Forum noob talks about the ABA

[BRIDGEPORT BLUES]

About a year ago, I discovered the existence of the ABA. Needless to say, I was dumbfounded at the general incompetence and ineptitude that permeates this ‘league’. From time to time since then, I’ve “lurked” on OSC, reading the newest posts (and some hilarious old ones such as the Utica Wreckers legend) about people that somehow now seem familiar: Joe Newman, Embry Malone, Denise Pulphus, Ben Mireles, etc. It’ll be nice to discuss them with people who know far more than I do about them!

As for the seriousness of ABA owners’ dreams, I can only say this: Don’t they check the ubiquitous ABALive.com’s roster of clubs? Isn’t it self-evident this is a losing proposition? How can anyone take the ABA seriously after consistently sponsoring something as ludicrous as Gwizz Gwammar? What about Joe Newman’s incessant half-baked press releases? The constant B.S. releases about how awesome and groundbreaking every fly-by-night team is going to be for the world of basketball? Does he really take his writing - and PR - abilities seriously?

As for Joe Newman: He must be raking in the dough; Wikipedia has a list of defunct ABA franchises. Alive or not, it would appear that most of these teams have generated Newman a $10,000 franchise fee per team. With all the people banging down his door to throw money at him, imagine if he were a competent commissioner with such novelties as posted scores, stats, and standings?

There is so much potential in this league. Imagine if even a quarter of the teams were functioning at 100%. A twenty-team league, with logical geographic divisions, minimum financial requirements for league membership, and a minimum arena size. Full standings, scores, and stats available for fans and scouts alike. If you are going to have radical rules, then clean up your act a bit. The 4-point half-court shot is a novel idea. The 3-D rule is not. (What is so “three-dimensional” about backcourt steals, anyway?) The team who steals the ball should be rewarded for a steal and subsequent fast-break with... 2 points - for the basket. Nothing more. Why would you entice teams to steal, then sit and wait for the rest of their team, killing a fan-friendly, exciting fast-break for the chance to hit a mid-range jumper for “3 points”?

I cannot fathom why Newman doesn’t offer the rudimentary league information needed to run a league - at any level. My town’s 8-team men’s rec league published stats weekly in the local paper, including standings, scores, and each team’s leading scorer in each game. And how are the ABA Power Rankings justified? I saw accounts listed on OSC of teams that won one week, yet dipped below teams that had lost. Is Newman throwing darts at a map?

I really enjoy reading these posts, and I’m happy to get the chance to chat with other ABA "enthusiasts". Maybe an ABA team will pop up in a 5,000-seat arena - or middle school gym - near me!

BRIDGEPORT BLUES

[BlueOx]

You make some good points (which have all been made previously), but that aside, this entire post is very trollish.

A year ago you never even heard of the ABA. You were so taken in by them that you spent the entire year lurking on a message board to catch up on all of the past gossip of the league. Fast forward to a year later and you finally register an account just to come on board and write a lengthy critique of the league.

Who does that except someone who has a history with a league and a personal reason to start a public battle about it? If you aren't making the entire story up then you must have some type of crazed stalker mentality because it honestly makes no sense at all.

So, who are you really and what dog do you have in the fight?

[Paul S]

Hi Bridgeport. Welcome aboard the crazy train that is the ABA. It's good to hear a new voice on the absurdity of this ridiculous league

One thing, Joe has indicated in a number of articles that not everyone is paying the 10k up front. Some get in for free, some against future profits (chortle), and some do actually pay the 10k

I am VERY confident (without naming names) that an ABA franchise was even offered to poster(s) on this board as a olive branch. I have lost the emails to time so the free franchise offer cannot be proven, however my opinion is that this event HAPPENED.

Joe is a very smooth businessman and has kept this circus around a lot longer than anyone would have guessed. The ABA is fantastic at unintentional comedy which is why most of us continue to check these boards

[BRIDGEPORT BLUES]

[quote=""BlueOx""]You make some good points (which have all been made previously), but that aside, this entire post is very trollish.

A year ago you never even heard of the ABA. You were so taken in by them that you spent the entire year lurking on a message board to catch up on all of the past gossip of the league. Fast forward to a year later and you finally register an account just to come on board and write a lengthy critique of the league.

Who does that except someone who has a history with a league and a personal reason to start a public battle about it? If you aren't making the entire story up then you must have some type of crazed stalker mentality because it honestly makes no sense at all.

So, who are you really and what dog do you have in the fight?[/quote]

I can assure you, I am neither a crazed stalker nor a troll, lol… nor do I have any connection/history with the league. Just a simple would-be fan/interested observer of an apparent never-ending comedy of errors.

I must ask, though… do you attack all new members the same way, or did I win some sort of special prize?

[dmbishop]

[quote=""BRIDGEPORT BLUES""]I must ask, though… do you attack all new members the same way, or did I win some sort of special prize? [/quote]

Yeah, pretty much. (LOL) Don't take it personally.

Often a first post from out of the blue sets off someone's Spidy-sense.

Sometimes, the person ends up being nice and a great contributor.
More often, it's someone with an agenda.
Lots of the others are trolls.
Whoever is left probably runs away and hides under their bed, curled up in the fetal position.

Dave

[Sam Hill]

As to your actual question (Why do people still do this?): It appears as though the people for whom the sport of basketball has been a passion/pursuit for many years are so overwhelmed by the desire to be part of the game and to either continue to play it or to delude themselves into thinking they can run a team that they ignore the very obvious warning signs.

Current players think they can play overseas or in the D-League if they just get a chance to show that they can score 30 points, so they ride 800 miles in Chevy Suburbans to play in high school gyms in front of nobody without getting paid.

Former players think they can run (and in some cases, coach, too) their own team because it looks so easy, yet they're woefully unprepared from an entrepreneurial sense to actually run a business, especially in the chaotic world of lower-level pro(ish) basketball.

You can't talk sense into either group of people. That's why we're going on 14 years and this circus still exists.

[nksports]

[quote=""Sam Hill""]Current players think they can play overseas or in the D-League if they just get a chance to show that they can score 30 points, so they ride 800 miles in Chevy Suburbans to play in high school gyms in front of nobody without getting paid.[/quote]

That's what Senior AAU teams were used for back in the day (as well as play pre-season exhibitions against NCAA Division I teams; remember all those Marathon Oil teams). They were a lot cheaper to run. Often the appearance fees against NCAA teams paid nearly an entire season's expenses. The NCAA cracked down on them because some coaches were shopping high school players to colleges (against NCAA rules) and some coaches also were player agents (or backed by player agents) and making improper contacts with college players. Now D-I teams have to play D-II, D-III and NAIA teams in the exhibitions.

[turbocamyes]

[quote=""Sam Hill""]
You can't talk sense into either group of people. That's why we're going on 14 years and this circus still exists.[/quote]

Sam,

That may have been the best, most succinct indictment of semi pro/minor league basketball I have read. I should have listened to you 14 years ago.

[BRIDGEPORT BLUES]

[quote=""Sam Hill""]Current players think they can play overseas or in the D-League if they just get a chance to show that they can score 30 points, so they ride 800 miles in Chevy Suburbans to play in high school gyms in front of nobody without getting paid. [/quote]

The standard to which prospective professional ballplayers are held must be held to a far higher standard than is currently the case.

In addition, the bizarre 3-D rule, as well as the chaotic and often subpar (even for ABA standards) opponents, judging by such reports as the 200-point game achieved a few years, would imply that a player scoring X amount of points really isn't as impressive an achievement as one would expect from a similar performance in a reputable league. An ABA 50-point game could easily be attributed to, say, 10 3-D bonus points, poor officiating that led to extra free throws, playing against a no-show barnstormer team with no subs, etc.

[quote=""Sam Hill""]Former players think they can run (and in some cases, coach, too) their own team because it looks so easy, yet they're woefully unprepared from an entrepreneurial sense to actually run a business, especially in the chaotic world of lower-level pro(ish) basketball.
[/quote]

As to this (and your reference to warning signs), in any other reputable business model than an average ABA club, the prospective owner would go through the steps of due process required to get off the ground. Was a business plan actually written? To whom was it pitched, and how? How was financing secured (to cover venues, salaries, travel, and other ancillary costs, not to mention the front office or actually turning a profit)?

[Sam Hill]

[quote=""BRIDGEPORT BLUES""]The standard to which prospective professional ballplayers are held must be held to a far higher standard than is currently the case.

In addition, the bizarre 3-D rule, as well as the chaotic and often subpar (even for ABA standards) opponents, judging by such reports as the 200-point game achieved a few years, would imply that a player scoring X amount of points really isn't as impressive an achievement as one would expect from a similar performance in a reputable league. An ABA 50-point game could easily be attributed to, say, 10 3-D bonus points, poor officiating that led to extra free throws, playing against a no-show barnstormer team with no subs, etc.[/quote]

Don't tell me, tell them.

They're the ones who just think if they can get tape of themselves playing what appears to be some sort of basketball against other humans and hitting jumpers, they can play in Malaysia or some place and not have to work third shift at Safeway.

As to this (and your reference to warning signs), in any other reputable business model than an average ABA club, the prospective owner would go through the steps of due process required to get off the ground. Was a business plan actually written? To whom was it pitched, and how? How was financing secured (to cover venues, salaries, travel, and other ancillary costs, not to mention the front office or actually turning a profit)?

No kidding. Thanks. Got any news on the Hindenburg?

These people are not actual business people. They think it would be cool and easy to own a basketball team. Joe makes it easy to get one. But the vast majority of the people who have "owned" ABA teams over the 14-year lifespan of this thing have been clueless. That's why the vast majority of teams have gone belly-up. Sometimes very quickly.