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View Full Version : Stern: Leather ball will return on Jan. 1


AFBlue
12-11-2006, 04:41 PM
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2694335 (http://)

Leather ball will return on Jan. 1

By Marc Stein
ESPN.com



NBA commissioner David Stern, in a stunning reversal, has decided to shelve the new microfiber composite basketball after just a few months of use and switch back to the old leather model for all games starting Jan. 1, according to sources close to the situation.


The decision will be formally announced by the league later this week, sources told ESPN.com.


Despite an avalanche of player complaints about the new synthetic model from the first day of training camp in October, skepticism was high among players that Stern would consent to a change during the season. But with a number of prominent players complaining of cuts on their hands caused by the new ball's high-friction cover -- Phoenix's Steve Nash and New Jersey's Jason Kidd among them -- Stern was forced to concede that an in-season swap was unavoidable with the new ball inflicting injuries.


Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com.
AFBlue
12-11-2006, 04:43 PM
Didn't know if anyone else had seen this story...

One less thing for people to complain about I guess....
RonMexico
12-11-2006, 04:54 PM
Kinda sucks - there will probably be another 2 week adjustment period to get these guys used to the old ball (probably more missed layups, etc.)
Budkin
12-11-2006, 05:32 PM
I'm glad, we won't have to hear about it anymore and it won't be an excuse. I wonder if they will keep the new look though, or return to the 8-panel look?
alamo50
12-11-2006, 05:39 PM
What a load of bullcrap.
Vinnie_Johnson
12-11-2006, 07:58 PM
Nice job David Stern.
Bob Lanier
12-11-2006, 09:27 PM
I don't know what you people are bitching about. David Stern is the greatest commisioner in all of sports, and he's overseen the biggest growth in popularity that basketball has ever known. I'll admit that I don't quite understand this entire ball-juggling incident, but I'm sure he knows best.

Quite frankly I think you owe David Stern a debt of gratitude.
Chris Childs
12-11-2006, 09:37 PM
Fuck David Stern!
ALVAREZ6
12-11-2006, 09:41 PM
David Stern is such a jackass, what a piece of shit. Stern = Bush
himat
12-11-2006, 09:48 PM
Good this move stop the Dictator?http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-061209-10
Since Stern finally let could this make players try to force even more changes?
leemajors
12-11-2006, 10:42 PM
I don't know what you people are bitching about. David Stern is the greatest commisioner in all of sports, and he's overseen the biggest growth in popularity that basketball has ever known. I'll admit that I don't quite understand this entire ball-juggling incident, but I'm sure he knows best.

Quite frankly I think you owe David Stern a debt of gratitude.

i agree, people forget what the NBA was before stern took over.
ManuTastic
12-11-2006, 10:56 PM
Here's the deal: the new ball causes multiple, small cuts on players' fingers, mostly some point guards ('cuz they handle it a lot, see). Cuts on their fingers. Not during the games, but afterwards.
Get it? Their fucking fingers are bleeding because of this ball. That's why they're ditching it.
Oh, and 2+2=4.
G-Money
12-11-2006, 11:14 PM
I don't know what you people are bitching about. David Stern is the greatest commisioner in all of sports, and he's overseen the biggest growth in popularity that basketball has ever known. I'll admit that I don't quite understand this entire ball-juggling incident, but I'm sure he knows best.

Quite frankly I think you owe David Stern a debt of gratitude.

:flipoff
G-Money
12-11-2006, 11:16 PM
i agree, people forget what the NBA was before stern took over.

Since you have sided with stern and you agreed to that post you get a double. :flipoff :flipoff
RonMexico
12-11-2006, 11:18 PM
Stern is the best commissioner in sports - hands down, now that Tags is gone from the NFL.
ATX Spur
12-12-2006, 01:17 AM
Good decision. Take some time and figure out what's wrong with the balls. End everyone's bitching by bringing back the old ones. Probably sell some more leather ones. :tu
dav4463
12-12-2006, 02:32 AM
Stern's OK with me. He just wants to do what's best for the league. So he made a mistake on the ball....big deal. As far the dress code, I think it is good for players to dress well in public and look classy. Also, Stern doesn't like Mark Cuban and I don't either, so we should get along OK!
polandprzem
12-12-2006, 01:31 PM
Great :rolleyes
TheSanityAnnex
12-12-2006, 02:51 PM
David Stern is such a jackass, what a piece of shit. Stern = Bush

Nice myspace pose! :lmao
leemajors
12-12-2006, 11:29 PM
now nash is complaining about the switch back...
RonMexico
12-13-2006, 02:07 AM
now nash is complaining about the switch back...

At least someone is - they were all thinking (like you bitches on this thread) that the new ball was here to stay thanks to the "dicatorship" of stern... and now the league is making a switch in the middle of the season??? Have you ever heard of such a thing?
NBA Junkie
12-13-2006, 07:00 AM
Makes me wonder if some of the high scoring games leave with the new ball...
AFBlue
12-13-2006, 10:06 AM
At least someone is - they were all thinking (like you bitches on this thread) that the new ball was here to stay thanks to the "dicatorship" of stern... and now the league is making a switch in the middle of the season??? Have you ever heard of such a thing?

This "dictator" is making the switch because it's what the PLAYERS WANTED! How is accomodating your people a despotic act in any way?

Call me crazy, but when the Kurds complained about being gassed, I don't think Sadaam Hussien said "okay, I'll stop because it's hurting you."

To compare Stern to a dictator is just rediculous.
z0sa
12-13-2006, 11:32 AM
suck david stern off already
AFBlue
12-13-2006, 04:00 PM
suck david stern off already


Intelligent response...

I just find it rediculous that people complain about Stern's policies/actions, then complain when he REVERSES those policies b/c people didn't like them.

Be glad he acommodated and don't bitch about the timing...some people just live to complain I guess. :rolleyes
RonMexico
12-13-2006, 04:14 PM
This "dictator" is making the switch because it's what the PLAYERS WANTED! How is accomodating your people a despotic act in any way?

Call me crazy, but when the Kurds complained about being gassed, I don't think Sadaam Hussien said "okay, I'll stop because it's hurting you."

To compare Stern to a dictator is just rediculous.


Dude, I was mocking the people on this board who say that... hence the quotes in my argument... If you look a few posts above, I say that stern is - hands down - the best commish in professional sports.

I even make a parenthetical reference to the "bitches" on here... c'mon, give me a little more credit than that