Barkley on "Resting" and "Less Back-to-Back" Games
Sept 21, 2017 18:19:36 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2017 18:19:36 GMT
"I've sat with older guys who took trains and played three days in a row," he said. "I think it's a joke and travesty that these guys won't pay back-to-back games with all the private jets and stuff that they get. The NBA caved in, instead of making them play back-to-back games. ... I think it's a joke."
He said "the notion" that today's players "want to rest is crazy to me" and said players are being disrespectful to fans when they decide to sit out a game, especially when that game is the only time a team will visit a particular city.
"I never came close to making 20, 30, 40 million dollars a year. No. 1, God bless them, but I would feel an obligation if I was making that type of money," he said. "I would [be] like, 'This dude is paying me $40 million. I'm gonna play two games in a row.' I played two games in a row and flew commercial. I played four games in five days and flew commercial.
"... And it's sad, to be honest with you. It's just sad because you're just disrespecting the fans. You know they're only going to get to see you one time a year in some of these situations, and you would think a guy was like, 'You know what, they're only going to see me one time a year, I'm going to play in that city.' The notion that the commissioner has to come in and talk about it, but also extend the season is just ridiculous. Flat-out ridiculous."
He said "the notion" that today's players "want to rest is crazy to me" and said players are being disrespectful to fans when they decide to sit out a game, especially when that game is the only time a team will visit a particular city.
"I never came close to making 20, 30, 40 million dollars a year. No. 1, God bless them, but I would feel an obligation if I was making that type of money," he said. "I would [be] like, 'This dude is paying me $40 million. I'm gonna play two games in a row.' I played two games in a row and flew commercial. I played four games in five days and flew commercial.
"... And it's sad, to be honest with you. It's just sad because you're just disrespecting the fans. You know they're only going to get to see you one time a year in some of these situations, and you would think a guy was like, 'You know what, they're only going to see me one time a year, I'm going to play in that city.' The notion that the commissioner has to come in and talk about it, but also extend the season is just ridiculous. Flat-out ridiculous."