No Football League (NFL)

I am very disappointed over the recent developments in the NFL vs Players labor issue that is happening right now. I don’t understand the owners point of view, I mean, without the players what do they own? Logos?

What used to be football games may suddenly break down to a couple of owners talking about how tough their logo is compared to the other team’s logo like a couple of eight year olds.

Zygi Wilf- “A Viking would crush a Cardinal! We have swords and shields and those cool helmets with horns.”

Bill Bidwill- “Whatever! A Cardinal will fly away! We are too fast, A Viking is slow and lumbering with all that equipment. He will tire out and then take a nap. A Cardinal will attack when the Viking sleeps dropping a poison poop in his snoring hole!”

Zygi Wilf- “You are stupid! There is no such thing as poison poop…”

Bill Bidwill- “Is too! Ever hear of the Bird Flu? Or what about Salmonella? You’re stupid.”

The owner of my team, Daniel Snyder, has done nothing but make loads of money and questionable team decisions since purchasing the Washington Redskins. He has that luxury. For example, he can fabricate seats out of nothing and sell them at Fed Ex Field. Never mind that anyone sitting there could never actually see the game. I know because I sat in one of those seats this past year. I have never been so close to the game but had no idea what was going on. I couldn’t see the field or the even tiny little TV that was mounted above me. It was the worst football experience I have ever had, and that is saying a lot because I have been to many devastating Redskins losses.

View from the $120 seat I had on Oct. 17, 2010.

Perhaps in his free time, now that the players have filed suit against the NFL, Mr. Snyder will take a few minutes to evaluate the field view from the obstructed zone. I am sure. Right after he allows more people to draw horns on his head (original article here).

While many of the players make more money than I will ever see in my lifetime, I do feel for them because the impact of the game on individuals leaves many lingering physical problems that persist long after their playing days are finished. Full medical care doesn’t sound unreasonable for the people who actually play the games.

One thing that was not mentioned in any negotiations, that I am aware of, is the need for player chaperones and common sense seminars. Players attacking female fans, or behaving in an unsafe and reckless manner, cannot be tolerated by society. Oh wait, I forgot. They are rich, young and in top physical condition… They can do whatever they want, even changing their name to non-existent Spanish numbers and then back again. I guess “ochenta y cinco” would not be outrageous enough.

There are many other issues that are floating around between these two sides, but guess what? I really don’t care. As the consumer, my only interest is in the games. If there is no football this year, I will be upset, but I’ll find something else to do with my time. After all, football is entertainment. There will be something to fill the entertainment void in my life.

Macramé sounds interesting. Maybe I could make some of that. It is a macaroni type dish with cheese, isn’t it? My wife has said I need to learn to cook more than toast.

I have also thought about creating my own turtle fighting league. I don’t think there are any laws against turtle fighting. I will call it Turtle Battle Saturdays, or Sundays. TBS for short. Two Turtles enter, one turtle leaves.

In any case, I will be in full boycott mode of all things NFL related until further notice. I won’t watch anything about the NFL, read anything about the NFL, I won't wear any of the clothing that I have that promotes the NFL (that is saying alot because most of the shirts I wear fit into this category) and I will definately not buy anything NFL related. I know this has the NFL shaking, but what if we all just said no? No to the whole mess. No to the owners who are so greedy they ignore the players that make the NFL. No to the players who embarrass us with their spoiled and immature behavior. No to $8 draft beers and $27 t-shirts with my team’s logo on it. If it is me by myself no one will care, but if all fans said no, it might be something special.

Of course the difficulty in my stance is how do I explain it to my children? This morning after my 7 year old son picked out a football tie for me to wear, I had to tell him that I wouldn’t wear the tie because I was protesting the NFL strike. He was not happy; a tie that looks like a football is cool. Luckily, he was ok with the Star Wars Phantom Menace tie with young Luke Skywalker on it.

Boycotts, stirkes, lawsuits; Sam doesn’t care about any of that. Maybe I shouldn’t either.