da_suns_fan
12-14-2011, 01:30 PM
Suns owner Sarver says his hard-liner rep during labor woes was unfair
32 commentsby Paul Coro - Dec. 13, 2011 09:54 PM
The Arizona Republic.
For months during the NBA lockout, Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver's defense mechanism was on lockdown.
Sarver, part of the NBA's labor-relations committee, squirmed as he was portrayed as a hard-liner willing to sacrifice a season in collective-bargaining-agreement negotiations.
Now free to speak -- and swing -- Sarver said his actions were quite to the contrary during 50 committee meetings over the past two years.
"I was consistently at the forefront of trying to get a deal done, knowing it was important for our fans to see NBA basketball again this season," Sarver said.
DSF's NOTE: :rolleyes :rolleyes :rolleyes :rolleyes
Sarver disputes how reports, some coming from anonymous players-union sources, painted him but sees how a divide could have been formed during negotiating. He said his approach and desires in owners meetings did not always match what he said in negotiations because he was then representing the entire ownership group and not just his viewpoint.
"He's very honest and direct," NBA Commissioner David Stern said of Sarver. "I'm not sure I'd nominate him for the diplomatic corps, but I would want him with me on anything important, as far as anything with business, directives, integrity or creativeness."
Stern said Sarver always advocated compromise and that his banking background helped the league analyze the cost of a lost season against a shortened one. Stern said Sarver's drive for compromise was "opposite" of public perception.
"Early on, he articulated the notion there is a huge gap between the two sides and how we could minimize that," Stern said.
Sarver's reputation became a concern for the Suns brass, which has cleared salary-cap space for July 2012 to make a run at top free agents. The class could include Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and Deron Williams.
"I was concerned, and that was probably the toughest part about not being able to get the record straight," Sarver said. "It's important that Phoenix is viewed as a place players want to come to."
The attacks became more personal in October when his former star, Amar'e Stoudemire, told Newsday that Sarver was "probably the main guy that's pushing for this lockout."
"To know Amar'e is to know you have to take half of what he says with a grain of salt," Sarver said. "You can't put a lot of credibility in that. I think it was more out of the fact that he still misses playing in Phoenix. He seemed to be a little frustrated."
DSF'S NOTE: Yeah, you said the same thing about Joe Johnson. He just still wants to be in Phoenix so bad despite the fact that your team missed the playoffs, his made the playoffs, he's in the biggest NBA market and he got 40 million bucks more in guaranteed money than you were offering.
Sarver said the compromise did not satisfy all of the goals for either side. He said that the owners' stated push for competitive balance was aided by raising minimum team payrolls, instituting a more punitive luxury tax starting in 2013-14 and improving the revenue-sharing model, "although time will tell."
During Sarver's ownership tenure since 2004, he said his mid-market franchise has ranked 12th in revenue and been among the top 10 payrolls.
"We do compete specifically in our division with the Los Angeles Lakers, so if the stiffer luxury tax at the higher levels does become effective, then that will help the Phoenix Suns," Sarver said.
"I see a renewed commitment by myself and our ownership team to build on our success and support a championship culture. As an owner, you evolve. There are things looking back -- transactions, deals -- that you'd like to change. The important thing is I learned from previous mistakes."
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2011/12/13/20111213phoenix-suns-robert-sarver-rep-unfair.html#ixzz1gXCCPQay
32 commentsby Paul Coro - Dec. 13, 2011 09:54 PM
The Arizona Republic.
For months during the NBA lockout, Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver's defense mechanism was on lockdown.
Sarver, part of the NBA's labor-relations committee, squirmed as he was portrayed as a hard-liner willing to sacrifice a season in collective-bargaining-agreement negotiations.
Now free to speak -- and swing -- Sarver said his actions were quite to the contrary during 50 committee meetings over the past two years.
"I was consistently at the forefront of trying to get a deal done, knowing it was important for our fans to see NBA basketball again this season," Sarver said.
DSF's NOTE: :rolleyes :rolleyes :rolleyes :rolleyes
Sarver disputes how reports, some coming from anonymous players-union sources, painted him but sees how a divide could have been formed during negotiating. He said his approach and desires in owners meetings did not always match what he said in negotiations because he was then representing the entire ownership group and not just his viewpoint.
"He's very honest and direct," NBA Commissioner David Stern said of Sarver. "I'm not sure I'd nominate him for the diplomatic corps, but I would want him with me on anything important, as far as anything with business, directives, integrity or creativeness."
Stern said Sarver always advocated compromise and that his banking background helped the league analyze the cost of a lost season against a shortened one. Stern said Sarver's drive for compromise was "opposite" of public perception.
"Early on, he articulated the notion there is a huge gap between the two sides and how we could minimize that," Stern said.
Sarver's reputation became a concern for the Suns brass, which has cleared salary-cap space for July 2012 to make a run at top free agents. The class could include Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and Deron Williams.
"I was concerned, and that was probably the toughest part about not being able to get the record straight," Sarver said. "It's important that Phoenix is viewed as a place players want to come to."
The attacks became more personal in October when his former star, Amar'e Stoudemire, told Newsday that Sarver was "probably the main guy that's pushing for this lockout."
"To know Amar'e is to know you have to take half of what he says with a grain of salt," Sarver said. "You can't put a lot of credibility in that. I think it was more out of the fact that he still misses playing in Phoenix. He seemed to be a little frustrated."
DSF'S NOTE: Yeah, you said the same thing about Joe Johnson. He just still wants to be in Phoenix so bad despite the fact that your team missed the playoffs, his made the playoffs, he's in the biggest NBA market and he got 40 million bucks more in guaranteed money than you were offering.
Sarver said the compromise did not satisfy all of the goals for either side. He said that the owners' stated push for competitive balance was aided by raising minimum team payrolls, instituting a more punitive luxury tax starting in 2013-14 and improving the revenue-sharing model, "although time will tell."
During Sarver's ownership tenure since 2004, he said his mid-market franchise has ranked 12th in revenue and been among the top 10 payrolls.
"We do compete specifically in our division with the Los Angeles Lakers, so if the stiffer luxury tax at the higher levels does become effective, then that will help the Phoenix Suns," Sarver said.
"I see a renewed commitment by myself and our ownership team to build on our success and support a championship culture. As an owner, you evolve. There are things looking back -- transactions, deals -- that you'd like to change. The important thing is I learned from previous mistakes."
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2011/12/13/20111213phoenix-suns-robert-sarver-rep-unfair.html#ixzz1gXCCPQay