Patriots About to Be Singled Out For Lack Of Labor Interest

[evh5150]

I believe that the average player is better off with a union than without.

The key word here is "the average player", players/veterans on the minimum. The union should focus or look for a CBA that benefits these players, rather the burresses, the vicks, the players who has already earned millions.

 

[Pats726]

If the Lions were taking offers for the 1st pick with teams offering x pick in 2011 or x-player and x-pick...isn't that a market? It's the by the book definition of the secondary market.

I don't know about economic definitions..but I frankly doubt that the Lions were taking ANY offers at all...as the value of a high position has lost a lot. In teh old days HIGH picks were gold...now...not even tin. In the last years, there have been no trades in the top 5 picks. No trades in top 10 in 09, a 7th and 8th in 08, an 8th pick in 07, 06 had none in top 10, 05 had a 7th and in 04 6th and 7th. If you know something about the rookie salary structure,, it reduces quickly ar the 6th 7th pick...NO TEAMS wanted those high picks because of the high price and low value.
The last trades in the top 5..6 were in 03...4th and 6th pick..the Jets vaulting up to 4th to draft DeWayne Robertson and the Saints moving up to the 6th to take Jonathon Sullivan.
Not much value now to those picks...NO value.

As to the by the book definition..it HARDLY fits this situation...there ARE NO free markets at all involved here...NONE!! If the Patriots, Lions at whatever team drafted Stafford..he would STILL be employed by the NFL. Competing franchises...is that by the book anything close to a free market?? Please...... And those salaries and I am talking about the very first players taken...are more or less in a certain range PRIOR to the draft...so while there is room for negotiation..it's HARDLY anything resembling "free"...more like in chains.

Anything close to real markets will occur if/when Vick is free and wishing to play football. The UFL will be going after him...as will I am sure some NFL teams..BUT there might be a bit of a problem as it seems Atlanta holds the rights to him. If you wish to know about ANYTHING close to free markets read about the AFL...NFL war in the early 60s pre merger.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

Just to clear up a few points:

The NFLPA is a union for active players not retired players. As such, they represent the their members. Seems to me that guys who made millions should figure out how to care for themselves after their playing (making millions of dollars) days are over.

One can feel for the old guys but they aren't in the union.

The fact that contracts are not all guarenteed is the biggest boon to opening positions to new players found in sports. In baseball, all contracts are guarenteed and over the hill players don't get cut and this doesn't make room for new players.

Baseball does somewhat compensate because "prospects" are the new trade gold. However, it doesn't totally compensate.

It's well known that the Pats have the highest percentage of college educated players. Maybe they feel they can skip checkbook lessons.

Also, the players that would benefit the most from an uncapped year are the best players. If the Pats have an over representation of good players, one would expect less interest in the CBA. "Over paying" can only happen within the context of a salary cap.

No salary cap benefits the Pats more than any other team. We are the only franchise that combines superior organizational ability with top tier financial resources. Pittsburgh can't compete financially. Snyder and Jerry Jones are morons.