Hard to Have Sympathy for Either Side in Labor Dispute

Judge Nelson ruled on Monday that the lockout has been lifted, and the league must open its doors. Now, as the doors reopen, but the weight room doors do not, and we await the ruling on whether a stay will be granted, and the league’s appeal, I bring this fan’s perspective.

Let’s play!

This whole process benefits nobody. The league is reaching astronomical numbers of popularity, and they are arguing about how to split a $9 billion pool. Really?

For weeks we have listened to DeMaurice Smith, Roger Goodell, Jeff Pash, and John Mara, among others, politic in the media. “The players pushed for litigation”….”We are willing to negotiate”…..”worst deal in the history of sports”, and on and on. Billionaires fighting over billions of dollars. Really?

Now the league is court ordered to open its doors, and now the owners are playing games by locking the weight room doors. The lockout has been lifted folks. Open the doors fully until you are told otherwise.

All I know is this, I don’t really care who is right or wrong. I want to see football and I want to see it on time. The league will take a hit in its popularity if games are lost. Maybe if all parties worked a regular job for about a week, they would realize what they have, and a deal would get done. Now we get to watch our great game played out in court rather than the gridiron.

Pete Rozelle and Gene Upshaw are turning over in their graves.