As many who have followed my work on Our Sports Central, US Basket and other publications know, I have some serious issues with the ABA. The thing is, as every day goes by, I seem to have more and more issues with the league that simply will not go away and simply die.
At last count, I have over 220 franchises that have been announced as entering the league, then they disappear. Some, like the Vermont Frost Heaves, have valid reasons like moving to a real league. Others cite ownership issues, have their owners arrested for fraud, players don't get paid, and more issues than there are teams who have folded.
Here is one of the latest good ones from the league. The Georgia Gwizzlies (Named for a typo....No, I am not kidding) were suspended by CEO Joe Newman for the rest of the season for failing to show up for a scheduled game. Well, the Gwizzlies and their typo filled releases are STILL playing against ABA teams. I guess Embry and his delusions of wanting to play in the CBA aren't allowing him to make even remotely sound judgements.
What is even better is an e-mail exchange that between CEO Newman and Our Sports Central president Paul Reeths that was posted on OSC. In the exchange, Newman makes the claim that teams missing games doesn't hurt anyone. Now mind you, this is a league who played 38% of their games last year. This year, no one can tell what percentage of the league's games have been played since there isn't even a master schedule on the site.
It really gets me that Newman seems to think missing games doesn't hurt anyone. How about the fans who made plans to see a game and then there isn't one. What about the sponsors who aren't getting the exposure they paid for? Does he factor in the players; many who get paid by the game? Nah, no one gets hurt by missing games, no one at all.
I will end up going on about this disaster of a league at another time as I have countless stories that I have accumulated over the years. Now, time to go to a ballgame.
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