After hearing the news concerning the NBA lockout, I was left bearing the familiar feelings of despair, hopelessness, self-doubt and disgust that are usually reserved for that special time of year (mid to late April) when I come to realize and accept how truly bad the Mets’ playoff chances are.

On Monday afternoon, the NBA lockout entered its darkest hour. When the players rejected the league’s latest offer and began disbanding their union so they could file an antitrust lawsuit against the NBA, the last hopes of salvaging a season started to fade.

The previous collective bargaining agreement, which split basketball-related income (BRI) 57 percent to 43 percent in the players’ favor, expired on June 30.

Since the lockout began 138 days ago, Union Executive Director Billy Hunter and NBA Commissioner David Stern have been going back and fourth on who deserves a bigger slice of the cash pie. It all came down to Monday’s rejected proposal, which included a 50-50 division of the BRI and proposed a 72-game season beginning Dec. 15.

Union officials have claimed that system issues are more important to them than the BRI split, but owners have made it clear that changes in both are essential to allow for the potential for profit and competitive balance throughout the league. In the owners’ ideal system, the scale wouldn’t be tipped so heavily in favor of the big market teams who could spend the most.

There are arguments for both sides. The players decided it was more about controlling their own future than anything else. They weren’t intimidated by the ultimatums proposed by the owners and held their ground.

The owners, meanwhile, also have a fair argument. They are the employers, the players are the employees. The employees shouldn’t have this much say in how the employers run their business, especially after the owners reportedly lost $300 million last season.

Having said all of that, the players had to take this deal. The lockout has already cost both sides hundreds of millions because of canceled games, and with Monday’s no deal, they only stand to lose more. What’s more, team employees, surrounding businesses and others who rely on the NBA for their income will also feel the burn of a lost season. With everyone losing, the players had to realize that 50 percent of four billion dollars is better than 50 percent of nothing, especially when we’re talking about money many NBA players will never be able to make back.

At this point, there’s still a small chance for a season, but with building animosity between the two sides, odds point to the contrary.

As an unreasonable and irrational fan of sports, I’ve gone into each and every NBA season over the past decade believing that this was the year the Knicks would go all the way. 10 games in, I would always jump ship and hope we were bad enough to earn a good draft pick, but this year was supposed to be different.

2011, for the first time in essentially forever, was the first season that Knicks fans had a reason for optimism heading into opening day. With the acquisitions of Amar’e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups in 2010, the Knicks were a lock to make it back to the playoffs this year, this time with more experience under their belt. Sure, they’d still be a piece or two away from contending for a championship, but at the very least, I could default to, “You never know.” Instead, I won’t even get the chance to be disappointed this season.

With baseball season five months away and the New York Jets looking like they need a hug after Sunday night’s loss to the Patriots, I suppose the only silver lining to be had this winter is Binghamton’s women’s basketball team. I’ve got more faith in seniors Andrea Holmes and Viive Rebane than I do in Mark Sanchez and Shonn Greene. A lot more.

Go Bearcats.