Foolish Owners

Much has been made of the NFL owner's hypocrisy in their desire for an 18 game season. They pass pansy rules in the name of safety. Praise themselves for their great concern for the player's well being. They pat themselves on the back for their concussion awareness. Football is a violent game. It always has been. It always will be since that is part of it's appeal. The physical aspect of the game should never be changed. If a player has a certain number of football collisions in their body, why add more? A 16 game regular season is seriously approaching the limits of the human body. Even the most successful current season, winning the Super Bowl, could bring the total games to 20. 22 games? No way. An 18 game season should not even be in the discussion. Part of the plan is to drop two preseason games. I've never understood how the owners can even think to equate two regular season games to two preseason games. It's a ridiculous stab at acting in the concern of the players. Adjusting roster limits to accommodate the owners desire for more is another pathetic attempt at concern. Better tackling technique has always been my preferred avenue for player safety. The "big, helmet first hit" may draw gasps but it is also a good way to miss the tackle. It should be mandated that every person involved in football from Pop Warner to the NFL watch film of Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield. Being a little guy forced Winfield to tackle the right way. I greatly enjoy watching Winfield evade the block of a lineman and bring down a back that outweighs him by 50 pounds. I'd much rather see that than a vicious helmet to helmet explosion. It's better football and the most sure way to get the opponent on the ground. Play over.

The owners have again shown their foolishness and general lack of concern for the players welfare. As this idiotic lockout grows more absurd by the day, agreement deadlines have been tossed about by both sides. I'd say that we are way passed when this mess should have been settled. The deadline should always be now. Anyway, the players say that the timing should allow for as much of training camp as possible. As many reps and conditioning as possible to properly get them ready for the games. A poorly prepared player is the best path to serious injury. The owners? They don't care about all of that. They just want the preseason games to start on time so that they can get the TV and ticket money. Once again, they show no concern for the players. They don't care how much time the players have to prepare for the games. They just want the games and the money to start. This view of the players as disposable has always been at the heart of the labor situation for me. How can anyone bargain in good faith with the presence of such a lack of respect? Sure, it all comes down to money. Both sides want. Both sides will get it. The owners want more than they had with the last labor agreement with less concern for the player's safety. The players are willing to accept less than they had with the last agreement but a greater respect from the owners.