Football 2011 is OVER!!!!

[Durrty]

(03-12-2011 01:23 AM)harveybirdman Wrote:  I'm kinda good at being a drama queen. LOL

Well here...

[ChrisD]

Look, fans every where are getting way too worked up over nearly nothing right now. Sure, the union has decertified. But, what most people don't understand is that this is actually a good thing compared to what they could have done, which is not decertified and ALLOWED the NFL to lock them out. Players can now show up to work every day until they and the NFL reach a fair deal.

This fair deal we are all talking about may not happen, it may be more one sided than each side wants, but guess what, a deal WILL happen. As I have said, the US will not let the NFL season go into a lockout. There will be football.

On the point of the fans not having a say, simply put, I agree we should have a say. And I believe that the courts will also see it that way. We won't get to give them our input, but they will notice that the NFL really isn't in charge, the players aren't in charge either, but rather the Fans are. They are the people responsible for the $9 Billion every season. Without the fans, the NFL won't make money, period. If they go into lockout for a season, they risk losing a heck of a lot of fans in the process, therefore, lessening the value of the NFL and the profit that they bring in annually (Which continues to grow year after year by the way). So whether a deal gets done before the draft (Not too likely) or just before the first pre-season game, it will get done.

[Gritz]

(03-12-2011 11:26 AM)ChrisD Wrote:  Look, fans every where are getting way too worked up over nearly nothing right now. Sure, the union has decertified. But, what most people don't understand is that this is actually a good thing compared to what they could have done, which is not decertified and ALLOWED the NFL to lock them out. Players can now show up to work every day until they and the NFL reach a fair deal.

This fair deal we are all talking about may not happen, it may be more one sided than each side wants, but guess what, a deal WILL happen. As I have said, the US will not let the NFL season go into a lockout. There will be football.

On the point of the fans not having a say, simply put, I agree we should have a say. And I believe that the courts will also see it that way. We won't get to give them our input, but they will notice that the NFL really isn't in charge, the players aren't in charge either, but rather the Fans are. They are the people responsible for the $9 Billion every season. Without the fans, the NFL won't make money, period. If they go into lockout for a season, they risk losing a heck of a lot of fans in the process, therefore, lessening the value of the NFL and the profit that they bring in annually (Which continues to grow year after year by the way). So whether a deal gets done before the draft (Not too likely) or just before the first pre-season game, it will get done.

You're probably right about that, but the season will be altered nonetheless.....The free agency period will be shortened if there is one at all. Needs that each team was counting on addressing will have to be solved through the draft.

The whole thing smacks of rampant greed and avarice.

I have zero empathy for either side.

[TeamPlayer1]

If 2011 turns into a shortened season with replacement players the NFL will lose me. It will take a long time to forgive owners and players alike.

[ChrisD]

I'm putting blame on this situation on both parties, so don't get me wrong when I type what shows up next on your screen. I believe both parties are completely arrogant, and should fold for the better of the sport in general.

But notice this, the NFL Owners were trying to compromise. Was it as much as what the Players Association (Or trade association, whatever you would like to call them now) wanted them to compromise? No. But it showed that they were making the effort. Now, instead of the Players Association compromising, and saying "Alright, we see you are willing to compromise a little, let's keep talks going and extend this again." they basically said screw you to the owners, AND to the fans and decertified.

Both parties are to blame, but the Players Association should have offered to extend the talks another few days to a week once they saw the owners were willing to give up a little. All I'm saying is at least the owners made a viable effort. All we have heard from the Players Association day in and day out is how they are making compromises. Are they? Because despite what we've heard out of the leaders of the PA, all I have actually seen is them DEMANDING that the Owners take such and such, or leave it. They haven't compromised. They have stood solid at their stance since day 1. And that's why if people are blaming one side or the other, blame the Players Association. Not the owners. But in reality, blame both parties.

[Paulitik]

(03-12-2011 01:36 PM)ChrisD Wrote:  I'm putting blame on this situation on both parties, so don't get me wrong when I type what shows up next on your screen. I believe both parties are completely arrogant, and should fold for the better of the sport in general.

But notice this, the NFL Owners were trying to compromise. Was it as much as what the Players Association (Or trade association, whatever you would like to call them now) wanted them to compromise? No. But it showed that they were making the effort. Now, instead of the Players Association compromising, and saying "Alright, we see you are willing to compromise a little, let's keep talks going and extend this again." they basically said screw you to the owners, AND to the fans and decertified.

Both parties are to blame, but the Players Association should have offered to extend the talks another few days to a week once they saw the owners were willing to give up a little. All I'm saying is at least the owners made a viable effort. All we have heard from the Players Association day in and day out is how they are making compromises. Are they? Because despite what we've heard out of the leaders of the PA, all I have actually seen is them DEMANDING that the Owners take such and such, or leave it. They haven't compromised. They have stood solid at their stance since day 1. And that's why if people are blaming one side or the other, blame the Players Association. Not the owners. But in reality, blame both parties.

The Owner's goose was cooked with the Doty ruling, but the fact that they still expect the players to take less revenue share without disclosure of the justification of that is pure arrogance. You guys are being suckered by the NFL spin. The 18 game season, and the other items were always a ploy to get the players to agree to a cut in share. The NFL is bigger than ever, and they are asking for sacrifices that they aren't willing to make.

The lockout isn't a mutual agreement. It's all on the owners, the current CBA could still be in place, and the NFL did fine with that. We could have free agency and football as usual, but the owners refuse to do so. That's where the majority of the blame lies.

[The Falcon Jedi]

Is the UFL still around?

[ChrisD]

(03-12-2011 08:31 PM)The Falcon Jedi Wrote:  Is the UFL still around?

Bankrupt.

[ChrisD]

Whoops. I'm totally incorrect! The UFL is still around, they are gearing up for their 2011 season.

My bad!

[g-dawg]

(03-12-2011 04:58 PM)Paulitik Wrote:  The Owner's goose was cooked with the Doty ruling, but the fact that they still expect the players to take less revenue share without disclosure of the justification of that is pure arrogance. You guys are being suckered by the NFL spin. The 18 game season, and the other items were always a ploy to get the players to agree to a cut in share. The NFL is bigger than ever, and they are asking for sacrifices that they aren't willing to make.

The lockout isn't a mutual agreement. It's all on the owners, the current CBA could still be in place, and the NFL did fine with that. We could have free agency and football as usual, but the owners refuse to do so. That's where the majority of the blame lies.

While I blame the owners.....plenty.......and I agree w/ you that the 18 game season was never a serious item - just a throw away - so there are two points I will agree w/ you on. I also blame the owners for making a "bad deal" 3 years ago(or however long ago it was) the first time.

I don't think the owners are hurting or starving - I do think it was dumb to give the players that large of a pot of revenue in the first place when the current(or "previous" now) contract was struck

Dee Smith knew he had the advantage in court and the owners gave up about 70% of what they wanted in these negotiations - they could have given up 90% of what they wanted yesterday and it would not have mattered. After the owners caving on 70% of their demands and throwing in a bunch of goodies (more time off in season, training camp, offseason), taking care of older players, etc. - had Dee Smith and players accepted it would have been a great victory for them - but Dee Smith wanted no part of it - this is about Dee Smith saying "LOOK AT ME, I'M THE BIG SWINGIN' DI#K"!!!!

We could have an agreement now - sure Players will win in court and maybe have slightly better than what was offered yesterday - but was it worth it? NO......But Dee Smith is happy about it - more press for him as "the tough negotiator".....

Dee Smith is an F'ing tool!!!