So, I've been avoiding this like the plague for the most part but it's hard when it's the lead on the 4 letter network almost daily now.

I usually just roll my eyes but this move by the NFLPA today attempting to get the top 20 Draft prospects to boycott the draft is ridiculous.

So, you're going cave on the rookie wage scale issue, screw these guys out of their big pay day, and THEN ask them to boycott the draft with their families?? The biggest moment of their lives?


Congrats NFLPA, you just lost Middle America and Joe Six Pack.

I think everyone involved look like spoiled idiots - players, agents, and owners. Its like they're so busy arguing over how to split the golden eggs, they've forgotten to feed the goose.

Those people (nor should anybody) don't/won't care until there is an actual game missed.

Until then it's millionaires versus billionaires in a Biggest Dick contest.

I agree though that it's a dick move by the PA even though I am in full favor of the rookie pay scale.

The rise of the Arena League!

i post on another board where i was the only person saying this. everyone else was saying that they need to stand in solidarity with their future union. yeah, right. maybe some of those kids won't go, but no way do all of them pass on freakin' draft day.

Given my Bills haven't made the playoffs since the Clinton administration, I'm not too depressed about missing football.

I almost view this as another ploy by the NFL to get people to talk about them year round.

I tell you, Baseball and Basketball probably don't regret their 1994 and 1999 work stoppages one bit.

Goodell has been riding some good press, and i was impressed with the blow job SI gave him, but a strike and I think they start to lose some luster.

To me the '99 NBA Lockout was totally worth it and made the NBA better...but then here we are on the eve of another one so how much good did it really do.

I really liked the portion of that KlosterSimmons podcast where they talked about the concept of labor, and who was right, etc.

I think this has huge potential to royally fuck up the NFl.

I like when people call sports radio and talk about the negotiations in relation to their job.

Its interesting because I've yet to hear anyone utter what was said during the baseball strike:

"I'm never going to watch another MLB game!"

Just heard people shaking their heads saying that it stinks. That is what the NFL has going for it. No one wants to make that promise. You know you've got fans by the balls if this isn't firing them up enough to start their own strikes again the league.

i'm no expert on how it all breaks down, but my perception is that the NFL is the best and most popular game and the players have the worst deal of the four sports. None of the contracts are guaranteed, right? They can just cut a guy.

That was part of negotiations. Owners, I believe agreed to making it so a player couldn't get cut until a certain amount of time into their contract. Someone correct this if its wrong. I only vaguely skimmed deals.

football players must hate baseball players

They can be cut at any time that's why NFL players get signing bonuses (huge ones). Cutting players still impacts the salary cap..... so there's that.

It's the undrafted and late drafted players that turn themselves into something that can really get screwed if they're injured before a big payday contract.

I could care less about the 15 guys that get invited to the draft. Do second round draft picks carry around the pain of not shaking the commish's hand all their lives? Is their memory of the draft tainted because they were at a party at their agents house and not with the commish?

Maybe not but I'd wager those 2nd rounders, if given the choice, would rather be on that stage. But good for you. You don't care.

Regardless of how you feel, it's still a bad PR move by the NLFPA.

Honestly the only things I'd like to see come out of all this is:

Rookie wage scale
Keep the season at 16 games
More investment into the healthcare of retired players (the avg NFL player's mortality rate is scary)


Other than that it's all a money grab and both sides are ultimately going to look like shit.

Also, can we PLEASE put a moratorium on references to "modern day slavery" for the love of God.

I LOL'd

I think it's a great move if they can get them to not show. It shows the Owners that they have the clout.

Also, if I were the owners, I would propose a mandatory salary deferral system for retirement, AND earmark a percentage of every players' salary for the retirement/HC pool. You'd find out REAL quick how little of a fuck every single current player gives about the past players and their contemporaries that way. If I was the owners, I'd even offer to match the % given to the Retirement/HC pool.

Agreed.

I'm 100% team NFLPA. You want 1 billion more because you "need" it but you're not willing to show the books. Fuck you.

they think they ARE the goose

yeah, the not showing the books is complete BS

both sides suck and obviously hate AMERKICAG