In the offseason, the NBA took the Orlando Magic to court over Horace Grant's contract, because they felt it violated the salary cap.

They did the same regarding the Phoenix Suns's contract to A.C. Green.

No league can survive while perpetually fighting its member states.

But these events were conveniently avoided by Stern and Co. during this week's negotiations, in their eagerness to avoid an embarassing lockout at a time when they could enhance their popularity in the professional sports void.

(I'm sure that Sports Illustrated's cover from last spring, entitled "Why the NHL's Hot and the NBA's Not," wasn't too far from Stern's mind.)

That wasn't all Stern forgot to bring up at the negotiating table.

What about the exorbitant demands made by today's young players? Did anybody mention that one?

Glenn Robinson wants $100 million from the Milwaukee ("Nobody Has That Many") Bucks. Larry Johnson got a guaranteed $84 million, and he's injured again after all of last year's back troubles.

Can any league spend $100 million on its number-one draft pick or on anyone, for that matter?

You could build an arena for that kind of money. You could buy the San Diego Padres and the Pittsburgh Pirates for that (farm system included).

And fans wonder why the owners plead poverty?

Yet fans demand that their teams spend the big bucks to sign the stars that will carry their teams to glory, and accuse owners of being Scrooges if they don't.

Owners claim that they can't win.

They're damned if they do and damned if they don't.

They're right.