Greed & Lies

This commercial hit the small screen and YouTube a week or so ago. Under normal circumstances I’d love this commercial. It’s a great concept. However, we aren’t living in “normal circumstance.” Instead we are living in an NBA-less world. Next week the NBA should be kicking off it’s season, instead we get to watch commercials of them playing at parks and in rec leagues in a Jordan commercial.

Why is Their an NBA Lockout?

The owners are saying that 22 of the 30 franchises in the NBA are operating at a loss.

“Currently players receive 57% of revenues generated outside the game. The owners receive 43%. As it stands now the owners are seeking a split of 60% and 40% in their favor. An article posted on NBA.com as of June 27, 2011 referenced revenue sharing between owners and players is something that the owners are interested in discussing only after the terms of the agreement are hammered out. Proposals from both sides are guarded. The Player’s Union is seeking to have guaranteed figures as it stands, the owners are seeking to allow revenue sharing to serve as leverage in finalizing a deal. Where this gets sticky is that the owners themselves should be seeking to redistribute revenues to each club to cover salary, operation costs, and subsidies to funding facilities. As it stands now NBA players are the second highest paid of the United State’s four premier leagues (MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL).”

The owners have since agreed to compromise at a 50/50 split. Although with how much money the individual players make on their own outside of their NBA contracts it’s ridiculous to think that they can’t agree to the original plan of a 60/40 split in favor of the owners. I mean seriously, do you realize how much money each player that is shown in that commercial is getting paid by Nike? That endorsement deal alone is far more than the anual salary of an average American. The average Americans that are paying to watch them play, and that are buying their shoes and jerseys. The average American’s that are watching their games on television. Instead the players aren’t willing to budge past 52.5%. Which means the lockout has come down to 2.5%. That is RIDICULOUS!

Sure not ALL NBA players get endorsements, but even the league minimum salary is more than enough money for someone to sit the bench on an NBA team. For a player just starting off a career in the NBA they are guaranteed to make at least $473.604.00 in 2010-11. Then the league minimum continues to increase the more years you play in the NBA. So if you’re a guy thats laster 8 years in the NBA your are guaranteed to make $1,223,166.00 in 2010-11. That is a ridiculous amount of money for a “role player.”

The players aren’t the only people to blame though. The owners are making just idiotic decisions ALL the time. For instance lets take a look at the top 10 player salaries for 2010-11.

10. Vince Carter (Has been a streaky role player for the past 6-8 seasons)
9. Zach Randolph
8. Yao Ming (Great player, but always injured & can’t finish a season)
7. Gilbert Arenas (Hasn’t been able to fully recover from a knee injury)
6. Pau Gasol (Glorified role player, who never was able to carry the Grizzlies)
5. Michael Redd (Decent player, great shooter)
4. Kevin Garnett (Getting old)
3. Tim Duncan (Great player, but getting old)
2. Rashard Lewis (Glorified role player that has NEVER been a star)
1. Kobe Bryant (He belongs here)

(Source: Sportige) 

Hopefully several of these names have surprised or shocked you. Especially since this list looks nothing like a “Top 10 Players in the NBA” list. So like I said, teams and owners have done this to themselves, BUT what makes me angry is when the players who make more than enough money to play a sport will try to make their fans believe that they play “for the love of the game.” If it was really all about “love” then there would be an NBA season. They would split revenue 60/40 with the owners. Then even if they can’t accept that deal, can’t you at least accept the compromised deal of 50/50? If it was really about the love they would be willing to make a couple thousand dollars less a year. I mean if they love the game so much they will go play anywhere and everywhere.

Prove It!

Ever since that blessed day in Utah when the last shot came sliding smoothly off the threads of the net just before the buzzer rang the world of basketball has been searching for the next reigning king.

It has become almost the kiss of death for a player to be compared to Michael Jordan. The NBA, advertisers, and the media started to become desperate. Sure the NBA was full of great players still, and plenty of all stars. Yet no single player to take over what Michael Jordan had built.

They Claim We Are Witnesses

Then it happened. This high school player came along. He was bigger, stronger, and seemingly more talented and dominant. This time they knew they needed to start early, and they couldn’t place the dreaded title of “The Next Michael Jordan.” It had to be something new, something fresh. The media kicked in early by televising his high school games. Sure there had been other young talented players before him that got their fare share of fame before they hit the professional scene, but never like this. Before you had to actually be a fan of basketball to be able to hear people whispering about the up and coming talent. Even people who had no interest in basketball at all were talking about this kid. It was bazaar and weird, in fact it was downright fishy and suspect at best. Nike and Adidas were battling it out before this kid even came close to graduating high school. This kid was named LeBron James. In 2003 Nike sealed the deal by signing him to an unheard of seven year deal of $93 million dollars. So it wasn’t too much longer that the creative geniuses over at Wieden Kennedy came up with this brainwashingly simple campaign;

We Are All Witnesses.

The NBA quickly jumped on board and started using him in ALL of their marketing as well. They started pretty much only televising LeBron James games. His face was everywhere. I mean his last name is even the name of a king. So why not just roll with it. The NBA and basketball in general needs a king, so why not this guy. So the media jumped on board and everyone was reminding us that we were all witnesses to this manufactured king. Nike recently described their relationship after renewing his contract for an undisclosed amount as follows;

“LeBron James is one of the world’s best basketball players and a global sports icon that has transcended generations and cultures,” Nike spokesman Kejuan Wilkins said. “Nike’s relationship with LeBron has created innovative basketball products and captivating campaigns. We’re proud to continue our partnership with him for years to come.”

SOURCE: “LeBron signs new deal with Nike”

You Can’t Manufacture A King

The only problem is, they began filling our heads with all of this propaganda before the guy actually even did anything. I don’t blame LeBron James, he had nothing to do with it. All he did was embrace it all, who wouldn’t. The problem is, Michael Jordan just happened. Larry Bird just happened. No one saw Michael Jordan coming. He wasn’t viewed as the greatest player coming out of high school, and he wasn’t viewed as the greatest player entering the NBA draft in 1984. Once entering the NBA he came in with little expectations. He was continuously highly criticized by the media. Everyone was searching for the guys weaknesses. Each and every time someone tried pointing out a flaw Michael Jordan used it as his fuel to turn that into his strength. First they said he couldn’t play defense so he came back and made the NBA All defensive team. They said he couldn’t shoot and he developed a patented fade away jump shot. They said he couldn’t win a championship so he won six.

No one told us to watch Michael Jordan, and no one told us he was great. No one told us to wear his shoes. No one told us that we all wanted to be like him. Although Nike and Gatorade might argue against it. However, it wasn’t the catchy song in a gatorade commercial that got the world saying, “I wanna be like Mike.” We were all already saying it, and the campaign was already built for them. They just put what the world was already saying and thinking into a song.

Wheaties already knew that everyone wanted to drink what he was drinking, wear what he was wearing, so why wouldn’t we all want to also eat what he was eating. I’m pretty sure no one else has ever been killed for anyone else’s shoes right? That had nothing to do with what Nike was trying to sell us. Instead Nike just hopped on board the Michael Jordan train and road it all the way to the bank. They could, and have been the most ugliest shoes on the market and we all still buy them and wear them. Each and every pair becomes an instant classic to this day.

Like I said…

You Just Can’t Manufacture A King

Don’t Miss Tonight…

25 Random Things About Me!

I’ve been tagged multiple times and kept putting it off but I’m finally falling victom of peer preasure…

1.) I prefer drinking flat sodas, & when I go to a restaurant I order my drinks without ice, & I LOVE Fountain drinks (without ice).

2.) I LOVE my job and NEVER dread going to work. (and I’m proud to say I designed the website for the company I work for).

3.) I HATE Internet Explorer (especially IE6) & hope that everyone reading this using internet explorer will download Firefox today!

4.) I love Pizza but take all the toppings (sometimes I eat them separate) and eat just the bread and sauce.

5.) I HATE mayo and am not a huge fan of ketchup, mustard, or any special sauces. I order all of my burgers DRY. It was always funny in high school when we would have far away games and the basketball team would go get food, they would always have to make one special order for me, and I was always made fun of for it, but my burger seemed to always be hot while everyone else’s was cold…

6.) Growing up all I cared about was succeeding in basketball and I sat the bench my entire senior year and only played garbage minutes on varsity.

7.) I was awarded a letterman jacket but I have NEVER worn it, not once. (They didn’t give it to me until the summer after I had already graduated. It’s still hanging up in my closet).

8.) I can’t eat food without lights being on.

9.) I love to watch basketball and rarely miss any televised game (college, high school, or NBA), and thankfully my wonderful wife puts up with it all, and has our entire marriage.

10.) I met my wife in a chatroom. (Yes it’s because I’m a shy little nerd who is too scared to talk to girls).

11.) For the past two years I have worn a pair of red socks EVERY Friday and have officially renamed “Friday” to “FUN-day” at work.

12.) I am a self proclaimed “Amateur Musicologist”

13.) I wear a pair of basketball shorts under ALL of my clothes at ALL times (because you never know when there will be an opportunity to play).

14.) I LOVE FONTS & Typography in general!

15.) A majority of my emails end with “Enjoy™” (which I un-officially trademarked).

16.) My favorite food is Potatoe (I love it, fried, baked, scalloped, boiled, mashed, diced, sliced, in a soup, salad, and pretty much anyway and any how).

17.) My name is Shane Michael Guymon at least thats what it says on my birth certificate, and Drivers License. My mom has been heard calling me Shaney. When I was younger I used to ask her to call me her little Darling. My sister refered to me as “It” and “squeeky bones.” My brother Mark called me splean, until the next time I saw him and everyone he knew including himself were calling me Skillz (I couldn’t help but suppose there was some sort of “sarcasm” behind it all)! Next thing I knew my brother Matt flipped that into Spillz, which caught on well enough that this kid named Chris Capps called me that on the way home from Basketball practice, but he wasn’t to happy when I called him “Pissin Craps” after that. In Brazil I became a “Greengo” either that or some other mis-pronunciation of my last name. I grew up a loser striving to become a winner. In Jr. High BJ Pratt called me the “White Somalian.” In High School he started sayin Shane “The Main Man” Guymon. Mexicans (hispanics) call me Chain. Then that reminds me of all the times Matt called me Stain. A few people through my life have called me a Nerd. A few other people have refered to me as a Friend. Through my life I have grown accustomed to responding to the name Shawn. I even turn my head when people call out the name Matt (since all my life people have thought we were twins). So I guess if I was to introduce myself I would say you can go ahead and start off by calling me Shane, then you can move on from there…

18.) My life has become a constant battle of trying to gain full control over myself, appetites, passions, and emotions. To which I have started referring to life as “The Beautiful Struggle.”

19.) I NEVER cuss not even when I’m angry. The worst words I say are “hell” and “damn” and those are very few and far in between.

20.) Movies are my biggest weakness. I LOVE them all!

21.) The two things that have impacted my life the most are, my dad’s death when I was 17 (my senior year) and the birth of my daughter Hannah.

22.) I still sit in my moms lap when i go home to see her.

23.) I’ve always wanted to write a book, direct a movie, and be a photographer.

24.) My dad wanted all of his kids to have dark hair and brown eyes, and I am the only one who listened.

25.) I’m afraid of heights, roaches (and many other bugs), spiders, snakes, rats, & swimming in any body of water that isn’t filled with chlorine and other chemicals (rivers, lakes, ponds, or the ocean).


**BONUS**
26.) I drove around for a week with a dead rat in my car and didn’t figure it out until I finally took it into the shop thinking there was something wrong with my air conditioner (the only time I could smell it was when the air conditioner was turned on). I picked the rat up visiting my wife in Buna before we got married. Meaning I drove 5 hours home with it up in my car. On the way home was when I first started smelling it.

27.) My dad used to pay me 2 cents an hour to tickle his head.

28.) Almost every night my mom would be tickling my dad’s back, arm or head. When I would try to come lay-down and get in on the back tickling action, my dad would tell me to go find my own girl to tickle my back and then marry here. So I spent the rest of my life looking for that girl, and Heather tricked me into believing it was her, but as soon as we got married all the tickling has ceased. Now my only hope is to con my daughter Hannah into tickling my back for 2 cents a minute.

Last Night

Longhorn Basketball

My friend Eric called me yesterday afternoon offering up four Longhorns basketball tickets on the 9th row. They were playing Texas Southern (whom I’ve never even heard of & still have no clue where the school is even located). So I called up one of my friends to see if he wanted to join me, and he ended up bringing his brother and his four year old son. We were supposed to meet at 6:15 at the Round Rock stake center, but he didn’t show up till after 6:30. Then we had to drive down to 360 and Bee Caves to Eric Mott’s office to pick up the tickets then on to the game which started at 7:00. So we didn’t end up making it to our seats until half time where the Longhorns had a one point lead.

The game ended up being pretty good, and the seats where GREAT, right down on the 10th row in the corner. That’s the closest I’ve ever sat to any basketball game other than a Highschool game. Also the first time seeing the Longhorns play in person.

A.J. Abrams had 27 points on 10-of-17 shooting, but it was Pittman who provided the much-needed spark for the Longhorns (9-1).

A.J. Abrams was quite impressive to me, even though I only saw him play half the game, it was impressive to see this 5’7 or 5’8 dude weaving in and around guys working to get open, and he would go long periods of time without touching the ball and then as soon as the defense gave him any daylight the ball was dropping straight through the net. I only saw him miss 2 shots, and one of them it seemed like he never really wanted to shoot it in the first place.

I actually brought my camera with me and accidentally left it in the car because we were running late. Hopefully Eric Mott will think of me again next time he doesn’t want to use his tickets.

William Brandon Vaughn

Sadly my day ended NOT so well. I got a phone call around 11:00 at night from a guy I play basketball with on Wed nights. He informed me that another friend of mine who I also play ball with on Wed nights died in a car accident last night. I believe he was only 19 years old, maybe 20. I didn’t know very many personal details about him. I only really spent time with him on the basketball court, and most of our conversations revolved around basketball. I didn’t even know his last name, but you know how some people just radiate goodness. Well that was Brandon, he was just an all around good dude. Seriously, I’ve been playing with him for about 2 years almost, and he was one of my favorite people that showed up each and every week. It was shocking news, and I just feel bad that I wasn’t able to know Brandon better than I did. My heart goes out to his parents, especially his mom, and all of his friends. The world lost one of the good guys last night…

**UPDATE**
I’ve talked to some more people and found out some more info, and I also learned his full name. I then was able to find some stories about the accident online.

“Two teenage boys were killed in a collision in Bastrop County Tuesday afternoon.

“According to police, William Brandon Vaughn, 19, and James Jackson, 18, both of Round Rock were traveling in a 2002 Ford Focus heading north on Highway 95 about 5 miles south of Elgin.

“The driver was passing other vehicles that were on the shoulder, when he lost control of the vehicle. The car then slid into oncoming traffic, hitting a 1996 Ford Explorer. The two occupants of the Ford Explorer received non-life-threatening injuries.

The incident happened around 3:55 p.m.”

Source here.

Night Time

Every night for the past couple nights we say our family prayers, brush Hannah’s teeth (kill the sugar bugs), and then I give her a piggy back ride to bed. Once we are in her room she immediately picks out one of her Disney princess books and asks me to read it to her. After I am done with the book she asks me to sing “Itsy Bitsy Spider” (with hand motions) three or four times in a row. Then she will ask me to sing “Twinkle Little Star” at least once. After that she will either fall right to sleep, or continue playing in her bed until she goes to sleep.

Some nights I really don’t feel like reading or singing the same songs, but I see her little face and she looks me straight in the eye, and she asks me in her cute little voice and I can’t resist but doing her this little favor. I mean in all reality is the activity I would be doing instead of doing that any better? No way, because it would probably involve me laying on a couch watching some TV show I DVRed or a basketball game.

Speaking of that, it’s about time for me to lace up the Nikes and head out to the church to play some basketball (as long as they don’t kick us out).