Tarnished Sterling

TMZ released an audio recording purportedly of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling making racist statements while arguing with his then-girlfriend, V. Stiviano. Some of the sentiments expressed on the recording include Sterling, who is white, allegedly telling Stiviano not to bring any black people to Clippers game, including Basketball Hall of Famer and Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Magic Johnson. He also expressed wishes for Stiviano not to "broadcast" pictures of herself with black people on Instagram.

The nine-and-a-half minute recording can be heard in its entirety in the YouTube upload of this past Saturday's Louisiana All American Sports radio show at the 39:00 mark. Sterling, allegedly, is heard repeatedly asking Stiviano to not associate with minorities. He cites his "culture". He then goes into a disorganized, almost nonsensical sociology monologue about Blacks and Latinos and how "things have always been". Stiviano is half Black and half Mexican.

Maybe Sterling really doesn't see color. Psst! Donny boy. You're girlfriend is (half) black (gasp)! 1

NOT SO SURPRISING

I received a text early Saturday morning from my Internet and radio broadcast partner, Perry Daniels, about the Sterling story. As soon as I saw Sterling's name in the hyperlink to the story, before even reading it, I thought, "What did this known a-hole do this time?" I wasn't quite prepared for the bombshell that followed, but I was not exactly in a state of disbelief, either.

Sterling has been sued and settled out of court for a record payoff, just short of $3 million, in a housing discrimination suit. Basketball Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor,  a former Clippers executive under Sterling, sued Sterling for withheld pay and also alleged racial biases in the Clippers' workplace tied to Sterling. In short, this isn't the first time with Sterling.

Sterling is possibly one of the least liked owners in the NBA by all accounts. His team was a laughing stock for decades before acquiring current Head Coach Doc Rivers and All-Stars Blake Griffin and Chris Paul. His reputation for penny pinching to the detriment of his NBA organization preceded him. Since this story broke, a story was reported on sports radio that the other NBA owners tied to rid themselves of Sterling in the past by "encouraging" him to sell.

This type of black eye on the league via Donald Sterling was a long time coming.

Adam Silver didn't start it, but, taking him at his word, he's going to finish it. 2

NOW WHAT?

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver vowed to respond swiftly and aggressively to this image crisis. Clippers players have already made symbolic statements like wearing black socks and wristbands and wearing their warm-up tee shirts inside-out before Sunday's Game 4 of their first round matchup with the Golden State Warriors. Doc Rivers has acknowledged the distraction that this is become but also said, "We have a job to do." Rivers, a former NBA player, by all accounts is very respected by his players and the Clippers players appear to be following Coach Rivers' lead.

Given the highly competitive nature of Western Conference basketball and the razor-thin gaps in talent from top-to-bottom between teams, this distraction could be enough to tip the scales on the court and preclude the Clippers from winning an NBA Championship (possibly preclude them from advancing past the Warriors in the first round). The possibility of the players union filing a grievance and asking for players to have the power to opt out of their contracts should Sterling retain ownership is not far fetched. The Clippers have, overnight, become the least attractive free agency destination in the NBA. This would make offseason player personnel improvements very difficult, particularly in a league in which roughly 80% of its players are Black.

Doc Rivers is not a miracle worker, but he'll have to come close to it to salvage his team's playoff run. 3

LONG TERM

Should the TMZ recording be authenticated, which I suspect it will, in the absence of a really good explanation, Sterling has to go, immediately. The NBA probably cannot force Sterling to sell his team (I am not familiar with the NBA's bylaws) but they can compel him to do so by creating an environment in which continued ownership of the Clippers is not desirable to Sterling.

There is no room in pro sports, especially in a league like the NBA that has an image of earning an A+ in diversity over the years. The more swift, decisive, and appropriate a resolution is reaching in this incident, the faster the crisis will be behind the league and its players, coaches, and owners. It is my hope that Adam Silver backs up his bold and unequivocal proclamation over the weekend to respond to these events with action.

Ironic? The league wants to get rid of Donald Sterling, independent of this scandal. Another  Los Angeles franchise turned its public image around overnight with a change in ownership. That same ownership group has D..E..E..P pockets and is rumored to want to get his foot into the door of the NBA. Cue Alanis Morissette. Just sayin'.... 4

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David Stern Steps Down as NBA Commissioner

Tomorrow, NBA Commissioner David Stern's 30 year reign as league commissioner will come to an end. Currently, the the NBA is second only to the NFL in television ratings. Basketball is the second most popular sport in the world after soccer. NBA players are the highest paid athletes in the world. None of this could be said prior to February 1, 1984, Stern's first day on the job.

YOU'VE COME A LONG WAY BABY

Shortly before Stern's tenure as commissioner began, NBA Finals games were often on tape delay, not live, airing as late as 11:30 pm in some markets. Not all conference finals games were nationally televised. Some first round games were not aired at all.

The NBA suffered from an image tarnished by rapid drug use, particularly cocaine, in the 1970s. Television revenues were a pittance compared to the NFL and Major League Baseball. The NBA was circling the drain prior to 1984. It was in danger of becoming a niche sport in a contracting league.

With some innovation and a little luck in the form of some of the most marketable superstars in American sports history entering the league, Stern rapidly led the transformation of the league's image and fortunes. By the 1990s, NBA superstars were among the most recognizable in the world. The NBA was an A-list league rivaling the NFL and MLB. Multiple games were nationally televised every week. The NBA Finals were a ratings bonanza. Basketball had become a truly international sport.

Stern and the media could sometimes be like oil and water. 1

LOVE HIM OR HATE HIM

Words like "warm" and "cuddly" will not be used when recalling Stern's legacy as commissioner. He was often brash, smug, and obnoxious in dealing with players, the media, and owners. Like all leaders, he often made decisions that ruffled some feathers.

Whether or not you like David Stern the person, if you enjoy the NBA today, his contribution in growing the game into an American entertainment powerhouse is undeniable. Players, coaches, and owners have reaped more lucrative financial rewards from Stern's vision than ever imaginable in the mid-1980s. Simply put, everyone invested in the NBA, directly or indirectly, is better off because of Stern's efforts as Commissioner.

Stern will be replaced by Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver tomorrow. Like every sports league commissioner, I expect that Silver will continue to try to grow the league and make it even better than it is today. Stern started his run as Commissioner with his feet in quicksand. Silver has one hell of a running start.

Replacing Stern is a tall order, but the much taller Silver could probably take him in one-on-one. 2

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That Guy

Chances are that if you took the time to log on to a sports blog, you have your fair share of sports discussions. Perhaps you listen to sports talk radio. If you like sports, watch sports, talk about sports and listen to others discuss sports, chances are you have heard several inevitable clichés that come up during sports discussions.

We've discussed different sports discussion guys in the past. Today, we are going to discuss the different kind of sports cliché guys who arise during sports discussions. Typically, this is a guy who thinks he knows more than he does. Whether it is at the water cooler, the local watering hole, or on the radio, you can count on eventually hearing some of the following guys spouting these clichés.

I could tell you half of the things that one of them will say without being able to hear them. 2

“THE COACH IS TOO NICE” GUY

This guy cracks me up. This is the sports fan who thinks that by the head coach yelling and screaming, foaming at the mouth, and cracking the whip, the team will magically and miraculously improve, win more games, and/or score more points in the second half of a game in which the team is trailing.

This is all but certainly someone who never played organized sports at the high school level or above. The solution to his team’s woes aren’t rooted in training, preparation, scheme, personnel, injuries, matchups, or offsetting external factors like travel fatigue or home field advantage. Nope. The coach just needs to knock over the water cooler, put his foot through the chalkboard, curse like a sailor, and THEN his team will get the message and respond.

All coaches at the major college or professional level got as far as they got because of their general personality. They aren’t changing. They may adjust their approach to their players, do a little more of this and a little less of that, but the general coaching philosophy isn’t changing. The yellers and screamers, former NFL coach Mike Ditka, University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban, and University of South Carolina Men’s Basketball Head Coach Frank Martin come to mind, are wired to yell and scream. They will yell and scream when they are up 21 points near the end of the game but a player ignored a command. It is who they are.

Much like the yellers and screamers aren’t changing, neither are the “laid back” guys who do not blow their stacks. Losing one’s cool is simply not in the DNA of the cool, calm, and collected coach. It cannot and will not work for them. Their players know their assignments and know the consequences for failure equally well and the screamer’s players. While the Type A coach may be more entertaining for us to observe during his antics, it doesn’t make him more effective. For examples, see Tony Dungy, Dick Vermeil, Mike Tomlin, Les Miles, and Mike Krzyzewski.

I'm at my best at work with some asshole bellowing in my ear, too. 1

“IF I DID THAT AT MY JOB” GUY

Athletes are known for their off the field activities as well as their on-field actions. While there are countless anonymous acts of community service and charity by athletes, the acts of a handful of miscreants such as arrests and anti-social behavior in the locker room tend to produce the most sensational and attention grabbing headlines.

Inevitably, someone will bring up in the conversation a point to the effect of, “If I did that at my job, I would get fired,” or “If I spoke to my boss like that, I’d get demoted.” This completely cliché and unoriginal insight also has the disadvantage to the speaker of being completely irrelevant. Assuming we are discussing professional athletes, this just in, the “if I did that at my job” guy can be replaced in a week or two, perhaps a day or two if that guy is a laborer.

Those talented enough to be pro athletes make up a very tiny percentage of the population. They don’t grow on trees. Most starters are not immediately replaceable and most replacements for reserve/backup players are a step down from the incumbent. In games that are decided by inches with intense public pressure to win, unnecessary personnel turnover is costly and undesirable.

So remember, your services at Jiffy Lube can be replaced by anyone with a pulse. Your crap is not worth the trouble of tolerating. A wide receiver who runs a 4.3 forty is hard to find and most coaches will tolerate just about anything but hard time if the productivity at “the office” is good enough.

If they toss this guy out of the door, it won't cost them a second round draft pick. 3

“I WOULD DO WHATEVER THEY ASKED ME IF THEY PAID ME THAT MUCH” GUY

This guy is in a similar vein as “If I Did That at My Job,” guy. This is the guy who believes that, because athletes are paid much more money in a season than he might see in ten years, athletes shouldn’t speak or think and just function as zombies or robots on command.

Mind you, this is probably the same guy who complains about something in the break room or his lack of a parking space with regularity. This is the guy who probably mumbles under his breath when he’s asked to lift an extra bag of soil at the Wal-Mart at which he works. But, suddenly this guy would clean the bathroom for the customers with a smile if there were a few more zeroes in his paycheck?

You wouldn't do whatever if they paid you that much, because you CAN'T DO ANYTHING that someone would pay you that much to do. Kobe Bryant could tell his (former) coach, Mike Brown, to kiss his ass because he is Kobe freaking Bryant, future Hall of Famer. They pay him that much because he’s worth that much. And in the end, Bryant effectively fired Brown, not the other way around, and rattled off an “Amnesty THAT” blast at another league owner. I don't think Kobe is worried about being in trouble for smarting off to the boss man for another team in the league. 

Contrary to what "that guy" might think, with the work ethic it takes to become a star athlete, I think Dwight Howard would make a better shoe salesman than 'that guy" would make an NBA Center. 4

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The Daily Hat Trick is sponsored by Sports N Stuff. For great deals on jerseys, shirts, cologne, and other guy stuff, visit http://www.sportsnstuff.biz/.

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Retweet of the Day - February 25, 2013

As I have emphasized several times in the past, the Retweet of the Day is generally intended to take a clever, pithy tweet from a regular guy or girl in the Twittersphere and give that person his 15 minutes of fame for the creativity and entertainment. Every now and then the Retweet will go to someone in the public eye if what that person had to say was so profound or interesting that the content trumps the interest of recognizing a “regular guy”. Usually such a retweet is of a media member or a garden variety athlete.

Rarely is the Retweet of a superstar; it defeats the general intent of Retweet of the Day. However, Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant hit the bullseye with a barb fired at Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban via Twitter. I couldn’t justify anything else sports related from the Twittersphere receiving the recognition today.

Earlier in the week Cuban suggested during an interview that the Lakers could free up salary cap room and reduce their luxury tax exposure by applying the amnesty clause of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement to Bryant. For the 90% of you who probably don’t keep up on all things collective bargaining, this means the Lakers could waive Bryant, while Kobe still gets his money (another team would bid for Bryant’s services and the Lakers would pay the difference) , but the salary (expected to be approximately $30 million next season) would not count against the Lakers’ salary cap or luxury tax totals. In two words: “cut Kobe”.

Cuban later explained that the example was hypothetical. He said that when trying to explain the CBA, often an example is necessary to clarify the explanation. That is completely true. WHY would you choose the Black Mamba as your example leading into a nationally televised game against your team, Mr. Cuban? He’s a colorful character, but has the worst case of Foot-in-Mouth disease of any NBA owner.

How did the Mamba respond? Bryant put on a clinic, grabbing 12 rebounds, dishing out seven assists and scoring 38 points, including a perimeter jumper in the final minute to give the Lakers a two possession lead en route to a much needed win over the Mavs. Bryant (@kobebryant), who is new to Twitter, wrote two words that spoke volumes.  Those two words are today’s retweet.

"Amnesty THAT"

Do you really want Kobe to have something to prove when he plays you?

Image from http://sports.yahoo.com

They're BA-ACK!

Celtics 104

Knicks 106

FINAL

1

Heat 105

Mavericks 94

FINAL

2

Bulls 88

Lakers 87

FINAL

3

Magic 89

Thunder 97

FINAL

4

Clippers 105

Warriors 86

FINAL

5

The NBA opened its season, yesterday, on Christmas Day. Ten teams took to the hardwood to give basketball fans the action for which they had to wait two months longer than usual. The Knicks and Celtics slugged it out (almost literally), the Heat answered a few questions about their resolve in thrashing the defending NBA champion Mavericks. The Bulls nipped the Lakers in a thriller. Kevin Durant continued his quiet greatness against Orlando. And Chris Paul made his debut as a Clipper in a second half romp over the Warriors.


FAN-TASTIC!

In any sports labor dispute, there are three losers: owners, players, and fans. Of those three, only fans are losers because they were unable to spend (money, time, emotional energy or otherwise). Sports are only as significant as they are in North America because of the entertainment value. Nobody is entertained, save for a few (amateur or professional) legal eagles, by observing billionaires and millionaires argue over terms of employment.

After all of the negative P.R. and rhetoric exchanged since the lockout began in July, fans were ready for basketball. Yesterday, I saw five arenas that appeared to be sold out. I saw the NBA's biggest stars giving viewers a good show. I saw basketball the way it should be.


THE SEASON FOR FORGIVENESS

I find it somewhat of a poetic irony that the season began on Christmas Day, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. I am not going to preach religion to anyone, but one of the lessons of Jesus, during his life, was forgiveness.

Many fans, via the Internet and talk radio, expressed profound displeasure with the lockout. Casual (i.e. non-die-hard) fans are often the first to be turned off from professional sports in such situations. They like it; they don't need it.

Owners and players exchanged barbs. Neither party received the ideal labor agreement. Ultimately, reason gave way to compromise. When regular season NBA action returned yesterday, we were able to see, first hand, what we, as basketball fans, had been without since the NBA Finals ended last June and had been denied since the lockout began. Once the superb athletic performances were back on display, I think that fans were able to forgive the transgressions that led to the absence of the world's greatest basketball action.

Don't forget to vote in the fan polls!

To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info.

The Daily Hat Trick is sponsored by Sports N Stuff. For great deals on jerseys, shirts, cologne, and other guy stuff, visit http://www.sportsnstuff.biz/.

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The United States of David Stern

He is the President; he is the Emperor; he is the King. Since becoming National Basketball Association commissioner in 1984, David Stern has run the NBA his way. Stern has ruled with an iron fist wrapped in silk, for public appearances.

Most fans probably do not care. The league has grown in popularity, exponentially, during Stern’s 28 seasons of leadership. He has been a marketing task master. Revenue has grown. Star power is enormous. Frankly, the product on the court is pretty damn good.

It's good to be king. 1

WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY

Stern works for the league owners, and he has made the league owners a lot of money over the years. With continued long term success, Stern has gained entrenchment among the owners and increasing power in running the league. I would argue that Stern’s power is almost unilateral today.

The drawback to this continued success and increased power is that there is potential for abuse. Stern has drawn controversy from decisions he has made in the past, from an imposed dress code to minimum age requirements to enter the league. Regardless, a sound argument could be made for his decisions being in the best interests of the NBA as a whole.

Yesterday, the general managers of the Lakers, Hornets, and Rockets worked out a deal that would have sent Hornets All-Star guard Chris Paul (who can become a free agent after this season) to the Los Angeles Lakers, and Lakers big man Pau Gasol to the Houston Rockets. The Hornets would receive Lamar Odom of the Lakers, and Kevin Martin and Luis Scola of the Rockets, in addition to a first round draft pick.

Stern to CP3 and Kobe: "Oh NO. YOU. WON'T!" 4

STERN DISAPPROVAL!

It sounds fair, right? Everyone is happy, right? WRONG!

Spearheaded, reportedly, by smaller market franchise owners, including Dan Gilbert of the Cleveland Cavaliers, David Stern vetoed the trade on behalf of the Hornets. The Hornets are currently owned by the NBA, seeking a new owner after a sale fell through last year, due in part, to uncertainty over the league’s labor situation. Stern cited, “basketball reasons” for the decision.

Since nobody with an I.Q. greater than a pineapple, not associated with the NBA, believes the deal was unfair to the Hornets (in fact the deal, under the circumstances, was SPECTACULAR for the Bees), there are clearly other motives in voiding the deal. When LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined forces with Dwayne Wade in Miami in 2010, concern was expressed among members of the media, general managers, and owners, about players having too much power…too much leverage. The same reaction happened when Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets, dictated to the Nuggets that he would play for the New York Knicks. Star players were determined to play for high profile franchises in big cities.

The tail was wagging the dog. Players were choosing where they would play, in spite of the rules in place, intended to help teams retain their stars. The owners intended to mitigate this situation with the new collective bargaining agreement, ratified just hours before the trade was vetoed.

Don't ditch your Creole Blue and gold, yet, CP3. 3

STERN LAST WORDS

Perhaps the new rules did not provide the desired end result for Stern and some of the other small market owners. In this case, the star in question, trying to move, played for a team ultimately controlled by Stern. Stern acted in his own best interests, which were to appease smaller market owners, outraged by another superstar dictating his trade destination, a big market destination.

What Stern did not do is act in the best interests of the Hornets, as he is charged. Should Paul leave the Hornets after this season (or choose not to play this season) and the Hornets receive no compensation (such as a perennial All-Star, a top scorer, a solid sixth man, and a first round pick), the Hornets will be effectively bankrupt of player assets. Whatever Stern’s “basketball reasons” were for voiding the trade, they clearly had nothing to do with playing a game of basketball.

The NBA is BACK!!! 2

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The Daily Hat Trick is sponsored by Sports N Stuff. For great deals on jerseys, shirts, cologne, and other guy stuff, visit http://www.sportsnstuff.biz/.

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Somehow, some way, The Daily Hat Trick keeps capturing new hearts and minds in the sports world. Perhaps that is an exaggeration! But the Hat Trick does continue to pick up new readers every day and for that, on the eve of Thanksgiving, I am thankful.

I am also thankful for the guest writers who submit content to The Daily Hat Trick. Believe it or not, there are days when I just do not have much to say. Those of you who know me personally can stop doing the imitation of Fred Sanford having "the big one". Yes, there are days when I just don't have much to say.

Katina Solomon of Zen College Life was kind enough to share an article with us about businesses affected by the NBA lockout. This is a delicate topic for me. As a New Orleans Hornets season ticket holder, I, like a lot of fans of the Bees, want to see my team play and feel like something is just missing in the sports world. On the other hand, the regular season becomes more interesting after the Super Bowl. I don't mind saving a few dollars from the missed games.

Unfortunately for many, my saved dollars are dollars that come out of someone else's pocket, who would otherwise be working or conducting business. As the holidays approach, it appears likely that we will be without NBA basketball. Let's have a look at how many costs there are, beyond the spectacular athletic entertainment we will not get to witness.

9 Businesses Most Hurt by the NBA Lockout

As the NBA's billionaires and millionaires haggle over a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, the ongoing association stoppage is penalizing hardworking folks who depend on the league to keep their businesses afloat. The cancellation of the first two weeks of the season — note that the entire first month has now been cancelled — resulted in the cutting of 100 games and thus a loss of $83 million in tickets sales, according to NBA.com. That's just scratching the surface of the fallout suffered by workers in a multitude of industries, which will only hurt more as the lockout continues. These businesses stand to lose the most in the following weeks — unless, of course, a deal is struck.

1. Television

   No games means no programming for the league's television partners. After a season in which ESPN/ABC and TNT enjoyed record ratings, the networks could suffer a loss of $1.25 billion if the entire season in canceled, according to AdWeek. Additionally, regional sports networks that carry the games of local teams will be forced to endure big losses, which aren't as easy for them to make up. Following the 1999 lockout, ratings fell dramatically, destroying momentum from a highly successful and entertaining 1997-98 season. Some forecasters expect the something similar to happen in 2012 (or whenever the season starts).

2. Advertisers

   Companies that sponsor the league have been forced to find new outlets with which to conduct business, changing their strategies indefinitely until the lockout is resolved. For example, last year, BBVA Group committed $100 million over four years to the league. Now, its new partnership may be a bit less valuable, as the league's popularity could diminish with a prolonged work stoppage. Advertisers such as Bacardi, which targets the NBA's young male audience, have had to find alternative programming with the same reach.

3. Shoe Companies

   From Reebok Pumps to Air Jordans, the NBA has been responsible for ushering billions of dollars into the shoe industry. Naturally, basketball fans love good sneakers, which is why the loss of the 2011-12 NBA season could result in $500 million in losses for the industry, according to NPD Group. Adidas would suffer the most, possibly losing half of its sales from NBA licensed merchandise. When the shoes are out of site, they're out of mind. Fans who typically see them during the games or in ads during the games will miss out, and be less likely to frequent stores such as Foot Locker.

4. Apparel Companies

   Sales of apparel have undoubtedly taken a hit. The Oregonian reported that the league could expect a 50 percent reduction in sales of paraphernalia such as jerseys, harming the aforementioned Adidas, the league's official apparel provider, the most. While major companies like Adidas will survive the fallout, the mom and pop businesses that depend on day-to-day sales will struggle to make up for the lack of interest in all-things NBA.

5. Video Game Makers

   The memorable 2010-11 NBA season also benefited video game makers such as Take-Two, creator of NBA 2K12, which sold 5.5 million copies. In August, gamespot.com reported that sales for the game are projected to fall by one million units if the season is cancelled, reducing the company's earnings by $40 million. With a stale, nonexistent offseason, Take-Two attempted to maintain interest in its game by introducing NBA's Greatest mode. All-time greats such as Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Michael Jordan will be featured, focusing on the league's rich history instead of the here and now.

6. Fantasy Basketball Sites

   Without NBA basketball, sites that host fantasy basketball leagues and provide fantasy basketball-related content simply can't offer a service. As a whole, the fantasy sports industry generates billions of dollars in revenue each year, with fantasy football being the most popular. Fantasy basketball bridges the gap between the NFL season and MLB season, a period in which sites such as Yahoo could use the extra traffic (those sites do just fine without the NBA during the fall, when the NFL is going strong).
7. 
   

   Local Pubs and Restaurants

   Perhaps most distressed about the lockout are local pub and restaurant owners and employees who depend on the revenue they earn from fans who either watch the games at their establishments, or visit them after attending the games. This is especially the case in towns like Portland, Salt Lake City, and Orlando, where the NBA is the only professional sport in town, meaning there isn't a hardcore following of a local NFL or MLB team to pick up the slack.

8. Vendors/Concessionaires

   It's on a much smaller scale than, say, the millions of dollars lost by the NBA's television partners, but the money earned by the vendors and concessionaires during games constitutes a large source of their incomes, forcing many of them to have to find other jobs — which obviously aren't easy find, especially ones that offer the same income — to make up for it. Meanwhile, Kobe Bryant reportedly lost up to $1.9 million during the cancellation of the first two weeks of the season — an enormous total, but just a fraction of his current $83.546 contract (which excludes endorsements).

9. Ticket Brokers

   You can't sell tickets when there aren't any games to attend. The $1 billion in losses that would come with a canceled season, according to Bloomberg News, is significantly impacted by lost ticket sales. During the shortened 1999 NBA season, NBA attendance dropped by 2.2 percent from 1997-98 and remained below the 17,000 per game benchmark for the next few seasons. Ticket holders of the canceled games were refunded the price of their tickets, and brokers had nothing to show for it.
   
   

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The Daily Hat Trick is sponsored by Sports N Stuff. For great deals on jerseys, shirts, cologne, and other guy stuff, visit http://www.sportsnstuff.biz/.

Around the Sporting World in 80 seconds

October is a special month in sports because SO MUCH is going on. The NFL is in full swing. Major League Baseball is in its post season. Ordinarily, the NBA is preparing for the start of its season with preseason games and the season opening around October 30th, give or take a few days (instead we are treated to labor negotiations and European league contract updates). The NHL season is underway. College football begins its jockeying, in earnest, for BCS positioning. There is something for every sports fan!

Because there is so much on the menu, I had trouble picking a single topic for today. Instead, I will throw in my two cents, three cents after the tip, on different regions of the sports world, readable in 80 seconds or less.


NFL

The Green Bay Packers are the last of the unbeaten in the NFL. No surprise there.... What is surprising is that the Detroit Lions were the next-to-last to fall from those elite ranks...to the San Francisco 49ers, who have the second best record in the NFC. Really? Yes, really.

The Dallas Cowboys may be two games back of the New York Giants. However, considering the talent level of the Cowboys, if they perform at the level they performed in their loss to the Patriots, I think they will take over the NFC East. Washington had serious quarterback issues, Philadelphia feel behind, out of the gates, too far, and the Giants simply do not have the talent level of the Cowboys, outside of their offensive backfield.

Out of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints, and Atlanta Falcons, one of these teams are likely to miss the playoffs. This is good for football, yet somewhat unfair at the same time. The competition is great, but top tier teams shouldn't be penalized by missing the postseason for being in the same division with rivals superior to those in other divisions. Even the 1-5 Carolina Panthers are a tough out, who might be above .500 if playing in either of the league's West divisions.

The AFC has some interesting story lines. Still, the main objective for these teams is to win the conference. Right now, in spite of the quick start by the San Diego Chargers, the resurgence of the Oakland Raiders, and the demise of the Colts opening the door of the AFC South to the Texans and Titans, it appears to be the Patriots, the Ravens, and "everyone else" in the AFC.

49ers coach Jim Harbaugh (left) and Lions coach Jim Schwartz (right) should just lace up the gloves and get it on. 1

MLB

Given the large, historic following of the St. Louis Cardinals, I cannot help but wonder if there was some rigging involved in the landslide win by the Cards over the Milwaukee Brewers in the deciding Game 6 of the National League Championship Series. For all of the offensive talent and personality the Brewers have, the Cardinals are going to be a greater draw for television than the Brewers.

The unlikely, Cinderella-like late season comeback of the Cardinals is a made-for-movies storyline. The Cardinals were more than 10 games back of the National League Wild Card in August only for their pitching to get red hot in September. The Cardinals caught and passed the Atlanta Braves in the Wild Card race on the final day of the regular season.

The Texas Rangers' story is the polar opposite. An underdog in the 2010 American League playoffs, the Rangers upset the defending World Series Champion New York Yankees to win the American League pennant, but fall to the San Francisco Giants in the World Series. Expectations, naturally, were high this season, with most of the key players in the lineup returning in 2011.

The Rangers met those high expectations disposing of the Tampa Bay Rays, who some analysts declared a favorite in the American League playoffs, and crushing the Detroit Tigers with pitching while overpowering them with their bats, particularly the bat of ALCS MVP Nelson Cruz.

On paper, the Rangers appear to be a favorite, with a pitching staff that looks difficult to solve over a seven game series. The Cardinals, however, have been beating the odds for the last two months. If anything, this series should be entertaining.

How many more times will Cardinals fans be treated to this post home run spectacle? Could this be the Grand Finale for Prince Albert in St. Louis? 2

NCAA FOOTBALL

I think the ultimate prize will go to the winner of the November 5th game of #1 LSU at #2 Alabama. The race for "also ran" is getting interesting, however. The Oklahoma State Cowboys made a big statement by beating the University of Texas on Saturday. The Oklahoma-Oklahoma state game could decide who will be cannon fodder, in January, for the LSU-Alabama winner.

I would not sleep on Wisconsin, either. I would pay little notice to Boise State. Whether Boise runs the table or not, the BCS powers that be will find a way to keep them out of the championship game, as appears to be the annual tradition.

November 5th: It's ON! 3

NBA

There is no basketball. It is not likely that there will be any basketball in this calendar year. Based on the rhetoric of the players and the unwillingness to further compromise by the owners, there may not be any basketball this season.

The Birdman (right) and the Birdman, Jr. A.K.A. Lil' Wayne...betcha this would get settled quickly if NBA Commissioner David Stern were locked in a room with these two until he convinced the owners to offer something suitable to the players. 4

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1) Image from sports.yahoo.com
2) Image from nypost.com
3) Image from faniq.com
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Lockout? What Lockout?

I am sure two or three of you may have noticed that The Daily Hat Trick has been dormant for the last week. I was on a little vacation. Relax. Unlike Jim Rome, I cannot "take so much vacation because I get so much vacation". I only get so much vacation!

Today I would like to discuss the NFL and NBA lockouts. Sports? It’s just a game! Right? At the moment, we have no NFL and no NBA. The major football and basketball leagues of the world have no players because the owners have locked the players out. Today, we are going to hop into the DeLorean from Back to the Future, travel a few months ahead, and see what the world will be like if the NFL and NBA lockouts continue.

To the fall...! 1

August, 2011 – At an average American sports bar

Man: "Okay guys. Thanks for showing up. It’s that time of year again. Time for another fantasy draft. Okay so here’s how we’re gonna do it. Since there’s no football, we’re gonna draft players and earn points based on what they did in the same week last year."

Wow. Brett Favre still isn’t completely retired! Let’s drift a little further ahead into the fall.

I know it isn't very PC to compare Brett Favre to herpes, but neither seems to ever go away. 2

October 2011 - At a house gathering anywhere in America
Man: "I’ve gotta say, fellas, this is a much better crowd than I expected for our big championship game party. Hey. Turn up the TV a little."

TV Announcer: "It’s a perfect October evening for the biggest night in professional football in America in the 2011 season. The UFL Championship game, with league MVP Daunte Culpepper, will be underway shortly."

Daunte Culpepper's 15 minutes can last a little longer thanks to the lockout. 3

Ordinarily, all would not be lost for the American sports fan, with basketball season starting up in late October. Alas, that may not be the case this year.


Dallas, Texas - Halloween Weekend, 2011

PA Announcer: "Ladies and gentlemen, please turn your attention to the northwest corner of the American Airlines Center , as we unveil the 2011 championship banner of YOUR…DALLAS MAVERICKS!!!" (crowd noise & jock jam music kicks in)

PA announcer: (music continues) "And now, the tip off…of Game 6 of last year’s NBA finals on the Jumbotron!!!"

It wouldn't be the first time this year that the best sports action in Dallas is above the floor instead of on it. 4

And what will we do in June if the NBA players are still locked out?


June 2012

TV Announcer: (crowd noise in the background) "Folks, the atmosphere is electric. Fans have been waiting for this series for quite some time. Miami is back, trying to claim the elusive championship series win and, of course, they will face Houston . There’s the first pitch…( PING !) and the 2012 College World Series is underway!"

Not really what I think of when I think of Miami pursuing a chamionship in June. 5

So never fear, sports fans. Remember that in America , we know how to improvise. And hey, if the Mrs. is nagging you on a Sunday afternoon, just tell her that the “honey do” list will have to wait until after PBA Bowling is over!

Does ANYONE actually watch this stuff on Sunday afternoons in the fall???

1) Image from grounaqeniv.blogspot.com
2) Image from technorati.com
3) Image from sportressofblogitude.com
4) Image from dallasing.com
5) Image from iconsmiselect.com
6) Image from pba.com