NBA Lockout Spawns Games That Imperil Much
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By DERON SNYDER
The NBA lockout is hurting a lot of “little people” right now, from ushers and vendors to bartenders and waiters to bellhops and drivers.
But if the labor dispute continues much longer, some tall people might be hurting, too.
It could happen next week when the “Homecoming Tour” tips off in Akron, Ohio. Or during the “Obama Classic” on Dec. 12. Or another of the myriad charity/exhibition/pickup games NBA players have staged since summer.
I’m concerned about some participants in the fundraiser for President Obama’s re-election campaign. Among the confirmed players are Magic Johnson, Doc Rivers, Patrick Ewing and Dikembe Mutombo.
Maybe they’ve forgotten, but the NBA used to stage an old-timers game during All-Star weekend. It’s no longer part of the festivities (replaced by the Rookie Challenge) and for good reason: Retired All-Stars David Thompson and Norm Nixon suffered major injuries during the 1992 Legends Classic, a ruptured patella tendon and a ruptured quadricep tendon, respectively.
Thompson at 37 and Nixon at 36 were the youngest players in the game.
The aforementioned geriatrics will be the oldest players in Obama’s fundraiser.
