NFL owners impose lockout

[LLT]

NFL owners impose lockout
Sunday, March 13, 2011
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

As expected, National Football League owners imposed a lockout of players from all 32 teams, pushing the labor issues between the sides a step closer to litigation and bringing the first work stoppage since 1987 to a professional sports league that is regarded as the most successful in the world.

Less than 24 hours after the NFL Players Association decided to decertify as a union, the league said Saturday that it was exercising its legal right to institute a lockout, a move that will prohibit any of the league's nearly 1,700 players from visiting their team's offices or training facilities, having official conversation with any coaches or front-office personnel and strip them of any salary, bonuses or insurance and medical coverage during the work stoppage.

Despite its action, the NFL said in a statement Saturday that its member clubs, including the Steelers, want to continue to negotiate with the players.



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11072...#ixzz1GTm7vCkZ

[Shoes]

I think the fan's should have a lockout since both sides are swimming in greed. Maybe we need a union...

[Devilsdancefloor]

My football league & players are dictators!

It is a crying shame that they can not work things out with getting lawyers and judges involved!

[steelpride12]

2011 season goodbye.

[Polamalu Princess]

No matter how you kook at this, it is a very sad situation.

[Borski]

All this union talk going around maybe the Fans should start a union to protest ticket prices and stuff, we could be called the "Fan Union" or FU for short.

[stillers4me]

All this union talk going around maybe the Fans should start a union to protest ticket prices and stuff, we could be called the "Fan Union" or FU for short.

[86WARD]

All this union talk going around maybe the Fans should start a union to protest ticket prices and stuff, we could be called the "Fan Union" or FU for short.

Funny...count me in.

[BigNastyDefense]

The players and what was the NFLPA wants you to think that this lockout is all a fault of the owners.

The owners want you to think that this lockout is a fault of the players and what was the NFLPA.

In reality, it is a fault of both.

It was the owners that opted out of the CBA, causing this current work stoppage. It was the NFLPA that allowed the opt-out clause to be put into the last CBA.

It was the NFLPA that hired DeMaurice Smith to head the orginization. While he has a very impressive resume, he worked for the United States District Attorney and then worked as a litigation partner in the Washington, D.C. offices of Latham & Watkins and Patton Boggs. Smith is a pitbull who doesn't concede anything and it's got to be his way or the highway.

When he was first hired on, I was wary of his history in litigation.

When the owners offered to open up their books up to five years, he wanted ten years of audited information, no less. When he didn't get what he asked for, he chose to decertify the NFLPA which opened up his specialty, litigation.

The owners and the NFLPA brought this on themselves. I don't really side with either, but if anything I would side with the owners. Because in the end, they run a business. They run privately owned businesses in which they are not legally forced to open up their books to their employees.

If these players that own or co-own car dealerships and such were asked by their employees for 50% of the cut and to open their books to those employees, they would refuse. However, they expect their own bosses to open their books and give up even more. The owners already give up more than 50% of the revenues.

In the end, this is all greed. Greed from the owners, and greed from the players. However, the owners are on the hook if shit hits the fan, not the players. That's what the players and DeMaurice Smith do not understand.

Not to mention the economic effect this lockout will have on all 32 cities that the NFL has teams in. Many people will be left out of work. No vendors or ushers. Parking lot attendants laid off because nobody is parking. Servers and bartenders with their hours cut/laid off. Security guards at the stadiums left without the work on Sundays. And that's not even the entire list.

There better be football on Sundays come September, otherwise the NFL might feel a bigger hit than they are expecting when they open their doors again and they don't have the gate receipts/concession sales/merchandise sales that they were expecting.

[Bluecoat96]

The owners and the NFLPA brought this on themselves. I don't really side with either, but if anything I would side with the owners. Because in the end, they run a business. They run privately owned businesses in which they are not legally forced to open up their books to their employees.

If these players that own or co-own car dealerships and such were asked by their employees for 50% of the cut and to open their books to those employees, they would refuse. However, they expect their own bosses to open their books and give up even more. The owners already give up more than 50% of the revenues.

In the end, this is all greed. Greed from the owners, and greed from the players. However, the owners are on the hook if shit hits the fan, not the players. That's what the players and DeMaurice Smith do not understand.

Not to mention the economic effect this lockout will have on all 32 cities that the NFL has teams in. Many people will be left out of work. No vendors or ushers. Parking lot attendants laid off because nobody is parking. Servers and bartenders with their hours cut/laid off. Security guards at the stadiums left without the work on Sundays. And that's not even the entire list.

There better be football on Sundays come September, otherwise the NFL might feel a bigger hit than they are expecting when they open their doors again and they don't have the gate receipts/concession sales/merchandise sales that they were expecting.

This. VERY well said.

[zulater]

In trying to absorb the avoidable antitrust lawsuit filed Friday under Tom Brady vs. the NFL that preceded the league's first work stoppage in 24 years, one thought won't go away.

Maybe it's time the NFL players considered putting their names behind another signal-caller. And I don't mean Brady's fellow plaintiffs Peyton Manning or Drew Brees.

If DeMaurice Smith, the leader of the now-decertified NFL Players Association, showed as much interest in making a deal as he seemed to have in making history, perhaps we would be debating who got the best of whom in the new collective bargaining agreement.

Instead, 1000 Football Drive leading to Halas Hall has become 2011 Lockout Lane, and Smith as much as anybody steered the sport down an uncharted road that looks bumpy. read more..........http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports...7161607.column

[memphissteelergirl]

All this union talk going around maybe the Fans should start a union to protest ticket prices and stuff, we could be called the "Fan Union" or FU for short.

LOL...Well played.

[86WARD]

The owners and the NFLPA brought this on themselves. I don't really side with either, but if anything I would side with the owners. Because in the end, they run a business. They run privately owned businesses in which they are not legally forced to open up their books to their employees.

If these players that own or co-own car dealerships and such were asked by their employees for 50% of the cut and to open their books to those employees, they would refuse. However, they expect their own bosses to open their books and give up even more. The owners already give up more than 50% of the revenues.

The NFL is a partnership between the owners and NFLPA. Without the owners there is no NFL, without the players there is no NFL.

I agree with you...I wouldn't open my books up either. But, it's not the normal employer/employee relationship. If you work at McDonald's they aren't sharing 60% of the revenue. They are paying you whatever they want.

You can't really compare this situation to an everyday business.

If the owners want the extra billion, they'll have to open the books and show a loss in profitability. No way the players agree to giving it up without seeing it first.

[GBMelBlount]

Both sides have every right to negotiate in their own best interests.

Regardless, it is a shame when there are win / win options and everyone may lose.

[86WARD]

Everyone...

[Steeldude]

Without the owners there is no NFL, without the players there is no NFL.

get new players. i am all for scrapping every player and starting from scratch. well...that's if it's possible to do so.

[Steeldude]

If the owners want the extra billion, they'll have to open the books and show a loss in profitability. No way the players agree to giving it up without seeing it first

but it's not the players' money. whether the owner lost or made money is irrelevant. it's the owners who write the checks. i don't go the CEO of my company and ask for records.

i hope they scrap the entire 2011 season. i am tired of hearing these overpaid players whining about how they want or need more money. you want more money then buy a team, but you know if that happens the player-turned-owner will change his outlook.

[Steeldude]

and another thing, why should these players get more money? will they say, "we bring in the fans"? well that's true, but you are already compensated for it by being given multi-million dollar contracts. it's not like players are paid $12 an hour. the players are fat cats. when do the players stop asking for more and more money? pretty soon the NFL will have multi-billion dollar players...

[GodfatherofSoul]

Sports are probably the only true meritocracy on earth. Players make millions because they create a fanbase that is worth BILLIONS in merchandising and advertising. We've already seen what happened when the owners decided to pay whatever they wanted without player unions. They paid them dogshit just like you probably would. Unions formed because ownership never wanted to pay fair wages for the previous 50 or so years the league existed. Fans don't give two squirts of piss about who the owner is, we want to watch the players play and the coaches coach them.

I shake my head when I read working class people devaluing fellow laborers (regardless of salary).

[zulater]

Sports are probably the only true meritocracy on earth. Players make millions because they create a fanbase that is worth BILLIONS in merchandising and advertising. We've already seen what happened when the owners decided to pay whatever they wanted without player unions. They paid them dogshit just like you probably would. Unions formed because ownership never wanted to pay fair wages for the previous 50 or so years the league existed. Fans don't give two squirts of piss about who the owner is, we want to watch the players play and the coaches coach them.I shake my head when I read working class people devaluing fellow laborers (regardless of salary).

Geez, you gonna give us a coffee to go with that sermon you're giving us from The Daily Worker?

And as Steeler fans we are somewhat attached to the owner, or at least most of us are. As far as the players goes, it's more about the laundry than the player. You see some of the things said in here about Willie Parker lately? Think anyone really cares what's up with Joey Porter, or Nate Washington?

And we're talking about "workers" who average 1.9 million dollars a year in salary! Look I don't begrudge anyone getting what they can, but at the same token let's be real, we're not really talking about indentured servants either. And besides, it doesn't matter what you pay these guys, most of them will be broke within 5 years anyway.

So in all truthfullness, I think what's in the best interest of the game is for the owners to keep some fiscal sanity in it.

[Butch]

The NFL is a partnership between the owners and NFLPA. Without the owners there is no NFL, without the players there is no NFL.

I agree with you...I wouldn't open my books up either. But, it's not the normal employer/employee relationship. If you work at McDonald's they aren't sharing 60% of the revenue. They are paying you whatever they want.

You can't really compare this situation to an everyday business.

If the owners want the extra billion, they'll have to open the books and show a loss in profitability. No way the players agree to giving it up without seeing it first.

I agree you can not compair this to normal working buisnesses. If the owner of most companies demanded that a city build a new building for his workers or they would leave for another city would the city give a rats butt??? NFL owners hold cities hostage over this issue.

[oneforthetoe]

I agree you can not compair this to normal working buisnesses. If the owner of most companies demanded that a city build a new building for his workers or they would leave for another city would the city give a rats butt??? NFL owners hold cities hostage over this issue.

I have to disagree there. Do you know how many cities, and even small towns, will offer huge tax breaks and other incentives like grants to companies to stay or to bring new business their cities? Just Google "tax breaks to bring business to .... " and start reading. You will be at it for a while.

[BigNastyDefense]

I have to disagree there. Do you know how many cities, and even small towns, will offer huge tax breaks and other incentives like grants to companies to stay or to bring new business their cities? Just Google "tax breaks to bring business to .... " and start reading. You will be at it for a while.

That's very true. This guy decided to build a complex in my city that has multiple baseball/softball fields, mini golf, restaurant, concession stands for the fields, and who knows what else they might add with the extra unused land. The guy rents this land from the city for $1/year. Talk about doing what you can to get/keep a business.

[Steeldude]

I shake my head when I read working class people devaluing fellow laborers (regardless of salary).

i will devalue the players all day long. if the players can't live with a job that already pays a minimum of $200,000+ a year then they have a problem they need to workout themselves. they went to college. they have plenty to fall back on. if they didn't pay attention in college then that is their fault, not the fault of the owners or fans.

Unions formed because ownership never wanted to pay fair wages

and now the wages are way out of hand. 10 million dollars to play a fun game? yes, by all means, let's give those poor people a raise.

Fans don't give two squirts of piss about who the owner is

i would't say all fans. i like the rooneys as the owners.

[86WARD]

The salaries are "out of hand" because the owners let them get "out of hand." Blame falls directly on their shoulders for paying the salaries.

[GodfatherofSoul]

and now the wages are way out of hand. 10 million dollars to play a fun game? yes, by all means, let's give those poor people a raise.

I'm pretty sure you're a free market guy. So, it's not a free market when workers try to get their fair share? Only when owners jack up ticket prices and parking fees? How about CEOs making millions? You might not like the fact that someone makes more in a week than you might make in 20 years, but that's the market value of being one of the only guys on the planet who can read a cover two defense and put a ball in a receiver's hands 20 yards down the field. If there were only 10 guys in the world who could do addition, accountants would make $25 million/season too!

And, you need to get over the fact that someone is making megabucks playing a "game". That's irrelevant. If you could generate billions in ad revenue from people watching you eat pizza and fart on your couch, I'm sure you wouldn't be complaining.

[BnG_Hevn]

I'm pretty sure you're a free market guy. So, it's not a free market when workers try to get their fair share? Only when owners jack up ticket prices and parking fees? How about CEOs making millions? You might not like the fact that someone makes more in a week than you might make in 20 years, but that's the market value of being one of the only guys on the planet who can read a cover two defense and put a ball in a receiver's hands 20 yards down the field. If there were only 10 guys in the world who could do addition, accountants would make $25 million/season too!

And, you need to get over the fact that someone is making megabucks playing a "game". That's irrelevant. If you could generate billions in ad revenue from people watching you eat pizza and fart on your couch, I'm sure you wouldn't be complaining.

I think you're missing the point here. The OWNERS PAY THE PLAYERS. That means that the players get what the owners are willing to give.

The players' only "advantage" is that they think there is no NFL with THEM but that is not true. There is not NFL without PLAYERS. The current list of players can easily be replaced with people who are not as greedy.

If I were an owner, I'd hold a 15 round draft and start from scratch. See how long it takes all these whiny brats to cave in. I'm sure there are plenty of kids with NFL talent in college that would love to come out and make a few million a year, as well as plenty of former NFL players who exited the NFL but still have NFL talent.

[Steeldude]

So, it's not a free market when workers try to get their fair share

there fair share? who determines this fair share? the players? if the players want owner-type money then they should buy a team and stop whining. i am all for letting the players get paid a fair amount of money, but when does the ceiling stop? at a billion? who signs the first multi-billion dollar contract?

but that's the market value of being one of the only guys on the planet who can read a cover two defense and put a ball in a receiver's hands 20 yards down the field

so why is it that these same million dollar players throw INTs, fumble, commit dumb penalties etc...? everyone is expendable. if they want to be paid millions then they better be flawless. no bad games and no excuses.

the bottom line is it's the owners money, not the players.

Only when owners jack up ticket prices and parking fees

would these prices go up if the players receive raises?

i really hope the owners completely stop all negotiations. let the greedy players go find work elsewhere. i won't stop watching football if they cancel 2011.