Lets give Joe Newman the benefit of the doubt.....

[Paul S]

If he is serious about turning this league around he has taken a positive step. He wants to stop the 10k entry fee and charge a yearly dues to the teams.

Now I don't know if he can or cannot. But this would at least stop the charade of badly underfinanced guys/girls joining this thing.

If Joe is serious and wants to charge a yearly dues to all teams, run the league professionally and have teams accountable, I;m for it. Lets face facts, Joe is resiliant and he's not riding off into the sunset.

The cynic in me says he's run out of suckers to get in the door with the 10k market reservation and is now simply gonna double dip and hit the guys who already bought into this thing on a yearly basis.

In all honesty, if Joe puts as much work into sustaining this league as he did to build it, the ABA will be around for awhile longer.

[DazedAndAmused]

My guess is that the ABA teams are going to want to know what they are getting for the money before many can get on board with this, especially now when they suspect that this money will be earmarked for something other than building the league, like attorney's fees.

Plus, I don't think the annual dues - let's say they are 10k to 15k on the order of the IBL - will be enough to weed out the underfinanced teams. A REAL team will cost 150k to 200k and up to 400k to operate. Credit reports, background checks, and performance bonds are what are needed.

[Paul S]

Amen Dazed and Confused. Background checks, performance bonds and a credit report is certainly needed.

[skippy]

League Dues pay for scheduling, stats, officials, and other things that professionally run leagues have.

The 22 K charged by the IBL is ridiculous for what you get, and 1 dollar would be too much for the ABA.

I gave Joe Newman the benefit of the doubt at one time, now he's a cockroach, that somehow keeps getting under the fridge.

Very few of the teams he has left can meet any sort of requirements.

[tbayz1]

Amen Dazed and Confused. Background checks, performance bonds and a credit report is certainly needed.

The PBL does that and they have fees, thats what makes me believe they'll do well, unlike the ABA where its:

HERES JOE AND A RANDOM GUY IN LINE AT THE LOCAL GROCERY STORE:

Joe: Do like basketball and want to own a pro team?
Idiot:Yea sure
Joe:If you have 10k you have a team!!
Idiot:Okay
Joe: Congrats!! What ever happens from now is up to you, see ya, and thanks for the money!
Idiot: Yay! I have a team, now its time to make some stops, lets see where do I have to go? OO I know, the local YMCA for players, The local sporting goods store for jerseys and Starbury's cheap sneakers, and my old high school to ask if I can play there and I already got a case of water so I should be all set!
Joe: O Yea you'll do fine, great ideas and plans!!

Thats why the ABA is what it is today and thats why Joe needs to go!

[bomp]

Amen Dazed and Confused. Background checks, performance bonds and a credit report is certainly needed.

You have to do this. Due dilegence has to happen. I know Joe knows this.

[ABARedWhiteBlue]

I disagree with the idea of giving Joe any slack...

There is a long litany of failed operations with the ABA; unkept promises, unmet expectations, and an annual repeat of past mistakes.

He has said during each of the past few off-seasons that he or the league has identified the issues and put a plan in place to solve the problems.

Frankly, put up or shut up. Prove that the ABA has turned a corner, and didn't just hit the iceberg with the other side of the damn boat. Get everything in place - signed, sealed, deposited, reserved and fiscally reviewed - before making any sort of annoouncement. Figure out who the hell is playing and announce them. Release the schedule on time. Play each and every game. Ensure that every team you put on paper has proved beyond any doubt that they are financially and organizationally prepared to meet every single obligation. And so on...

Or get the hell out...

[The Magician]

I disagree with the idea of giving Joe any slack...

I call for a "vote of no confidence" ... The ABA needs a NEW CEO!

[Fells]

I think the man has been cut enough slack. From everything I have seen and heard, Joe needs to either resign as CEO, or be forced out. The former will not happen because as crazy as he may be, the man is smart and knows how to cover his tail.

[TheStandard]

cover is not through lying but since he spreads more kool aid or flavor aid than anyone else he still can get his dumb lemmings to follow what he says. Remember all cynics (Hitler, Jim Jones, Bud Selig, Howard Stern, Paris Hilton, Joe Newman) have their followers and high believers of these idiots

[Sam Hill]

You have to do this. Due dilegence has to happen. I know Joe knows this.

Wouldn't you think he's known this for a while?

And yet...he hasn't done it yet.

[ABARedWhiteBlue]

cover is not through lying but since he spreads more kool aid or flavor aid than anyone else he still can get his dumb lemmings to follow what he says. Remember all cynics (Hitler, Jim Jones, Bud Selig, Howard Stern, Paris Hilton, Joe Newman) have their followers and high believers of these idiots

Standard - I fully understand your outrage, but be careful of your word choices. Don't go too far out there.

Of course, Joe has called people who disagreed with him terrorists, so he has no problem trolling at the lowest level of the insult barrel.

I would think your arguments carry more weight with a better choice of words, that's all. Don't sink to his level.

(and yes, I have numerous copies of Joe's postings to prove my point)