Michele Roberts: Media "just standing there, staring at players"

[Diggr14]

Seems from this thread that I might be in the minority, but I agree with her. I think it's bizarre that the media access is done while players are showering and changing. Even more so given that the journos just stand awkwardly by while the players are dressing, waiting for them to be ready to talk. Just have a separate room for post-game interviews.

Most of RealGM was on the side of the owners during the last lockout, so I'm not surprised by the reactions of people in this thread.

Gotta make sure those players shut up, keep working like horses and the owners keep the whips-a-crackin.

Pathetic that people still have this slave-driver mentality in 2015.

Oh yeah.. them slaves that on average make 4 million + per year.... and going up.


Sign me up for some serfdom.

You race-baiters are tiring.

[pacers33granger]

What an absolute crock of bull

They won't feel bad because even scrubs make half a mil a year? Last I checked James Dolan is a "scrub" owner and he's making billions. And he's not the only one. What a terrible argument.

They agreed to the last CBA because it was negotiated poorly. You think every time a union of workers negotiate a deal they're completely satisfied with what they got? Eventually you need to accept something less than what you want in order to get back to work.

Doesn't matter what Dolan makes. The worst of the worst players in the league make more than most people in the country do in 20 years, so people generally won't have much sympathy for them.

And if they're not satisfied with what they got, then that's on them. If they don't like it, then don't play, simple as that. Nothing is forcing any single player to be a part of the league. Or just don't agree to it in the first place if you don't like it.

The player make more than most Americans... the owners make more than all the players. I don't know why their income has any relevance to the discussion. But I do think this is a common tactic used by those who dislike how much athletes make and try to bring their position down, despite the lack of criticism of owners.

I don't really care which group of rich people wins out and siding with one side or another feels pedantic. I just don't want another lockout.

I personally don't care either. Was merely pointing out why many people "sided" with the owners in the last lockout. The majority won't have much sympathy for anyone involved in a rich vs. super rich fight.

[The1llness]

Sounds like she went to the Pat Lynch School of Union Heading. Maybe she should look at how far all those divisive statements got him.

Frankly I think all this talk is just an attempt to build herself up in the eyes of the players because I think deep down she knows she's got an uphill battle in the next round of negotiations. It's going to be the same old story again; the owners have deeper pockets to wait out any lockout, especially if the TV contracts continue to pay out regardless of whether or not there is basketball (which i'm almost positive Silver negotiated with the networks). I'm sure she has brilliant background as a trail lawyer but she's not a miracle worker.

She should be more like Michael Corleone; make an offer and if the owners balk just have them framed for murdering a hooker.

[Black Jack]

The women that will cause the next NBA lockout

A union boss cannot start a lockout. Only owners can.

If a union causes a work stoppage, then it is called a strike.

Either way, you can tell the players union is ready for a fight. They are even thinking about saving their money for once

The players are just too easy to beat because too many of them actually live check to check.

[MoneyTalks41890]

I don't mind the posturing in the media.

[andyhop]

The only real tool the players have to use in a work stoppage is public opinion which is shaped by the media ,so anything she says or does that pisses off media people is stupid and works against the interest of those she is representing

[GYK]

I honestly don't know what the media does these days.

[Jonatton Yeah]

She's doing her job. Her job, at its foundation, is a political one. It's about leverage, manipulation, angling, hard-lining, negotiating, and, eventually, agreeing. By saying what she's saying, she's putting her foot in the door of the debate between the press and what they need to do their job and the players who don't really seem to care. The comments by Durant, WB, and the like haven't exactly painted the players in a good light. She's throwing some ammo back. That's her job. NBA players aren't in the league for their intellectual or manipulative prowess; they're where they are because of a very specific athletic skill. They have a union to buffer that incredible skill against other, less refined abilities (like managing a public persona). Roberts is doing exactly what she's supposed to do - stick her nose in, deflect blame from players and place them on herself, and fight against narratives that don't paint her union members in a good light.

Dunno how anyone can get angry at a person doing their job. Then again, dunno how anybody could side with the owners either. Any time a team is for sale, there are literally, metaphorically, and figuratively new suitors lining up, begging for a chunk. The owners are little more than Lego pieces that are easily interchangeable. The players? Not at all. But sheeple gonna sheep, I guess.

[NashtyNas]

Never understood why its mandated for players to talk to media. No one gives a crap about the things they have to say, we only care how they play!

This whole crap about X said this or Y gave the media this look is just stupid.

Let the players that want to be involved be involved. Don't force them. It doesn't do much to market the product when you have a guy repeating the same thing unless of course that phrase is... "Practice!?"

[wickedwrister]

Kind of amazes me that people always tend to side with ownership in all sports labor stoppages. Owners don't have to do much but sit back and cash checks. If the players and owners split up and formed new leagues tomorrow are you going to watch the one with Lebron/Durant or the one where a bunch of unemployed guys are dressed in your favorite teams colors?

[Bazakastine]

Kind of amazes me that people always tend to side with ownership in all sports labor stoppages. Owners don't have to do much but sit back and cash checks. If the players and owners split up and formed new leagues tomorrow are you going to watch the one with Lebron/Durant or the one where a bunch of unemployed guys are dressed in your favorite teams colors?

The thing with this is that it's not an option. The players don't have the capital to run a league without the owners. They would have to find another group of extremely wealthy people to finance the league. They would have to find people to negotiate television deals and endorsement opportunities. They would have to find/build stadiums to play in. They just don't have the money for it. The sad fact is the league could replace 75% of the players in the league tomorrow. Quality of play would drop some but as long as the stars were there (the only players with real leverage and they are the ones hurt most by the current CBA) the leagues popularity would stay as it is. It would be much more difficult to find 23 new owners who had the capital to buy a team just because there are not many people in the world who possess that. I also think people underestimate the ownership. Most of these guys are brilliant and were incredibly successful in other fields. The fact is whatever you think of Dan Gilbert Quicken Loans negotiations with other companies are a much more difficult/lucrative thing for him then his talks with the players. That's why the players get crushed and will almost certainly get crushed again. One side has capital and for the most part doesn't need the league to operate so sustain themselves. They also have a lot more business experience. The otherside has an incredible skillset that is leading them to a potentially wealthy life but have limited careers and really can't waste a year regardless of how well they save. With me it's not about me agreeing with the owners side. I actually emotionaly side with the players as they are the reason I watch the game. It's more understanding that the owners side will win regardless of what I think.

What Roberts is doing is interesting though. Pointing out all these smaller issues does one of two things. Allows them ammunition to get the one big thing they want (yes we will cave on these 10 smaller issues but we need this in return) or is giving the players the ability to save face this time. (yeah the BRI is still favoring the owners but look at all these concessions they made in things the owners really don't care about) I suspect it's the second as there is no reason for the owners to not be ok with taking the media out of the locker room.

[RSCD3_]

I do think that there is some subconscious stereotyping going on here.

For instance, if this were a guy i think people would respect his style more, as in " finally a guy whose gonna say his peace, get straight to the facts and not mess around ", but because she's a women people are thinking " this crazy b**** is gonna mess up everything. "

[winter_mute_13]

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/ ... cker-room/

She sure seems to be picking a lot of unnecessary fights. I can't figure out if she has some cohesive long-term strategy or if she's just reckless.

Sure. It's called having your constituency's back so that they'll trust you when it comes time for tough negotiations.

Having said that, I really like Dan Feldman's take on the issue. He concludes by saying this:

I believe the solution is allowing athletes to shower and dress in private and then entering a room designed for interviews.

Agreed. That would seem to be the best solution.

[winter_mute_13]

I do think that there is some subconscious stereotyping going on here.

For instance, if this were a guy i think people would respect his style more, as in " finally a guy whose gonna say his peace, get straight to the facts and not mess around ", but because she's a women people are thinking " this crazy b**** is gonna mess up everything. "

A lot of it probably isn't even subconscious LOL. Just the nature of these boards.

[KyletheDingbat]

I would love her if I was a player.

[ChosunX]

Never understood why its mandated for players to talk to media. No one gives a crap about the things they have to say, we only care how they play!

This whole crap about X said this or Y gave the media this look is just stupid.

Let the players that want to be involved be involved. Don't force them. It doesn't do much to market the product when you have a guy repeating the same thing unless of course that phrase is... "Practice!?"

It;s bad for the NBA's image. They want to be the cool start up, not the old boring corporate giant with BS policies. The worst thing that could happen less journalists asking better questions.

[Winsome Gerbil]

Seems from this thread that I might be in the minority, but I agree with her. I think it's bizarre that the media access is done while players are showering and changing. Even more so given that the journos just stand awkwardly by while the players are dressing, waiting for them to be ready to talk. Just have a separate room for post-game interviews.

Most of RealGM was on the side of the owners during the last lockout, so I'm not surprised by the reactions of people in this thread.

Gotta make sure those players shut up, keep working like horses and the owners keep the whips-a-crackin.

Pathetic that people still have this slave-driver mentality in 2015.

And just as it was 4 years ago, far more pathetic that clueless people today equate $50milllion guaranteed contracts with slavery. Its either a dishonest strawman or a sign of pure historical ignorance.

[spacemonkey]

I don't deny that she's got a confrontational streak about her, but I wonder if people would be as quick to call Roberts crazy if she was a guy. I imagine different words might be used - tough, no-nonsense, hardass, so on and so forth.

Congrats, guy, on outing a bunch of sexists on RGM with this post, the best post in this thread. I think you have made a very accurate point. Context is always important.

[Damon_3388]

I believe the solution is allowing athletes to shower and dress in private and then entering a room designed for interviews.

That's how it's done in a lot of other sports, like an organised press conference. Usually involves just the coach and one or two other players (team captains or those who played well), rather than interviewing every scrub on the team, trying to get a juicy soundbite.

[diablerouge]

The women that will cause the next NBA lockout

A union boss cannot start a lockout. Only owners can.

If a union causes a work stoppage, then it is called a strike.

Either way, you can tell the players union is ready for a fight. They are even thinking about saving their money for once

The players are just too easy to beat because too many of them actually live check to check.

what's your intel on current nba players' finances?