Eric Winston: Don't care if NFL 'dies out in 20 years' because of work stoppage

[Sassy Squatch]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

In fairness, the NFLPA has had it broken off in them repeatedly. They play the most demanding and most damaging of the professional sports. They have the shortest careers and feel it the longest after they're done.

If I could be similarly successful at any of the 5 major sports (including soccer), I'd take all of them over football and wouldn't think twice about it.

As a reward, they get no guaranteed money. Worse still, in a league where, what, 1 in 3 players see real money after their rookie deals are over, the rookie scale has turned to shit on them as well.

Meanwhile, the NFL is making more money than every other major sport.

If I'm an NFL player, I'm absolutely looking for some serious changes and if that means finding an asshole like Winston to head your PA - so be it. The soft-shoes approach hasn't done shit for them.

I'm amazed at how much NFL owners have managed to bend over the NFLPA in comparison to every other professional athlete.

Just seems odd to publicly state this 4 years before any real consequences from a strike will happen. Really bad PR move, but if it gets them some leverage then go for it.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Superturtle

Just seems odd to publicly state this 4 years before any real consequences from a strike will happen. Really bad PR move, but if it gets them some leverage then go for it.

Isn't this exactly the time you should be floating trial balloons? Or planting seeds?

Getting caught flat-footed is exactly why they've had to scramble in the past. Because suddenly the spigot turns off and they look at each other and go 'oh shit, what now?'....

Get those gears turning earlier and maybe you'll get a better result. And as you've noted, with no ability to effectuate significant change in the next 4 years, where's the leverage and where's the downshot? Take a big swing - maybe you'll hit it, maybe you won't. Perhaps it will convince an owner or two that there are serious fissures here that need mending.

If not, there's 4 years to regroup and see where to go from there. I see no harm here.

[Sassy Squatch]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Isn't this exactly the time you should be floating trial balloons? Or planting seeds?

Getting caught flat-footed is exactly why they've had to scramble in the past. Because suddenly the spigot turns off and they look at each other and go 'oh shit, what now?'....

Get those gears turning earlier and maybe you'll get a better result. And as you've noted, with no ability to effectuate significant change in the next 4 years, where's the leverage and where's the downshot? Take a big swing - maybe you'll hit it, maybe you won't. Perhaps it will convince an owner or two that there are serious fissures here that need mending.

If not, there's 4 years to regroup and see where to go from there. I see no harm here.

Privately, yes. Its more of the perceived middle finger to the fans thats giving me pause. I am an absolute shit bargainer though so what do I know.