The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT Nov. 16, 2011
With no professional basketball on the horizon as of yet, it really makes me wonder if a season will actually be played.
Never fear, fans, most of the area high school basketball teams stepped up and took the court on Tuesday night.
No money involved - just wins and losses.
BETWEEN THE start of the high school and college basketball season, there has been nothing but talks about whether or not the NBA and players will come together on a deal to save the season.
It just might not come in time for Christmas this year.
Players and owners still haven't agreed on how to split fans' money, and at this point, I'm not sure they will anytime soon.
At least with football there was some effort to get back on the field with league commissioner Roger Goddell taking a major pay cut until the league was back in business.
And they are, seemingly more popular than ever with a ton of teams in the mix for the playoffs.
But I don't see the same thing happening for the NBA once issues are resolved and the teams are playing again.
Both sides were close to a deal, real close - but the players declined to accept a 50-50 split of revenue, along with other cash-related items.
From that point, the wheels have seemed to come off, giving more likelihood to watching a rerun of the "Grinch That Stole Christmas" than Kobe Bryant hitting a jumper at Staples Center on that day.
This is the second time in less than 15 years that they've had a shortened season, so whatever deal they make this time - it had better keep players on the court and happy for a long time to come.
MEANWHILE IN the coming weeks, area high school athletes will step from the football field or volleyball courts onto the basketball court.
Some teams opened the season last weekend, others last night for the first of a three-month marathon to the end of the season.
Throw in wrestling getting started in two weeks, and the lack of pro basketball doesn’t make a difference.
Marquee matchups can wait until the middle of December when the annual Tri-State Invitational takes place at North Idaho College, featuring more than 40 of the top high school wrestling programs in Washington, Oregon, Montana and Idaho.
When the Coeur d’Alene Inn-vitational, (formerly known as the Holiday Inn Express Invitational) featuring eight boys and girls basketball teams at NIC Dec. 27-29, and those games could be more entertaining than any pro game on the schedule.
BY THE time the holidays arrive, fans will be missing basketball in some fashion.
But don’t fear, local high school athletes are ready to fill that void starting soon.
The only kind of lockout they’re going to have is if the school doors freeze shut.
Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at [email protected].