NFL, NFLPA, Obama, and 10%
By Gene Hauze
First, please let it be known that I think this whole NFL Labor Dispute stinks and I blame all sides – not just both sides. I cannot stand people who wait until the last minute to do what they are supposed to do with plenty of time to do it. But, that seems like the thing to do these days. Not only did the NFL and NFLPA have two years to bring about a new CBA and failed, but you have Congress trying to come up with a budget half way thru the fiscal year. What has this country come to? What does it all say to our kids? Do deadlines mean anything anymore?
I want to talk about some things I have yet to read or hear anyone else suggest. You know, the kind of things you are not suppose to talk about. It has to do with the NFL, NFLPA, Obama and 10%. Yes, I am going to dare to simultaneously talk about football and politics.
I am really troubled about the NFLPA’s demands for the owner’s to open their books. I truly wonder what they are up to. I think it is all about micro-managing a business – you know, kind of like having your own Draft Day experience for rookies because the union wants to show they can do just as good or a better a job of it. Let’s think about this for a second from a more national standpoint. A labor union, the NFLPA is a labor union, forces an owner, the NFL is made up of a group of owners, to open their books before negotiating a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) so they can micro-manage how the business is run. Hmmm! WOW! If the NFLPA can get a judge to force this, think of the possibilities. That would mean the UAW could force Ford, GM and Chrysler to open their book. The UAW could show where the company is losing money, force them to change things, and even fire management. Hmmm! But, didn’t President Obama essentially force this to happen to GM – at the request of the labor unions? If this would happen, then all the union leaders in this country, you know the guys who could not get a job managing a company or could not manage their own company, could get to be real managers.
What a new era. This means that the Cement and Concrete Workers Union could force your local small, privately owned mom and pop driveway paving business to open their books and tell them how to be more profitable for the union. The union leaders in the United States could actually start micro-managing many, many businesses in the United States – not just one. Think that won’t happen? Just think of how powerful unions are and how they want to grab more and more of the power pie. And, when you try to take away their power … well, just look at what happened in Wisconsin – they angrily come to the front door of the boss (in this case it was the Governor).
With regards to the NFL and the NFLPA, I sense involvement of the President and his closest friends, the big union bosses like Andy Stern and Richard Trumka. The President is a very capable attorney and I would not put it past him and his friends to be orchestrating this whole thing behind the scenes – I think he realizes what is at stake here. Imagine the precedence that could be established on the biggest stage – the NFL. I would not be surprised that if the court did not side with the NFLPA, the Obama Administration would step in at the last minute to be the savior of the NFL season. Think how that would boost his sagging poll ratings. And, no doubt that he would have Timothy Geithner step in to review the open books for a settlement – just like with GM. This would be another precedence setter … the government (The White House) is the arbiter of all labor disputes including professional football, baseball, basketball and hockey.
Well, Mr. President, whenever you do step in to solve this problem. May I suggest that you follow your motto to “spread the wealth” — spread it by about 10%? To whom, you might ask? How about the fans? I think you should take 10% of the $9 Billion of NFL Revenues. Take it part from the owners, the players, the networks, and the lawyers. The owners need to make 10% less profit and lower the ticket prices. The players should take 10% less salary and lower the prices for concessions, parking, apparel, etc. The networks should make 10% less profit and have fewer commercials so we can go back to having more replay analysis. Additionally, DirecTV should have NO commercials at all because their NFL Sunday Ticket is already paid for by consumers. And, the lawyers should take 10% less in fees and give the money to all the NFL cheerleading squads so they can buy more outfits. Yeh! I like this spreading the wealth thing!
As I said, this whole NFL and NFLPA dispute stinks! And, if I am right about this, the NSA will pick up this column, pass it along to the White House, who will pass it on to the union bosses, who will have the laborers picketing at my house tomorrow morning. But, wait a minute! I am in the PVSOA. It is not a union of referees. I think we decertified a few years ago. And, now we are just a labor association. You know, kind of like the NFLPA.
One more thing, I have a question. Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees are plaintiffs in the upcoming lawsuit. But, are they really laborers or management? On the field, they call plays like Coaches and coordinate player movements like Offensive Coordinators. Sounds to me like they are more like management! Hmmmm! Maybe the lawsuit should be thrown out of Court on its face. Boy, that would sure really screw things up!