INTERESTING ARTICLE--BLAME STARTS WITH GOODELL

[Bretsky]

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/14807250/blame-for-mess-nfl-finds-itself-in-must-start-with-goodell

[SkinBasket]

I'm absolutely convinced that if Tagliabue was commissioner, a deal would've been consummated. There's no question about it.

Everyone's a fan of appeasement these days. The motherfucking article should be labeled, "The blame starts with Tagliabue," since it was his fucking appeasement deal the owners had to opt out of. And before all you labor union cocksuckers start, just remember that these are still business people running these teams. They aren't in the game to lose money. Money is what this is all about to them. If they were willing to risk what lies before us, I think that says a lot about where their bank accounts were heading.

No go fuck youselfs.

[mraynrand]

Everyone's a fan of appeasement these days. The motherfucking article should be labeled, "The blame starts with Tagliabue," since it was his fucking appeasement deal the owners had to opt out of. And before all you labor union cocksuckers start, just remember that these are still business people running these teams. They aren't in the game to lose money. Money is what this is all about to them. If they were willing to risk what lies before us, I think that says a lot about where their bank accounts were heading.

No go fuck yourselves.

fixed

[swede]

Actually, there is an argument to be made that Skin's use of a dialectical crudity, a crudity which adheres to unique rules of urban language, may lend itself to an exception of the regular rules by which we make plurals.

[pbmax]

Its a risk only if they need to sell the team short term. The NFL has recovered from work stoppages before and only once have franchise values fallen, during 2008 and a period of relative labor peace, when the economy was in full tank. One other time values stagnated, I think that was 2009 (I could have those years reversed, there is a thread around here documenting it from Forbes point of view - which cover only the last decade plus a couple of years). The owners have admitted to the players that no team was unprofitable during the time period their profit figures cover. Likely since 2006.

Successful business people are not gamblers, they are not Evel Knievel nor are they base jumpers. They have a solid idea how long it will take to break the union (1 year) and they know the costs down to the last dollar what they stand to lose. They are willing to risk it to get better financial terms.

Its a business negotiation plain and simple. And they have been preparing for it since they opted out of the CBA.

The one hiccup in their plans is whether or not the lockup will stand up in court and the NLRB. That is why Batterman and Boies were hired.

The owners may need, deserve or simply want a better deal. But they are not losing any money, fucking or otherwise.

As for blaming Goodell or Tagliabue, they are employees of the owners. And they do their bidding for the most part. If they don't (see Fay Vincent) they get shown the door. Tags had more friends and power from moderate ownership situations. Goodell base of support is Jones, Kraft and Richardson, newer owners with larger debt loads to serivce. Jones and Kraft have newer stadiums that cost them more money than their predecessors. Richardson, I believe, is looking to biuld near term.

It was only a matter of time before Tagliabue's backers were outnumbered by teams and owners in different situations. Blaming the commish for their owner's is like blaming the groundhog for his shadow. I am not saying the commish has no power or influence, but the circumstances are different this time around.

[mraynrand]

...groundhog for his shadow....


Wha? The Groundhog had a shadow? Did he see it? I missed that whole story. See there was this football game about to happen... Maybe that explains this interminable winter. There is no way this winter is EVER going to end, so long as that Groundhog keeps seeing his shadow. I don't see any other way out. He has to be stopped, and I have to stop him...

[SkinBasket]

fixed

racist.

[Pugger]

I agree with Skin, if you're gonna blame a commissioner, blame Tags and not Goodell. But until the courts decide who wasn't negociating in good faith and the NFLPA comes back nothing is gonna get done about this impass.

[rbaloha1]

I agree with Skin, if you're gonna blame a commissioner, blame Tags and not Goodell. But until the courts decide who wasn't negociating in good faith and the NFLPA comes back nothing is gonna get done about this impass.

Blame Tags for what? Keeping the Rozelle model going with increasing franchise valuations. My goodness the Browns are valued at $1 billion.