Friends,
I am happy that baseball is just around the corner...hopefully it will help ease the pain of what is happening in the world of football. This message is a lament...or perhaps a rant (or both). Last Friday, the NFL Players Association decided that the NFL owners weren't doing enough to "build trust" between the groups by not opening up all of their financial books, so they chose to decertify as a union, thereby allowing the players leverage to sue the owners individually. The owners promptly "locked out" the players from being able to work as teams...no free agents can move, etc...not much can happen until all of this gets resolved. Oh...the draft will get to take place, but even this may be tarnished, as "the players" who are "no longer a union" are, nonetheless, encouraging the potential top draft picks to avoid (boycott) the draft. This all seems unseemly and spiteful...and is not going to help get the situation resolved.
I understand why "the system" is what it is, even though such labor disputes have been taking place for decades, but it could certainly use some tweaking. I don't know of many folks who are pleased that the millionaire players are feuding with billionaire owners over how to handle their business...but, as usual, it is us, "the fans," who are going to suffer. I am certain that many fans will walk away, as have those who once supported hockey and baseball. And, I am also equally certain that many of those same fans will be back when the NFL gets its business in order. We have come to expect it, I believe...and this is why people will come back and continue to pay huge sums of money to support the great American sporting pasttimes. Here is to hoping that a better way to solve and resolve such business issues can be found.
Blessings,
Don
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