<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">"I think the new ball is terrible," O'Neal said Monday. "It's the worst decision some expert, whoever did it, made. ... The NBA's been around how long? A hundred years? Fifty years? So to change it now, whoever that person is needs his college degree revoked. It's a terrible decision."</div> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> "Wade said. "But I think rebounds are going to go up this year. All around the league, I think there's going to be a lot of bricks thrown up there early on."</div> Source
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting MrJ:</div><div class="quote_post">What's the real difference that separates it from the old ball?</div> im not sure about any specifics, but i know its made from different materials, feels different, and reacts differently when its wet. thats all i know.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting MrJ:</div><div class="quote_post">What's the real difference that separates it from the old ball?</div> the old ball was real leather, the new ball is synthetic. raptor gm colangelo jokingly said that heat management should be concerned cause yesterday was the first day shaq used the ball. shaq and work ethic haven't been used in the same sentence since his lsu days.
Don't really understand the logic of changing it, and that's what I think Shaq's complaining about. Was there something fundamentally flawed with the last ball? Why force the entire league make such a meaningless adjustment, if there was no real point to it in the first place?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Carter:</div><div class="quote_post">Why did they change it?</div> They changed it to MESS WITH SHAQ'S HEAD. No, seriously, they reckon it feels better, is more consistent, and more durable.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting phunDamentalz:</div><div class="quote_post">They changed it to MESS WITH SHAQ'S HEAD. No, seriously, they reckon it feels better, is more consistent, and more durable.</div> Why don't they just change it back. Almost all players hate it.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Carter:</div><div class="quote_post">Why don't they just change it back. Almost all players hate it.</div> Has there been a poll of all 360 players? No. I'm sure like everything else it takes some getting used to, once they get a feel for it, they'll like it. Change is hard sometimes. Especially if you're the Diesel and you're pushing 40.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting phunDamentalz:</div><div class="quote_post">Message to Shaq: you don't own basketball. Basketball owns you. Don't get it twisted.</div> The NBA doesn't own nothin, this ain't slavery. The players make the league what it is, and they have a right to express how they feel. The league is doing too much intervening with the gameplay and needs to stop it already!!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting deception:</div><div class="quote_post">the old ball was real leather, the new ball is synthetic. raptor gm colangelo jokingly said that heat management should be concerned cause yesterday was the first day shaq used the ball. shaq and work ethic haven't been used in the same sentence since his lsu days.</div> Lol, it's so true... I've heard a few players saying they don't like it but if it was that bad I'd think there would be ALOT more players speaking out. They used the ball at the all-star game last year and it seemed fine, it's different but I don't think it's inferior, in fact it's supposedly easier to catch and not as slippery so I don't know why a guy like Kwame Brown should be complaining. I say give it a chance, anyone remember the huge backlash that the dress code redieved? Now it seems like the players actually like to come to games dressed nice and it certainly worked out fine for everyone.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rock4life:</div><div class="quote_post">The NBA doesn't own nothin, this ain't slavery. The players make the league what it is, and they have a right to express how they feel. The league is doing too much intervening with the gameplay and needs to stop it already!!</div> Expressing how you feel is one thing. Saying "whoever changed it needs to be fired" in the papers is another. Shaq should look up "class" in the dictionary. of course it ain't slavery. But Shaq is not bigger than the game. Shaq does not hire or fire the people who are in charge of which ball they use, even though he thinks because he makes so much that he controls the league.
I think the old ball worked perfectly well, why go to synthetic. I think they are just trying to market a new ball for whatever company makes the ball.
Steve Nash hates the ball as well. He says it's too sticky. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Arizona Republic - One day after Shaquille O'Neal complained about the new ball being used by the NBA, Suns guard Steve Nash added his name to the list of those not thrilled with it. The two-time reigning league MVP said in a conference call from training camp in Italy on Tuesday that players are having a hard time. "It's a very difficult transition," Nash said. "I certainly won't have to lick my fingers. The ball sticks to your hand. It's a big transition. It's extremely sticky." He said players are used to using the old ball's surface to make certain types of passes, as well as shooting. "All the players are having a real hard time making that transition," Nash said. "Hopefully, we'll find some common ground to normalcy and we'll get used to it. We do have a month to get it going. Right now I would say that the basketball sticks to the floor, it sticks to the backboard. It is different."</div> Source
I don't understand why the league changed the ball. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it at all. Why make a change for no reason? It will only cause problems. Players will have a harder time adapting and etc. The basketball used last season has been used for pretty much forever (I know there has been changes, but nothing too drastic). It's just the same as saying, let's go change the baseball, or let's go change the football. It makes absolutely no sense.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Brian:</div><div class="quote_post">I don't understand why the league changed the ball. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it at all. Why make a change for no reason? It will only cause problems. Players will have a harder time adapting and etc. The basketball used last season has been used for pretty much forever (I know there has been changes, but nothing too drastic). It's just the same as saying, let's go change the baseball, or let's go change the football. It makes absolutely no sense.</div> David Stern is trying to make the NBA seem more professional by having a dress code. I guess changing the ball is another step for making the NBA look better.
