Really

It has been a few days since the NFL and NFLPA talks broke down, resulting in NFLPA decertification and the NFL locking out the players. My first reaction was "Really"! You have the biggest, most popular sport in the country and 9 billion dollars and it has come down to this. The owners don't trust the players and the players don't trust the owners, which makes it hard to do business.  I don't really care who comes out on top, just stop sniping at each other and act like men that control 9 billion dollars!

The biggest issue in all of this is MONEY!! The players got a great deal in the last CBA and really don't see the need to give the owners back any of that money. And since the owners won't open the books the players will play hardball by taking this to court and suing the NFL. The owners won't open books to "employees', and the NFLPA thinks of itself as having a partnership with the NFL and that partnership entitles them to request the "books". Now each side is playing a game of leverage and a game of public opinion.

 The owners looked bad when the court recently ruled that they did not negotiate TV contracts from the major networks fairly. As the NFL is required to negotiate deals fairly and they are also required to take the deal that is fair and pays the most as the revenue from those deals is split with the players. So the court ruling made the owners look greedy and underhanded as they were looking out for their own interests. Here is an article on the ruling that's pretty concise http://bit.ly/hiZCbA.
 If you are really interested I'm sure you can find the actual ruling.

Now the NFLPA is looking petty and insensitive by asking top prospects in this years NFL draft that are invited to NYC  to "boycott" the draft. They have since changed the wording by saying they are encouraging the prospects not to attend and they (the NFLPA) will create a similar experience for them. What absolute BS and the completely wrong move! The Draft is a fan event and dragging the paying fans and the undrafted players is not the move they should be making in the court of public opinion. How can these established players take this once in a life time opportunity from these young guys.  This move will have fans turning on these players and who ever is leading them. Lastly I say BS because as part of the lawsuit the players are bringing they are claiming that the draft is illegal. If the draft is illegal then why try to "create a similar" experience.


This whole thing gets me pretty fired up. Would love to hear what you all think about this. Also forward the blog to others who may be interested.