the same thing. The main thing is, and this shouldn't be hard for players to do, is to find competition. They can't find anything close to the NBA but the European game does offer some good ball and that's all fans really want, the chance to see their favorite players play. Whether that be in America or Europe, they deserve that. Do I think my idea will happen? No, but it would be great if it did. I doubt we will see the biggest names, like Kobe, LeBron and DRose, sign with another team. Instead I think it will be a year of working out and playing structured pickup ball with other stars.

This is all worst-case scenario though because the owners and players must work out their differences. After the Jordan-era the NBA sort of fell on rough times. Last year was fantastic to watch as the young stars emerged and the competition was fierce. It should just be the beginning though, and a year off would hinder that rise in popularity from happening. The NBA has become relevant again and it can't afford to miss a year. The NFL figured it out and now it's time for the NBA to as well.

The Good and Bad of Sports Stars

Hello everybody! After a nice summer break I am back at school and that means back to blogging. What better way to start the year than discuss a topic that I get pretty heated about? News broke today that the Charlotte Bobcats' Javaris Crittenton is wanted for murder. You may remember that name but it's nothing he did on the court that would remind you of him. Crittenton is the ex-Washington Wizard who was suspended for bringing a gun into the Wizards' locker room, making him "the other guy" involved in the Gilbert Arenas mess. Crittenton should be banned from te league after his latest blunder and he has, once again, given the NBA a black eye. He is the most recent player to make a fool of himself and fail as a role model, despite making millions of dollars and having the chance to play sports for a living.

Jim Thome is at the tail end of his playing days and, earlier this week, waived his no-trade clause so that he could finish his illustrious career with the Cleveland Indians. Thome started his career in Cleveland and it is a well-deserved homecoming for him. Thome recently bashed his 600th home run making him just the eighth player in MLB history to do so. Thome is a classic good guy. As the MLB continues to heal from the Steroid Era, Thome is a shining light for the game. Never once has he been brought up in steroid or PED talk and he is respected as a true gentleman of the game. Now he gets the chance to finish his career where he started it and help a contending Indians team. He is an example of what is right in sports.

The contrast between the two examples is so great and it is unbelievable how some athletes can mess up their lives so bad. Charles Barkley once said he was not a role model and some athletes think they aren't. I strongly disagree and I think that when an athlete is drafted and signs his contract he should know what else comes with the fame and riches. There are kids who are watching and, obviously, no man should ever murder another, but for an athlete in the spotlight to do something so violent and wrong is scary because more kids hear about it.

Crittenton isn't the first guy to mess up, nor will he be the last but he is the latest and that makes him the current poster child. Athletes like Randy Moss, Jason Williams and Tiger Woods have all had run-ins with the law or been involved with scandals. Why do athletes mess up? It's hard to say. It's not a white or black issue and I don't think playing time matters either. The two factors that drive athletes to these bad decisions is money and fame. With money anything is possible. You can buy whatever you want and you can live lavishly and tempation comes with that. Also, when somebody has money they feel they need protection. Why else would many athletes purchase guns? Then there is the fame issue. When you are famous people try to get involved with your life. Athletes are offered drugs and other illegal things like it's candy and it's hard to turn down. That's where many of the drug charges come in.

The temptations are great for athletes but not all succumb to them. People like Jim Thome, Derek Jeter and Larry Fitzgerald are athletes who have resisted the tempations and have become great role models along with being Hall of Fame-caliber players. It's great to see but we always know in the back of our minds that when something great happens like Thome's 600th homer, we can expect to be disappointed by someone like Javaris Crittenton. That's the way sports are and they always will be.