You knew it was coming. You knew that it was too good to be true. First the NFL said that you couldn't have excessive celebrations after touchdowns. Then there were the rules that the PGA put out that you couldn't ride around the course in a golf cart. And now this. On Wednesday, the NBA officially released it's social media guidelines regarding NBA players, personnel and coaches and their use of PDAs, cellphones and mobile sites such as Twitter and Facebook. Are you kidding me? What's next Mr. Stern? Are you going to have cameras in the bathrooms to make sure that nobody is tweeting while they are dropping the kids off?
Usually Stern is hip to the trends. Stern was the first commissioner to really embrace the international market and its potentially unlimitless revenue stream. Stern was great about getting games going four nights a week and getting the league's own TV channel, NBATV, up and running. But now, I'm starting to doubt the motives behind this latest ruling. Everyone knows the rule went into effect for two reasons. Last year during the regular season, then Milwaukee Buck, Charlie Villanueva tweeted at halftime during an NBA game. And the other incident occurred during the playoffs when Dallas Maverick owner Mark Cuban tweeted about a call he perceived to be incorrect during a game.
What I'm finally starting to realize about not only Stern but all the other schmucks that are running professional sports, is that they have really three main concerns about their respective sports and their place in it. First, they worry about their product and how it is going to make money. Secondly, they don't want anyone to talk poorly about their product or suggest that it is anything short of perfection. And finally, they don't want anyone to say anything negative about them as commissioner of their league.
This was really an opportunity to even bring the fans closer to the games. I mean its not like the NBA is stepping over the boundary with their ten minute interviews that they have with coaches between quarters, when the coaches should actually be doing their job. Who gives a crap that players are tweeting at halftime? Should they be listening? Of course they should, but let the team handle it. Someone is tweeting and not paying attention, bye bye phone. Sure, it sounds a little childish and something you would see happen during high school. Well so are these rules and Principal Stern will be there to enforce them. Shhh, don't tell him I said that. Time to go update my status!
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I'm sorta with the Commissioner on those three things going on in his head. He is the guy running the NBA show, so I think he has a right to make sure the product that he is being paid to promote and grow is doing so in the light that he determines to be best. I do sorta disagree, however, with coming out publicly with the rule, just to extent of how it makes him look. Perhaps he could have delegated to the team owners that they implement their own rules regarding that sort of thing, the tweeting and stuff. I personally think players should stay focused on the game and at least tweet AFTER THE GAME if you've really gotta tweet! It does look bad, even if you're a bench warmer and have nothing better to do, it still looks bad! I say good job to Stern, but instead of looking like the mean principle, put it on the shoulders of owners and coaches!
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