I don't know who Derrick Pearson is, but....

[Sam Hill]

...he should be running the ABA.

http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3118411

[skippy]

Actually, I think he will be fired.

He is/was director of media relations for the Utah Snowbears, I figured this out by googling his name and ABA.

I wonder what spin Newman will put on this one.

[skippy]

Actually, I think he may already be fired.
Look at the most recent Utah press release....not very good, not in the writing style of the other release.

[Houston Caldwell]

Sam,
Until this moment I didn't realize you were a closet ABA well-wisher (you have hid it well).
This is the best article I have ever read about the ABA. It took what I have thought all along and articulated it, and did it in effective detail. This is the RX for a SUCCESSFUL ABA, something that I believe, in an era where many outstanding college players will never sniff the NBA, is needed. But a league is truly as strong as its'WEAKEST franchise, and the weakest ABA franchises are pathetic.
The ABA's strength is the on-court product combined, potentially with an intimacy with the fan that the NBA will never match. But the off-court organization needs to be professional ; in EVERY ABA CITY, not just Little Rock, Nashville, Long Beach, and Utah (I would have said Kansas City, but I am starting to wonder about them): Derrick mentioned Mississippi, but he wouldn't if he saw their website, which doesn't even list the roster.
I know Nashville tries hard to keep up-to-date player stats, but it's hard to do this perfectly when you play road contests against teams that don't keep a box score. Uniform standards of professionalism are needed, and franchises who can't meet them should not join the league. This starts at the top.

[Sam Hill]

Mr. Pearson has articulated my thoughts as well, he's just done them without the venom. :)

If the ABA were to approach things the way Pearson lays them out (and the way I've been crowing about it for years now), I'd be a big ABA fan. I'm a sucker for alternative leagues.

But there's been nothing but lies and stupid decisions from the "braintrust" of this league since Day One, and the company they keep has hurt the product as well. Even Jim Clark, who I used to think would be the savior of this thing, has gotten some on him from having been in this thing too long.