It’s been getting harder and harder to legitimately talk about the 2011 NFL season as we get closer and closer to the expiration of the current CBA. Sure, we’ve buried ourselves in draft research, and that will be a crutch until early May.
But if there’s a lockout, the selection of Mr. Irrelevant will be a depressing final gasp of the NFL as we know it. So as we all wait for the union and players association to come forward with a real actual announcement there are just a few things we’d like to touch on.
First, I recommend you read Andrew Brandt’s article here as to what the possible outcomes for Friday could be. I’m most optimistic about an extension, that seems most plausible at this point.
Second, I’ve been getting quite a few emails from various fan organizations like SportsFans.org who would like to have the fans at least included as observers of the negotiations. They’ve even been featured in major news outlets like the New York Times.
We also had a group named Block the Lockout presenting 150,000 signatures to owners today.
Unlike a lot of fans I actually make a little money off the NFL. Make that a VERY little, but still, it’s something. And I feel confident saying that I stand to lose as much as any other NFL fan in the event of a lockout, but I don’t believe fans have any place at the bargaining table, even as observers.
What could fans possibly add to this process? It’s the responsibility for the NFL and the players to work out a deal that is amenable to both sides. All that really truly matters to fans is whether or not there’s a lockout. That’s the only issue that legitimately can concern them.
Sure, we can be against an 18 game season, but when it comes down to it are any fans really going to be that put out by having two more real games per year?
If you don’t like the deal that the NFL and players eventually come to then stop supporting the NFL. Cancel your season tickets. Don’t subscribe to DirecTV’s Sunday ticket. Don’t buy any more schwag. And yes, stop writing obsessive blogs that are solely focused on one team.
Yes, the fans made the NFL everything it has become, but to include them in negotiations is pointless. Why should billionaire owners, or players who risk life and limb listen to anything fans have to say? Because we watch them and spend money to support them? Guess what, there will always be fans, no matter how long a lockout, or how contentious the negotiations become. What could fans possibly have to add to the proceedings other than another complication that could stand in the way of a deal?
Anyway, that’s my two cents on that, and with that said I’ve been tossing around a lot of ideas as to what would become of PatsPropaganda during a prolonged lockout (which luckily seems far less likely with the ruling of Judge Doty last night).
But still, if we get to May and there’s a lockout, there won’t be much to say after we analyze all the Pats draft picks. So with that in mind we’ll just have to find other ways to stay entertained, and that might even include adopting a college football team. We’re still figuring it out, as are the NFL and players, but there would definitely be some new non-Pats content springing up on here.
