No NFL lockout thread? (Page 2)

Like I said, I love having a civilized conversation about these things, I really do.  Sports are my passion, and I'm currently studying them in depth in law school so that I get back to work in the industry in a different capacity than I have before. 

The way you worded your first paragraph just seemed like an attack to me because the term "misguided" makes me think that you're just saying my thought process is absolutely wrong. 

I think you make very valid points, I really do.  And I'm usually anti-union, so me being on the players side is quite remarkable really.  I would love to continue the conversation so long as the degree of "wrongness" is left out.

Thank you!  No hard feelings, I promise.

Cool...If I had put a "IMO" after "misguided" it would have conveyed what I wanted much better.

As a law student who loves sports, you will certainly be in for a very interesting couple of months as the "Sham" argument is ruled on, along with everything else pertaining to this ordeal.

I think we both agree that we'd like to see a full NFL season this fall!

Good luck with your studies...

I can't help but wonder if the courts will try to stay out of this as much as possible.  Generally, courts want to avoid the sports industry because it's so complex.  Have you read the American Needle case?  If courts go back and forth any more on that, I'm going to go nuts.  It's tough to try to study the law when it keeps changing!

I DO want to know what everybody's opinion is on the 18-game season idea.  I'm really torn on whether I like that idea.

Re: 16 vs. 18 I'm firmly against 18 games and want 16 to stay forever. For many reasons. When I first heard about the 18 game potential I was intrigued as a fan I thought maybe that would be cool having more games.

But then I considered all the injuries, the record books and the fact that the NFL has become what it is with 16 games so why mess with that? (And as a Redskins fan it would probably just mean 2 additional losses!)

Re: American Needle, it is a very interesting case and the Supreme court ruling last year certainly hurts the NFL in what it wants to be viewed as for antitrust matters. Has anything happened since the SC ruled the league needs to be viewed as 32 separate business entities?

As I remember, the fight could continue but now the lower courts MUST look at them as 32 separate instead of 1 business only competing on the field.

Regarding the 18 game season - the only way I see the players going for it is if the active roster for each team is expanded.  5-10 more bodies on the team with which to rotate players could make a difference for recovery by the end of the season.

18 game season with the current roster counts - don't see it happening.  The players get worn out as it is.

Why not incorporate the last two 2 "pre-season" games as part of the season?

If I'm understanding it correctly, that's what the owners are trying to do.

I"m against the 18 game season,, I'd rather they just drop two preseason games on it's own, without trying to tack it onto the regular season.  

The one idea that caught my attention that could sway me towards an 18 game season, was shortening the game to 48 min.  four 12min quarters. 

Why do this you ask??  

While this would benefit the owners with two more "ticketable" games.  It actually reduces the length of the season by playing time.   So the players would be playing less minutes over the course of the season, not by much  960min in a 16 game season vs 864 minutes in an 18 game season.  But enough that the wear and tear on them would not be impacted, toss in an extra bye week and to me that would work out best for both sides.

that's what I thought but I could be wrong.    

this is why I wonder what info the NFL gave out and what exactly what info the players want from each team and why.  IF you play for the Saints and find out the Cowboys made more money as a team, to me, that just shows that one owner is a better business person than the other.  if you accept that one owner is better, by contrast that means one is worse and could be losing money.   I'm just not sure how that would help the players as a whole by finding out which teams are more profitable than others,  I think if anything it could hurt them.

this is why my opinion on the players asking the "NFL" for all the financial info from each team seems like a red herring to me.  The entity known as the NFL gave out finances, but even they don't have the detailed info from each team,  So the players need to be asking each team to give out info, which they (from what I've read) have never done. they have only asked the NFL,

I actually hope this drags out a couple of years and there is no season for a couple of years  Let them fight it out in court and kill their golden goose. 

Both sides agreed to the CBA, now it's over with and a true free for all.   If the players really want to play they can start their own league, if the owners want to have games, then bring in other players. 

Very interesting Gaary I have not heard about shorting the time of the games to 48 minutes.  My impulse feeling is that I don't like it, but I woudn't mind pondering it.  Other than than I am also against the 18 game schedule.  Instead of two meaningless preseason games, there will be a ton of meaningless regular season games.  Think of week 17 already, how many times do we see 2 sub-500 teams playing eachother, or when you have the Colts lock up the division and seed they sit their starters because they don't need to win.

On the other hand I don't mind the Owers asking for the extra operating costs.  If my numbers correct and I'm not sure they are:  They are trying to split up 9 Bil, currently owners get 1 Bil operating cost and the next 8 Bil is split 60/40 to the Players, that 60% decides the salary cap.

Per team the operating costs is at $31.25 Mil.  the extra Bil would give them operating costs of $62.5 Mil, I am OK with this.  Also, I believe it would only effect the salary cap by about $18 Mil per team.  How many teams have way overpriced rookies, that IMHO do not deserve those contracts before ever playing a down in the NFL.

As for the owners opting out of the CB, completed good by me.  The players agreed to that option just like the owners agreed to the last CB