It's almost as if DeMaurice likes attention

    It was foolish and unfortunate for NFL union chief DeMaurice Smith to describe negotiations with NFL owners as "war."

    War is what you get when you risk your life for your country and your ideals. The war analogies the less creative among us insist on applying to sports are always overblown.

    Also overblown is Smith's rhetoric. The labor negotiations are simple. The NFL gave the players too much during the last round of negotiations. The owners wanted peace. They also wanted to send then commissioner Paul Tagliabue out on a peaceful note.

    They did. And they're paying for it. And they want to stop.

    Owners are asking players to return some of what they were given and restore order to the financial model. Owners are asking a lot. It's like losing money in a poker game and asking for it back.

     Smith's fiery words might excite player representatives and players, but they accomplish nothing. This isn't war. This is business.

    Treat it as business, and maybe players and owners can put themselves in position to reach an agreement.

     That's the idea, right?

     Or is the idea to see who can make the most noise and attract the most attention? 

 

 

 

 

    

Comments

[John]

Seems like a pretty one sided view. How do you know what the owners true financial situation is since they won't open the books? If the owners want peace so bad why didn't they accept the unions reasonable offer on a rookie cap? Because they don't want peace they want more and they are so stupid they think a lock out only hurts the players.

[Authority]

It really doesn't matter what the owners' situation really is. They aren't willing to continue under the current agreement. Players have a choice - make a new deal or don't get paychecks. The players have a little negotiating power, as the owners won't make any money during a work stoppage, however, the owners are better suited to a long stoppage than the players are. The players need to start negotiating rather than posturing or everybody loses.

[Ben]

It's becoming more and more obvious that the players made the wrong choice for union president. It reminds of Donald Fehr, who was more interested in influencing the deal rather than considering what's best for the game over the long haul.

[swizzlesticks]

Actually, the owners don't have to open their books - the Green Bay Packers books are public record, as the team is owned by the city, and not an individual. Also, the Packers have been extremely successful, selling tickets that is, and they would represent the upper echelon of money-makers, though not at the very top for sure. However, they are an excellent gauge for the rest of the league, and while they are doing well, their revenue is not what you would imagine, especially when you hear about $1 million per game players...

[SSGPat]

I hope that they block play for a year... for Luck!

[Andrew Luck]

I actually have 2 more years of eligibility, so if there's a work stoppage I plan on staying at Stanford for my 5th year so I don't have to play for that crazy old man Jerry Richardson.

[KatFan]

I hope there is a lockout. I'd rather watch college next year and get another 1st overall pick than watch another dismal season for the Panthers.

[John]

swizzlesticks:

The Packers aren't a good case study as they are completely unique in the NFL. They are a publicly owned non-profit after all. A situation the NFL made a rule against in 1960 so they will remain unique.

Now if we were to study them we'd find they have a problem with decreasing revenue from fans along with a mismanaged cap. That probably applies to a few teams. In fact they are probably very close to next years cap at this point. But is that the players fault? And of course they are one team in 32. Need more data than that to really make any sound decision either way.

[Bratspat]

Hey... let both sides keep on with this nonsense. I haven't watched one single baseball game after the strike I cannot even remember how many years ago. And while we're at it look at baseball now. The chances of Jerry "Tank the Season" Richardson and "Look at Me" DeMaurice working out a deal are just about nil in my book.

[Wayne]

The Panthers' personnel department, headed by Don Gregory (director of College Scouting) is atrocious. Last year, they drafted Claussen way too high with a second round pick, then took a flyer on Armanti Edwards in the 3rd round and again took a QB in the 6th round and QB is STILL their number one need!!! I realize they didn't draft Edwards to be a QB, but they drafted him in the 3RD ROUND to play a position he has never before played!! Furthermore, he couldn't even get on the field at arguably the weakest position on the team! Hurney is terrible, the scouting is terrible. The bad part is, according to Frank Garcia, the personnel department operates at about one-third the manpower and budget of typical NFL personnel departments. So, not only is Hurney terrible, but he also operates with one hand tied behind his back by Richardson. Not a pretty picture for fans, especially PSL holders.

[moboythunder]

what else would this so-called reporter say. If the Panthers can do no wrong do you honestly expect for him to critize the NFL. I go the Observer's website for the comments of the fans, pro or con, I know that they are honest. The paper's whole non-technical staff are the very definition of journalistic garbage. Look at the fines and the Peppers situation, the players need a Fehr type.

[Bring back Tagliabue]

War huh... seems like Mr. Smith should be impeached. Let the players vote for whats going to happen with THEIR future, not some egotistical money hungry fool. If the owners had to open their books and show how much money they're losing then the players might be inclined to make a deal, rather than Adolf Smith leading their "war" efforts.