How lame is the NFLPA? Well, this might just say it all

betterthanthealternative said:

Yeah, I've wondered why the low end of the wage scale doesn't get doubled or tripled, given thats' where most of the votes are.

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Kenneth Sims said:

If I get too political with this, I apologize. But, this is just like our national political situation. The 2/3rds of the nation that lives day to day and paycheck to paycheck doesn’t have any contact with leadership and is afraid to speak up over fear of retribution, so the government pursues the agenda of the 1/3rd that does have contact and no fear of speaking out.

Watch who stands to gain from this new CBA, it will not be the fringe player just trying to hang on long enough to improve their family’s future or good, contributing player on their rookie contract as it should, it will be established players who will see the gains as they add millions onto the millions they already have.

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rochrist said:

I'm dubious that such a thing as a hardliner for the NFLPA exists, simply because the players are too class-divided to be able to successfully maintain any sort of effective work action.

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Kenneth Sims said:

As I think about it further, their is some logic to this policy beyond just paying lip service to marijuana’s standing status as an illegal drug by the Federal government, and I applaud the NFLPA if this is part of the reason for there still being testing and sanctions for marijuana use.

Although most users and the general public see marijuana as a harmless drug, it really isn’t. Like alcohol, it is addictive and heavy long term usage can be debilitating.

Having a policy in place where players only have to abstain from use for a few weeks to get it out of their system and have their test will help the Union find players who might have an addiction problem and cannot lay off the stuff for such a short period of time.

The proof will be in the details of the policy but if it’s meant to help players who might have an addiction problem get counseling and treatment then kudos to the Union.

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Deus Irae said:

New CBA would shrink annual marijuana testing window to two weeks


That's right. Even with the league trying to get a 17 game schedule, the incompetents running the NFLPA can't get rid of testing for weed.

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Kenneth Sims said:

Although most users and the general public see marijuana as a harmless drug, it really isn’t. Like alcohol, it is addictive and heavy long term usage can be debilitating.

Click to expand...

Kenneth Sims said:

As I think about it further, their is some logic to this policy beyond just paying lip service to marijuana’s standing status as an illegal drug by the Federal government, and I applaud the NFLPA if this is part of the reason for there still being testing and sanctions for marijuana use.

Although most users and the general public see marijuana as a harmless drug, it really isn’t. Like alcohol, it is addictive and heavy long term usage can be debilitating.

Having a policy in place where players only have to abstain from use for a few weeks to get it out of their system and have their test will help the Union find players who might have an addiction problem and cannot lay off the stuff for such a short period of time.

The proof will be in the details of the policy but if it’s meant to help players who might have an addiction problem get counseling and treatment then kudos to the Union.

Click to expand...

Deus Irae said:

New CBA would shrink annual marijuana testing window to two weeks


That's right. Even with the league trying to get a 17 game schedule, the incompetents running the NFLPA can't get rid of testing for weed.

Click to expand...

primetime said:

The current union leadership is ultra-conservative and is rushing to get a new CBA done to line their pockets before upcoming union elections because there's a real chance (for the first time) they throw out Smith and his cronies and vote in hardliners who would demand heavy concessions and threaten a strike. Ownership knows this and the two sides are basically collaborating to screw over the players while they still have the chance. It's gross.

That said, as concessions go, some token telegraphed marijuana testing is pretty minor. If you get caught under those parameters, you deserve what's coming to you. (See Biden, Hunter and drug testing in the Reserves.)

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captain insano said:

I don't want to hear any crying from the players after they allow themselves to get bent over again. they have no balls.

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MainePatsFan26 said:

It's tough for the players to get into the strike mentality. Lots of them don't come from money and, as new money, spend beyond their means. There is much evidence that the players struggle to rein in spending when it would be in their interests. Just look at all the bankruptcies for former players unable to regulate their major purchases and risky investments as their earnings shrink.

To strike requires saving in advance and being able to dip into the savings while striking to ensure better future earnings and safety. Players don't seem to have that ability overall and the union leadership would get booed off the stage -- and voted out -- for suggesting everyone tighten their belts for an on-coming strike. The players want to appear tough without having to follow through on any threats to ownership.

The league, filled with owners with more gold than Scrooge McDuck can outlast all of the players. They know any threats from the union is just blowing smoke because the players would rather have good earnings across time than sacrificing anything in the short-term for even more impressive long-term earnings.

It is a sad day for working class Americans when even millionaire players can't stand up against the billionaires. But that's just America these days.

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MainePatsFan26 said:

It's tough for the players to get into the strike mentality. Lots of them don't come from money and, as new money, spend beyond their means. There is much evidence that the players struggle to rein in spending when it would be in their interests. Just look at all the bankruptcies for former players unable to regulate their major purchases and risky investments as their earnings shrink.

To strike requires saving in advance and being able to dip into the savings while striking to ensure better future earnings and safety. Players don't seem to have that ability overall and the union leadership would get booed off the stage -- and voted out -- for suggesting everyone tighten their belts for an on-coming strike. The players want to appear tough without having to follow through on any threats to ownership.

The league, filled with owners with more gold than Scrooge McDuck can outlast all of the players. They know any threats from the union is just blowing smoke because the players would rather have good earnings across time than sacrificing anything in the short-term for even more impressive long-term earnings.

It is a sad day for working class Americans when even millionaire players can't stand up against the billionaires. But that's just America these days.

Click to expand...

Deus Irae said:

New CBA would shrink annual marijuana testing window to two weeks


That's right. Even with the league trying to get a 17 game schedule, the incompetents running the NFLPA can't get rid of testing for weed.

Click to expand...

goheels22002 said:

I had a really important point to make about this, man, but I can't remember what it was.

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primetime said:

The current union leadership is ultra-conservative and is rushing to get a new CBA done to line their pockets before upcoming union elections because there's a real chance (for the first time) they throw out Smith and his cronies and vote in hardliners who would demand heavy concessions and threaten a strike. Ownership knows this and the two sides are basically collaborating to screw over the players while they still have the chance. It's gross.

That said, as concessions go, some token telegraphed marijuana testing is pretty minor. If you get caught under those parameters, you deserve what's coming to you. (See Biden, Hunter and drug testing in the Reserves.)

Click to expand...

Hyped said:

It may be gross...but no work stoppage is good for the fans and especially the Tom Brady era. It would be a shame to have a work stoppage that takes away a few games of Brady's remaining career....as it stands, ASSUMING he's a Patriot for the rest of his career...we are looking at 60 games remaining MAX, IMO....

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