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SPORTS 11 APRIL 15, 2011 NFL owners lock out players, money at stake By Morgan Andrews Staff Writer The National Football League team owners have decided to lock players out of their practices. Lockouts could cause major strife for professional players, fans, and local businesses. Many want to know when this will end. The players are taking the NFL owners to court because players say the lockout, "violates anti-trust laws and would cause irreparable harm," according to Businesslnsider.com. Flowever, the owners have a different story to tell. "Owners are claiming that they are losing money," said Assistant Professor of Sports Studies Bob Malekoff. "They want to limit the percent of money that goes to the players and have greater percentage of money going to the teams with the idea that this will make the league stronger." Fighting back with strong odds in their favor, the owners hold all rights in this legal issue. "Many players are saying that they do not know what the owners are or are not making in revenue because owners will not allow the players to see their books," said Malekoff. Although both sides in the case seem to be headstrong, negotiations seem possible. There is one side, however, that has more leverage than the other. "The owners are holding the cards," said Malekoff. "(They) have other business and, in some cases, this is their hobby. The real question is: can the owners afford loss? Yes, losing revenue for a year hurts, but does it hurt the owners more than the players? I don't think so." Malekoff poses a great question because if there is a major loss for the owners then this might force them to back down and fold in the lockout. "The real question is: can the owners afford loss? Yes, losing revenue for a year hurts, but does it hurt the owners more than the players? I don't think so." Bob Malekoff, assistant professor of sports studies Professional players have somewhat different odds in this heated debate. "The players who are not hurting are the ones making the big bucks," said Malekoff. "So it's those marginal players who will be affected. To me there is pressure on the players to back down." If the lockout continues into the fall, many local businesses and jobs could take a hit from the owners' decision. Businesses have built on the dominance of professional football due to its growth. Hotels and restaurants make a large portion of their revenue in big cities that host NFL games because of the large fan base. Followers of NFL teams enjoy traveling to large cities and spending extra money on souvenirs, nice bars, and hotels. "The lockouts could result in work stoppages and also affects people who work for the team or even people who work at the stadiums," said Sports Information Director and Assistant Director of Athletics Dave Walters. "I mean, there are many more people involved in this issue rather than just the owners and players." NFL fans are wondering whether this lockout will be resolved soon enough so they can continue watching football. "In an ideal situation, there would be compromise," said Malekoff. "The players and the owners might have to compromise because that is in the best interest of the league, but the problem there is distrust. The players distrust the owners." Owners and players must work together in order to resolve the issues. Negotiations must be made so both parties can collaborate and have a successful NFL season. After all, opening day is just 23 weeks away. Guilford's Top 16: Countdown onds Mdth #1 By Ryan Gordy Staff Writer We have finally reached the number one Guilford sports team of all time. This was a hard choice because there have been many great teams not included on this list. Drum roll, please. The top team on the countdown is the 1972- 73 men's basketball team. This team was dominant throughout the entire season, as was their coach. Jack Jensen. In the two previous seasons, Jensen compiled a staggering 40-15 overall record and established himself as one of the best NAIA coaches. In the Alumni Gym, he guided the Quakers to a 19-1 record. In 55 games, Jensen's teams had scorched opponents with a 10-point margin of victory. Guilford was determined not to lose the Conference of the Carolinas tournament a third time in a row. The Quakers had senior leader, M.L. Carr '73, who was the team's clutch performer. Carr averaged 21 points per game and 12 rebounds per game. He ranked second in points and first in rebounds. He arguably had his best game of his career in the NAIA National Championship game, where he threw down 23 points against Maryland ' Eastern Shore. But Carr didn' t make the team great on his own. He had help from senior Teddy East '73. East was the team's role player and did whatever Jensen asked him to do. He had Respectable numbers — 14 points per game — and was the team's primary shut-down defender. Finally, there was stud first-year World B. Free '77. He led the team in points per game with 28 and was the Quakers' best offensive threat. Because of his scoring prowess, he drew a lot of attention from opposing defenses. As a result, he led the team in assists with 98. After Guilford went 11-3 in the Conference of the Carolina's division, they went on to lose the District 26 Championship against Catawba. This fueled the team for the run they made in Kansas City for the NAIA Championship. "What's a Guilford?" That unforgettable phrase that ran in the Kansas City Star sports section in 1970 left all sports writers in Kansas City and in North Carolina smiling on March 17, 1973 when the Quakers arrived in KC. The Quakers didn't waste any time when they got to the tournament. In their first four victories, the team won by a dominating average of nine points per game. Free was averaging over 20 points per game to guide the team to the championship game. Here they met Maryland- Eastern Shore for the title. The game was a nail-biter. The Quakers pulled it out 99-96. This improved the team's overall record to an outstanding 29-5. After the win, Carr was named to the first- team all-tournament NAIA team, as well as NAIA All-American. East won two defensive awards while earning an Honorable Mention as an NAIA All-American. Free was awarded Most Valuable Player of the NAIA Tournament as well as first-team All NAIA Tournament Team. After these players graduated, they all had careers in the professional realm in the NBA. Free played for several NBA teams including the World Champion Philadelphia 76'ers in 1983. After Carr's playing days were over, he became the head coach, then general manger of the Boston Celtics. Greg Jackson also made it to the NBA, playing 3 seasons with the New York Knicks and the Phoenix Suns averaging eight points per game. This is why the 1973 basketball team won the top spot on the list. They won the National Title game and had three players on the team get to the professional level of basketball.
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