Will there be an NFL strike?

[Perfectionist]

If they do, how will it change you?

 

[Mulli]

Strike, probably not. Lockout by owners, probably.

http://www.nfllockout.com/

 

[RugbyMuffin]

If they do, how will it change you?

A lot and I don't want to even think about it.

But I will say that I will have patience for the situation from March to mid-August.

If nothing is done by then, I will take notice that the NFL is a greedy, greedy organization where the only thing that matter is money.

If all that matters is money, then I will re-think the way I watch NFL football. If cheap is the way the NFL wants to be, then the fans should follow their lead, IMO. There are thousands of dollars to be saved if you look at being a fan in a financially responsible way.

 

[Perfectionist]

After the last baseball strike, I gave up pro baseball. After the last hockey strike, I gave up pro hockey. Damn, I sure hope I don't have to give up pro football. Maybe they will get it settled before the season opener.

 

[desertdawg]

Where is the I honestly don't know option?

 

[DemsMyBoys]

Where is the I honestly don't know option?

My gut says the NFL is an industry that's "too big to fail". I've had this weird vision of a deadlock happening and someone like Bill Clinton stepping in to negotiate and save America from football-less Sunday.

 

[Sandan]

A lot and I don't want to even think about it.

But I will say that I will have patience for the situation from March to mid-August.

If nothing is done by then, I will take notice that the NFL is a greedy, greedy organization where the only thing that matter is money.

If all that matters is money, then I will re-think the way I watch NFL football. If cheap is the way the NFL wants to be, then the fans should follow their lead, IMO. There are thousands of dollars to be saved if you look at being a fan in a financially responsible way.

How come the players are not included in comments ?

Are they clean of any guilt in this ? They hired an guy to run the union that is renowned for contentious disputes.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

How come the players are not included in comments ?

Are they clean of any guilt in this ? They hired an guy to run the union that is renowned for contentious disputes.

Implied that:

NFL = Owners, players, and everything down to the shoe laces on the players' cleats.

 

[joeshmo]

If nothing is done by then, I will take notice that the NFL is a greedy, greedy organization where the only thing that matter is money.

You just describde business as a whole. Which means I will treat it like any other business. Just like if Southwest goes on strike I will fly on Southwest again when they are done. Just like if Chevy goes on strike my next car will still be a Chevy. The Writters Union went on strike I still went back to watching TV and Movies.

It is all a business and business is inhrently greedy 99% of the time, the NFL is no different. Which means it wont effect me one bit besides making me a little more productive during the off period.

 

[john h]

Strike, probably not. Lockout by owners, probably.

http://www.nfllockout.com/

There should be a law that does not allow anyone who makes over a couple of million dollars a year to strike. I get sick when I hear about some player making 15-20 mil a year insisting that he be the highest paid player in his sport. How much is enough? Apparently for some people there is never enough. We have 7-8 states about to go bankrupt because Unions drove up wages and benefits so high there states could not afford to keep the contracts going as is. I think it was Regan that fired every last Air Controller in the nation who went on strike rather than let them send our economy into a tailspin. They found out that they were indeed replaceable. It is no accident that the states in the most trouble are the heavily unionized states in the North and California. As a 20 year Air Force pilot I could have tripled my salary if I had gone into the private sector. So I was not being treated fairly one might say. That wold be pure nonsense and there are good reasons why we do not have military unions. Yet, we have unions for most other branches of the public employee sector. If they do not like the wages then go find a job that will pay you what you are paid now with Cadillac insurance and retirement pay. Public employees like the military should not be allowed to strike. Many of these people directly support the military and are part of the war effort yet many have the right to strike. There was a time when employees were widely abused in this nation. Those days are long past and the Unions helped fix the problems but that was then and this is now and I do not care to see millionaires on strike while 10% of our people cannot even find a job. The players can always start a new league if they feel that abused. Owners are not much better than the players. Greed and more greed. They get public financing for their new stadiums and all sorts of freebes just to move their franchise. What a deal. You do not have to be a genius to make money with an NFL franchise. We are living proof of that. ARod probably make more in a couple of times at bat than I make in a year. Of course I among tens of millions support his pay by agreeing to pay outrageous prices to watch him swing the bat.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

How come the players are not included in comments ?

Are they clean of any guilt in this ? They hired an guy to run the union that is renowned for contentious disputes.

Not clean, but they at least shower.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

There should be a law that does not allow anyone who makes over a couple of million dollars a year to strike. I get sick when I hear about some player making 15-20 mil a year insisting that he be the highest paid player in his sport. How much is enough? Apparently for some people there is never enough. We have 7-8 states about to go bankrupt because Unions drove up wages and benefits so high there states could not afford to keep the contracts going as is. I think it was Regan that fired every last Air Controller in the nation who went on strike rather than let them send our economy into a tailspin. They found out that they were indeed replaceable. It is no accident that the states in the most trouble are the heavily unionized states in the North and California. As a 20 year Air Force pilot I could have tripled my salary if I had gone into the private sector. So I was not being treated fairly one might say. That wold be pure nonsense and there are good reasons why we do not have military unions. Yet, we have unions for most other branches of the public employee sector. If they do not like the wages then go find a job that will pay you what you are paid now with Cadillac insurance and retirement pay. Public employees like the military should not be allowed to strike. Many of these people directly support the military and are part of the war effort yet many have the right to strike. There was a time when employees were widely abused in this nation. Those days are long past and the Unions helped fix the problems but that was then and this is now and I do not care to see millionaires on strike while 10% of our people cannot even find a job. The players can always start a new league if they feel that abused. Owners are not much better than the players. Greed and more greed. They get public financing for their new stadiums and all sorts of freebes just to move their franchise. What a deal. You do not have to be a genius to make money with an NFL franchise. We are living proof of that. ARod probably make more in a couple of times at bat than I make in a year. Of course I among tens of millions support his pay by agreeing to pay outrageous prices to watch him swing the bat.

It's the owners that are wanting the rules changed here. The players want to keep status quo for the most part.

 

[kerouac9]

How come the players are not included in comments ?

Are they clean of any guilt in this ? They hired an guy to run the union that is renowned for contentious disputes.

The players would be happy to continue playing under the status quo. It's the owners locking the players out and voiding out the CBA.

The NFLPA worked happily with ownership for 15 years or more. The owners are certainly being contentious with new fines, stricter behavior regulation, adding games without negotiation, (possibly) colluding on free agency salary control, etc. I don't blame the NFLPA for finding a president who isn't going to roll over. Not at all.

As for the poll, there won't be a strike, but there will be a lockout. It's not going to feel bad until August, but I don't think we'll miss more than 3 regular season games. Then one preseason game to balance the schedule, then a 12-game season.

 

[titan]

now the one thing that I'm with the owners on 100% is the draft. why pay a rookie player an ungodly amount of money who NEVER played a down in the NFL. (Ryan leaf) as an example, cost the chargers dearly and there are many more. i feel there should be a base pay for them and maybe after 2 years then negotiate a regular contract if they don't turn into a bust. that way the owners can use the money to pay there good players so they won't leave and to show that there are wanted. i can't remember who said it but a few years ago a team spent a boat load of money on a draftee and a veteran player got mad and asked to be traded. the reason he got mad was the team wasn't spending the money to keep the good players they had. oh, and i don't think there will be a strike especially with this economy. money talks.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

You just describde business as a whole. Which means I will treat it like any other business. Just like if Southwest goes on strike I will fly on Southwest again when they are done. Just like if Chevy goes on strike my next car will still be a Chevy. The Writters Union went on strike I still went back to watching TV and Movies.

It is all a business and business is inhrently greedy 99% of the time, the NFL is no different. Which means it wont effect me one bit besides making me a little more productive during the off period.

And that is where you and I are different.

I do not live and die with the almighty dollar. It is a path to destruction EVERY time from what I see, and IMO. Money is just paper, and credit. People and actions of those people are the real value of anything, including the paper that we use in currency. Our nations economic fall out showed this to play out true. Many bottom line companies went out of business because they could not adapt to the radical changes in business over the last few years. You cheap out on labor, technology, customer service, etc., etc, and you lose the ability to adapt, then you die. See Best Buy vs. Circuit City.

Everyone can make money, earn their keep, etc., etc. but there is a point. There is a point where you worship the almight dollar so much, and so badly that it becomes evil personified.

That point was passed quite a while back for the NFL. This lockout/stoppage is about as ridiculous as it gets for both sides, owners, and players. The fact they will take this to the level that it looks to be going is ridiculous. 100% ridiculous. Tell me how the league, like in the case of hockey's lockout, is in turmoil financially ? Tell me where the "problem" is ? Other than the owners want to make more money, and spend less. Or that the players refuse to talk about pay cuts during the worse finacial crisis in 90 years ? Please. That is some ticky tack horse poop.

JMHO. I have no problem, and completely understand those who are willing to accept over-accessive greed as a part of business. I am just not one of those people.



And to be very clear, I didn't say I would not "go back", I just said it would change how I view, and watch the game. If it is all about money, then the fans should follow the leagues lead, and see how much they can cut back on the money they spend on football, and football related expenses. I can easily buy a $5.00 baseball cap, instead of the $30 cap with a Cardinal logo on it, etc., etc.

Plus while the NFL is a "business" it is far, far, far less important than airlines, and cars. And to tell you the truth, as a customer for any product and business that I use, if they start thinking bottom line over my needs and wants ? I find another company that is more concerned about the person, then a company whose #1 goal is getting the money out of the person's pockets by any means nessicary.

Hence why regardless of price, I will NEVER EVER have cable in my house, and will ALWAYS have DirecTV. Why ? Trying to save $5 is not worth the hours, and days that I would have to deal with Comcast problems, and there general disgraceful attitude, is not worth it.

The NFL in my world, is a huge expense that I enjoy. But, why bother if it is all about the money. The players don't really care about the fans, the owners don't care past getting the money out of their pockets. If they do care even the slightest, then they make sure a full season is played next year, if they don't, they won't.

Thus no loyalty from said team, then why bother with loyalty as a fan ?

 

[joeshmo]

And just to play devil's advocate.

What would you do if Chevy cost cutted your next car, and the new "less expensive" brake line pops as you drive down the highway ?

Would: "Hey it is all for keeping costs down" be enough to make you go back ?

Completely different debate and scenerio. You are talking about quality now not strike or lockout.

And NFL strike or lockout doesnt effect quality when it comes back.

 

[AzStevenCal]

A lot and I don't want to even think about it.

But I will say that I will have patience for the situation from March to mid-August.

If nothing is done by then, I will take notice that the NFL is a greedy, greedy organization where the only thing that matter is money.

If all that matters is money, then I will re-think the way I watch NFL football. If cheap is the way the NFL wants to be, then the fans should follow their lead, IMO. There are thousands of dollars to be saved if you look at being a fan in a financially responsible way.

Are you kidding? You've just described the best time to be a (happy) Cards fan. Typically, it runs all the way through mid-October but still...

Steve

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Completely different debate and scenerio. You are talking about quality now not strike or lockout.

And NFL strike or lockout doesnt effect quality when it comes back.

Could not agree with you more.

You're too quick Joe.

Thought the same thing, and took the post down.....but you had to screw it all up with your quick typing, and mouse clicking ability.

I tells ya. Can't get anything by you.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Are you kidding? You've just described the best time to be a (happy) Cards fan. Typically, it runs all the way through mid-October but still...

Steve

While I try, see the big post earlier, to find a balance between bottom line and actual value.

There is no doubt to what Joeschmo talks about. Business is, in most cases, is fueled by making a profit.

If the two sides are going to hash it out, so be it. But, this situation has been known for a year now, and once March hits they will have 6 months till August. I think to be fair, and realistic that is fair amount of patience to be given. It will be hard to be screwed out of free agency, and all that, but it is what it is.

If they cannot come to an agreement by then, then both sides are being exceedingly greed to the point where it is too ridiculous to waste time, money, and effort on.

After August, the NFL shoud just blow up the golden goose. Turn football into baseball, and watch the Cowboys and Redskins field all-star teams each year, while the Cardinals go back to being a semi-pro team. Then seriously, who cares at that point ?

 

[TheHopToad]

If they do, how will it change you?

It will save me about $350. Won't need to renew my NFL Sunday Ticket.

 

[NJCardFan]

Strike, probably not. Lockout by owners, probably.

http://www.nfllockout.com/

QFT I know it's a matter of semantics but the above is probably true.

 

[Buckybird]

I dont think there's any doubt a lockout will occur. I don't think the players will agree to play 18 games & really don't care to & owners seem to think all fans want more games. This could get really ugly & drag on longer than most think IMO.

 

[Indiana Hoosier]

No Way, the NFL an Owners do not want to P**S off the fans.

 

[Gaddabout]

I just hope it's a lockout and not scab ball like 1982. What a sham that year was.

 

[Shane]

I dont think there's any doubt a lockout will occur. I don't think the players will agree to play 18 games & really don't care to & owners seem to think all fans want more games. This could get really ugly & drag on longer than most think IMO.

The players union already submitted a counter proposal saying the things they want done if there is an 18 game schedule. Just tweeks things a bit and didnt sound as though it was a big sticking point. Its pretty much a done deal.