Please stop negotiations and just play
Idon’t care about player safety in the NFL. The players don’t care. The owners certainly don’t care?care. Why should I
I also don’t care if the owners win the negotiations for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement and get even richer. They’re already billionaires. I can’t relate to that. Can you?
I’m just a guy who loves NFL football. Forget the controversial 17-game schedule that the owners are demanding, beginning with the 2021 season. I wish the teams played 40 weeks a year. I can’t get enough.
I just want labor peace for the next 10 years with no strikes and no lockouts.
It’s going to happen, thankfully, by the weekend after the players approve the proposed CBA by a simple majority vote.
I just never imagined we would have to endure so much drama and so much hysteria to get there.
Look at what happened in the past few days.
ESPN reported a number of NFL owners secretly are hoping the players turn down the proposed CBA because they think they can get a better deal after the 2020 season, including — get this — an 18game schedule. Does that seem like a planted story or what, a not-so-subtle way of turning up the heat on the players? The implication is the players had better accept the deal now or get much less, including a possible work stoppage, later. The owners don’t want the games to stop under any circumstances, but it can’t hurt their cause if the players believe they will shut everything down.
Soon-to-be Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Russell Okung — a clear “no” vote for the CBA -—filed an unfair labor charge with the National Labor Relations Board alleging the NFL Players Association negotiated the proposed CBA in bad faith and took it to the rank-and-file for a vote over the objections of its executive committee. Okung is a member of that committee and was in on the negotiations. That’s bizarre.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers outside linebacker Sam Acho, another committee member, went public with his “yes” vote and said the proposed CBA benefited the majority of NFL players. He downplayed the loud, often emotional objections of the most prominent players as just so much noise. “Big names have big voices,” Acho said. He ran for NFLPA president Tuesday and lost the election to Cleveland Browns center JC Tretter.
Panthers safety Eric Reid had his attorneys review the 456-page proposed CBA and posted their response on social media. “It’s a bigger disaster than we could have imagined,” Reid wrote. That prompted a proverbial thumb’s up from Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey, who tweeted, “Facts!! Players please be aware!! The owners do not care about you!”
You might have heard Pouncey is a “no” vote. Perhaps you saw his profanitylaced video in which he, almost comically, pledged to help young, struggling players with their “rent money” during a possible work stoppage if the CBA is voted down. I’m thinking Pouncey is one of the big voices that Acho referenced. He has made an estimated $67 million during his career.
All of it seems to be a bit overwhelming for the players. ESPN reported several voted on the proposed agreement but went back to union leadership to ask if they could change their vote. They were turned down, although the deadline for the vote was extended by two days until Saturday night.
It’s almost surreal. Usually, players are united against the owners and Roger Goodell. But with this CBA, it’s clearly a civil war. On one side is the union’s haves, including Pouncey, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and J.J. Watt to name just a few, all of whom have made their millions and been outspoken against the proposed deal, especially that 17th game. On the other side is the union’s have-nots, players who are trying to find their way in the NFL and feed their families.
“Sixty-five percent of players in the NFL last year made minimum salaries,” Acho said. “So,when you talk about 20 percent increase effectively year over year in exchange for one extra game …
“This deal is a really good deal for a majority of NFL players who like most Americans who get paid more if you play more. This deal eliminates superstar economics and it brings everyone up with a tidal wave.”
I hope Acho has convinced his union brothers.
I hope the “yes” vote carries the day.
It’s not just the right vote for me.
It’s the right vote for all of us who love NFL football.