The Bubble

[bugatti]

What is everyone's thoughts on the Orlando bubble being set-up to finish out the NBA season? Will this go off without a hitch? Will it be awkward watching teams perform with no fans? Does this benefit or harm any teams?

[TheDeuce]

I don't think it will be awkward to watch games without fans. I think it provides the opportunity to hear more chatter from the court. 

I saw something yesterday on Twitter that said they were considering delaying the broadcasts to prevent language from being aired. If that's what they want to do, they should offer the delayed version on one channel and the uncensored on another. That would be awesome. 

I don't think "the bubble" is going to work. I don't see these guys staying locked down to finish the season. I imagine more and more will get it one way or another and they'll stop playing again. 

[theguru]

1 hour ago, TheDeuce said:

I don't think it will be awkward to watch games without fans. I think it provides the opportunity to hear more chatter from the court. 

I saw something yesterday on Twitter that said they were considering delaying the broadcasts to prevent language from being aired. If that's what they want to do, they should offer the delayed version on one channel and the uncensored on another. That would be awesome. 

I don't think "the bubble" is going to work. I don't see these guys staying locked down to finish the season. I imagine more and more will get it one way or another and they'll stop playing again. 

I like the idea of concentrating/listening to the game too and I definitely want the uncensored version.  

I am sure like many of you I have noticed that on television much, much more bad language is used/allowed than in the recent past. 

[TheDeuce]

1 minute ago, theguru said:

I like the idea of concentrating/listening to the game too and I definitely want the uncensored version.  

I am sure like many of you I have noticed that on television much, much more bad language is used/allowed than in the recent past. 

There's been a few times I had to check to see if we were watching Netflix because of the language that is allowed on cable now. I'm all for it, but it definitely caught me off guard. 

[theguru]

Just now, TheDeuce said:

There's been a few times I had to check to see if we were watching Netflix because of the language that is allowed on cable now. I'm all for it, but it definitely caught me off guard. 

We are in lockstep today Deuce, exactly!

[bugatti]

Probably for another thread, but are FCC rules with language incredibly relaxed now to the point fines are negligible? I am all for the unedited on-court content.

[bugatti]

Few things to point out. The bubble will decrease. After the regular season ends, a handful of teams are sent packing, and once the playoffs get going, every other week the size of the bubble will be cut in half. I envision this being a fun experience until the playoffs get going, then the summer camp feel will go away. These dudes will be away from their families for potentially weeks and mentally over it. I think the play will suffer because of it.

This is an interesting read on the bubble: https://www.theringer.com/nba/2020/6/22/21298581/nba-safety-disney-world-campus-guidelines

- Players have begun testing, and upon arriving to Orlando will isolate for a couple days and need two negative tests.

- Games, barbers, hair braiders, and manicurists on scene.

- No testing for recreational drugs (hmm...).

- Ability to leave with prior approval, but a big problem with it all is Disney employees will still come and go each day, so it really isn't a bubble. The other issue with prohibiting players from leaving campus is that other people—namely, Disney employees—will be allowed to come and go each day. As of now, they will not be tested daily beyond temperature checks, either, although some players have voiced concerns and NBPA president Michele Roberts said she will pursue more restrictions if she deems necessary. In May, when the NBA was first considering Disney as a site, I wrote, “Isolating a hotel or two full of guests is a hazard in itself, but that’s before accounting for hotel concierges, who have to interact with the guests; maids, who have to clean where others have slept, breathed, lounged, and bathed, and who have to launder their clothes; kitchen staff and servers; and sanitation crews, both in the hotels and the arenas.” Tack on the guy who has to split up doubles teams in ping-pong, and that’s putting a lot of people from the outside world into a supposedly protected one.

- Family/guests are not allowed until the final 8. By the time it will have been 50 days away from home.

- Masks are "required" (sure).

- Players will be given a ring which can apparently track symptoms. I assume that means monitoring temperatures.

[MBWC41]

On 7/1/2020 at 11:37 AM, bugatti said:

Few things to point out. The bubble will decrease. After the regular season ends, a handful of teams are sent packing, and once the playoffs get going, every other week the size of the bubble will be cut in half. I envision this being a fun experience until the playoffs get going, then the summer camp feel will go away. These dudes will be away from their families for potentially weeks and mentally over it. I think the play will suffer because of it.

This is an interesting read on the bubble: https://www.theringer.com/nba/2020/6/22/21298581/nba-safety-disney-world-campus-guidelines

- Players have begun testing, and upon arriving to Orlando will isolate for a couple days and need two negative tests.

- Games, barbers, hair braiders, and manicurists on scene.

- No testing for recreational drugs (hmm...).

- Ability to leave with prior approval, but a big problem with it all is Disney employees will still come and go each day, so it really isn't a bubble. The other issue with prohibiting players from leaving campus is that other people—namely, Disney employees—will be allowed to come and go each day. As of now, they will not be tested daily beyond temperature checks, either, although some players have voiced concerns and NBPA president Michele Roberts said she will pursue more restrictions if she deems necessary. In May, when the NBA was first considering Disney as a site, I wrote, “Isolating a hotel or two full of guests is a hazard in itself, but that’s before accounting for hotel concierges, who have to interact with the guests; maids, who have to clean where others have slept, breathed, lounged, and bathed, and who have to launder their clothes; kitchen staff and servers; and sanitation crews, both in the hotels and the arenas.” Tack on the guy who has to split up doubles teams in ping-pong, and that’s putting a lot of people from the outside world into a supposedly protected one.

- Family/guests are not allowed until the final 8. By the time it will have been 50 days away from home.

- Masks are "required" (sure).

- Players will be given a ring which can apparently track symptoms. I assume that means monitoring temperatures.

A bubble where people come and go daily doesn’t seem like much of a bubble to me...

You would think the NBA could afford to quarantine a large number of Disney staff members in the bubble also. I’m sure they’d welcome the overtime pay. 

[mcpapa]

I thought Stephen A had a hilarious take on the bubble.  To paraphrase - NBA players without their women for (fill in the blank) days?  Please.

[bugatti]

Some interesting tidbits and blurbs have come out since the bubble took off. Many didn't/don't feel this is an ideal setup and with the league being predominately African American, efforts should be focused elsewhere at the time with everything going on in the country. A lot feel the bubble and NBA restart has been pushed by LeBron. It makes sense and even Pat Beverly when this was all coming together said the decision to go ahead with this is determined if LeBron wants it to or not. LeBron is chasing titles and this seems as good of an opportunity as any to collect another.

I personally feel the quality is going to lack and you will find a lot of disengagement with players throwing in the towel. Heck, a growing number of players are already opting out of playing.

[GrantNKY]

1 hour ago, MBWC41 said:

A bubble where people come and go daily doesn’t seem like much of a bubble to me...

You would think the NBA could afford to quarantine a large number of Disney staff members in the bubble also. I’m sure they’d welcome the overtime pay. 

Would never happen. They’d have to work out a deal with the cast member union for that to happen and I think they would end up having to pay the cast members close to $30/ hour on average to make that happen. As someone who worked for Disney, I can promise you they would never do that. Some people in the resorts where the NBA players would be staying would end up making $50-60/ hour if they were to get overtime. The NBA nor Disney is going to foot the bill for that. 

[TheDeuce]

10 minutes ago, bugatti said:

 A lot feel the bubble and NBA restart has been pushed by LeBron. It makes sense and even Pat Beverly when this was all coming together said the decision to go ahead with this is determined if LeBron wants it to or not. LeBron is chasing titles and this seems as good of an opportunity as any to collect another.

That guy truly is the worst. 

[bugatti]

25 minutes ago, TheDeuce said:

That guy truly is the worst. 

I am sure you remember today is the 10 year anniversary of "The Decision."

"Not one... not two.... not three... not four.... not five... not six.... not seven..." (yes, I know this quote was from a few days later when he was introduced in Miami)

[TheDeuce]

1 minute ago, bugatti said:

I am sure you remember today is the 10 year anniversary of "The Decision."

"Not one... not two.... not three... not four.... not five... not six.... not seven..." (yes, I know this quote was from a few days later when he was introduced in Miami)

I knew it was around that time because they have been showing stuff on ESPN about it. I didn't know today was the actual day. 

Who knew a decade later he'd still suck. 😂

[bugatti]

The Lakers are the clear cut betting favorite at +180. Bucks are next in line at +275.