NBA Staff Are Losing Their Jobs, But We Have A Rebuttal To The Top Seinfeld Episodes! The Downbeat - #531

by Basketball John on Jul 13, 2011 11:20 AM MDT in Features - Downbeats

This is when we see the lockout start affecting more than just the players and owners. The Lakers already let some employees know that they wouldn't be kept past July 1. The Bobcats have also let go at least seven members of their staff including their play-by-play announcer. And the Pistons let go 15 employees.

However, the Utah Jazz have not let anyone go according to Steve Luhm, "No employee layoffs/furloughs and none expected at this point because of the lockout."

You can read into that any way that you would like but if there is no season then there would likely be some job loss. I don't know what setup other team owners have, but I wonder if the Jazz could shuffle some of their staff to other companies in the LHM group.

I think we're going to look back at this summer and see all of the signs (layoffs, players moving overseas, "we're so far apart" quotes) and realize how naive we were to think that the season would get saved.

Could this news bolster the owners' case? From NBA.com,

Escrow money withheld from all NBA players' paychecks each season will be returned to them this offseason for the first time, providing a $160 million infusion of cash in the midst of the league's labor lockout.

The escrow funds -- representing eight percent of each NBA player's salary -- are held back each season to ensure that the players' share of basketball-related income does not exceed the contractually agreed-upon percentage, currently 57 percent. This year, for the first time since the system was introduced in the collective bargaining agreement that came out of the 1998-99 lockout, the cut to players will fall short, sources with the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association confirmed.

This would indicate that the basketball related income has been at the lowest levels since 1999. That's not total money but the percentage of that income.

[Note by Basketball John, 07/13/11 12:26 PM MDT ] I have this backwards, Look below for an explanation.

I told you his name would come up every time a coaching position came open. After the Wolves finally fired Kurt Rambis, Don Nelson was reported as being interested in the job as well as,

It's likewise true that Nelson is not the only elite veteran coach for the Wolves to pursue if they wish: Jerry Sloan, Rick Adelman and Larry Brown are also available.

From all previous accounts, Sloan is not available. He's available in the sense that he's not currently coaching an NBA team at this time but all indications have been that he does not want to coach again. The article then goes on to state,

There would also undoubtedly be questions about whether Nelson, who turned 71 in May, is the best fit with one of the league's youngest rosters.

Yet it fails to mention that Sloan is just a couple years behind Nelson at 69. I would be shocked, more many reasons, if Sloan returned to coaching.

Sactown Royalty has a nice breakdown on the available SF free agents. The Jazz may already have SF covered if Hayward/CJ/Millsap split time there. But in their rankings based on PER, look who's at the top of the list,

Name	Age	PER	MPG	PPG	TRB%	3P%	TS%	AST%	TOV%	USG%
Grant Hill	39	19.5	34.8	17.5	10.7	0.319	0.554	22.5	13.7	24.1
Andrei Kirilenko	30	19.1	30.8	12.4	11.1	0.312	0.571	14.9	15.4	18.9
Peja Stojakovic	34	17.1	33.5	17	7.8	0.401	0.577	8.6	8.4	21.5
Caron Butler	31	16.2	36.3	16.6	9.4	0.319	0.524	13.8	12.5	22.7
Thaddeus Young ®	23	16	28.2	12.5	10.3	0.338	0.55	6.6	10.7	20.6

Make sure to click through and look at the whole list. Those are apparently career numbers for everyone. Tell me who the Jazz could get for $5-6M that would be better than AK? There are certainly some younger players but a majority of them are restricted FAs.

If the Jazz sign a FA SF, and it's not AK, then who should it be? Remember to keep the salary cap (assuming the current CBA) in mind.

"This, is an outrage!" I've referenced more than my fair share of Seinfeld moments here. I'm trying to expand my horizons but if Seinfeld is on, I will watch it. So while I'm not an expert, it's safe to say I've seen each episode at least 10 times.

So that's why when someone shared this list of the top Seinfeld episodes, at first glance it's okay. But upon further review, it's an outrage. The guy who did it obviously only know the popular episodes as he skips over some of the best ones. Most things like this are subjective and up for debate. This, however, is not.

In a true fit of rage, I won't take the time the put together my own list, I'll just nitpick at his. Maybe if you follow me on Google+, I'll post it there.

#165 The Strike - Really? The episode that gives us Festivus is almost off the list?

#148 The Finale - These last two episodes do not exist. I don't know why it's on here.

#134 The Comback - Jerk store. That is all.

#122 The Chicken Roaster - One of the best Kramer episodes ever. I need that chicken Jerry.

#115 The Yada Yada - C'mon, Yada Yada should be in the Oxford dictionary.

#83 The Marine Biologist - This is a definite top 10 episode. This is the first outrage.

#59 The Junior Mint - They're very refreshing Jerry.

#53 The Library - One of the most underrated episodes. This gave us Mr. Bookman and Cantstandya (Costanza)

#38 The Jimmy - Need I say more?

#24 The Puffy Shirt - "But I don't want to be a pirate!" Also, George finds his dream job as a hand model. He won a contest you know.

I guess you could argue the positioning of the rest, but these were an outrage!

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Comments

I'm obviously an AK homer

but if you want stability, a guy who knows both the offensive and defensive system, and the roles for the SG, SF and PF — it’s hard to pass up Andrei. Andrei has done everything from playing point guard in the 2nd round of the playoffs to being a guy who was only allowed to touch the ball on blocked shots. We all remember crying, the interviews with that red head sports guy on KSL, and all the Gordon Monson articles.

And we all remember the huge contract. yes, he held out for more money – mostly because a few days before the Jazz got his deal done Pau Gasol got a huge raise. (Market value) Larry H Miller loved Andrei; it seems like the apples falls far from the tree and Greg isn’t a fan.

I am though. And I also remember Matt Harpring’s “Golden handshake deal” that he got as a free agent back when I felt like we shouldn’t have signed him. If Harpring gets to play his last years for $6 – 6.5 million then Andrei should get an offer from us for at leat the $5.8m USD ($4m euros) that was floated around earlier this off-season.

Especially on a team where Devin “point guards can pass?” Harris starts it’s not a stretch to say that Andrei is the best passer on the team right now.

I could go on (and on, and on), but I’ll save it for a longer stand-alone post.

About me: I used to run AllThatJazzBasketball.Blogspot.com - now you may know me as the Sunday Syncopation guy or the GO Rating guy.You can reach me via e-mail ( allthatjazzbasketball@hotmail.com ) or on teh twitters. Really, I'm not lonely or anything . . .
2010-2011 Season Statistical Reviews (games): 10, 22, 30, 40, 51, 60a 60b, 70a 70b, 82
2010-2011 Season Review (part): 1, 2, 3, 4a 4b, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

by AllThatJazzBasketball on Jul 13, 2011 11:33 AM MDT reply actions 1 recs

Devin "point guards can pass?" Harris?

Is that really a fair assessment? I know we’ve been spoiled by Stockton (all-time assist Leader) and D-will (third in the league in APG) but come on. Devin was 11th in the league in APG, and 8th in Assist Percentage, which are both above average for a starter. Call Harris out for a lot of things, but who is a better available point guard in his pay scale? Would you rather have Calderon? Aaron Brooks? Johnny Flynn?

by Kfunk on Jul 13, 2011 12:00 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs

I don't think Greg

Is that down on AK as a player, but as the owner it must have been hard stomaching the last contract. I think AK likes it here and that we can resign him for a fair value in the end. Here’s hoping Greg is professional enough to not force AK out because of his father’s mistake.

by 1Jon on Jul 13, 2011 12:04 PM MDT up reply actions

Absolutely! Bring him back if you can!

Its funny how much people judge a player by his contract. Is it there fault if somebody wants to overpay them? Ostertag got a huge contract because the going price for a defensive big man was way up that year. ( anybody remember big country Reves? at least we didn’t overpay for him )

Its clear that AK would be a good influence on the young guys, and he could help keep the offense going with his passing. I would LOVE to see him really help the young guys learn how to block shots and play defense! I’d love to see us sign him for a few years and use him part time so he’s effective and reliable for the whole contract. 5-6mil doesn’t seem unreasonable to me at all.

I don’t think any of the other guys on your list are worth paying for…. I don’t really know thadeous young, but all the others are plenty old already anyway. -If he were younger, I would be all over Stojakovic )

by Big_B on Jul 14, 2011 9:55 AM MDT up reply actions

#2

Aren’t you reading that backwards? If player salaries are < 57% of total revenue, that means that total income is higher this year than it has been, doesn’t it?

I am in no way affiliated with the blog of the same name.

by JazzHype on Jul 13, 2011 11:34 AM MDT reply actions

You know what?

I actually had that statement first. When I was looking for some supporting comments around the web, I couldn’t find any from “big name” columnists. So I kind of panicked and flipped it because this would be kind of a big deal, right? I convinced myself that I had read it wrong.

If the league earned more than the 57% for the first time ever, then that would indicate that the BMI was the best that it had ever been since 1999.

I wish I would have had you read this prior to me publishing.

SLCDunk.com, The Utah Jazz on SBNation

by Basketball John on Jul 13, 2011 12:25 PM MDT up reply actions

It doesn't mean anything about total revenue itself

because it represents a ratio between the two.

BRI (BMI actually means Body Mass Index) could have gone either up or down; whether the players get the money from the escrow depends on whether salaries went up or down by the same percentage.

by El Aguacil on Jul 13, 2011 2:45 PM MDT up reply actions

Yeah

It indicates that the current system worked, and worked well this year.

by Clintonite33 on Jul 14, 2011 5:04 PM MDT up reply actions

I don't think we need AK back

AK would be GREAT on a contending team. He’d be a great addition to the Bulls, Heat or Knicks. We’re a rebuilding team.
Burks and Hayward are our future wings. On a roster that already features Miles and Bell, AK would just further disrupt their playing time.
$6 million a season is a true bargain, to be sure. But for our current rebuilding team, why not save the money?

AK is awesome, and I will extol his basketball abilities to the end. But for THIS Jazz team—he’s just not the right fit.

by Jeffersap on Jul 13, 2011 11:47 AM MDT reply actions

AK is in that Earl Watson stage

they can still contribute – but would probably better serve their legacies being a bench guy for a contender. I agree. I find it silly that some people here love Earl Watson so much and want him to return, while turing a blind eye that a guy at his stage of his career probably doesn’t want to be coming off the bench to play 14 mpg behind a non-All-Star on a lottery team. (regardless of locker clean out day interviews – what are you really going to say? something bad?)

by AllThatJazzBasketball on Jul 13, 2011 11:51 AM MDT up reply actions

Totally agree. I would love to see Earl and AK return, but only if they really want to. If they both took off in search of a title, I would root for both of them, even if they went to the Heat.

I think the same thing about Nash. I really wish he would chase a ring in the last few years of his career. Frankly, I think the Suns should trade him to a contender even if he doesn’t want to be. It would be for his own good.

by TurboJazz224 on Jul 13, 2011 2:52 PM MDT up reply actions

It would be for his own good.

Something he doesn’t want would be best for him?

As far as I know, Nash is at peace with his career. And there’s no way the Suns get any kind of a good deal from a contender.

Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!

Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl XLV Champions!!!!

I also edit things at Ridiculous Upside. Check it out.

by Omaha Sun on Jul 15, 2011 3:27 PM MDT up reply actions

I said almost the exact same thing on a different post

I am in no way affiliated with the blog of the same name.

by JazzHype on Jul 13, 2011 3:06 PM MDT up reply actions

We could really use him to help bring the young guys along!

I dont think we need him just to win some games. Next year is all about development, and the young guys will develop better if they have a roll model for what a good 3 plays like. Good D, Good passing. If we want the jazz of the future to be good, they will have to be good at those! AK can help get them there by teaching them things in practice and showing them during the game. I dont think we need him to play major minutes.

That being said, if he wanted to bolt for the heat or another contender, I would not blame him a bit. I am a jazz fan tho, so I want to see him help here.

by Big_B on Jul 14, 2011 10:01 AM MDT up reply actions

Marine Bioligist

is definitely top 10 for sure

by Evans Almighty on Jul 13, 2011 12:04 PM MDT reply actions

#2

I think that’s a sign that the owners realized they were being too unreasonable. Returning the escrow money just kept that particular issue out of court, it was the players’ money under the old CBA and should never have entered into the negotiations for the new CBA.

Conspiracy theory: The owners don’t want to get hit for not bargaining in good faith even though that’s exactly what they were doing IMO. This was one hell of a red flag in that department and backing off their initial stance will be mitigating if it comes to a NLRB ruling.

by 1Jon on Jul 13, 2011 12:10 PM MDT reply actions

5

I no longer can look at Jerry (and I see him a lot on billboards around Vegas) without picturing him in his puffy shirt. He doesn’t exsist without looking like a pirate to me!

by sincityjazz on Jul 13, 2011 12:31 PM MDT via mobile reply actions

when I read this

I imagined Jerry Sloan in a puffy shirt instead of Jerry Seinfeld. Then I realized I will probably be killed by the John Deere Secret Police just for that mental image.

AND NOW SO WILL ALL OF YOU.

Fear the UnderKanter.
New to the Dunk? Read the Manifesto.
Tweet me.

by Shums on Jul 13, 2011 1:36 PM MDT up reply actions

You want to be outraged!

Fine I’ll say it, Seinfeld is the most overrated TV show of all time. I’ve never been able to understand the cult following that show has. To each his own I guess.

by Klepsydra on Jul 13, 2011 1:55 PM MDT reply actions

most overrated of all time?

Like anyone can even know that, Napoleon.

I am in no way affiliated with the blog of the same name.

by JazzHype on Jul 13, 2011 3:09 PM MDT up reply actions 3 recs

Napoleon Dynamite references always get rec'd

I got the crap beat out of me in Provo one time

by Yucca Man on Jul 13, 2011 3:26 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs

Uh-oh

Most underrated show of all time. The most overrated would have to be like ER or NYPD Blue or Mash. Seinfield was 180 episodes and each one was incredible by itself. I do not understand how you can’t like the show. It was a show about nothing but it really was about everything. Pure 100% genius. It will be a long time before there is a show that is so timeless and well done again.

by Plinkostar on Jul 13, 2011 3:18 PM MDT up reply actions

Most underrated show of all time:

Chuck.

And it’s not even close.

I got the crap beat out of me in Provo one time

by Yucca Man on Jul 13, 2011 3:27 PM MDT up reply actions

Chuck is very good

I’m a fan. I also think Psych is underrated

by Jeffersap on Jul 13, 2011 4:56 PM MDT up reply actions

agreed to both

but i respect and revere Seinfeld so great, another great sitcom Home Improvement i loved that show it was so wholesome and all of that too.

by Evans Almighty on Jul 13, 2011 5:25 PM MDT up reply actions

I didn't appreciate Seinfeld

until I became a fan of Curb. Then I watched all the old Seinfelds and adored them. Go figure.

"We can’t put diapers on him one night, and a jockstrap the next night. It’s just the way it is." -Sloan on a certain player

by SurlyMae on Jul 13, 2011 3:31 PM MDT up reply actions 2 recs

We need to get some hard data on this

I got the crap beat out of me in Provo one time

by Yucca Man on Jul 13, 2011 3:37 PM MDT up reply actions

That's funny because I liked Seinfeld quite a bit and hated CYE

I am in no way affiliated with the blog of the same name.

by JazzHype on Jul 13, 2011 3:38 PM MDT up reply actions

That is funny.

Care to share what you didn’t like about Curb?

"We can’t put diapers on him one night, and a jockstrap the next night. It’s just the way it is." -Sloan on a certain player

by SurlyMae on Jul 13, 2011 4:44 PM MDT up reply actions

I don't know. Maybe I just don't like Larry David as an actor.

I am in no way affiliated with the blog of the same name.

by JazzHype on Jul 13, 2011 5:07 PM MDT up reply actions

I'm partial to Larry David

because my partner is so similar to him. But he’s an acquired taste. So is Larry David.

Do I look like someone who would waste my own time?

by SurlyMae on Jul 14, 2011 10:10 AM MDT up reply actions

Mash overrated?

by Jeffersap on Jul 13, 2011 4:53 PM MDT up reply actions

sorry meant to write more, but it posted

No way Mash is overrated. Amazing writing in that show. Great talented cast. The final episode was the most watched show up until the Saints Super Bowl surpassed it. Think about that for a moment. A show that aired in 1983 had the highest every viewership until 2010? No way MAsh is overrated. No way.

by Jeffersap on Jul 13, 2011 4:55 PM MDT up reply actions

Uh oh.

That comment is so similar to “so-and-so is the least credible yada yada” that you know you’re now going to have to back that up with the specifics of exactly why you believe that, right? Not by my request, of course… ;)

"We can’t put diapers on him one night, and a jockstrap the next night. It’s just the way it is." -Sloan on a certain player

by SurlyMae on Jul 13, 2011 3:29 PM MDT up reply actions

I'm not a fan of Seinfeld either, so I am with you. I don't think its the most overrated, but it never made me laugh very much and is the most formulaic show in a bad way in my opinion.

The more you try to erase me, the more that I appear.

by clarkpojo on Jul 13, 2011 8:29 PM MDT up reply actions

That is my biggest problem with it every episode follows almost the exact same formula.

It just didn’t make me laugh that much. I don’t think it is worst show of all time, just the most overrated .

by Klepsydra on Jul 14, 2011 9:21 AM MDT up reply actions

YEP! Seinfeld is overrated! ( good show originally, but its time to go...)

I really liked the show when it came out…. I have seen every episode a couple of times even, but for god sake, they are 20 years old! I don’t need to see every episode 20 times. I am amazed they keep showing the same episodes forever.

Sure they are classics, but its time they were taken off the air and relegated to netflix where the dedicated fan can watch any classic episode anytime they want.

by Big_B on Jul 14, 2011 10:13 AM MDT up reply actions

Looks like I'm going to have to ban the lot of you

anti-Seintites. I’ll spare you if you can tell me what Seinfeld episode that references.

SLCDunk.com, The Utah Jazz on SBNation

by Basketball John on Jul 14, 2011 10:32 AM MDT reply actions

Yada, Yada, Yada.

The more you try to erase me, the more that I appear.

by clarkpojo on Jul 14, 2011 10:37 AM MDT up reply actions

Anti-Dentites

I never got into S-feld that much. I felt like all the main characters were too selfish, they constantly were backstabbing their ‘best friends’ / avoiding social responsibility. Maybe that’s just how it is for middle class people in M’hattan. I don’t know. Crazy stuff.

by AllThatJazzBasketball on Jul 14, 2011 11:28 AM MDT up reply actions

That was really the premise of the show

I know there was talk of it being a show about nothing, but really it was a show about these four horrible selfish people and what would happen if there were basically no consequences for their behavior. That’s why the finale, for how bad it was, actually works. Because even when there are consequences for their behavior, i.e. prison, they don’t learn anything. Even in prison their lives continue to revolve around the same ridiculous nothings that they did outside of prison.

My personal favorite episode was the one where Jerry is getting his car repaired.

by tyrantking on Jul 14, 2011 1:17 PM MDT up reply actions