Players not caving on 18-game schedule, major reason for potential lockout

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

NFL players say owners' 18-game schedule the major sticking point - ESPN

I'm glad the players are drawing a line in the sand. Although I would hate to see a lockout, I would 100% support the players. In my opinion, the owners are going down a slippery slope; first it becomes an 18-game schedule because they "need" the extra money. Then it becomes 20, and the all-star game decides home field advantage.

Seriously, don't let them turn this league into MLB, which has basically ruined our favorite past time by turning everything into a way to generate revenue, from the "Spider Man" bases to the stupid advertising behind home plate.

The NFL is perfect right now. 16 games. 4 months. 4 quarters of a season. The scheduling is just right. The records remain on an equal playing field. Every game is meaningful.

 

[HowardRoark]

NFL players say owners' 18-game schedule the major sticking point - ESPN

I'm glad the players are drawing a line in the sand. Although I would hate to see a lockout, I would 100% support the players. In my opinion, the owners are going down a slippery slope; first it becomes an 18-game schedule because they "need" the extra money. Then it becomes 20, and the all-star game decides home field advantage.

Seriously, don't let them turn this league into MLB, which has basically ruined our favorite past time by turning everything into a way to generate revenue, from the "Spider Man" bases to the stupid advertising behind home plate.

The NFL is perfect right now. 16 games. 4 months. 4 quarters of a season. The scheduling is just right. The records remain on an equal playing field. Every game is meaningful.

I know a lot of people complain about the 4 preseason games, but I like it. I think the best time I've had on the board this year was preseason. Reading the camp reports and posting in the preseason game threads was great. And I love being able to see players that I wouldn't during the regular season.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

I know a lot of people complain about the 4 preseason games, but I like it. I think the best time I've had on the board this year was preseason. Reading the camp reports and posting in the preseason game threads was great. And I love being able to see players that I wouldn't during the regular season.

Agreed 100%. I love the four preseason games. Sure, I'm antsy to watch the games that count, but that's part of what makes the anticipation so great.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Great thread. Normally I'm with mgmnt, but If and only if I was convinced the NFLPA held the line on this issue and this issue alone I'd support their intransigence forcing a lockout.

Burn in Hell Goodell and money grubbing billionaire owners!

 

[JMarr]

Goodell and the owners seriously need to suck it. The disconnect between saying you're concerned about the long-term health of your employees, yet advocating an 18 game schedule has been pointed out ad nauseam.

Nobody on this planet wants an 18 game RS except the owners.Their hypocrisy and greed knows no bounds.

 

[coolworx]

Goodell and the owners seriously need to suck it. The disconnect between saying you're concerned about the long-term health of your employees, yet advocating an 18 game schedule has been pointed out ad nauseam.

Nobody on this planet wants an 18 game RS except the owners.Their hypocrisy and greed knows no bounds.

Hear Hear!

There's no way we're going to get a better product by stretching the butter any thinner across the bread.

These SOB's already leave their knees, shoulders, and brain buckets on the field - most without ever being acknowledged (thinking about linemen...), so that suits can make billions.

NO TO 18 GAME SEASON!

 

[coolworx]

Normally I'm with mgmnt,

Why?
Don't you care about the folks that actually do the work?

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Why?
Don't you care about the folks that actually do the work?

Obviously you failed to READ my post

 

[blackglass3]

Good for the players. This whole "we care about player health" just SCREAMS hypocracy when they are trying to ram an 18 game schedule through. Screw the billionaire owners.

If they get locked out, so be it. I can live with a couple of seasons without football. As an added bonus, a prolonged lockout would most likely get Goodell fired, so huzzah!

 

[Snake Eyes]

The season is fine as is, I'd actually add some tweaking of a 2nd bye week, and expand the roster to 60 players.

If the owners want more money let them create an alternate Spring/Summer professional league with 12 games. Football starved addicts would line up, they could probably play the games for cheap in college stadiums, and it would be a better talent farm for future NFL prospects than college.

 

[cupofjoe1962]

You guys made a lot of good points for the 16 game season.

As a season ticket holder, I hate buying 2 preseason games, so
I do not have a problem with the 18 game regular season with 2 buy weeks.

We would then have the superbowl on the Sunday before
Presidents day and most people would have the day after the superbowl
off as a holiday.

If there is a lock out it will only be a matter of time before the
players cave. Quite a few of the players are big spenders and if they start missing checks, I am sure they will re-think their position.

Remember the replacement players?
Week after week more veterans crossed the line and joined the scabs
until the union caved and the owners won.

 

[fxkane]

Good for the players. This whole "we care about player health" just SCREAMS hypocracy when they are trying to ram an 18 game schedule through. Screw the billionaire owners.

If they get locked out, so be it. I can live with a couple of seasons without football. As an added bonus, a prolonged lockout would most likely get Goodell fired, so huzzah!

So true. $$$$$$$$$ I hate greed and obvious hypocrisy. Am with the players all the way down the line on this.

 

[NovaScotiaPatsFan]

Can we start a Recall Goodell movement or something? This guy is killing the game...

 

[upstater1]

People have this idea that you have to constantly grow revenue at a rate that far outpaces inflation.

You don't.

There are dozens of humongous global corporations that are doing the same things they have done for decades.

They don't need to grow revenues anymore. They have enough money. Heck, cutting a preseason game would reduce everyone's profits and everyone's salary--by a little. But the league would be so much better for it.

This is really the business world mentality where the owners want to increase the value of their franchises.

 

[coolworx]

If the owners want more money let them create an alternate Spring/Summer professional league with 12 games.

Throw the red shirts out there... let the fans vote one player per team to go to the active roster.

I'd be totally into a league of spring chicks fighting for rooster status.

 

[upstater1]

Remember the replacement players?
Week after week more veterans crossed the line and joined the scabs
until the union caved and the owners won.

That was a strike. This is a lockout. Big difference.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Screw you, ya freakin' slavedriving f8ck.

Ohhh and stick those season tix up your ass.
You're not a fan of the players, you're a French Dandy circa 1789.

Better hold on to your head.

Hold on a second here. These players aren't exactly labor workers trying to put a loaf of bread on the table. This is millionaires versus billionaires. And frankly, the only reason the players are making so much money is because of the advertising/ marketing/ hype driven machine that is funded by the NFL. The entire market and societal need for these guys' skills is a make-believe story that wouldn't exist if there weren't stadiums, fans, and television contracts. This is not a real labor dispute; this is completely different.

 

[moosekill]

What the hell are you talking about?

A bunch of overpaid whiny multimillionaires complaining about swapping 2 preseason games for 2 regular season games, with a bunch of whiny multibillionaires . Then a bunch of fans with no clue whatsoever complaining that it will in some unknown way hurt the game.

What is really happening, for all of you people with no clue about negotiations, is the owners want to expand to 18 games and do it for the minimum cost. The players have no problem playing 18 games they just want to get the maximum payment for doing it. Its called negotiations. The unions want to get expanded rosters so they can have more members.

Why do they want to expand the season? To make more money for everyone involved, its kind of simple.

The problem the players have is there are hundreds of players waiting in the wings to replace each and every one of them. Players who are almost as good as they are. Plus, their careers are so incredibly short that for most, missing one year is like 20% of their career. It is real tough for them to keep from caving.

 

[coolworx]

Hold on a second here. These players aren't exactly labor workers trying to put a loaf of bread on the table. This is millionaires versus billionaires. And frankly, the only reason the players are making so much money is because of the advertising/ marketing/ hype driven machine that is funded by the NFL. The entire market and societal need for these guys' skills is a make-believe story that wouldn't exist if there weren't stadiums, fans, and television contracts. This is not a real labor dispute; this is completely different.

Most aren't millionares.
Most have 3 seasons of relative obscurity, at best.

And as much as the hype machine may be "driven" by the NFL, make NO MISTAKE, that it's the effort by the players that puts meat on that bone.

I think the owners should make a return of no more than 7% - and everything else should be divied up by the WORKERS.

 

[coolworx]

A bunch of overpaid whiny multimillionaires

Those whiny (somewhat) millionaires are the reason you and I are wasting our Tuesday night posting on this obscure sports board.

It certainly isn't the paunchiness of Billionaire Bob Kraft that has us anticipating Sunday.