By Chris Sheridan
NEW YORK — It’s a full house here at the NBA lockout talks, with every member of the owners’ labor relations committee and every member of the players’ executive committee in attendance (with the exception of Keyon Dooling), along with a federal mediator. We’ve even got an extra Buss, with both Jerry, and his daughter, Jeanie, sitting in the negotiating room.
As the clock neared 6 p.m., the sides had been meeting for almost eight hours. The most colorful anecdote from the press room was when the union, upon hearing the league had send cookies to the media room, responded by sending ice cream bars.
Representing the owners are Peter Holt (San Antonio), Clay Bennett (Oklahoma City), Mickey Arison (Miami), Mark Cuban (Dallas), Jim Dolan (New York), Dan Gilbert (Cleveland), Wyc Grousbeck (Boston), Larry Miller (Portland), Robert Sarver (Phoenix), Glen Taylor (Minnesota) and Bob VanderWeide (Orlando).
Representing the players are Derek Fisher, Maurice Evans, Chris Paul, Theo Ratliff, Etan Thomas, Matt Bonner, Roger Mason and James Jones.
Mediator George Cohen met with the sides separately on Monday, and commissioner David Stern has said Tuesday’s talks were crucial.
The league’s Board of Governors, with one representative from each of the league’s ownership groups, is meeting Wednesday and Thursday in New York.
For a rundown of where the sides began the day, and the details of what they are fighting over, click here for yesterday’s column on that subject.
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no doubt Bobby VanderWeide had the best hair in the room
The little information was good for me. The post told me the sides are still meeting (I think a good sign) and that Garnett is not present at the meeting (also a good thing, I think).
I already knew that ice cream is better than cookies.
This gives absolutely no insight as to what’s happening besides whos there from each side which is obviously everybody who’s needs to be there and what yummmy ***sarcasm***treats you guys
were offered. after expecting a real update where I could at least judge whether a deal is going to be done I have no idea.
Thanks for letting us know though. We should be knowing soon and I know I’ll hear probably from you first.
Ice cream bars are far inferior for that purpose. One, it’s not hot out, and two, you have such a small window to eat them. When people are at a meeting or waiting around you want something that can be consumed over time.
Cupcakes, although cliche at this point, would have been the better play. But that sort of sums up how the negotiations have gone thus far—the owners always a step ahead of the players.
Here’s hoping the players finally realize that resistance is futile.