old ABA vs. new ABA

[WHAFAN]

Can someone, anyone please explain to me the comparisons between what was and this rec-league? Can anyone in their right mind mention these 2 leagues in the same sentence?

OLD ABA

-a major league
-teams completed seasons
-players got paid
-actual coverage in the media
-records and stats
-big name players
-owners that, for the most part, paid bills

NEW ABA

- idiots

[Minor League Man]

Both have a red, white, and blue basketball.

That's pretty much it.

[ABAfan6776]

Ah, but the "New" ABA now has Nothing in common with the old ABA as they've changed to that weird 10 panel ball:rolleyes:

[meyes]

The early years and the final year of the old ABA were much like the current league in may ways.
Early on, teams played on different size courts, often to a handful of fans. Media coverage in many markets was meager, at best.
The first game was played with a brown ball that was painted RWB and the players couldn't hold on to it.
Players contracts were sometimes written on cocktail napkins in bars.
Read "Loose Balls" I have read it and I was there for some of it, covering the Pacers for a number of years for several newspapers.
Some of what is in that book could be put in a book about the current league, word for word with just the names and locations changed.
That last season of the original league was chaotic (not as bad as this league) with 2 or 3 teams folding in the first half of the season and a lot of shcedule adjusting done.
While the original ABA was, in many ways, much superior to this league, much of what is remembered of the old league is viewed through rose colored glasses.
It was what is was, and this league is what it is. What this league does does NOT change what the old league was or did.
One positive thing both have in common is that the players appreciated the chance to play and usually played with great heart--much more than we see from most NBA players.