" As the NBA moves closer to the cancellation of more games and more lost momentum from its spectacular 2010-11 campaign, it is time for me to move beyond my criticism of Derek Fisher and Billy Hunter, the leaders of the players association.

I'm on their side. I want to help them frame a public message that exposes the hypocrisy of the owners who have locked the players out.

In this protracted labor dispute, a group of largely conservative, right-wing billionaires are betraying the values and principles they allegedly hold dear: fix your own problems, pull yourself up by your bootstraps, quit looking for handouts.

The NBA is a $3-billion industry. It has global reach. The lack of discipline, the free-spending and irresponsible behavior of ownership, are the only reasonable justifications for 22 teams allegedly losing a combined $300 million. The economy is bad. The incompetence of NBA ownership is worse."