In Major League Baseball, when a player appeals a suspension, he keeps playing until the appeal is heard. That way, if the appeal is upheld, nobody loses because of a bad decision by the commissioner.
In the NBA, though, David Stern is Hitler.
Daniels said he ruled in O’Neal’s favor before deciding the merits of the case because to make the player serve a punishment that may not be upheld could have “irreversible consequences for the player, the team, the player’s future and the league itself.”
Smart judge. But:
Jeffrey Mishkin, a lawyer for the league, suggested that upholding the arbitrator’s ruling would threaten the Stern’s authority to control conduct during a game and, ultimately, the league’s image.
“The purpose is to give the commissioner authority over the game,” Mishkin said during arguments Thursday.
He said the commissioner needed to protect his powers and show “that we have our house in order.” He also suggested that letting O’Neal play might make it more difficult to provide security at Saturday’s game.
With all due respect, counselor, I don’t see where allowing a suspended player to play until his appeal is heard has hurt Major League Baseball.
And trying to scare people with the BS about security at tomorrow’s game is clearly foul. David Stern is in the bunker with the Russians closing in on this one, and he knows it.
David Stern doesn’t deserve to be commissioner of sewers, let alone commissioner of basketball.