David Stern: 4-Day Old Fish?

Just this morning I asked GodIHateYourConnerHenry why sports commissioners are like popes in that they appear to be able to hold office until they drop dead, and now we see The Sports Guy lamenting David Stern has officially stuck around for too long.

"We're a dying breed," Stern admitted. "It's not happening anymore. But it sure is reassuring to look there and expect to see him, and darn, he's there. It's kind of neat." 

That's probably how Stern thought people saw him. Or, how he hoped people saw him. And in some cases (like with me), it was true. Little did he know that Sloan was losing control of his players — in 2011, an ongoing clash with star Deron Williams caused Sloan to resign — just like Stern was slowly losing control of his owners. The newer generation of guys wasn't indebted to him. They found him to be increasingly obstinate, stuck in his ways, more of a condescending bully than anything. After paying full sticker price for their teams, they weren't interested in answering to some aging know-it-all. Stern's control slowly started to erode, whether he realized it or not.

The worst kind of leaders hang on too long, get seduced by their own voice, start doing things from memory — because that's the way we've always done it! — stop thinking outside the box, start playing checkers instead of chess. Stern reached that point last night. I think he caved because of the whining owners, but also out of exasperation: because yet another superstar was trying to push his way to another big city, because he's in charge, because THIS IS DAVID STERN'S LEAGUE. It's like the old Will Ferrell/Dodge Stratus SNL sketch:

You don't talk to me like that! I'm David Stern! I make the rules here! You don't get to pick your team, I do! I'm the commissioner of the NBA! I DRIVE A DODGE STRATUS!!!!!

Stern's been the commish for what, 27 years? Meanwhile, he's 69 years old and working in a world that changes exponentially faster than the one in which he began as the commish.  His blocking the trade reeks of an old man putting his foot down and stomping "dammit, no one will buy widgets for more than 5 cents a yard!!"  I've mentioned the same thing when it comes to Supreme Court Justices and also Congressmen.  Thomas Jefferson once said (well, wrote, I suppose - I can find no YouTube of this) "the universe is for the living"; he should've said "the universe is for the living, but seriously, some of you almost-dead old fucks gottsta step the fuck down, for chrissake.  And no, TJ don' b h8n'."