HoopsHype.com Rumors

"Nobody knows if he's ever gonna win it all, but you can say that about a lot of guys," Nowitzki said of Romo. "I think he has what it takes. He's got a winning mentality and he's going to be OK." ESPN.com

Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki, NFL 

Dirk Nowitzki: Dear tony romo. Don't worry abt all the critics. I heard that same garbage for a long time. Keep working hard and keep improving. Twitter

Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki, NFL, Tony Romo 

As the NFL wrapped up its lengthy off-season collective-bargaining battle, the NBA's lockout of its players continued Tuesday with no progress in sight. "If there's one thing us labor lawyers know -- and the public will see in this [NBA] case -- there's nothing like the prospect of deadlines, in this case, missing games, that forces action," said Seth Borden, a partner in employment and labor law for the Washington, D.C.-based firm McKenna Long and Aldridge. Los Angeles Times

CBA, David Stern, Lockout, Billy Hunter, NBPA, NFL 

Michael Grange: Chat w NBA agent - Q: "What did NFL deal mean to NBA?" A: "Nothing, in NFL both sides wanted a deal. In NBA, owners haven't started yet." Twitter

CBA, David Stern, Lockout, Billy Hunter, NBPA, NFL 

If the NFL is able to move toward a labor settlement, it could create more pressure on the NBA to construct a deal. But players' union president Derek Fisher has a different view of the NFL. He wants no part of football's structure. "It breaks my heart to see the way guys like LaDainian Tomlinson get dealt with in the NFL," Fisher said of the former MVP who gained 914 yards for the Jets last season after he had been waived by the Chargers. "To see what he'd done for the San Diego Chargers and to get to that place where he was under a contract that's already been signed. The Chargers were able to absorb value in income and potential profits from years of his services, and then at the drop of a hat, based on arbitrary thinking because he's a certain age and he can't produce at a certain level anymore, he's gone. Out the door." SI.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Derek Fisher, CBA, David Stern, Lockout, Billy Hunter, NBPA, NFL 

The meeting lasted a little more than three hours and reportedly featured NBA commissioner David Stern, deputy commissioner Adam Silver, NBPA executive director Billy Hunter and NBPA president Derek Fisher, among others. But some of the biggest names guiding a league that annually takes in about $4 billion in revenue were unable to keep the game going. "If the NBA feels the gap [in issues] is just too wide, a lockout is a way of putting pressure on the players to make some more concessions," said Michael McCann, Vermont professor of law and director of the school’s sports law institute. The 2011 NBA lockout coincides with an ongoing three-month NFL lockout. Professional basketball’s work stoppage could ultimately have more in common with a 2004-05 NHL lockout, though, which resulted in a lost season and a fully revamped CBA. Several NBA owners have ties to NHL teams, and hockey has enjoyed a resurgence under its new deal. Salt Lake Tribune

CBA, David Stern, Lockout, Billy Hunter, NBPA, NFL, NHL 

Marv Albert will join CBS Sports as a play-by-play announcer for coverage of the NFL. CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus announced Monday that Albert will be added to the NFL on CBS team. Albert worked for NBC Sports from 1977-97, announcing the NFL on NBC for 19 years. He will keep his lead role as basketball play-by-play announcer for TNT's Thursday night NBA regular-season and playoff coverage. NFL.com

Media, NFL, Marv Albert 

Stern mentioned that NBAPA decertification is not a viable option in the NBA lockout scenario because it would unwind all the guaranteed contracts. Do you know if this is true? Thx. Ric Bucher (1:31 PM) I had been told that but the players union is under the impression that the contracts would not be affected. So I'm investigating. Will get back to you. ESPN.com

CBA, David Stern, Lockout, Billy Hunter, NBPA, NFL, Owners 

The ruling Monday by U.S. District Judge Susan Nelson putting a temporary end to the NFL lockout also was, by extension, a victory for the National Basketball Players Association in its ongoing labor negotiation with the NBA. In legitimizing the NFL players' move to dissolve their union in the face of the owners' lockout, and granting an injunction to end the lockout pending appeal, Nelson dealt a legal blow to both sports leagues in their efforts to use a lockout as a weapon in collective bargaining. "This is a victory for all professional sports unions," said Gabe Feldman, head of the Sports Law Center at Tulane University. CBSSports.com

CBA, Lockout, NBPA, NFL, Owners 

Anticipating a lockout, the NBPA already has collected enough signatures to approve a vote for decertification, sources told CBSSports.com. Both sides in the NBA labor negotiation have been closely monitoring the NFL labor case, and top NBA negotiators for more than a year have been holding out hope that a decertification by the players would be ruled a "sham" by federal courts. CBSSports.com

CBA, Lockout, NBPA, NFL, Owners 

The NFL labor situation took a step toward resolution Monday when a federal judge granted the players' request for an injunction halting the management-imposed lockout. The NBA is facing a lockout of its own after this season and hasn't had any progress in talks between players and owners. "I anticipate a lot happening between now and July 1 on our side," said Lakers guard Derek Fisher, president of the National Basketball Players Assn. "And because of what is playing out on the NFL side, I think you'll see both sides in the NBA watching it closely, making adjustments and adapting to things based on what is going on. "Our goal is to get a deal done, not to have to decertify or go into a court situation to drag the process out. NBA basketball has never been better. There's no reason for us to do anything to take that away from the most important people — our fans." Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Derek Fisher, CBA, Lockout, NBPA, NFL, Owners 

David Aldridge: Major win 4 NFL players as judge ends lockout=big boost to NBA players union. NBPA was waiting on NFL. Decert now definite possibility. Twitter

CBA, Lockout, NBPA, NFL, Owners 

David Aldridge: NBA union already has decert authority from players-vote taken months ago. If Nelson ruling is upheld it gives NBPA major weapon vs. owners Twitter

CBA, Lockout, NBPA, NFL, Owners 

LeBron James just couldn’t keep quiet during a negotiating session between the NBA players and team owners early in 2010. As the owners discussed their latest proposal to the two dozen or so players who showed up to the meeting in Dallas, James spoke up, two people who were in the room recalled. “You just want to turn us into the NFL!” James said. Washington Post

Miami Heat, LeBron James, CBA, Lockout, NBPA, NFL, Owners 

NBA officials were quick to respond. “Yeah, we do,” one league official said, according to those in the room. “It’s the most successful sports league in the history of the world.” Washington Post

Miami Heat, LeBron James, CBA, Lockout, NBPA, NFL, Owners 

Sources familiar with the owners’ thinking say they aren’t willing to make major concessions as they seek to reshape their league using principles employed by the NFL, a $9 billion a year industry that dominates the U.S. sports landscape in fan interest and revenue generation. Philosophically, the NBA owners and players seem to be at opposite ends of the court. Depending on one’s perspective, the NFL offers either the ideal blueprint to develop a robust sports business or an oppressive financial system for players. Owners seem prepared to follow the lead of NFL’s ownership — which locked its players out in mid-March — if the players won’t accept at least some elements of a revamped, not merely smoothed out, economic system. “We need a new system,” Adam Silver, the league’s deputy commissioner and chief operating officer said after the NBA’s board of governors meeting last week. “The current system is broken and is unsustainable.” Washington Post

CBA, Lockout, NBPA, NFL, Owners, Adam Silver 

“They want a guaranteed profit for each team,” Hunter said. “Nobody in business gets a guaranteed profit. If we implement the system they are talking about, franchise values will go through the roof. People will be lining up to buy teams, because it’s a guaranteed return.” Washington Post

CBA, Lockout, Billy Hunter, NBPA, NFL, Owners 

There is one area, Hunter said, in which the players would embrace an NFL-like system: In revenue sharing. Unlike in the NFL, NBA teams negotiate local television deals, which are not shared, on top of a national television deal that is shared. And unlike in the NFL, in which teams share 40 percent of gate revenue, NBA teams keep their gate receipts. “They want to move to an NFL model as it relates to a hard cap, but they do not want to adopt an NFL revenue sharing model,” Hunter said. Washington Post

CBA, Lockout, Billy Hunter, NBPA, NFL, Owners 

Franchise tag for players, similar to what the NFL does: "It wouldn't surprise me if it becomes an item of discussion," but it hasn't so far. USA Today

CBA, David Stern, Lockout, NBPA, NFL, Owners 

Al Iannazzone: Milkwaukee native Devin Harris on Green Bay winning the Super Bowl: "My team won. Al's team lost. It's a dream come true." Twitter

New Jersey Nets, Devin Harris, NFL