I realize that words such as "collusion" and "decertification" give most of us tired head, but it's something we'll be hearing a lot over the next couple of years. In case you've been distracted by free agency, the NFL owners and players are in the middle of a bitter dispute that has a real chance of resulting in a lockout in 2011. Players are licking their chops at the prospect of an uncapped season in 2010, but as Lester Munson points out, they may end up disappointed. The owners are upset about a deal they struck with the players in March 2006, and they'll soon opt out of the agreement. NFL executives were angered by a sidebar discussion that a federal judge in Minnesota had with union officials during a hearing involving Falcons quarterback Michael Vick. It sounds way too simplistic to say that one courtroom moment could serve as the impetus for years of labor strife. In reality, this battle began during the 2006 negotiation. I promise not to spend much time writing about the labor dispute, but it's definitely something we should keep our eye on.
Just thought I'd post this up. If you want to read the more detailed article, it's found on ESPN under NFL. The extended version explains how, why and where it all got started and how bringing both sides (owners and players) to an agreement might become a huge problem in the future almost making this lockout unavoidable.
It's an interesting issue but it's two seasons too early to start worrying about it. Things change dramatically in a 3 to 4 year span. For all we know the players and the league will be banding together to save the golden goose by then as the deepening semi-permanent recession begins to cut into corporate ticket-buying and sponsorship deals and the NFL suddenly realizes that they needed Joe Blow to be able to afford to go also if they wanted to keep making money.
Oh god. I hope they don't take the salary cap away from NFL. It's practically ruined baseball (and I'm a Yankee fan). As if Free Agency wasn't bad enough.
It really hasn't ruined baseball because they have revenue sharing. Now if they take THAT away it will ruin baseball.
