Here we go again...

[ABARedWhiteBlue]

http://www.abalive.com/news/releases/?newsid=2007092806003

NYC INTERNATIONALZ TO JOIN ABA IN 2008

28-Sep-2007
Indianapolis, IN -- The American Basketball Association announced that an exciting and unique new team will join the league beginning in 2008. Named the NYC Internationalz, the team will feature players from throughout the world - all playing together in a show of unity and brotherhood.

According to Joe Newman, ABA CEO, "We know of no other team like this in the world - great players from Europe, the Middle East, Africa, South America and Asia - all on one team. We are extremely excited about this - it fits beautifully with our commitment to diversity and should create great excitement. And we have in Anwar Sharhan and Harvey Li two people who can maximize the potential of this great opportunity."

The team will be owned by NYC Internationalz LLC, a corporation headed by Anwar Sharhan and Harvey Li.

Mr. Sharhan is a former corporate accounting manager for a Fortune 500 company in NYC and is currently pioneering through several entrepreneurial ventures in accounting, real estate development, film production and educational technology. A NY born native of Middle Eastern, Indian and South American decent who has lived in several NYC boroughs as well as Europe, he is a graduate of Bernard M. Baruch College in NY with a BBA in Finance and a graduate of Polytecnic University with an MS in Technology and Information Management.

"I love basketball and I love business," said Sharhan. "The ABA provides me with an opportunity to use my skills at both - and the idea of the Internationalz should be groundbreaking. What better city than New York City to do it?"

Harvey Li is a young entrepreneur managing several ventures in strategic marketing, urban promotional sales and real estate development. Born in Brooklyn, NY, he is of Chinese decent and is fluent in Cantonese. He also graduated from Bernard M. Baruch Colletge with a BBA in Marketing and has International Teaching Certification in English.

"Anwar and I intend to make a statement with worldwide ramifications. We want to show that people from all countries can put aside their differences, get on the court, and provide a high level of skills and teamwork. We will be beginning tryouts shortly as we attempt to find professional caliber players from throughout the world. - and bring them together in the Big Apple."

For more information call Anwar Sharhan at (347) 901-2844, (718) 322-5387, or email a-sharhan@hotmail.com; or email Harvey Li at harveyli1020@gmail.com.

According to Joe - "We know of no other team like this in the world." HAs he watched an NBA game recently? San Antonio won the NBA title with 5 foreign players on their roster. The Mavericks have had multiple foreign players on their team. In the 2006 playoffs, there were 44 international players from 25 countries (http://www.insidehoops.com/international-playoffs-042506.shtml).

Does this team plan on only signing players based upon where they are from? An American-based franchise that will only hire non-Americans to play for it? Does reverse discrimination exist in Joe's world? The implication os that other ABA teams do not seek out 'international' players for their teams. If a guy tried out, and he could play, would it matter if the guy was from Texes or Tibet? If you can play, you can play.

To me this is different than Beijing (essentially an extension of the CBA), or even the Native American disaster.

Of course, I'm looking forward to the Mongolian team's home opener. When do they play again?

[OneBetter]

I completely agree with your assessment. This is ridiculous and spells reverse discrimination.

Aren't there equal opportunity laws that would be applicable here? Of course, that statement is based on the assumption that the players on the team are actually employees of the team (i.e. they get paid). This, as well all know, is the exception rather than the norm in the ABA.

[Pounder]

A couple years ago, Barcelona and Arsenal made the European Champions League final (obviously not talking basketball here). I made some quip like, "Cool! It's the best Dutch team in Spain against the best French team in England!" Mind you, Barcelona is probably closer to what Joe hyped than what Joe will ever really come up with.

At least someone could have copied something over from Milan and called the team Internazionale (also known as Inter Milan, if you dare). There is an Italian contingent in New York, no?

Therein lies the rub here. Advertising players from everywhere is not, to me, discrimination. People are comfortable in their groups, and the ABA is naturally missing that angle... but a team cobbled from everywhere instead of "somewhere" isn't attractive to anyone in the end.

BTW- Chivas USA is the study point here. They're obviously trying to cater to the LA Hispanic market, borrowing the name of Mexico's most popular team (and quite possibly LA's favorite football team). However, they're not taking their "parent" club's "indigenas" policy... only Mexicans are hired for CD Guadalajara. Let's just say that Ante Razov and Preston Burpo aren't exactly Mexican, nor of Hispanic descent.

[barkley34]

OneBetter I saw your quote at the end of your post, "The ABA and the OSC have a lot in common"....what do you mean by that??

[TheStandard]

This team will never materialize. I know these two former Baruch college students are looking to play at Baruch for sure. Made a call to the school's head coach Ray Rankis and he said he will not let a team in after the Strong Dogs failed on their agreement with that school and then went to Hunter College in which that ownership still owes money from the past. Rent at Baruch is at 3,000 per date along with a 1500 dollar security staff charge and a 250 dollar audio and scoreboard tech charge and the team has to pay for CUNY ID Cards for the players to enter the locker rooms.

[The Magician]

According to Joe Newman, ABA CEO, "We know of no other team like this in the world"

WHATEVER!

You're in your own little world ...

[TheStandard]

I think Bobby Brown and Mike Tyson are providing Joe Newman with rocks and china white because there is no way in this world a man can be so stupid and cynical

[tops804]

An open request to Joe Newman

When you add teams this carelessly....
Why don't you wait until the end of their first full
season to take their $10,000????

I dare you...
1) See that they play a full home and road schedule first....
2) Come up with a minimum average attendance and see if its fulfilled....
3) See to it they have an acceptable post-season....

Face it...you need the money NOW and don't care if this
team even plays one game....