1B4IDie

The day he was undeservedly drafted in the first round but was highlighted when he commented something to the effect that "I have all these sweet moves but the coaches won't let me use them. "

DeSmith and Godell are meeting with some owners and players present. Why is it being called secret? It just sounds like a meeting. Maybe Private but definitely not "secret."

Furthermore its OK to hope that Maybin is listening.

:o :o :o OMG! that is correct, I had to fact check it myself.

http://twitter.com/#!/shawnemerriman

Thurman Thomas - Most Human Heart Andre Reed - Rear Ended Bruce Smith - Crumb Heist? Jim Kelly - There are no anagrams there is only 1 Jim Kelly

Rips Ocho's Rear!

I think you're right on about the negotiations. But I'll try to unbaffle you, The player's money grab called for 0 missed time of football. The Owners money grab calls for missed time of football. Thats really all I, and most fans care about. Its seems to me they can work something out without missing any time. Its silly on the part of the Owners because the CBAs are not that long. They're usually missing 6-8 years. So you're missing out on 1/6 or 1/8 of revenue to get a certain percentage more through a work stoppage. It better be more than 20% more otherwise its foolish and if its a swag by that big of a percentage, something really, really went wrong in 2006. So go ahead and grab as much money as you can just don't F with my Sundays! and Mondays, and Sometimes Thursday! and Saturdays during playoffs! The NHL had a problem with the game. (Neutral Zone Trap, Clutching & Grabbing, Two line passes etc . . .) There isn't a problem with the game in the case of the NFL.

I guess I look at fundamentally a little different. I'll leave it at that.

How about backing up your claim with actual numbers? Or link to a article that shows what financial problems the owners have as a result to the deal? Or maybe some analysis that shows what they would have made under the '98 CBA and the '06 CBA? That would be compelling. I wonder why that comparison doesn't exist? Wouldn't that be any easy thing for the NFL owners to show? You know if they're claiming hardship, lets see the hardship? Every other major company that claims hardship seems to have no problem dragging out downward pointing graph charts. Curious the NFL doesn't drag something out to show the owners' plight. What is really ironic, is the same people that cry, "Oh that player is a bum, for holding out. He signed a contract and should live up to it! He shouldn't back out of the deal. Hang him high!" are the same people that are saying. "Oh the poor owners signed a bad deal because they were tricked into it by the mean players. It's ok if they back out of the deal because they got roasted over the flames. (Let's ignore the fact that the NFL has seen record profits and everyone is cashing huge checks since the '06 CBA.) "

Or just the simple problem solving ability outlined in his internal dialog: "I am a NCAA athlete. I know I am not supposed to take free car or sweetheart deals for a car, but everyone is doing it. Should I have my family memeber sign for this 8th!!! car?" "Sure No problem go ahead and sign, cuz." I'm thinking this decision making process won't translate well to the pros.

The piece about Stadium Rev is definitely off. Concessions and Luxury Boxes are not shared amongst owners or with players. Why do you think new stadiums have so many boxes? and so many owners have remodeled old stadiums to add boxes? The more people try to defend the owners moves on some altruistic ideals. The weaker the argument becomes. Its just a simple money grab. There is no long view economic climate change motivation. It's just a leverage play. They thought they had some leverage to get more money by locking the players out for a year and cashing TV checks. They can't cash the TV checks now. The squeeze play on the players may not work. Its ok that its a money grab. I have no moral dilemma with that, but don't try to create a fictional excuse for the money grab. The owners are actually arguing against a free market. The owners want to change the deal in the middle of the CBA because they think they can and they want more money. Its as simple as that.

If you believe that, I got a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell you. Let me get you up to speed, this isn't the first recession in the history of the world. How has the NFL faired through the last few recessions? Oh just fine. Why would this last recession be any different? There is no real concern from the owners. The Stadium will be at near capacity and more importantly recession proof fast food, and beer is major advertising partners of the NFL. The Ad revenue will continue to be there to drive the TV contracts. Its just a guise.

You might want to read your own weak reference yourself. And comparing meat packers to hard to find highly athletic very skilled athletes is funny. Here is the question if you'd like a second try The bolded is not completely true. And this is genius logic: It doesn't count that the owners opted out early because at the end of the agreement they were going to try to renegotiate something different anyway? Amazing.

Are you familiar with profit sharing agreements in privately held companies? Name another privately held company that in the midst of record profits decides to back out of a union contract and demand a significant change in the profit sharing agreement with their union for no other reason then they feel like it?

There is no Suplemental Draft. Floyd from ND and the Jenkins from Florida probably would have already filed by now if there were a supplemental draft.

Or maybe HBO is asking during the middle of a major labor dispute.

I doubt you ever watched a full season. What damage has it done the past 6 seasons?

It gave me a chuckle. I thought it was funny.

How is it a distraction? How does it not help the players focus and work harder? I just don't understand this sentiment.

That's funny I see many kids that would have gladly gone the minor league football route and be paid for their services while being developed for the NFL. Much like in the MLB and NHL but do not have the option to be paid for their services because the NFL mandates they must work 3 years in their unpaid minor league, called NCAA Football. Giving a service in return for a service is great if you want the service. A college education is not the goal of many of these players. How many MLB or NHL players have college degrees? Yes some played Hockey or Baseball in college but I think we'd all agree that a vast majority of MLB, NBA, NHL and for that matter NFL players have not earned college diplomas. Forcing 3 years of College Football for many of the players that make it is nothing more than 3 years of unrealized earning potential, and 3 years of wear on their body that will shorten their professional career.

I'm assuming you haven't watched a whole season of hard knocks. I wouldn't really call it a distraction. The camera's are already there. If anything its extra motivation for these players not to be embarrassed on national television. Most of the focus ends up on players that may be cut, that is the interesting part. Will DeDe Dorsey make the team or go back to some semi-pro league? They only have limited time with the stars. I'm sure Jasper would be the focus of Hard Knocks, Buffalo. It does get national attention. Thats how Crash Dummy and the Terminator got some national attention. Hell the only season the Bengals won the division was the year after they were in Hard Knocks. Being on Hard Knocks will not retard or distract from the rebuilding of this organization, I really don't understand how it could.

Buddy Nix has no business declining if offered.

In what program and at what school do you think trustees don't have handshakes with players? Or players don't trade memorabilia with local businesses? Boring . . . In other news coaches sometimes use the "F" word.

In your example, companies would not pay the same amount because the free market economy would eventually make rubber bands a commodity after the expiration of the patent. A company would be free to purchase a rubber band from the most efficient producer of the rubber band. The NFL is arguing that free market forces of paying a player what ever he is worth an open market should NOT be applied to the NFL. The NFL would like to regulate and control the market value of the players' value. So in your example is it fair for the Rubber Band manufacturer to own a patent for a Rubber Band from now into the end of time and set a state controlled price for the rubber band?