News from December 23.

The NBA Board of Governors has scheduled a meeting for January 7.  If the
NBA and Players Association have not reached an agreement on a new
collective bargaining agreement by then, commissioner David Stern will
recommend to the board that the entire 1998-99 season be cancelled.  There
are currently no negotiation sessions scheduled, but it is expected that
at least one meeting will occur before the January 7 drop dead date.

addendum:
ESPN is reporting this morning that NBA commissioner David Stern and
Players Association president Billy Hunter have taken a break from their
vacations and are meeting privately with each other in LA to try to 
negotiate a "handshake deal" that Hunter can then take to the Players
Assocation for approval next week.


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To all who celebrate it, have a very merry Christmas!  And may Santa bring
us our wish for an NBA season.


patricia