Charlie Batch on Local Radio- Lockout is coming for 2011

[LLT]

Charlie Batch on Local Radio- Lockout is coming for 2011
July 14th, 2010
sportsradiointerviews.com

Pittsburgh Steelers QB Charlie Batch was on local radio in Tampa this morning, conducting an interview on WQYK. He discussed several things regarding the Steelers, and as the Steelers Player Representative in the Players Union, addressed the possibility of a lockout in 2011, saying that he’s 100 % certain there will be a lockout. He is after all, the union rep and it’s his job to make the unions position look good and the owners look bad, and as always, the truth is generally somewhere in the middle as I support positions from both sides in this matter. Any way, the possibility of a work stoppage in 2011 is frightening for football fans.

On the chances of a lockout in 2011 Batch responded,

“Well one thing for sure, you can’t say a holdout on the players’ side because we’re not striking over labor negotiations; we’re okay with everything, so labor is not an issue with us as far as where we stand from there. But from the owners’ standpoint, you have to put it at 100 percent. I said it over a year ago heading into training camp. People called me crazy for making those statements but it was the truth. And I think here we are sitting here less than a year from a possible lockout from the owners’ side, the fans have to understand that this isn’t the players doing this. This can be a trickle down effect from the owners meaning no games, no stadium revenues, meaning people who are employed at the stadium – you’re talking about over 100,000 stadium workers that will get laid off because there will be no season played. And then ultimately bar and restaurant owners, vendors, hot dog vendors who may possibly lose out because there are no games on Sunday. I can only imagine. I know what it’s like here in Pittsburgh on Sundays, so now I can only imagine over the course of 31 other NFL cities, there’s going to be a trickle down effect for business owners as losing money. And I think it’s a reality that these people need to start thinking about what they’re going to do if there is no season in the 2011 season. So it’s just really, really frustrating for a lot of people, and I think that everybody wants a deal, but make sure it’s a fair deal for both sides. Just make sure it gets done. But just to make myself clear – this is not a strike by the players; we’re not fighting over labor issues. This is an actual lockout coming from the owners locking out the players that can ultimately have a trickle down effect on everybody.”

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[tony hipchest]

thanks charlie for pointing out that 100,000's of people, businesses, anc communities, are making a hell of a profit and living around the owners investment.

you seen a rookie contract lately, chuck? take a look at albert haynesworths deal or what d. revis demands?

looks like the players have alot of average joes lookin up to them to do the right thing and get a new labor deal done.

screw the union.

[86WARD]

Chuck...way to go!!

[MasterOfPuppets]

millionaire's and billionaire's calling each other greedy .... gotta love it.

[HometownGal]

millionaire's and billionaire's calling each other greedy .... gotta love it.

^This. :applaudit:

I'm with hipheese here - fuck the union.


And then ultimately bar and restaurant owners, vendors, hot dog vendors who may possibly lose out because there are no games on Sunday.

Don't forget the ticket scalpers. :heh:

[MULLDOG24]

I really hope that they come to an agreement cause it's gonna be a long fall/winter without some Steeler football. I'm not very confident that a deal will get done though.

[tony hipchest]

heres what the players must remember. sure the owners will lose some revenue if there is a lockout. but they also wont have to pay 60% of their entire revenue to the players (which they currently do).

however the owners will still have the revenue from the television deal coming in, merchandise sales, and anything else they lease the stadiums for. the players wont have jack shit.

most players dont have a clue on how to budget, and quite a few will be heading to bankruptcy w/o an entire years salary. football will go on w/o the players. sure the product would suck at first, but new players will be found.

[BigNastyDefense]

I wish the players would step back and look at the truth: they are some of the luckiest bastards on earth.

They don't have to punch a clock. They make more money than most of the fans that watch them at the stadium and on television. They get to play a sport for a living.

I also think that a mistake was made when they chose DeMaurice Smith as the replacement for Gene Upshaw. Smith is a bulldog who isn't interested in making sure that football is played....he is more interested in the politics of it all and wants to flex his muscles by not budging on anything. Gene Upshaw was successful in his post as Executive Director of the NFLPA because he knew there was going to have to be give and take and that in the end, a work stoppage wasn't good for the sport whatsoever.

Now in this age of recession. People losing houses, jobs, families....we really don't care for the arguments of owners who are billionaires and the players who at the least are very rich.

Players complain that they don't have money, but they made the poor financial decisions to put themselves in that state. The rookie minimum is what, $400,000/year? If you can't make it work off of that, then your priorities are screwed up. It's not the job of the owners or the NFL to train you in money management. Any athlete, hell any person for that matter, in college should take a money management course.

In the end, a lockout will hurt the NFL more that many think. A lot of people will just walk away and say screw it, they don't care anymore.

[smokin3000gt]

Gotta love those unions. :thumbsup: They make sure that those poor, poor football players aren't being taken advantage while their playing a game for millions of dollars.

[smokin3000gt]

I wish the players would step back and look at the truth: they are some of the luckiest bastards on earth.

They don't have to punch a clock. They make more money than most of the fans that watch them at the stadium and on television. They get to play a sport for a living.

I also think that a mistake was made when they chose DeMaurice Smith as the replacement for Gene Upshaw. Smith is a bulldog who isn't interested in making sure that football is played....he is more interested in the politics of it all and wants to flex his muscles by not budging on anything. Gene Upshaw was successful in his post as Executive Director of the NFLPA because he knew there was going to have to be give and take and that in the end, a work stoppage wasn't good for the sport whatsoever.

Now in this age of recession. People losing houses, jobs, families....we really don't care for the arguments of owners who are billionaires and the players who at the least are very rich.

Players complain that they don't have money, but they made the poor financial decisions to put themselves in that state. The rookie minimum is what, $400,000/year? If you can't make it work off of that, then your priorities are screwed up. It's not the job of the owners or the NFL to train you in money management. Any athlete, hell any person for that matter, in college should take a money management course.

In the end, a lockout will hurt the NFL more that many think. A lot of people will just walk away and say screw it, they don't care anymore.

Don't forget about the playboy lifestyle!

[LLT]

Not that I dont love me some Batch.....but I gotta wonder if a strike might be in Charlies best interest. The way things are looking, if active players get locked out next year....someone might be in need of his services.

I'm not sayin'......I'm just sayin'

[Chidi29]

Like the author said in the first sentence, it's the union's job to make this sound like a doomsday situation. Make the other side look bad, put the pressure on them. Which is what Batch did.

With the owners not being allowed to say anything back, facing a fine if they do, the union can pretty much say/do whatever they want without fear of it backfiring on them.

At least one proposal has already been sent in the past couple weeks.

No one wants a lockout. It's ironic because it's an issue over money and if a lockout occurs, each side is going to end up losing a ton of money. I don't think there will be one.

[Devilsdancefloor]

Well i know they whole lock out will be bad for both sides, but even worse for the players they get another year older with no pay (re-guard less of how much it is) That puts them ever so close the the magic age of 30 when most teams will not spend big bucks on them. The reason i stopped watching baseball is because of the last strike. 1987 i stopped watching football for a few years because of the strike. The owners and the players need to get their collective heads out of their asses and work something out. I just wish Dan Rooney would come back for a year of so and help out on the new CBA. It seems like people like Mr Rooney remember what it was like to own a team and have a empty stadium and will work harder unlike the Jerry Jones.

[steelerdude15]

I wish the players would step back and look at the truth: they are some of the luckiest bastards on earth.

They don't have to punch a clock. They make more money than most of the fans that watch them at the stadium and on television. They get to play a sport for a living.

I also think that a mistake was made when they chose DeMaurice Smith as the replacement for Gene Upshaw. Smith is a bulldog who isn't interested in making sure that football is played....he is more interested in the politics of it all and wants to flex his muscles by not budging on anything. Gene Upshaw was successful in his post as Executive Director of the NFLPA because he knew there was going to have to be give and take and that in the end, a work stoppage wasn't good for the sport whatsoever.

Now in this age of recession. People losing houses, jobs, families....we really don't care for the arguments of owners who are billionaires and the players who at the least are very rich.

Players complain that they don't have money, but they made the poor financial decisions to put themselves in that state. The rookie minimum is what, $400,000/year? If you can't make it work off of that, then your priorities are screwed up. It's not the job of the owners or the NFL to train you in money management. Any athlete, hell any person for that matter, in college should take a money management course.

In the end, a lockout will hurt the NFL more that many think. A lot of people will just walk away and say screw it, they don't care anymore.
I agree with you one hundred percent. I'd be happy with making $400,000 plus a year, hell I'd be happy with only $100,000 plus a year. It IS getting out of control the player salaries, especially the rookie contracts IMO. They're saying that Bradfords contract is going to be the most expensive in history for a rookie. The man hasn't done a single thing yet! It's like Tebow getting his own shoe and his jersey selling like wild fire, it's ridiculous! Anyways, something needs to be done quick... and screw unions.

[solardave]

Maybe we should pass the hat for the players?:thumbdown: Or we could pay the dues for the ones who didn't look far enough ahead. Yeah right! In the end it will cost us all in ticket prices so they can all kiss my ass and get back to work.

[SirHulka]

I also think that a mistake was made when they chose DeMaurice Smith as the replacement for Gene Upshaw. Smith is a bulldog who isn't interested in making sure that football is played....he is more interested in the politics of it all and wants to flex his muscles by not budging on anything.



BINGO! He's a lawyer. All he cares about is 'winning' and making a name for himself.

Personally, it looks to me like BOTH sides want a work stoppage. But I think they forget that old adage "Be careful what you wish for. You might get it."

Arena football anyone?

[Steely McSmash]

Isn't Batch the team's union rep? If so it's hardly a surprise that he's regurgitating Smith's party line. Right now the union has no real leverage so they're trying to influence public sentiment. I think they'll get a deal done personally. There's a lot to get done so both sides can get something.

- Rookie salary caps (benefits players on 2nd contract, benefits owners)
- Extend season / flip a preseason game into regular season (benefits owners)
- Expand rosters if season is extended (benefits players by increasng the job pool)
- Revise health coverage for past players (benefits players)
- Avoid blackeye and revenue loss (benefits both)

I personally felt that Upshaw was maybe too tough for the union's good. He was certainly a competitive guy -- I know next to nothing about Smith.

[BigNastyDefense]

Isn't Batch the team's union rep? If so it's hardly a surprise that he's regurgitating Smith's party line. Right now the union has no real leverage so they're trying to influence public sentiment. I think they'll get a deal done personally. There's a lot to get done so both sides can get something.

- Rookie salary caps (benefits players on 2nd contract, benefits owners)
- Extend season / flip a preseason game into regular season (benefits owners)
- Expand rosters if season is extended (benefits players by increasng the job pool)
- Revise health coverage for past players (benefits players)
- Avoid blackeye and revenue loss (benefits both)

I personally felt that Upshaw was maybe too tough for the union's good. He was certainly a competitive guy -- I know next to nothing about Smith.

Smith is a lawyer. So he's going at this with the mentality of one. He's not holding punches and he doesn't plan on giving anything up in negotiations. He's plan is that it's his way or the highway. He doesn't care about the image of the league or the players.

Upshaw knew the only way to keep labor peace was that there would have to be give and take. He knew in the end, a lockout or strike was bad for the league (owners and players). So yeah, he'd give up an concession but the owners would also give something up along with it. It was more like a partnership with Upshaw in charge.

[Steely McSmash]

Smith is a lawyer. So he's going at this with the mentality of one. He's not holding punches and he doesn't plan on giving anything up in negotiations. He's plan is that it's his way or the highway. He doesn't care about the image of the league or the players.

Upshaw knew the only way to keep labor peace was that there would have to be give and take. He knew in the end, a lockout or strike was bad for the league (owners and players). So yeah, he'd give up an concession but the owners would also give something up along with it. It was more like a partnership with Upshaw in charge.

To insinuate that all lawyers are the same in that regard essentially throws your opinion out the window for me. It's really not worthy of discussion if that's all you have to add.

Here's an excerpt from Gene Upshaw's wikipedia page: "He led the NFLPA in its unsuccessful strike in 1987.." D'oh

[Canadian Steeler Nation]

There is middle ground in this situation for sure, both owners and players make a silly amount of money from football. At the end of the day the players dont have any leverage unless they stay out more than one season.

[BnG_Hevn]

Batch re-iterates the fact that the owners' are responsible, not the players, but he doesn't say what the owners are specifically doing or not doing that the players don't agree with.

The players can hold out all they want, if the owner's want to, they can still field teams. Sure, the talent won't be as good but i guarantee the games will still be entertaining. They can still hold a college draft too, maybe extend it to 17 rounds. That will allow for more kids coming out of college to get a shot.

I hope the players DO go on strike. There will still be NFL games played.

[Steely McSmash]

Batch re-iterates the fact that the owners' are responsible, not the players, but he doesn't say what the owners are specifically doing or not doing that the players don't agree with.

The players can hold out all they want, if the owner's want to, they can still field teams. Sure, the talent won't be as good but i guarantee the games will still be entertaining. They can still hold a college draft too, maybe extend it to 17 rounds. That will allow for more kids coming out of college to get a shot.

I hope the players DO go on strike. There will still be NFL games played.

Why not extend it to 53 rounds and have an all-rookie season?

[Chidi29]

Why not extend it to 53 rounds and have an all-rookie season?

There will be vets, the has-beens and never-weres, who are willing to become "scabs" and cross the picket line. It's happened in pass strikes.

[BnG_Hevn]

That's just it, there are plenty of "has-beens" and "never-weres" whos careers were cut short simply because a high-paid rookie was signed. There is plenty of talent out there to be had.

[GodfatherofSoul]

Man, some of you guys are kidding yourselves. You think anyone wants to watch a team full of practice squad players bumbling about on the field?

Football is about the PLAYERS. I don't give a damn about any of the owners except ours. Pro sports is the free market at it's free-est. Ben isn't taking home millions because of his great agent or his charity work or his nice personality. He's getting paid because he's a winner that people pay to watch or sit through hours of advertisements to watch. When players negotiate or hold out or strike, they're trying to get fair market value and probably more. What they usually get paid is their fair market value (save the colossal free agency blunders).

Please stop comparing the peanuts we make shuffling paperwork with their salaries. If there were only 10 people in the world who could shuffle paperwork as well as YOU could, you'd be making $10 million a year, too!

Had owners not been so greedy before free agency, it never would have evolved. The NFL has IMO the perfect balance of free agency. Enough restrictions and caps to allow owners to build winning franchises, yet enough revenue sharing with the players and freedoms to allow them to get fair compensation. Not like baseball and basketball where everyone is passed around like mercenaries. Owners need to give up their 60% and stop crying about greedy players.

[fansince'76]

I really hope that they come to an agreement cause it's gonna be a long fall/winter without some Steeler football. I'm not very confident that a deal will get done though.

Considering the absolute chucklehead who will ostensibly be spearheading negotiations from management's perspective (hint: see my sig), I consider a strike/lockout to be a foregone conclusion. The only question in my mind is how long it will last.

[SirHulka]

To insinuate that all lawyers are the same in that regard essentially throws your opinion out the window for me. It's really not worthy of discussion if that's all you have to add.

How many trial lawyers do you know of that go into a trial with the mentality of trying to lose? That doesn't invalidate his opinion. Look at it another way. How many NFL QB's do you know of that go into a game trying to lose?

In any event, this is not about ALL lawyers, just one. And he's done enough things to convince a lot of people that all he cares about is 'winning' the talks, and doesn't care whether football is played or not. I know several lawyers that would already have a fair contract in place.

[Chidi29]

How many trial lawyers do you know of that go into a trial with the mentality of trying to lose? That doesn't invalidate his opinion. Look at it another way. How many NFL QB's do you know of that go into a game trying to lose?

In any event, this is not about ALL lawyers, just one. And he's done enough things to convince a lot of people that all he cares about is 'winning' the talks, and doesn't care whether football is played or not. I know several lawyers that would already have a fair contract in place.

+1 with his lawyer mentality

Anyone see what he said on Mike&Mike yesterday. He said something close to...

"You guys are just trying to get me to say the "c-word". Collusion. Oops, there it goes."

Class lawyer manipulating.