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Gee, why wouldn't the owners want these things? Well, if the assets from the TV deal(s) are frozen so they can't access them, they lose a little of their "cushion" to absorb the lockout. Not that they need it, however, as most owners have said they can afford to miss up to two seasons, if it happened. Now, isn't is just odd that the owners "need more money," yet can afford to not receive a dime from their team revenues for two years? And this is WITHOUT the funds from the TV deal? Which immediately shows why they don't want to fully disclose why they are asking for more money - they don't need it to succeed!!!
This is getting more and more embarrassing for the owners and the NFL. Roger "the dodger" Goodell (worst thing to happen to the NFL) sent a letter to the players and agents to "document" their offer to the players which was denied. The problem is the letter is a complete and utter fabrication, as the players responded several days later en masse to say that they were in the negotiating room, the owners were not, and this was never received. The league is making public pleas to return to bargaining because they know they have very little shot of winning the lawsuit in the long run. Teams are acting as if it is "business as usual" in almost all things right now. Essentially, this is the opposite of the 1987 work stoppage - the players there were the ones seen as unorganized and not committed. Here we have teams which really aren't committed.
Things I would love to see come out of this lockout which aren't necessarily about the players or the owners (or at least not something that is being debated concerning the lockout):
- Roger Goodell be removed/resign as NFL Commissioner. He has ruined the league and is one of the main parties standing in the way of a deal. He has failed to uniformly punish players and has turned certain teams or players into his own personal targets. He has failed at his position and needs to be gone.
- An NFL Developmental league be developed. Each division gets a team - 8 teams consisting of players from each of the division's teams. For example, the AFC North could have a team in Columbus, Ohio, with each team signing 10-15 players to their "developmental squad" instead of a practice squad, and the developmental squad would play games during the spring/summer before training camp opens or something. They play all of the other developmental teams over the course of 7 games, then the best two teams play in some sort of "championship." Immediately after that season ended, training camp could start. Then, during the NFL season, these 10-15 players could practice with the team and be treated essentially as the practice squad is now. Regardless, since NFL Europe ended, the NFL hasn't really had any sort of league where players could play to show off their skills anywhere other than the NFL. I mean, there is the CFL, AFL, and UFL, but they are not associated with the NFL. In the end, some sort of developmental league/minor league is needed.
I am sure there is more I would like to see, but the NCAA Tournament is still on, so I watching that, too!
