As we inch closer to an April 6th Judgement Day on the NFLPA's request for a preliminary injuction in the court of David Doty of Minneapolis, MN, players are preparing themselves for second careers in the event the NFL does not return this August. Usually, players are not allowed to sign pro contracts with other leagues, but since there is no CBA in place (and no union), it is essentially a free for all for these players. Some players are signing with rival football leagues, including practice squad players Troy Bergeron and Rod Windsor who have signed contracts with the Arena Football League.
**Quick aside...in the NFLPA's lawsuit, the players named as being the ones suffering the grievance are Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Vincent Jackson, Logan Mankins, Mike Vrabel...and a couple of lesser known names such as Ben Leber and Von Miller (linebacker at Virginia Tech...perhaps I should do a draft profile on him...perhaps not...). I know the names on the lawsuit are mostly symbolic, but seriously, I have a hard time believing that Brady, Brees, and Manning are in any way "grieved" as a result of this lockout. If anything, they would be the LAST people I would put as a plaintiff in this suit. The entire roster of plaintiffs should be the Von Millers, Troy Bergerons and Rod Windsors...end aside**
Anyway, as I noted in one of the items in my A-Z Lockout Guide, rival leagues such as the Arena League, Canadian League, and the UFL once we get closer to Fall stand a huge chance of gaining far more traction in pro football than they otherwise would have because they have no NFL to compete against them. If these leagues can somehow pull off getting A-list names like the ones named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit, their legitimacy would increase exponentially. This is something the NFL must consider as they negotiate. It is not a guarantee, but there is chance that at least some of these billions of dollars in revenues the league is "expecting" would end up going to rival leagues because big-money players gave up on their NFL franchise. I do encourage everyone to read my A-Z Lockout Guide for background on the issues and people in charge of seeing this thing through to an end.
I have one quick note as well on this whole draft boycott idea. What. A. Joke. Seriously, guys, you only get to be drafted once. I understand you want to put on your front of "solidarity" and stick it to the league however you can, but let these kids have their moment. You only get drafted once, and even though they'll be shaking the hand of the eeeeeeeeeeevil commissioner, as soon as it is over, they're in your camp. Sorry, shaking DeMaurice's hand is not the same as shaking the commissioner's on draft day.
Finally today, there is this little submission from Lattanzi Land. Josh is on a self-imposed moratorium from commenting on anything football during the duration of the lockout. I, however, am not. Nevertheless, he found this piece on how the chicken wing industry could potentially suffer if there is no football this Fall. I understand the claim. What goes better on a Sunday afternoon with football than pizza, wings, and beer? 1.25 billion wings were consumed on Super Bowl Sunday alone. However, as long as there is some variation of football to watch, college or otherwise, people will find their reasons to chow down on their chicken wings. I for one, fully intend on purchasing entire farms worth of chickens on Saturdays this fall as we propagate the parking lots at the University of Maryland and FedEx Field when the Terps take on Notre Dame in November. The junk food industry will live on, blogosphere. It most certainly will.
We'll be back later with an update on Round 2 (NOT 3) of FBL 2011.
I am half-convinced that the story was a plant by people like Mike Florio as just another manifestation of his BWS. It reminds me of the old joke about newspapers' headlines at the apocalypse - 'World ends; Women and Minorities suffer the most'
ReplyDeleteAs I tried to tell you the other night, the point of the second draft-day "reception" or whatever isn't so that the newly-drafted players could shake DeMaurice Smith's hand, but to join their new team-mates and shake THEIR hands. I.e., the player contingent for the Panthers will be waiting to introduce and welcome to the fold Cameron Newton, should he be taken #1 overall. Smith will be the rookies' player representative whenever the injunction is granted or the union re-certifies, but that's the only role he plays in their lives. It's about meeting their new TEAM MATES instead of their new OWNER and COMMISSIONER, and it has NOTHING to do with the union boss.
ReplyDeleteAlso, how much fucking goes on in the parking lots at the University of Maryland and FedEx Field on a football Saturday? I didn't know "propagating" was a tailgating activity.
@Kent...I know there is labor strife, but if I am a new draftee, here is what I am thinking. I have all summer and fall to get to know my teammates. I only have one chance to impress the guy who will be signing my paychecks. Yes, I know Goodell doesn't actually sign the paycheck, but first impressions are lasting, and given Mr. Roger's track record for throwing the book at certain guys, I might want to make it a priority to get on his good side. I'll be with my teammates all the time, I only got one chance to impress the boss. Basic workplace strategy if you ask me: lockout, strike, or otherwise.
ReplyDeleteYou're sort of unintentionally making the NFLPA's case for them. Roger Goodell isn't anybody's boss - their team's owner(s) is/are. But having rookies show up and shake Goodell's hand kinda sends the message that he's the leader of one giant organization, rather than there being 32 individual ones, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteAlso, maybe you SHOULD do a profile on Von Miller, because then you'd find out he's from Texas A&M, and not Virginia Tech. It's easy to mix them, though, since they both wear that fugly maroon garbage.