The lockout has officially begun

[Bonecrusher#31]

The lockout has officially begun

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on March 12, 2011, 12:34 AM EST

For the first time since 1987, the National League Football has officially entered a work stoppage.

It came with a whimper.

As of 12:33 a.m. ET, the league hasn’t released a statement on the matter. (The collective bargaining agreement ran out at midnight.) NFL Network did announce on air, however, that the owners have imposed a lockout on the players, and NFL.com also has a story on it.

The Associated Press also confirmed the move and teams received an email notifying them a lockout was imposed.

The start of the lockout will set off a number of legal maneuvers. The players have gone to court in an effort to block the lockout.

They have filed an antitrust lawsuit — officially known as Brady et al vs. National Football League et al. The owners are expected to try to prove that the NFLPA’s decertification is a sham. That argument could have problems.

All of the legal wrangling above is not something the average NFL fan (and writer) will fully understand. Nor should they have to. Florio will break it all down on PFT in the coming days and weeks for us to digest.

We knew this day was likely coming, yet it’s still unsettling for anyone that loves the game. And you don’t need a law degree to understand the emotional implications.

The issue of trust continues to be thrown around. The players and ownership talk about the trust necessary for them to come to an agreement. They clearly don’t trust each other very much right now.

Both sides need to understand they risk losing the trust of a loyal, rabid fanbase. You can’t file a lawsuit to get that back.

 

[sbk92]

I don't see any reason why this won't continue at least until the fall.

No offseason this year. No free agency, no camp for the new coaches to change things. Nothing. Maybe not even a full 16 game season.

 

[Cr122]

I'm speechless, really. If there's no football in the fall I'll go nuts.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

I don't see any reason why this won't continue at least until the fall.

No offseason this year. No free agency, no camp for the new coaches to change things. Nothing. Maybe not even a full 16 game season.

So with an abbreviated seaosn, this could mean the Redskins win the Super Bowl.

 

[Mr.Po]

So with an abbreviated season, this could mean the Redskins win the Super Bowl.

Circa 1982 all over again minus the fun bunch and the diesel.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

It's a shame that Gene Upshaw passed away. I think if he were alive and head of the NFLPA, a deal would have gotten worked out to where both sides would have been satisfied. Upshaw played the game and was a HOFer, so he already had built in credibility right there, and was well-respected by owners and players alike. This Smith guy seems to be over his head and seems to want to get his mug in the camera quite a bit. And I think the owners are attempting to run roughshod over him, and he's trying to play badass.

I just think that if Upshaw was around, it would not have gotten to this. JMO.

 

[SixisBetter]

It's a shame that Gene Upshaw passed away. I think if he were alive and head of the NFLPA, a deal would have gotten worked out to where both sides would have been satisfied. Upshaw played the game and was a HOFer, so he already had built in credibility right there, and was well-respected by owners and players alike. This Smith guy seems to be over his head and seems to want to get his mug in the camera quite a bit. And I think the owners are attempting to run roughshod over him, and he's trying to play badass.

I just think that if Upshaw was around, it would not have gotten to this. JMO.

Upshaw certainly had more credibility in my eyes.
Upshaw played in an era when the owners had complete control over the players,and fought many years to get some measure of control to the union.

Now Smith and the "Association"want to be partners it seems.
I know many of the players have businesses,at least as investments.
I wonder how they would feel if their employees demanded a large portion of the profits and an open book policy for company financials?

Smith's actions at the end of the day yesterday showed his true intentions.He knew the owners wouldn't cave on financial disclosure,so he played that card last,like you said,in front of the cameras.
Smith had to file the lawsuits before the CBA officially expired,to keep the case in front of Judge Doty,who has ruled in the player's favor in the past.

 

[sbk92]

I didn't like Upshaw. I don't like Smith.

But I probably wouldn't like anybody who represented the players.

The owners made a last minute offer that was way too fair to the players. They still turned it down.

If I could decide what happens next, we move on with scabs and anybody who wants to break away from the union and play football.

Within 5-10 years nobody gives two shats about this group of players. And you've made an example for future negotiations.

When it all comes down to it, the league is not about the players. It's about the teams and fans.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

I didn't like Upshaw. I don't like Smith.

But I probably wouldn't like anybody who represented the players.

The owners made a last minute offer that was way too fair to the players. They still turned it down.

If I could decide what happens next, we move on with scabs and anybody who wants to break away from the union and play football.

Within 5-10 years nobody gives two shats about this group of players. And you've made an example for future negotiations.

When it all comes down to it, the league is not about the players. It's about the teams and fans.

Your like or dislike is totally irrelevant.

 

[sbk92]

Your like or dislike is totally irrelevant.

I didn't like Upshaw.

Don't like Smith.