dreamdancer 0 #1 May 11, 2011 the games people play... QuoteThere’s nothing like a little dust-up between millionaires and billionaires to start us thousandaires yawning. And when the upcoming pro football season is in danger of being cancelled because of it, we’re likely to say: a plague on both your mansions. Too bad, because the current struggle between labor and management in the National Football League not only reflects the current attacks on unions across the country but conjures up, even if in cartoon fashion, some crucial American issues: racism, classism, sexism, recreational violence, and the health-care gap. No wonder football seems to have replaced baseball as the national pastime. While the legalities of, and mathematics behind, the issues at the heart of the NFL dispute may be complex, the basic issues are not. The league’s owners cry economic woe, while refusing to open their books. They insist on adding two games to the present regular season of 16 games and at the same time are trying to reduce the players’ share of revenues. Moreover, they have been remarkably unwilling to guarantee long-term health benefits to the players, even as evidence mounts that dementia and early death are linked to the sort of brain trauma commonly suffered in football collisions. It’s not exactly a fair fight, which of course is why unions were invented. http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175390/tomgram%3A_robert_lipsyte%2C_no_pro_football_no_problem./#morestay away from moving propellers - they bite blue skies from thai sky adventures good solid response-provoking keyboarding Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freethefly 6 #2 May 11, 2011 I really would not give a fuck if pro-sports came to an end. I get tired of hearing them constantly complaining about not making enough money or that they have poor health benefits (imagine that, millionaires complaining about health benefits.) Or, billionaires demanding that the taxpayers build them a new stadium or they will move their team to another city that will give them more money. I haven't been to a pro-sport game since the baseball lockout. It is really stupid to give your hard earned money to millionaires so to watch millionaires play a game. "...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
metalslug 36 #3 May 11, 2011 Is there no other leverage that these players might have other than union action ? Could they form a breakaway league of their own? Could they collectively refuse to renew their contracts ? I've always thought that in most sports, as with most employment, you will always find someone who is still willing to sign up despite the issues as mentioned. If a contract stipulates that no long-term health benefits are included, and players are still signing on the line, then surely they can only look to themselves afterwards ? Unions can certainly serve a purpose when the claims are fair and warranted, but there is a tendency sometimes for unions to (metaphorically speaking) move the goal area once the game has already started. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,488 #4 May 11, 2011 Fuck all that. The best time you can have and some really great football is the local Friday night High School football game.Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airdvr 210 #5 May 11, 2011 Only if the greedy millionaire football players want it that way. Baseball learned in '94. Football will learn too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoKGwrNnT-oPlease don't dent the planet. Destinations by Roxanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DougH 270 #6 May 11, 2011 Fuck all of the owners and the athletles. I wish there were no more professional sports, they are overwhelming infiltrated by spoiled selfish jerkoffs at all levels! "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
loumeinhart 0 #7 May 11, 2011 QuoteMoreover, they have been remarkably unwilling to guarantee long-term health benefits to the players, even as evidence mounts that dementia and early death are linked to the sort of brain trauma commonly suffered in football collisions. [broken record] Umm, you don't have to play in the NFL [/broken record] Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wayneflorida 0 #8 May 11, 2011 Wouldn't bother me. All the hype burned me out years ago. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 35 #9 May 11, 2011 Here's an idea - cap player salaries at $1,000,000 per year, and give bonuses based on performance, and bring ticket prices back down to where a whole family can go to a game for less than $100. "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dreamdancer 0 #10 May 11, 2011 Quote Here's an idea - cap player salaries at $1,000,000 per year, and give bonuses based on performance, and bring ticket prices back down to where a whole family can go to a game for less than $100. and let's cap the owners salaries to a couple of million...stay away from moving propellers - they bite blue skies from thai sky adventures good solid response-provoking keyboarding Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildcard451 0 #11 May 11, 2011 Quote Quote Here's an idea - cap player salaries at $1,000,000 per year, and give bonuses based on performance, and bring ticket prices back down to where a whole family can go to a game for less than $100. and let's cap the owners salaries to a couple of million... Why? People are obviously willing to pay for all of it. It's not like anyone is forcing you to go to the game and taking people's money. Professional sports are a luxury and the ticket prices will go to what the market will bear. If no one went to a game this year at $100 a ticket, I bet the ticket prices would fall rapidly. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,120 #12 May 11, 2011 >Here's an idea - cap player salaries at $1,000,000 per year . . . I'm all for letting owners pay their players whatever they want. >and give bonuses based on performance "Performance" is in the eye of the beholder. Generally players get paid for their ability to make money for the owners. >Here's an idea - cap player salaries at $1,000,000 per year, and give >bonuses based on performance. There's a roller derby team here in San Diego we go to see pretty often. It's $10 a ticket and they have good beer there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Southern_Man 0 #13 May 11, 2011 Back to the original post: The contention of the article is that this is an attack on unions. Funny thing is that the players do not have a union any more. They think they are better off without it. Anyway, if there are games this fall I will probably watch some of them. If there aren't, well, I won't."What if there were no hypothetical questions?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
usedtajump 1 #14 May 11, 2011 Pro football had been ruined for quite a few years before this latest flailex. The older I get the less I care who I piss off. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #15 May 11, 2011 QuoteIs there no other leverage that these players might have other than union action ? Could they form a breakaway league of their own? Could they collectively refuse to renew their contracts ? Attempts to form alternate leagues haven't been very successful. The XFL lasted a single season. Aside from the competitive disadvantages, the big problem was the quality of play. These were the second tier players, and they had a very short preseason. It's no surprise that their play was uneven. If all the players collectively bailed, they would have the quality of players, but it would still take considerable time, likely till the 3rd season, to get them up and running at full ability. But can they get people to pay $100 tickets for the first two seasons? Can they arrange for venues to play in? Who lends them the up front capital? And more importantly, will they stick together - very unlikely. Too many of the owners are hobbyists - they're not going broke by missing a season. So it sure looks like we're going to miss this season. Bad luck for the college kids who left early. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
loumeinhart 0 #16 May 11, 2011 QuoteProfessional sports are a luxury and the ticket prices will go to what the market will bear. If no one went to a game this year at $100 a ticket, I bet the ticket prices would fall rapidly. Yep. In Cleveland the Tribe can't GIVE tickets away when they suck. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
loumeinhart 0 #17 May 11, 2011 QuoteToo many of the owners are hobbyists - they're not going broke by missing a season. So it sure looks like we're going to miss this season. Bad luck for the college kids who left early. Exactly. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
