This ongoing lockout reminds me of two little kids who just got in trouble on the playground. "You did it!" "No, you did it first!" "Well, you did it last!" They blame each other for getting them in trouble until the teacher comes in and tells them both to apologize. The ongoing finger-pointing and excuses made by the NBA and the players may not affecting them, but it is certainly affecting the people that make the games work every night.

The people that we as fans might not think about that much are the people employed by the league to do all of the little things that make the league run, such as selling tickets, maintaining the arenas, and working the concessions stands. These people are the ones that need every paycheck to support their families. The lockout also leaves people without a job. They may have to work multiple jobs to earn enough to support their households. These people are also the ones without a voice in the labor negotiations.

The NBA and the players need to know that the longer this lockout goes, the more NBA employees are going to suffer from lost paychecks. They must recognize that it's not all about them and that there are NBA employees who rely on these paychecks to feed the family and support their child's education.

This lockout needs to end for the owners, the players, the fans, and those who rely on the NBA for a living.