Free Idea Friday

Free Idea Friday makes a cameo appearance today with an idea that's been rolling around in my head that I have neither the time nor the where-with-all to execute. Remember, it's free, so take it for what it's worth.

Last night at midnight, NBA owners locked out the players as their negotiations with the players union hit an impasse. Unlike the NFL lockout which is expected to end shortly, many predict the NBA will lose most or all of the 2011-2012 season due to this dispute.

My guess is the owners have the resources to withstand a protracted dispute, certainly better than the players. I'm sure they're counting on that fact to help put pressure on the players to get them to cave in the negotiations.

So how can the players earn the money they'll need to feed their families during a long lockout?

Form the Locked Out Super-Stars (LOSS) basketball league.

It's a simple premise. A six team league (Miami, New York, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, and Dallas). Each team made up of only 10 players. Teams are captained by that city's leading superstar and coached by a veteran player who's ready to retire.

Each team drafts its players from a pool of the other locked out players meaning the league will include only the 60 best players in the game. So unlike the current NBA, you'll actually see great players all over the floor on every game. They'd play two games a week on Thursdays and Saturdays night, filling arenas and garnering great ratings because the star value of each game would be so high.

Obviously ESPN, ABC and TNT won't touch this, but I bet NBC and Versus or Fox and Fox Sports Net would be very interested in broadcasting the games. Proceeds from the television rights and ticket sales would be split 40% to the players on the court and 60% to the NBA players association to help the out of work players pay the mortgages on their mansions and leases on their Maybachs.

Yes, there are a lot of details to work out: referees, facilities, schedules, etc. But I'd be willing to offer my services as commissioner to get the job done. And because I'm a nice guy, I'll do it for half the ten million a year David Stern is paid.

So LeBron, Mello, Kobe, Derrick, call me. The sooner we get started, the sooner you start making money again.