December 11, 2006

NBA going back to old ball. : I wish David would make up his ****ing mind.

read story | posted by graymatters to Basketball at 4:41 PM CDT (25 comments total)

Stern has shown once again his supreme grasp of timing by waiting until the season was well under way before making the change, allowing most players to get used to the new ball before changing back to the old one.

posted by irunfromclones at 4:51 PM CDT on December 11

***GROAN*** Another useless collectable coming to an eBay account near you.

posted by The SmoothMASTER at 4:54 PM CDT on December 11

What a scrub.

posted by GoBirds at 6:04 PM CDT on December 11

***GROAN*** Another useless collectable coming to an eBay account near you.

Actually, thanks for the tip ... eBay just might be how I get my hands on one of these bad boys ;)

posted by Spitztengle at 6:15 PM CDT on December 11

The only thing worse than an authoritarian is a spineless authoritarian.

Three or four years ago, I thought he was hands-down the best commish in Pro Sports (I know, low hurdle, but still....). Now I'm considering registering here. Bettman, Stern and Selig. When will the masses rise up?

posted by Ufez Jones at 6:23 PM CDT on December 11

Like I said, new Coke, now Coke Classic.

Stern: "hey i know, let's make the ball different".

Smart person: Why?

Stern:"because I have officially run out of shit to do".

Stop breaking stuff that's already fixed.

posted by Bishop at 6:59 PM CDT on December 11

I think Sports Guy is right. Stern figures out ways to keep the NBA in the news. This ball-fakery worked like a charm.

Now, let's see if scoring drops, 'cause it was up.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 7:18 PM CDT on December 11

I don't get the spineless comments. When the new ball came in most people here thought it was a bad choice but now that Stern says okay, let's go back he's criticized for changing.

posted by billsaysthis at 7:41 PM CDT on December 11

"consistancy is the foolish hobgoblin of little minds"

--- Ralph Waldo Emerson

It takes a man to admit when he is wrong

stern was obviously wrong but at least he has the balls to admit that

i say give him a free pass and then next time something like this happens you can rag on him

posted by jimbo14 at 7:54 PM CDT on December 11

I'm with those that think it was a bigger move on the part of the commish to admit that the ball was a mistake. Good for him. I honestly believe that his intentions were good, to get the NBA using the same type of ball that FIBA uses. His stated reason for the mid-season change?

"Although testing performed by Spalding and the NBA demonstrated that the new composite basketball was more consistent than leather, and statistically there has been an improvement in shooting, scoring, and ball-related turnovers, the most important statistic is the view of our players."

Sounds like a good commish to me.

posted by geekyguy at 8:17 PM CDT on December 11

"consistancy is the foolish hobgoblin of little minds"

--- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Not to be pedantic, but the quote is "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds..."

To the substance of the issue, I'm not sure what tests the NBA and Spalding ran, but I thought the tests Cuban had UT Arlington run showed several poor characteristics of the ball when used in actual game conditions (including when the ball gets wet).

posted by holden at 9:38 PM CDT on December 11

I find it strange that the ball was actually cutting up players fingertips. In play the new ball really seems to stick to the rim (which gives shots a better chance of falling in), but also negates long rebounds (and any attendant fast break chances). So any advantage you gain from going back to ole leather (longer rebounds, more fastbreaks) will have mitigating factors (shots on the rim won't die and fall in as much), but at least we'll get the bank-shot off the box back.

posted by lilnemo at 9:55 PM CDT on December 11

.....and some players, even those who hated the new ball, are complaining about having to go back to the old ball in mid-season.

NBA 2006-7 might have an asterisk in the books?

posted by NerfballPro at 7:18 AM CDT on December 12

This is the problem with making the huge decision to change the ball without consulting the players (or anyone else). Now Stern makes another decision to switch back in midseason without consulting with anyone.

posted by bperk at 8:42 AM CDT on December 12

"...the most important statistic is the view of our players."

Sounds like a good commish to me.

except he made the original decision WITHOUT the input of the players, ignored all of them when they complained BEFORE the season, and only finally agreed AFTER the season was well underway because the complaints he heard originally were becoming almost deafening.

Sounds like a horribile commish to me.

posted by bdaddy at 11:04 AM CDT on December 12

Mr. Stern, as long as we're going back to old school, I say make 'em wear short shorts like the old days. After all, it's about entertaining the fans, right? How stinkin' funny would that be to watch these gazillionaires run around in short shorts? C'mon, David, you're the boss, no more saggin'!!!!

posted by eccsport78 at 11:54 AM CDT on December 12

The best part about this, really, is that both NBC and Fox Sports have used variants on the magical phrase 'you're with me, leather' (Wikipedia entry) as their headlines for this. I don't think the actual joke is all that funny, but there is surely a study in underground internet meme-spreading to be written about this.

posted by tieguy at 12:07 PM CDT on December 12

This just in -- Major League Baseball will use standard baseball until all-star break, then switch to softball for 2007 season.

posted by graymatters at 12:13 PM CDT on December 12

posted by anthony_102 at 1:13 PM CDT on December 12

How can you critize the man for doing the very thing everyone wants him to do? If he where to keep the mew ball everyone would complain that it was shitty, now that he wants to change it he's scatter-brained. I think people should make up their minds.

The issue's not that he's changing the ball now. It's that he changed it in the first place without giving a shit what the players thought and is now claiming to be making the switch based on what the players want.

posted by jmd82 at 1:48 PM CDT on December 12

The issue's not that he's changing the ball now. It's that he changed it in the first place without giving a shit what the players thought and is now claiming to be making the switch based on what the players want.

It's not a claim, it's what he's actually doing.

posted by dfleming at 2:43 PM CDT on December 12

How can you critize the man for doing the very thing everyone wants him to do?

Judging from the comments at the very bottom of this article, it isn't exactly what everyone wants him to do.

posted by BullpenPro at 2:55 PM CDT on December 12

I'm glad that the ball is being changed back. It should have never been changed in the first place. PETA can suck a dick. You just don't mess with tradition when it comes to basketball. The sport has been played with a leather ball for 100+ years and it should stay that way. This change would be equivalent to MLB switching to a synthetic baseball. (Imagine the control that pitchers would have....) There's no need for it.

posted by yay-yo at 5:22 PM CDT on December 12

Actually Emerson said: "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds".

Just regular consistenecy is OK.

posted by sic at 1:53 PM CDT on December 13

another conspiracy to keep the San Antonio Spurs out of the Finals. Good job Mr. Stern.

posted by dmontez1392 at 5:39 PM CDT on December 17

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