DiTrani: Lockout is Just Plain Stupid

[flgreen]

DiTrani: NFL lockout is just plain stupid

Thursday, May 19, 2011

By VINNY DITRANI

COLUMNIST

We’ve about emptied the thesaurus seeking synonyms for “stupidity’’ in describing the NFL’s current state. But if you need more proof of the “insanity” of the situation, look no further than the current lockout.

Players appear to be enjoying the unexpected time off from what many consider the tedious and way-too-long off-season programs. “There is not one NFL player who hasn’t enjoyed [time off during] the lockout,” claimed Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson. “I’m just being straight up honest.”

Yet the players are ones looking to have the lockout lifted.

On the other hand you have coaches, control freaks at heart, pulling their hair out because they cannot keep direct tabs on their fold. And first-year coaches have to be particular anxious to see in the flesh those they have only watched digitally produced.

Yet the owners are the ones seeking to keep the lockout in place.

That’s just a taste of the “foolishness” going on as we endure this work-stoppage of the most successful, most popular sports enterprise in history. All the courtroom talk of injunctions and stays and appeals has managed to cloud the fact this dispute is not one without resolution, if the “madness” would just give way to some common sense — the most ignored phrase in the entire English language these days.

Take a look at the last time the NFL Players Association decertified, heading into the early 1990s. At that time, like this occasion, the players wanted to take the league to court. But at that time there was a major philosophical difference dividing the two sides.

Free agency: the players wanted it, the owners did not want them to have it. Yes or no. Black and white. The courts ruled in favor of the players and the free agency system was negotiated — with the court’s approval — into the next Collective Bargaining Agreement.

This time there is no black-and-white issue. It’s all green. Perhaps it has been forgotten in all the legal “imbecility” that the root of the problem is how to carve up the $9-plus billion the NFL generates each season. There are the questions of how much the owners will shave off the top and then the percentages each side gets afterward.

Numbers. Two sets of them, plenty of room for maneuvering and finagling to reach a deal. Yet for some reason that has all but been forgotten in recent weeks.

For the most part, the owners bear the burden here. They were the ones who agreed to the last CBA negotiated for them by former commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who somehow has escaped the blame in this “lunacy.” Tagliabue convinced them it was a good deal, even though it turned out to be one of which the owners eventually would opt out.

Tagliabue danced off into retirement claiming “Pete Roselle: two work stoppages; Paul Tagiabue: none.” But clearly he is the pitcher who throws a good game but leaves with the bases loaded and none out in the ninth. Roger Goodell has come on in relief and walked his first batter on four pitches. However, the resulting run is charged to Tagliabue, who would be the pitcher of record on the losing side if there was a winning side in this “fiasco.”

The players are not without fault. Clearly the economy has headed south in recent years and some owners, especially those with huge stadiums to pay off, are feeling the pinch. You don’t need to look at anyone’s books to figure that out. A little compassion — with a written agreement that the money distribution would be revisited once things start looking up — would go a long way in bringing this “madness” to an end.

But let’s face it: Maria Shriver has more trust in Arnold Schwarzenegger than either of these sides has in the other. The players planned their route a few years back when they elected DeMaurice Smith, a lawyer, over Troy Vincent, a former player, to replace the late Gene Upshaw as executive director. Litigation was that route.

And it was obvious what the owners were thinking when they worked out that $4 billion TV deal for lockout insurance, a deal which is now a legal sidecar to the major bout set for June 3 in St. Louis — a pox on both houses in this “bêtise.”

The fact it has gotten this far is testimony how greed can turn supposedly intelligent men into “blockheads” and a thriving business into a floundering “folly.”

That about brings an end to that list of “dumb” synonyms. Unfortunately, however, there is no end in sight for this — wait, here’s one more — NFL “feeblemindedness.”

[bitonti]

I have yet to hear a good explanation as to why the owners "need" more money than they are getting now. Why is that in the best interests of the NFL?

we can talk about new stadiums but as demaurice smith said "if a car company wants to build a new factory, they don't make the workers pay for it"

[Bugg]

I have yet to hear a good explanation as to why the owners "need" more money than they are getting now. Why is that in the best interests of the NFL?

we can talk about new stadiums but as demaurice smith said "if a car company wants to build a new factory, they don't make the workers pay for it"

Agreed. The owners are out of their minds to mess with their business like this. In the immortal words of your father and mine, "If it works, don't f___ with it". This is messing up a good thing for no good reason at all. Nobody is losing money.But they are losing opportunity and damaging their brand.

[Bugg]

Lot of truth here. What the players and owners don't appreciate; people will do something else if there is no football. Ands a lot of them won't be in a rush to watch it when it comes back.

Don't get sucked in to lockout hysteria

by Jason Whitlock

Lockout hysteria. I get it. Media outlets, including this one, have billions of dollars tied to America’s national pastime, the NFL. Individual media brands such as Peter King and Mike Florio have thousands, if not millions, of dollars tied to America’s national pastime, the NFL.

I get lockout hysteria. I just don’t agree with it.

Professional football isn’t too big to fail. In fact, it might be a good thing if the NFL suffered a comeuppance, a retreat to a more appropriate place in the American fabric.

I’m like every other stereotypical red-blooded American man. I love football. I worship at the NFL’s throne most fall Sundays and Mondays. My passion for the game even goes a little bit deeper. Without football, I wouldn’t be a sportswriter and have the privilege of engaging you on various sports-related topics for a comfortable living.

A football scholarship paid for my education at Ball State University. My perspective on life was partially shaped by my experience as a high school and college football player. Football gave me an identity and the confidence to say what I think without fear.

That doesn’t make football superior to playing in the band, or countless other life experiences that help us evolve.

The difference is television networks haven’t figured out a way to mass-market band competitions into a highly rated TV force. The leaders of lockout hysteria — and there are many — justify their calls for congressional involvement and sky-is-falling nonsense by pointing to the NFL’s ratings. Nineteen of the 20 top-rated TV shows in the fall of 2010 were NFL games.

People watch, therefore the NFL is really, really important.

You can make the same argument about porn.

And, just like porn, the people consuming and participating in football have little knowledge of its harmful side effects. We’re just now comprehending the damage football does to the brain and the quality of life of its combatants. It will take even more time for people to abandon the myth that football promotes or supports values young people should emulate.

For now, especially in the middle of this “devastating” lockout, let’s pretend football represents the best of America. Let’s not consider it reflects what is wrong with us.

We’re recklessly violent. We’re not ashamed of our violent nature. We celebrate it, glorify it and ignore its consequences. Remember, I’m not anti-football. I’m just pro accepting the game for what it is. It’s sports porn. It’s a three-hour snuff film played and consumed by men who mostly haven’t intellectually evolved past adolescence.

If the NFL is our cultural benchmark, we’re not evolving.

That’s why I abhor the NFL marketing technique of wrapping the game in the American flag and partnering it with our military. The lockout-hysteria crowd actually argued at one point this offseason that its critical games be played on the 10-year anniversary of 9/11. The hysteria grew even louder after our Navy SEALS killed Osama bin Laden.

It’s great that football players visit and entertain our troops overseas. Let the NFL put its money where its marketing is. Congress should tax the league for selling faux patriotism and use the revenue to support our wounded veterans. I’m serious.

Pro sports leagues are getting more out of their partnership with the American military than our armed services are getting in terms of favorable marketing. Working-class sports fans think it’s more patriotic to drop $10,000 on season tickets and stand upright during the national anthem 10 times a year than to drop the same cash on their children’s education.

Again, I love football. It’s the sport I enjoy writing and talking about the most. Football is at the foundation of my media platform.

I can make do without it. And so can everyone else.

We survived MLB, NBA and NHL work stoppages. Yep, the stoppages hurt those leagues’ television power. So what?Baseball used to be America’s pastime, and the 1994 players strike ended the charade that baseball was more popular than football. The strike also escalated baseball’s steroids race as Bud Selig and baseball-hysterical sportswriters looked the other way as Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa “saved” the game.

As journalists, we shouldn’t have a vested interest in the health of a league. There’s no reason for us to get all emotional about how Tom Brady and Jerry Jones decide to divvy up $9 billion. If they screw it up, they’ll fix it or something else will replace it.

And save me the too-big-to-fail rhetoric. That arrogance is why NFL owners charge taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars to build new football stadiums every 20 years.

[Larz]

I have yet to hear a good explanation as to why the owners "need" more money than they are getting now. Why is that in the best interests of the NFL?

we can talk about new stadiums but as demaurice smith said "if a car company wants to build a new factory, they don't make the workers pay for it"

that's cute DeM, but if the owners pay for it out of pocket, there's less money to pay the workers. these guys are loaded, but it's not an endless supply of money. The last time I checked, the workers in a car factory don't expect annual 30% raises and signing bonuses.

the more that guy opens his mouth, the less confident I am we will have football this year. I wonder if he ultimately gets pushed aside sometime in August and then a deal gets done

[PatriotReign37]

that's cute DeM, but if the owners pay for it out of pocket, there's less money to pay the workers. these guys are loaded, but it's not an endless supply of money. The last time I checked, the workers in a car factory don't expect annual 30% raises and signing bonuses.

Thats right.

When Ford sells a car, they dont give the employees involved building it alsmost 60% of the money after a percentage is taken off the top for factory operating costs. When Ford wants to build a new factory, they charge more for their products. In the NFLs case, increasing the price of the product wouldnt work because the players receive too large of a percentage off its revenue.

That is why labor costs must go down.

the more that guy opens his mouth, the less confident I am we will have football this year. I wonder if he ultimately gets pushed aside sometime in August and then a deal gets done

If the Appeals court June 3rd ruling is for the lockout to remain permanent, I think youll begin see an uprising to get Smith off the job.

[#27TheDominator]

That's not a real name, right? That's a JN alias. T0mShane maybe. It's like Heywood Jablome. Vinny Ditrani? Vincent The Tranny?

[T0mShane]

Thats right.

When Ford sells a car, they dont give the employees involved building it alsmost 60% of the money after a percentage is taken off the top for factory operating costs. When Ford wants to build a new factory, they charge more for their products. In the NFLs case, increasing the price of the product wouldnt work because the players receive too large of a percentage off its revenue.

That is why labor costs must go down.

It's not a great metaphor because, in the NFL's case, they players are the product. I'd guarantee you that Ford pays out far more than 60% of its revenue for labor and materials, which is what the players represent in this little widget construct.

[#27TheDominator]

that's cute DeM, but if the owners pay for it out of pocket, there's less money to pay the workers. these guys are loaded, but it's not an endless supply of money. The last time I checked, the workers in a car factory don't expect annual 30% raises and signing bonuses.

the more that guy opens his mouth, the less confident I am we will have football this year. I wonder if he ultimately gets pushed aside sometime in August and then a deal gets done

Thats right.

When Ford sells a car, they dont give the employees involved building it alsmost 60% of the money after a percentage is taken off the top for factory operating costs. When Ford wants to build a new factory, they charge more for their products. In the NFLs case, increasing the price of the product wouldnt work because the players receive too large of a percentage off its revenue.

That is why labor costs must go down.

How do you know all of this? Have you seen the books?

[Bugg]

Also, Ford as a publicly-traded company has to disclose it's income and expenses and assets and liabilities every quarter and annually, both in public releases and goverment filings.

The NFL and it's owners (spare Green Bay) are for the most part under no such obligation. Until one of these blabbermouth owners actually goes out of business or sells facing that possibility, the "we're losing money!" nonsense is just that.Zgi Wolf of the Vikings and Tom Benson of the Saints both brielfy claimed they were lsoing money; yet both still own their teams. Long-term problem is once people find other ways to spend their time because there is no football, you are going to lose a lot of those customers, casual and hardcore, forever. And you will damage your product and long-term profiut because Jerry Richardson isn't making a big enough profit.

[PatriotReign37]

How do you know all of this? Have you seen the books?

Though labor rates are a significant factor on an automaker’s overall balance sheet, those costs have steadily declined as a part of a vehicle’s total price tag, in large part due to productivity gains. Two decades ago, the typical Detroit automaker needed as much as 40 hours or more to assemble the typical vehicle, while today that has declined to less than 20 hours, on average. That alone yields savings of more than $1,000 a vehicle.

http://www.thedetroitbureau.com/2011/05/ford-wants-to-close-8-an-hour-labor-cost-gap/

[Bugg]

Though labor rates are a significant factor on an automaker’s overall balance sheet, those costs have steadily declined as a part of a vehicle’s total price tag, in large part due to productivity gains. Two decades ago, the typical Detroit automaker needed as much as 40 hours or more to assemble the typical vehicle, while today that has declined to less than 20 hours, on average. That alone yields savings of more than $1,000 a vehicle.

http://www.thedetroitbureau.com/2011/05/ford-wants-to-close-8-an-hour-labor-cost-gap/

And the occasion you last saw anyone buy a poster or jersey or fathead featuring a specific autoworker was....?

[sirlancemehlot]

And the occasion you last saw anyone buy a poster or jersey or fathead featuring a specific autoworker was....?

I have a Fathead o Marty Weintraub screwing the valvecap onto the tire of a Mercury Montego. The guy is a beast.

[dbatesman]

I know sportswriters are hacks, but holy flying dogsh*t, how many times is this article going to be written? "This has gone on long enough! I don't care what the deal looks like, just give me my football back! These guys are fighting over how to divide $9 billion, isn't that absurd!?!? The problem is, the players and owners get along about as well as [schwarzenegger/Trump/Sheen/Jen/Zuckerberg/Situation] and [Maria/Obama/Lorre/Angelina/Winklevi/Situation's dad], amirite d00dz!"

[PatriotReign37]

I have a Fathead o Marty Weintraub screwing the valvecap onto the tire of a Mercury Montego. The guy is a beast.

LOLZ

[#27TheDominator]

Though labor rates are a significant factor on an automaker’s overall balance sheet, those costs have steadily declined as a part of a vehicle’s total price tag, in large part due to productivity gains. Two decades ago, the typical Detroit automaker needed as much as 40 hours or more to assemble the typical vehicle, while today that has declined to less than 20 hours, on average. That alone yields savings of more than $1,000 a vehicle.

http://www.thedetroitbureau.com/2011/05/ford-wants-to-close-8-an-hour-labor-cost-gap/

That clears it right up! Autoworkers are more productive, so the owners should get an extra billion + off the top!

[nycdan]

I have yet to hear a good explanation as to why the owners "need" more money than they are getting now. Why is that in the best interests of the NFL?

we can talk about new stadiums but as demaurice smith said "if a car company wants to build a new factory, they don't make the workers pay for it"

The same reason Revis 'needed' more money that he was contractually signed to earn last year. How's that for a reason.

Just silly.

[flgreen]

The same reason Revis 'needed' more money that he was contractually signed to earn last year. How's that for a reason.

Just silly.

[Dude Love]

People watch, therefore the NFL is really, really important.

You can make the same argument about porn.

That was awesome!

[slats]

The same reason Revis 'needed' more money that he was contractually signed to earn last year. How's that for a reason.

Just silly.

I knew the lockout was Revis' fault.

[Bleedin Green]

I have yet to hear a good explanation as to why the owners "need" more money than they are getting now. Why is that in the best interests of the NFL?

we can talk about new stadiums but as demaurice smith said "if a car company wants to build a new factory, they don't make the workers pay for it"

I'm sorry, but that analogy by Smith is pure dogsh*t. If a car company starts making more money, the workers also aren't entitled to one red cent of that additional profit, which is the area where the issue comes in with the NFL. That's not to say the owners case isn't built purely on greed, but the players trying to pretend theirs isn't, and worse yet, trying to act like for even a second that they are anything like your average worker, is insulting.

[Dude Love]

Remember, I’m not anti-football. I’m just pro accepting the game for what it is. It’s sports porn. It’s a three-hour snuff film played and consumed by men who mostly haven’t intellectually evolved past adolescence.

Truth is truth, To the end of reckoning.

[#27TheDominator]

I'm sorry, but that analogy by Smith is pure dogsh*t. If a car company starts making more money, the workers also aren't entitled to one red cent of that additional profit, which is the area where the issue comes in with the NFL. That's not to say the owners case isn't built purely on greed, but the players trying to pretend theirs isn't, and worse yet, trying to act like for even a second that they are anything like your average worker, is insulting.

I think you are a little off base. Sure the players share in the profits, but I think the owners are building new stadiums because the revenue they generate is not subject to the revenue sharing. That should mean against the players as well as the other owners.

[bitonti]

Bill Simmons wrote an article not too long ago about the greed of the owners... their desire for endless, boundless growth is a little unrealistic.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/110304