In NFL Lockout, Owners Show Us Greed Is Good

We all knew it would come to this. We all knew in a battle between billionaires and millionaires the fans would be the first ones to lose, and in looking at the NFL lockout one thing is abundantly clear, greed is good. Consider in the 2010 Forbes list of 1000 richest people in the WORLD there were 13 NFL owners on the list. Nearly half of the leagues owners are in the top 1000 wealthiest people on the planet. And yet they want more. The owners take $1 billion dollars of the NFL pot before dividing up the rest. They want $2 billion, of course they do. If we, the fans have learned anything from this its that the owners don't care about the fans, they care about money. They want to smell it, clean it, jump into a big pool full of it and they don't want anyone to get in the way of their cannonball. Do you know how much money it takes to fill a pool? Now the owners don't want a pool, they want one of those water slides, with 3 tubes and loops, and curves and a huge pool at the end. I know what your thinking but no Paul Allen, he of the $13.5 billion net worth, doesn't want to fill the pool with his money, he may need it for oh-his eighth private jet? He wants it from the players.

Yes the players, those who work there whole lives just to be in the league for maybe a couple of seasons. Those whose average salary is $790,000 dollars, or less then 1/100 the 1% of the net worth of Patriots owner Robert Kraft. And the owners want the players to take a pay cut, naturally. Roger Goodell and the owners want to blame the players, in an open letter to NFL fans the commish said no compensation reduction for veterans implement new year-round health and safety rules; retain the current 16-4 season format for at least two years with any subsequent changes subject to the approval of the league and union; and establish a new legacy fund for retired players ($82 million contributed by the owners over the next two years)." Wow Roger, actually provide some semblance of care for players who expose themselves to violence and brain damage on a daily basis, big of you.

These negotiations show just how out of touch the owners and the NFL is with reality. One would think they would have learned that the whole greed is good thing may not pan out, see financial meltdown, recession. But NO!!! Heaven forbid the billionaires give anything back to their minions. They want more, always more, and don't care who gets hurt, players, fans, local economies. But the kicker in Goodells condescending letter to the NFL fans is "While we are disappointed with the union's actions, we remain steadfastly committed to reaching an agreement that serves the best interest of NFL players, clubs and fans, and thank you for your continued support of our League. First and foremost it is your passion for the game that drives us all, and we will not lose sight of this as we continue to work for a deal that works for everyone." This level of garbage is stunning. I'm 16, but this ridiculousness shouldn't convince any person, man women, child, who has ever paid hundreds of dollars to go to an NFL game. The NFL doesn't care, AT ALL, about the fans. Goodell said PSL's are "A good investment." The policy that calls for fans to pay thousands of dollars for the right to pay hundreds of dollars to go see say the Jets play the Vikings, on a Monday night, a school night, in a monsoon, an epic, drenching, fierce monsoon. This is not a good investment, but it helps Woody Johnson, the man who never worked a day in his life, who was born with a silver spoon full of Johnson and Johnson baby powder in his mouth, can get more money.

And it will never change. As long as the fans keep coming in, and tune in on Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, the owners will want even more. Greed isn't good, but hey if the players hold out long enough, and fans stopped coming, and the TV networks didn't show games, and the NFL owners gambled and lost with other peoples money, maybe we can charge them a PSL to enter the homeless shelter... Maybe then they'd listen.