What happened in 1998 was a different thing

The Children are back to school, the NFL is almost about to start as well as the NCAA. The month of September is just a few days away and the NBA is still not advancing with their bargaining with the players. Just a month from now, training camps are supposed to start. But the lockout is now in its second month and there are no accomplishments whatsoever.
There are no communication or dialogue going on from both sides and David Stern and all the NBA owners have not gone over the top with their case yet, and also not a lot of efforts from the players’ side.
With Fisher leading the players, the union gave out a 56-page lockout handbook to all its 400 or more players. And one of the many things included in the book is a very simple reminder for players to be extra sensitive when giving interviews or talking to the media and granting some interviews.
What happened in 1998 was a different thing. And this year’s lockout is clearly the owners’ fault. But if the lockout continues and would result some missed games, then it would be the players’ fault.
The owners had the blueprint in place where the 1999 era collective bargaining agreement is written, and states that owners have the right to keep players’ salaries under control and say “no” when it comes to deals with some overpaid players, and signing up a replacement for a very reasonable half price.
The burden somehow lies to the players, especially since they owe the league and the game so much. They also owe it to all the incoming players, as well as to future employees that would definitely feel the impact and the pain of this bad deal.
This time more people are involved, especially with the Internet and the mobile phones and other gadgets are very accessible. And somehow, all these bring people closer together. And though people understand that the players do not have the obligation to settle, but their obligation is with the people, and those who came before them. This may be the owners’ mess, but this is the players’ duty.