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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.This area of the NFL isn't really my area of expertise, but I've gone on record before and I'll do it again: there is NO CHANCE IN HELL that there will be a work stoppage in 2011.
Yeah, it kind of would be the ultimate example of "bite your nose to spite your face," wouldn't it? But people have acted a lot more irrationally before, so I'll wait until the deal is signed before I celebrate.
The deal is probably a good ways off from actually being signed, but this is great news for football in 2011.
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It really contrasted with the NFLPA's "We are making millions a year but the owners are keeping 40% of the money for themselves. GIMME MORE GIMME MORE."
I know the owners make a lot, but is that different than any other industry? Is Haynesworth life twice as good because his signing bonus was $40 Mil instead of $20 million dollars????
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On a happy note, I drove right by Green Bay on the bypass and didn't stop to find Bret Favre Way. Good on me.
I would hope that any agreement includes some sort of proper medical provision for ex-players.
whether it is badly or well timed the Chris Henry story is frightening.
Two of the most important issues often lost in discussions and negotiations:
1) provision for former players, including medical.
2) pension and other retirement benefits, critical to the jags and lunchpail players
These are exceptionally talented athlete-entertainers who generate billions of dollars of revenue.
They work for years even to get to an NFL training camp. They risk career-ending injury every day. Few of them actually become really rich. The average player plays for just over three years. Many don't even play long enough to get a pension. Many earn a good living and put away some money while playing and build good careers after they retire. Others suffer from orthopedic and neurological illnesses without adequate insurance or care. More than a few of their employer's are building billion dollar businesses off of their labors.
I have no trouble with them getting everything that a free market and our laws allow them to earn.
Much of what they say for public consumption is rhetoric. But I thought I sensed a rhetorical shift and softening of DeMaurice's stance when he was interviewed at the rookie symposium the other night and he said he was aware that among players there is no support for a work stoppage...but you still have to try to find a fair settlement...
Based on that I think a settlement or decertification will be the ultimate end game and either way the games go on. And therefore likely under terms that owners largely dictate. I think in the good old days there were fewer constituents in the NFLPA who knew which end was up and they largely bought into union rhetoric. I think today with the proliferation of information available to them via internet players are more likely to dig a little deeper and inclined to insure their half of the golden goose doesn't get cooked. I think the fact that the uncapped season has unfolded to be about as far from the player panacea their union predicted has opened a lot of eyes.