Spurs Fined For Resting Players

[Rainbow Yaz]

They did break a rule. I mentioned it in the spam section, it basically says that no one who is associated with the league may make a decision that does the league and the fan base a disservice. My issue is that if this rule were strictly enforced, Stern would have to fine himself multiple times over.

I totally understand where he is upset, but I can't escape the feeling that he is upset because four name players were out of a prime time game, so he issued to fine to made sure he still got his money.

[hatehabsforever]

Originally Posted by The Brain

They can have a reasonable expectation to see elite players and have the right to be upset if they don't but I think it's understood that on any given day any given player could be benched. I understand being upset as the situation was not ideal but I don't think a punishment was necessary.

Sure, on any given day, any player can be benched. But not pretty much the entire starting core! Four of the top guys, all withheld from the game at the coach's discretion, with no advance notice to the fans. And not just benched. Totally absent. Not even traveling with the team. No potential for entry into the game if their services were required (which in this nail biter of a game, would have been beneficial to the team). No warm up session for the fans to observe. No autograph or photo opportunity. No pre or post game interview. Just total absence from the entire game. And just because they are old and tired? Jesus, they've only played 17 games so far this season, how tired can they be? I could see it if it was late in the season and they wanted to rest their guys a little prior to the playoff stretch. But in November? Unacceptable. I hope when this season is over, they lose out on home court advantage by one game. Lets see how meaningless this game is then, and how astute a coaching decision it was.

That's up to the coach. I'm sure the players were more than willing to play. I understand your point of view but let's be realistic. I highly doubt many (if any) people spent a lot of money flying across the country to see an NBA game in November. The Heat fans got to see their guys and the Spurs fans will get to see theirs.

I would say that fans do travel from great distances to see professional sports, I've done it personally. Last year I took my son to Boston in October to see a Patriots/Jets game and a Bruins/Lightning game. Less than mid season for football, game two of the season for the NHL. I specifically chose those dates because I wanted to see the Patriots play against a quality opponent in a meaningful game (in retrospect, the Jets aren't a great example of this ). I would have been very disappointed if Brady and Welker didn't play because they were old and tired. Especially if I didn't have advance knowledge that they weren't playing.

But would you make such elaborate travel arrangements for a random game in November? Probably not. Maybe for a playoff game in May. The stars would be in that game.

See above.

I get it. It wasn't ideal. Was a rule broken? I honestly don't know so if a rule was broken please inform me. If a rule was not broken there should not have been a punishment.

According to Yazloz, a rule was indeed broken. Sure, I imagine this rule has been broken before. Doesn't make it right though.

I think the punishment sets the poor precedent. Now coaches are going to have to worry about how the league my punish them for how they want to run their team. Popovich shouldn't have to be concerned with variables such as a national television audience when trying to decide what's best for his team. The rules should be the same for a national game against the Heat or a random game against the Raptors.

No one is questioning the way a team is coached per se, and no one is advocating taking coaching decisions out of the hands of the head coach. They shouldn't have to worry about the league micromanaging how they run the team. Just don't sit your entire starting core for a suspect reason, and preclude them from traveling with the team, and there should be no problem at all. Look, if Duncan had sat out, and sat on the bench in street clothes, while the other guys played restricted minutes to minimize fatigue, I'd have no problem whatsoever. But concerns about age and fatigue for the entire starting unit, in November, 17 games into the season, I think that's absurd.

I'm shocked no one else sees it this way. I fully expected to be in the minority here, but I can't be the only one with this viewpoint, can I?

[George Steele's Barber]

I am sure Turner and Disney love having the NBA on it's networks. I am sure they would love to find an excuse to find a way to have the NBA on it's networks at a cheaper rate. That time the Spurs pulled all their stars against the best team in basketball might give the networks ammunition to not pay ask for as much in their net contract.

I am also sure the advertisers were not happy and will remember this.

Stern had to make a statement. $250,000 is nothing for a basketball organization, teams pay more than that to have a guy sit on the bench all year. The Spurs should just be thankful the NBA didn't suspend Popovitch or take away draft picks.

The fact that it is just Habs and I on the same side of this argument against the world scares me. Please convince me to jump to the other side of this argument.

[Megatron]

Stern overstepped his boundaries and simply did it because it was a prime-time game against the NBA champs. If it was against Orlando he wouldn't have fined them a dime. And if he's gonna fine the Spurs for doing this, he should do it to all older teams that rest their stars even late into the year before the playoffs start (Boston, LA, etc.) otherwise Stern looks like a complete hypocrite. Although that's not a surprise he's being a hypocrite.

And a suspension/fine on Pop for resting their players in ONE marquee game in an 82 game season? C'mon, GSB. You're better than that.

[DirtyD79]

I fail to see just what the big deal here is. So what should he do whenever he decides when the game is pretty much a squash and they've already got it won to put in some backups? Should he hollar up to the commentators' booth "HEY EVERYBODY! I"MMA PUTTIN' IN MAH BACKUPS!!! IF YAWW CAME TO SEE JUST THIS GUY IT'S SAFE TO GO HOME NOW!"?