Wall Street and various venues throughout the WORLD are seeing large crowds protesting the unfairness of economic disparity, and that doesn't leave much room (if any) for sympathy regarding the strike/lockout of National Basketball Association players. I won't try quoting an 'average' salary or the modified Veterans Exemption or rationalizing how many teams might be losing money operationally. "A pox on both your houses!" is a legitimate thought to lay out there, as might be NC State player Tom Guggliotta's comments at the time of the NBA's *last* strike--"Where I'm from, they don't care whether the NBA plays or not."

While owners and players splitting up billions can be accepted by ticket buyers or TV watchers, we can also take advantage of all the other alternatives available between November and April. Tom G. played in the ACC, and although I only get basic cable, there are usually two games a week on, and Carolina hoops is pretty much religion around here. No sense ranting about the NBA situation, and if it works out and a shortened season happens, fine. If, like the NHL found out, people are willing to let highly paid athletes experience having less, that might be worth while too.

On the subject of money, Prince Fielder of the Milwaukee Brewers will probably be getting lots of it somewhere else next season--its doubtful the small market Brewers can come up with the scratch that would allow them to keep their best player around. St. Louis will clearly have to find a way to appease Albert Pujols, a great player and pretty much icon for the team. You go to the World Series, even if relief pitching was the primary weapon, the tendency is to keep the guys together (see 'Boston Celtics, 2010'). Realistically, the sort of numbers Pujols has consistently put up this millennium in batting average, HRs and RBIs while being a genuinely good person, is something you can't get just anywhere. The outcry about letting him go for mere money reasons would make Wall St. sit-ins look weak.

Even the local Carolina Panthers will face some economic issues regarding super rookie quarterback Cam Newton, although not for a while. The Panthers caught the biggest break imaginable when the NFL strike established a rookie salary cap just before they had to negotiate with the Heisman-winning and national championship Auburn QB. Two years ago Oklahoma's Sam Bradford received over $30 million in bonus bucks to bring his talents to the St. Louis Rams, so making that up to the popular and productive Newton on the back end is going to be every bit as large a bite as Fielder or Pujols are going to take out of any budget.

The World Series should be over about the time the NBA has announced games will start being canceled (November 1). Good luck with that guys--and I bet ESPN carries at least a couple of the games Kobe plays in Italy while 98% of you beat up the owners over benefits.

Glenn S.