Pierce Pushing for Decertification

According to a blog on ESPN.COM, Paul Pierce is among the ringleaders of the NBAPA Union advancing the cause for union decertification. Pierce and Derron Williams are the 2 most vocal for this course of action. I'm curious about what our board members think of Capt. Paul for encouraging this route for the players' union.

MD.

MD,

My opinion is that there is so much smoke here it's hard to know what actually is (or is not) the true positions of the principals.

I'd also like to point out that there was a minor terfluffle a few weeks back about how KG "blew up the meeting" with his truculence and dropping f-bombs. Turns out that was a bunch of crap (he'd say "f--kin' crap", no doubt).

Suppose, let's just suppose for a moment, that Wyc Grousbeck is one of the hardliners among the owners. Wouldn't leaking to the press that the captain of his team was a leading advocate of de-certification (which would open the owners up to individual lawsuits by players holding valid contracts) possibly be an effective threat to make him move off his spot?

Like they say, I'm not going for any more head fakes anymore.

bob

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It certainly is a potentially effective yet risky move.

The NFL Players Union decertified in '89, was re-established in '93 and decertified again this year so I'm not surprised it's a tactic being floated around. If the union is decertified it then becomes a trade association and can allow its attorneys to represent the players directly in an anti-trust suit to try and force the owners to end the lockout.

It's risky in that there are many services the players depend on the union for that they would lose until such time as the union was formed again. A new CBA would be needed before the union could be re-established. In the meantime players would be left to negotiate for themselves on fines and other matters.

Regards