LIU Black Birds ~ No NBA Not A Problem on Flatbush Ave.

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

 

On the NBA Lock-Out;

Brooklyn Nets; and Barclays Center.

LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY BLACK BIRDS:  Season Begins Friday Versus Hofstra University.

The NBA Lock-Out took a turn towards the worse.  Affairs are now way beyond negotiating within the collective bargaining process.  The NBA's nanny, Commissioner Stern, is now resorting to issuing ultimatums.  And the emboldened Player's Union may be foolishly posturing thinking they have an angle towards protecting a better piece of their diminishing pie.

David Stern gave the Player's Union a 5pm Wednesday deadline to accept the Owner's latest and "best offer" which in part, involves a 50/50 split.  If they refuse, the Commish said the Union risks a steady diet of incrementally declining offers meaning less beneficial proposals for the players.

And the Player's Union?  They may have been mis-characterized lately as refusing to accept a fifty/fifty split of League revenues.  Even so, the owners would still be skimming off the top before the split takes effect.  And there are still substantial details regarding a hard cap and luxury taxes the Player's Union insists upon.  The truth is, the Union has been the far more flexible party between the two during this whole process; not to mention having given back the most in value.

...Or something like that.

Meanwhile, as construction on the Nets' new home in Brooklyn continues, Nets' Fans in New Jersey continue to get screwed out of their last season having the team play in their backyard.  This wasn't exactly the way it was supposed to end in New Jersey.  This team had good, memorable seasons in Jersey.  And it's a shame the thank-yous, and good-bye's are being compromised by the Lock-Out, all because a bunch of rich guys own teams in cities that aren't major league caliber.

 

 

There is now officially less than a year left before the doors to Barclays Center open for business and me requiring a resolution to this labor dispute between owners and employees.  I said it before and I'll say it again.  The NBA better not ruin Opening Night in Brooklyn for me!  At the time of this posting, the two parties were well beyond Commissioner Stern's 5pm deadline and are said to be approaching eleven straight hours of negotiations through Wednesday night.

BARCLAYS CENTER CONSTRUCTION ~ November 2011



Dean Street

Dean Street at Sixth Avenue

Atlantic Avenue at Sixth Avenue

Looking Eastbound, Atlantic Avenue

In the mean time, The Hoops Of Flatbush collegiate squad start their 2011-2012 season Friday; November 11th.  Brooklyn's own; the 2010-2011 NEC Champions - Long Island University Black Birds and Coach Jim Ferry begin defense of last year's NEC Title and a march towards what will hopefully be a successful return to the NCAA Tourney when they open the season against the young men from Hofstra University.

 

Despite an early first round exit from last year's NCAA Tournament at the hands of North Carolina, Coach Ferry and the Black Birds have regained the attention of Brooklyn fans who suffer from hoops of the mind.  On the heels of their first invitation to the Tourney in fourteen years, Brooklyn fans are eagerly awaiting to see if the locals can build off last year's 27-6 record and Northeast Conference success.

LIU's roster is deep with returning Juniors like Brandon Johnson and Julian Boyd.  Jason Brickman is a dynamite returning Sophomore.  But two new Freshman hopefuls will be giving the Flatbush Avenue Cagers even more of a local NYC feel.  Freshman Guard, Pete Aquilar, hails out of the Bronx and is a product of Mount St. Michael.  Fellow Bronx native, Freshman, and Guard, Gerell Martin comes to LIU from Wings Academy.

LIU Black Birds 2011-2012 Schedule

THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH 

Friday Night Tip-Off of the 2011-2012 Season

Long Island University Black Birds

vs.

Hofstra University

Mike.BTB