I keep wondering when are they going to wake up? They being, of course, the NBA players and the NBA owners. I am very clear that the stalemate is not about the issues. It is just who is going to win. Dont they know there are no winners in warfare; only casualties.

Some of the casualties that one can expect are those people who work in support activities that now have no work. Some have lost income already. Disenchantment with the NBA, in general, could cost millions.

If the NBA went out of business tomorrow pro basketball would still survive. The form would change. The names might not be the same. Balance would not exist as the œhaves would scoop up the best players and everyone else would be scrambling to survive.

Some players would disappear as they accept big offers in Europe and other sites around the world. My point is that it would be a new professional basketball project requiring formulation.

Maybe that is what is needed. What do I know? I do know that any collapse would leave many angry fans who might just find they have something better to do. The current fan base was not built in a season or two. In fact, the old fan base was created around a league battle between two goliaths, Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics and Wilt Chamberlain of the then, Philadelphia Warriors. There was a real threat that the league would collapse.

The NBA at that time was composed of eight teams; Boston, Syracuse, Philadelphia and New York in the Eastern Division and St. Louis, Cincinnati, Detroit and Los Angeles in the Western Division. Given they still played an 82 game schedule as they do today those teams played each other many times in a season.

The NBA had a nationally broadcast œGame of the Week on TV every Saturday. It was amazing how many times it was Boston vs. Philly and Russell vs. Chamberlain on that Saturday game. The interest created by those two great players laid a foundation for years to come.

If the NBA fails or gets damaged by the prima donnas of today it will discount and disrespect the efforts of those great players and those that followed. Once lost it cant be recreated. It will be worthy of an asterisk in the record book and not much more.

I know it is foolish to compare different eras and, I am going to do it anyway. The best 12 players of the 60s could play with the best of any other era and not just compete, but win. If it is truly a big mans game, having to start my 60s team with Chamberlain and Russell would be a treat. Another time we can talk about the rest of the team.

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