The NFL has recently received center stage (see July 2010) as their agreement will end before the next season. The buzz word recently was an 18-game schedule. This was met with criticism from the players. Hines Ward asserted this would shorten careers. The owners never came out and said it directly but it would lead to additional revenue. The players union answered with additional health coverage for former players if the schedule was expanded. The owners are well aware the fans want an 18-game season (eliminating two pre-season games) because they feel cheated having to pay a hefty price for two home games during the regular season. Paying the same price for an exhibition game (coaches use non-starters most of the game) as a late season playoff make-or-break game infuriates season ticket holders.

NFL players are paid extremely well for their craft. Most develop the skills needed in high school and college. Their salaries are held down during their first few years before they finally receive a payday (unless they are a 1^st round pick) befitting their efforts. It is my personal opinion; these players deserve their earth-shattering payday after years of preparation. The average span of an NFL career is less than four years. That adds up to no big payday and possibly no after-career health care. If anyone thinks after-career health care is important, travel to Texas and view Earl Campbell. Campbell hit the line and was known to drag two-to-three defensive men with him. In his five greatest years, he ranked up there with Jim Brown, Walter Payton, and Barry Sanders (sorry Emmitt Smith…you are not in the same league).

The player's main agenda is health coverage after their careers are over, former players who draw pensions under $200 monthly, and a non-reduction in the player's share of revenue. The owners claim they wish to assist former players but do not have the revenue to do so (due to player's share of revenue), want an 18-game schedule to boost revenue (but wish to absorb most of the additional income), and bemoan the salaries most players earn, if invested wisely…would afford them necessary income to provide health coverage for themselves. Each side wants concessions in certain areas but the other side throws the ball in their court silently whispering "if you were not so greedy, this could get done".

Leading up to the NFL possible stalemate is the NFL implementing rules but not enforcing them until they see fit. The helmet-to-helmet hit has been on the books a good while but they decide to make a spectacle of it…leading up to an improbable lock-out. The key to a majority of hits is when a defensive players is targeting an offensive player, he is not desiring to "love tap" him. The defensive player is paid millions to do his job because he is one of the best in the world at this task. How many defensive players would trade this job for a $15 an hour job answering phones all day? I have yet to take a poll but I have a strong estimation it would be none.

If the owners or the NFL czar Roger Goodell think the league is rough now, take a peek at game films of 10, 20 or 30 years ago. If QB's had the protection in 1970 as they do now, Fran Tarkenton would have passed for 80,000 yards (see 5-yard bump rule). Pro football is a rough sport. Careers can end on a single play. A major reason the NFL has parody is not because of games scheduled, but injuries. What would become of the Colts or Giants if one or both of the Manning brothers went down for the year? Did the Patriots make the playoffs after Tom Brady was injured early in the 2008 season…no!

When a wide receiver, tight end or a running back coming out of the backfield catches a pass, you can not ask the defensive player to run multiple thoughts through his head. The offensive players are well aware if they ball up after a catch, they may get a head-to-head hit but maybe garnish a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty. Can anyone remember a rule being passed which favors a defensive lineman consistently? All I wish to say is how fast would Jack Lambert, Jack Youngblood or Randy White be suspended for "roughness" under today's standards. I strongly agree with player's safety and going after "head-hunters" but watch a game film in 1980 and just view the carnage.

There is a "myth" going around in baseball the next CBA (2011) will entail additional play-off teams, expanded play-offs (shorter regular season), and a realignment of divisions. This is perpetrated by commish Bud Selig (a commish can not own a club but wasn't his daughter in the day-to-day operations of the Milwaukee Brewers, Wendy Selig-Prebul???). Baseball is a lot easier to justify a solution…try doing what was done for roughly 70 years. Put every AL and NL team into one division and the team with the best record, appears in the World Series! Wasn't that how the Yankees made so many Series appearances for so many decades? At least we are not hearing of expansion!

There are 14 teams in the AL, 16 in NL…balance the leagues Buddy! There are four teams in the AL West and six in the NL Central…think about it. Adding to the play-off format cheapens the regular season (sort of like the NBA). Hey! Random thought…bundle each league (put Milwaukee back in the AL…the Milwaukee Braves moved in mid-1960's…to Atlanta; you brought the Brewers in as an AL team…get over it Bud) into 15 teams, have a three team play-off; the #2 and #3 and the winner face the #1 team. Have each team play 11 games vs. 14 opponents (154 games…gee the exact game amount until the 1960's expansion) or since the play-offs would be shortened, 12 games against each…168 games.

What?! Extend the regular season?! Yeah…why not; the shortened post-season to a best-of-five, LCS best-of-seven, and World Series best-of-seven (or to pacify the owners, take the Series to the best-of-nine…just so it would entail increased revenue). I am sure the player's union would hate an additional six games or the traditional eight less games but the minimum salary is $400,000…let them work like average Americans and see how fast that ideology is "swept under the rug".

Ah…the NBA's CBA expires after this year! NBA lord David Stern has mentioned a possibility of "contraction." Didn't baseball throw that around nine years ago? The Twins and Angels were the two teams on the chopping block (and the old Montreal Expos in some cases-now the Washington Nationals)? The Angels won the 2002 Series and have been perennial play-off contenders and the Twins seeing either post season action or a one-game division winning play-off game in '02, '03, '04, '06, '08, '09, '10? Buddy how have your beloved Brewers done? Ironic is it not?? One wild-card appearance since 1982.

Stern wants to absorb two teams. Most NBA pundits have correctly guessed which two they are. The reason nothing has been made a big rhubarb over is contraction will not occur. The player's union will not allow it to be, that would means roughly two dozen players eliminated from NBA salaries. Even if a team won three games all year, it is a one-for-all union, just as any other. The NBA expanded at a record pace after Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird took the league to new heights. Danny…guess what…they are all retired! New stars have taken their place but did you and previous owners see the fat expansion fee before the fact team were starting to be watered down? Yeah…watered down…for each expansion team, that meant another dozen players who, in the past, would not be in the NBA.

All any of these three sports franchises want you to think is…excitement for the fans! Do not buy the theory, it is meant as an expanded revenue funnel. As much as I think players are overpaid, in some ways I side with them. Who will most likely be around in 2025, Peyton Manning or the Indianapolis Colts? Brian McCann or the Atlanta Braves? Kobe Bryant or the L.A. Lakers? The franchises...not the players. Players are momentary, franchises are forever. The players get the best piece of the pie they can before their window of opportunity closes. So who gets pinched to give these opportunities to the players and acts as a conduit for the owners to pay these? The fans...the people who get squeezed when the government in Washington D.C. makes their usual gaffs. Random thought...run Goodell, Selig, or Stern for President in 2012. Would things turn out different? Probably not but...it is "time for change".

One final note: Baseball screamed they care about the young fans by scheduling the first World Series day game since 1987 (game six of the '88 Series was scheduled for an afternoon start but was completed in five games). I hate to burst your bubble MLB but the October 30th game starts at 6:57 P.M. It is NOT a day game. It may be for West Coast kids but not here. A day game starts no later than 4:15 P.M. Stop trying to paint a pretty picture over a disastrous mess...some fans may think you are wetting your beak for a career in Washington D.C.