Mike Monroe's analysis: Questioning the commish

San Antonio Express-News
Web Posted: 11/25/2006 09:39 PM CST


Fans seated behind the Mavericks' bench at the AT&T Center on Friday night didn't have to complain to anyone about Dallas' players standing and obstructing their views. Turned out the league's "thought police" already were on the case.

Our pal, Eddie Sefko, of the Dallas Morning-News, got a tip after the game that a league official had phoned Mavericks assistant general manager Keith Grant at halftime and instructed him to tell Dallas' players to do their best to remain seated during the course of play.

This is all part of the league's crackdown on game presentation that includes a dress code and an emphasis by the referees to eliminate whining about calls during games. Some official team photographers have reported being instructed to snap players exiting visiting team buses when they arrive at arenas to provide photographic proof of violations of the dress code, turning them into league-sanctioned paparazzi.

Commissioner David Stern needs to spend more time concerning himself with weightier issues, such as teams that can't get public support for badly needed new arenas and the fact nearly a third of the league's owners signed a letter demanding revenue sharing because the league's business model is in serious trouble. (Not to mention the fact one of them leaked the letter to the Seattle Times.)

When I asked Stern last spring if it was true he was banning the practice of players wearing tights under their uniforms — Kobe Bryant and Vince Carter were the two most prominent wearers of panty hose, which they said kept sore leg muscles warm and loose during games — Stern bristled and asked if there wasn't something more important with which I ought to concern myself.

My response was the same as it is now regarding the surreptitious snapping of photos of players debarking buses and halftime phone calls to team officials about players jumping up from their seats in excitement during a big game: "I would ask the same question of you, sir."

The NBA is starting to turn into Nazi Germany.