Hour 1 guests:

- Ian Thomsen, Sports Illustrated senior writer

- Bruce Hooley, Host of The Hooligans on ESPN 850 WKRN in Cleveland

Click through for a commercial-free podcast of Hour 1. 

Hour 1 guests:

- Ian Thomsen, Sports Illustrated senior writer

- Bryan Burwell, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Click through for a commercial-free podcast of Hour 1. 

Times are tough all around in this brave new world of economic collapse in the West. In 100 years, the Chinese Basketball League will have the problems our hegemonic NBA owners now face. For now, we must face the hard facts of our era.

Among these Hard Truths: NBA players are having to cut back on personal spending. There are many creative ways, as those of us in the more common economic strata understand. Here’s a new one: hand out Ramen Noodles instead of candy for Halloween, like NBA-er Tony Allen did.

I hope that Allen looked deep into the damp eyes of sobbing trick-or-treaters and said, “David Stern made me do this. David Stern ruined your Halloween.”

Sometimes, the news requires bullet points and brief (cheap?) commentary. Sometimes. Like today.

• It’s a great day to be an Angeleno: Frank McCourt cries “uncle!” and will sell the Dodgers. LA-haters, you can move along. Nothing to see here that you would understand. Also, 3 Dodgers win Gold Gloves.
• Still No NBA. Here’s something to sober you up. I know none of you care until after the Super Bowl, but at this rate of progress, we may lose the entire season.
• They’re getting the band back together. In Oakland. TJ and Carson, like it’s 2005 up in here.
• Mr. Suh and Mr. Goodell have a meeting. Mr. Suh says he’ll continue to play football. Well, then. Terribly good we cleared that one up!
  
  

It’s not President Obama’s most insightful moment, but at the 5.30 mark he does address the NBA lockout. And yes, no matter what your political persuasion, it’s rad when the chief executive loves basketball.

Looks like Kobe in Italy is almost a totally done deal.

You may have heard. The NBA Owners have locked out the players. The 2011-2012 season is in real jeopardy.

Players have acknowledged this very real labor battle by seeking employment in other professional leagues in other countries. Even All-Star players, like Deron Williams. Kobe Bryant has indicated he is interested in playing in Turkey.

But not our man King James. No, no. Likely from the part of his brain that OK’d The Decision, and the part of his brain that predicted he would win seven world championships with the Miami Heat, LeBron James is preparing for a status quo NBA season. He is perhaps the only human on the planet doing this.

The King and reality have always had a complex relationship.

Dan Wolken is a national columnist for The Daily. He joined Robert in Hour 2 to talk about the trend of locked-out NBA players playing in Europe. Click through for a podcast after the jump.