Originally Posted by Chiefnj2 (Post 7591655)

If the players don't like the NFL they can go play in Canada or the Arena League.

Originally Posted by dirk digler (Post 7591649)

My point was it is a moot point to blame this lockout on the owners because they opted out. They could have certaintly not opted out but that was just delaying the inevitable until 2013.

Originally Posted by milkman (Post 7591636)

That really is the issue.

The owners dodn't want to open their books, because they don't want that information open to the other owners.

They are already at odds on revenue sharing.

Originally Posted by alnorth (Post 7591684)

Every other major sport in this country opens their books to their players. If the NFL doesn't want to do that, then they can just live without a draft, without caps, without guaranteed player control, and rampant mercenary free agency.

Originally Posted by CrazyPhuD (Post 7591508)

Well if I have some stupids god help what you have. How hard is it to realize that with CBA and no age limit there will be no quality athletes at the college level. The notion of not being 'physically ready' is complete bullshit. They are only not physically ready because they don't have access to the same nutrition/training experience in that they have in college. Physically most of them have stopped growing etc(but there are always a few exceptions). If they have the capability to go pro post or even during high school they will join independent programs and become physically 'ready' sooner. Much like you have kids playing AAU ball pre-college for NBA level competition. For instance the NBA instituting the 1 year out of college rule had nothing to do with physical characteristics.



Remove the classes from school and they'd have plenty of time to dedicate. Would they? Well that's part of the scouting program. It would be the only way that the small teams would have a chance to compete. Take the really raw talent out of HS, sign him to a 7-10 year contract and spend 1-2 years getting them football ready.

Without the 3 years out of HS rule there would be no reason for most of those good to great athletes to even head to college. Better to get on a NFL training program and be ready to play/get paid sooner. It would likely be a hybrid between the NBA/MLB systems. You'd have people being signed for raw talent and then developed, rather than having more polished players come out of college. It's a huge risk that they would develop but that's why the small teams would have to do it, because they'd have no shot for a player that's developed and proved they can play. Only those that have potential but have proved very little. The ultimate developmental projects. With a really quality scouting system it could work to make the smaller teams competitive. But considering they can poach the scouting too it's not clear how long it would enable them to stay competitive.

Originally Posted by kcxiv (Post 7591545)

I understand what your saying, but these are really powerful dudes that hate people looking at all their business. I am on the players side, but you shouldnt have to show what your spending your money on. at least thats how i feel.

It is what it is. Godell is stressing, this is all on his watch.

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2 (Post 7591655)

If the players don't like the NFL they can go play in Canada or the Arena League.

Originally Posted by Garcia Bronco (Post 7591793)

All the league has to do is stop revenue sharing and they could end this nonsense.

Originally Posted by Royal Fanatic (Post 7591821)

It sounds like you support the owners over the players because you have a dogmatic belief that business owners are always right and labor is always wrong.

Just to show you where I am coming from: I hate players unions. The MLB Players Association has pretty much destroyed baseball in Kansas City and changed the game so much that it's almost unrecognizable today compared to what it was like in the 1970s and 1980s.

And for the most part I side with managment over labor unions. Labor unions certainly have accomplished some good things ever since the Industrial Revolution, but today I think they do more harm than good. Just ask the American Auto Industry.

However, IN THIS CASE, the NFL owners are virtually 100% wrong and the NFL players are virtually 100% right. If you can't see that, you haven't been paying attention. The owners started this fight. The owners showed that they were planning to screw the players when they left money on the table in the negotiation for the last television contract so that they could get the provision put in stating that they would still get paid even if they locked out the players. That right there is prima facie evidence regarding what has been in the minds of the owners all along.

As has been already stated several times in this thread, IF THE OWNERS ARE GOING TO CLAIM POVERTY, THEY NEED TO PROVE IT. The fact is that owning an NFL team is just about the most lucrative investment anyone could ever make. These guys are raking in billions of dollars. If they really aren't, then it would be a simple matter to prove it. Just open up the damn books.

Roger Goodell's OP in the Wall Street Journal is just about the most ridiculous thing I've ever read. According to him, the sky is about to fall and it's all the players' fault. I've lost all respect for the man.

Originally Posted by kcxiv (Post 7591545)

I understand what your saying, but these are really powerful dudes that hate people looking at all their business. I am on the players side, but you shouldnt have to show what your spending your money on. at least thats how i feel.

It is what it is. Godell is stressing, this is all on his watch.

Originally Posted by milkman (Post 7591656)

That is the stupidest ****ing argument ever.

Originally Posted by BCD (Post 7591671)

Not really a moot point. They are the ones Locking the players out, regardless of when it happens.