NFL PLayers Want Non-Football Revenue Too?

I love the Miami Dolphins.  LOVE THEM!  I have the team logo tatted on my arm and I eat, breath, and sleep Phins football.  I also absolutely hate this lockout garbage but as a supporter of the owners, I truly believe that it is not their fault but more of a forced hand brought on by the former NFLPA and their “effing” lawyers.  Specifically Jeff Kessler and for his part, DeMaurice Smith. Over the last few weeks it appeared that talks were moving along and that an end to this labor dispute was coming to a close sooner rather than later.  That still may be the case.

However, if I were an NFL owner right now, I would tell the players to go to hell.  PERIOD!  Take your chances in court!

What has got me all worked up today?  An article on PFT regarding an article by Yahoo’s Michael Silver about the lockout.  You can read the article yourself by clicking the “clip” below.  I only needed to read two pieces of it to get steamed.  The first I was already aware of.  That is the fact that the players, presumably under the advice of Kessler, wants total revenue from the owners to include sales tax.  In other words if the owners make $1.00 and the IRS taxes some govt. takes a quarter of that dollar for tax the players want their percentage to come from the full buck instead of the .75 that the owners actually get.  This is complete and utter garbage aimed at doing nothing more than stalling talks or worse proving that their cry of “this is not about money” really is nothing more than being about money.

If that wasn’t enough, the players now are also asking to receive a piece of concert revenue pie from the use of the stadiums!  I mean WTF is that?

Clipped from: profootballtalk.nbcsports.com (share this clip)

In my opinion it’s one thing to ask for a higher percentage of what is being offered and telling the owners that unless they open their books that the players will give nothing back for yearly expense increases, it’s entirely something else for the players to start demanding or even asking for a cut of the revenue from other sources outside of the NFL game operations.

Case in point.  Yesterday the PBA hosted the Women’s U.S. Open tournament finals in the new Cowboys stadium.  Should NFL players get money from that?  Hell freaking no they shouldn’t.  Absolutely ZERO entitlement to that.  If Paul McCartney plays a sold out concert a Sun-Life Stadium the players deserve nothing from that gate.  NOTHING.  Not one freaking penny.

When the players start ponying up part of their money for stadium renovations, repair, and general upkeep, then they can start talking about getting a share of what is generated at the stadium when they are not there playing on those fields.  Hell, the players don’t even pay a dime to vacuum the floors of their locker rooms let alone bother to clean the locker rooms before they leave it.

This is pure greed and nothing more.  In fact, this is so freaking stomach churning to me that I can say I will never put a dime into the players pocket by purchasing personalized jerseys, buying football cards, or anything with their likeness.  I mean, seriously why should I?  It used to be that players played football for the love of the game, now with each passing year it seems more and more like they simply play as long as they make money.  The worst part is there are guys out there who would play for 90% less than what these players demand or currently make.  They would simply play for the fun of playing football.

The owners are walking on a fine line with the labor discussions and the players are quick to point out that they will not cave simply so there will be a full season.  The owners themselves have capitulated on some issues and have changed their minds on others…but if they accept any agreement from the players that includes stadium revenue generated outside the game of football, then they are simply stupid.  Personally, I would tell the players to go to hell and then go to the unemployment line.  And I would drag out every legal battle I could to keep them off the field.

I updated this article to reflect the notion that I had no clue to what I was talking about and to point out that the IRS is not taxing the teams.  It absolutely changed nothing of my opinion on this.  The fact is the players don’t want to pay for shit when it comes to the NFL but want everything.  Screw ’em.