Struggle with this? No way, not at all. I have a very clear understanding of the concepts and what I would do as an owner or as a player. How am I being defensive??? Just trying to discuss the exact issue that is the stumbling block in the negotiations, how much the owners make relative to the players.
When did I get defensive? I have refrained from comment about the strike/lockout for several days, for the most part. Posted some links to a few articles before that, and summarized some impressions I had gotten from reading a lot about it. I do think the players have wanted to decertify from the get-go, but so what? That has nothing to do with being pro-player or pro-owner. After all, the players are pro-player and they decertified.
I am just trying to do what one does in a negotiation like this. The players have suggested that the owners make too much. The owners have said they need more money. In the end, if the players get to see the owner's books, and I suspect they will, it will come down to discussions about how much Jerry Jones and everyone else did or didn't make from owning their teams. I'm just trying to open a discussion about what people think an owner should make relative to the players. From that, we can build a discussion. It's exactly the discussion that the players want.
I did??? When? Refresh my recollection please. I don't recall drawing any such parallels. If I did, it sure wasn't a major issue in my mind, because I don't recall doing it. Perhaps you are confusing me with someone else, or I have completely forgotten comments I may have made for the purposes of promoting a discussion.
Listen, I wasn't the one who raised this issue. The players are the ones who did. The owners said said they need more money. The players have suggested they make too much already. I am just trying to start a discussion about the issues raised by the parties.
If I were in the negotiating room (and I have been) I would be doing much the same thing. There is a point to all of this.
So what if some sports owners don't care if they make a profit? That has nothing to do with these negotiations. Should the players be getting a high enough % so that all owners are in that boat? If the players see the books and determine that the average owner makes $100M/year, should they ask for more, or should they say "That's fair."? If the average owner makes $5M, should the player capitulate?
I know very well this is not like a typical business, but so what?