FOX TV just reported the NFL lockout is on!

This is all I could find so far. . . . .

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6205936

Un-freak-in real!

"cobrajet wrote:

I was just watching FOX TV and they reported at 12:47am that the NFL is now in effect. Developing. . . . . . .

Thanks for posting this.

"Shulaboy wrote:

Thanks for posting this.

It actually is news, because the NFL had the option of imposing non-collectively bargained league rules. Would have strengthened the not-union’s case of collusion, but they could have done it.

"cobrajet wrote:

This is all I could find so far. . . . .

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6205936

Un-freak-in real!

-Link-

NFL labor talks broke down Friday, just hours before the collective bargaining agreement was set to expire, as the union rejected a proposal from the league, then decertified, and 10 players, including MVP quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, sued the owners in federal court.

In response, the NFL planned to impose a lockout of players, starting at midnight ET, after the CBA officially expired, two team sources told NFL Network insider Michael Lombardi. No official announcement of a lockout was made.

The players went to court to request an injunction to block such a move by the league.

"The parties have not achieved an overall agreement, nor have they been able to resolve the strongly held competing positions that separated them on core issues," mediator George Cohen said. "No useful purpose would be served by requesting the parties to continue the mediation process at this time."

By dissolving and announcing it no longer represents the players in collective bargaining, the union became a trade association and cleared the way for class-action lawsuits against the NFL, which opted out of the labor deal in 2008. The antitrust suit -- officially known as Brady et al vs. National Football League et al -- attacked the league's policies on the draft, salary cap and free-agent restrictions such as franchise-player tags.

Invoking the Sherman Act, an 1890 federal antitrust statute that limits monopolies and restrictions on commerce, the players are seeking triple the amount of damages they've incurred. That means the stakes could be in the hundreds of millions.

It could take a month for there to be a ruling on the union's injunction request, and antitrust judgments should take longer.

"I would dare any one of you to pull out any economic indicator that would suggest that the National Football League is falling on hard times," NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said. "The last 14 days, the National Football League has said, 'Trust us.' But when it came time for verification, they told us it was none of our business."

It all sets the stage for a courtroom fight. The last time NFL games were lost to a work stoppage came when the players went on strike in 1987, leading to games with replacement players.

it's such a shame. they couldn't care less about NFL fans. once they inevitably solve issues and hammer out a new CBA, the fans will be so ready to go back to football that it will be easy to forget what they put us through. No one is going to want to think about it, everyone will just try to forget asap to block out the bad memories. and the nfl and nflpa know this. i doubt many fans will hold a long-lasting grudge that will manifest itself into opting against buying tickets or merchandise because of a "hey remember when they had that stupid lockout" thought.

the only way this hurts them is for actual games not played until they figure it out. those tickets sales won't come back, but as soon as they are available again, people will start buying them again.

"pennphinfan wrote:

it's such a shame. they couldn't care less about NFL fans. once they inevitably solve issues and hammer out a new CBA, the fans will be so ready to go back to football that it will be easy to forget what they put us through. No one is going to want to think about it, everyone will just try to forget asap to block out the bad memories. and the nfl and nflpa know this. i doubt many fans will hold a long-lasting grudge that will manifest itself into opting against buying tickets or merchandise because of a "hey remember when they had that stupid lockout" thought.

the only way this hurts them is for actual games not played until they figure it out. those tickets sales won't come back, but as soon as they are available again, people will start buying them again.

I'd love to see fans completely lock out the games and instead watch them at a local bar or on Direct TV with 50 people sharing the price of one Sunday Ticket to keep the profit down. IMO it'd be hilarious to see a game played with not a single fan in the stadium. Basically, I'd like to see the owners in their fancy press boxes, bent over, ankles clinched by fists.......... (especially J Lo) :lol:

"ToddsPhins wrote:

I'd love to see fans completely lock out the games and instead watch them at a local bar or on Direct TV with 50 people sharing the price of one Sunday Ticket to keep the profit down. IMO it'd be hilarious to see a game played with not a single fan in the stadium. Basically, I'd like to see the owners in their fancy press boxes, bent over, ankles clinched by fists.......... (especially J Lo) :lol:

Unfortunately that wouldn't solve the problem. The NFL is a unique entity in that it the majority of it's revenue comes from the TV deals and as compared to its gate receipts. Any of the other sports you would cripple by boycotting the game, because you are directly taking large chunks of money from their pocket. The best way to hurt the NFL is a complete boycott and decline in TV ratings.

"ToddsPhins wrote:

I'd love to see fans completely lock out the games and instead watch them at a local bar or on Direct TV with 50 people sharing the price of one Sunday Ticket to keep the profit down. IMO it'd be hilarious to see a game played with not a single fan in the stadium. Basically, I'd like to see the owners in their fancy press boxes, bent over, ankles clinched by fists.......... (especially J Lo) :lol:

I'd like to see the owners tell the coaches to change players positions. Seeing Tom Brady playing NT with the look of death in his eyes would be priceless.

"Ozzy wrote:

I'd like to see the owners tell the coaches to change players positions. Seeing Tom Brady playing NT with the look of death in his eyes would be priceless.

I figured Tom Brady would be used to getting down into a 3 point stance, and could probably transition nicely.

"finsincebirth wrote:

I figured Tom Brady would be used to getting down into a 3 point stance, and could probably transition nicely.

Yeah but now he'll need to get used to getting hit from the front.... Ohhhh

Do I sense a train reference coming on? :dunno:

"finsincebirth wrote:

I figured Tom Brady would be used to getting down into a 3 point stance, and could probably transition nicely.

priceless

"pennphinfan wrote:

it's such a shame. they couldn't care less about NFL fans. once they inevitably solve issues and hammer out a new CBA, the fans will be so ready to go back to football that it will be easy to forget what they put us through. No one is going to want to think about it, everyone will just try to forget asap to block out the bad memories. and the nfl and nflpa know this. i doubt many fans will hold a long-lasting grudge that will manifest itself into opting against buying tickets or merchandise because of a "hey remember when they had that stupid lockout" thought.

the only way this hurts them is for actual games not played until they figure it out. those tickets sales won't come back, but as soon as they are available again, people will start buying them again.

I couldn't agree more penn. The greed is sickening. Honestly, I think the whole thing needs to implode for these guys (the NFLPA and the NFL) to get that they can't keep bilking fans for more and more money just to watch a game. :pity:

What they deserve is to be overtaken by baseball but that's not going to happen unfortunately. They obviously think they're untouchable, what happened to MLB and NHL from their work stoppages couldn't happen to the mighty NFL. I hope they're wrong because they all deserve to pay a price for this. They've known this was coming for a long time, they have let their rabid fanbase down in a huge way.

Now would be the perfect time to introduce a playoff system for College Football and pickup all of the fed up fans. As a state employee who has not sniffed a raise in the past 3 years as my costs of life continue to increase, listening to these out of touch, financially secured blowhards whine about money, my weekends will be spent watching College ball on Saturday and Nascar on Sunday.

Couldn't some teams still allow players in the facilities theoretically? Say Ross could care less about the money and wants his players ready. Would he be able to not participate in the lockout?

"Ozzy wrote:

I'd like to see the owners tell the coaches to change players positions. Seeing Tom Brady playing NT with the look of death in his eyes would be priceless.

Just watch most any game where Brady was pressured....you'll see that look. lol

Eventually unions always ruin everything. I remember when tickets to a game cost $12. Oh what a mess they have made out of the greatest sport ever.

what to do? like soccer? http://www.soccerticketsonline.com/mls-2011-schedule-released/

"MarinePhinFan wrote:

Just watch most any game where Brady was pressured....you'll see that look. lol

Exactly but this way we get to see him do it on every play and we also get to see him on the bottom of every pile. For at least 3-4 plays until he quits.. :)

I'm so evil

"Shulaboy wrote:

Eventually unions always ruin everything. I remember when tickets to a game cost $12. Oh what a mess they have made out of the greatest sport ever.

I remember tickets costing $8, wow, that was a long time ago, now look at it. Some greedy unions ruin everything. That's what ruined our economy. Unions seized control of the whole of industry and priced themselves out of sight with their greedy demands.

"Shulaboy wrote:

Eventually unions always ruin everything. I remember when tickets to a game cost $12. Oh what a mess they have made out of the greatest sport ever.

Don't know that id lay this at the unions feet personally.

I've been an advocate of the owners overall. If GB is any indication of their fiscal position, making 20 then 10 million in profit over the last 2 years then I fall in line with them. HOWEVER.....I cant support them because they won't open their damn books. I have a sneaky feeling that these owners are full of ****, and are rolling in dough. If they really are making 10-20 million on a 1 billion dollar team...then fine. Open the books, people will se, and they could work out a fiscally feasible agreement with the players.

But they won't....we and the players are supposed to trust the owners that they have money problems. Just like Florida trusted the shady assed Marlins and built them a new stadium, etc. Etc. Etc.

The whole thug sucks, but I'm out of my original position for the time being.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Who's worse, unions or owners? Here's my opinion...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anTKCakehk0

"muscle979 wrote:

What they deserve is to be overtaken by baseball but that's not going to happen unfortunately. They obviously think they're untouchable, what happened to MLB and NHL from their work stoppages couldn't happen to the mighty NFL. I hope they're wrong because they all deserve to pay a price for this. They've known this was coming for a long time, they have let their rabid fanbase down in a huge way.

Why would having baseball overtake football help?
Same model, same greed, just a different sport.

It would serve all pro sports if college athletics took over all the ratings for all sports or if large chunks of fans stopped watching all of them collectively truly affecting TV ratings. They would then realize the very fan bases they continue to rape and pillage are in fact what makes their million dollar salaries possible.

I get so sick of hearing players and owners responses that the economy has no bearing on what they demand in contracts. That none of this gets passed down to the avg. fan. The problem is that a large portion of the idiotic public actually buys into it. Meanwhile the avg. fan cannot attend a game with rising ticket prices and large percentages of stadiums now being "special" increased rate seating or seat leases, increases in merchandise pricing, increases in TV programming fees, taxes passed down to consumers to pay for the office space these idiots play in, etc. It's horsecrap! People need to wake up.