NBA can learn from NFL

From: Gonzalez, John

To: Fox, Ashley; Fitzpatrick, Frank

Subject: NBA

 While the NFL and the players debate the new collective bargaining agreement, NBA owners are talking about adopting a football concept - the franchise tag. Would the ability to lock down a key player for an additional season hurt or help David Stern's struggling league?

From: Fox, Ashley

To: Gonzalez, John; Fitzpatrick, Frank

Subject: NBA

 Stern needs to adopt more than the franchise tag from the NFL. The NBA is struggling because teams must trade value for value. Stern should do away with that paralyzing concept. Let teams trade their players at their discretion. If the Sixers wanted to trade Andre Iguodala to San Antonio for a second-round draft pick, let them do it.

The NFL is wildly successful because there is parity. The NBA is boring because it is hard for the bad teams to get better in less than a decade.

From: Gonzalez, John

To: Fox, Ashley; Fitzpatrick, Frank

Subject: NBA

Franchise tag, no franchise tag - the league has issues either way. Went to the Sixers-Jazz game the other night. About as many players on the court as fans in the stands. Maybe the NBA needs a gimmick like the NHL's Winter Classic. Outdoor hoops in February, anyone?

From: Fox, Ashley

To: Gonzalez, John; Fitzpatrick, Frank

Subject: NBA

Please tell me you were working when you went to the Sixers game. I can't think of one good reason to go for fun.

From: Gonzalez, John

To: Fox, Ashley; Fitzpatrick, Frank

Subject: NBA

I went because my 85-year-old grandmother and a bunch of other ladies from her Jazzercise class danced at halftime. It was the best on-court performance during a Sixers game in many years. Stefanski should sign the lot of them to max contracts.