Updated Title: 8th Circuit Court Grants Stay, Lockout Reinstated

I feel the same way you do SBXVII. I am just trying to explain what I understand the process to be. IMO the players, led by D Smith, are in the wrong, but more to my feeling, is that D Smith is trying to make his mark, and that most players bought into his line, and now are not constructively engaged in the process. Philip Rivers last Saturday (and I don't have a link) said as much, that he and his team mates don't have an idea of what's going on, and that they are just getting ready for football. If the 8th District Court of appeals upholds the stay, then a lot more players will be asking why they went this route.

Just want to point out also, that the 8th District Court of appeals will not force the players to be a Union, most likely what they would do is uphold the stay, and send the case back to Judge Nelson with instructions on how to deal with the NLRB and Decertification issue, for example they could tell her that she has to re-consider her ruling with the view that decertification was not legally valid. Or something like that. I couldn't afford the Holiday Inn last night...

One other thing, I think if Troy Vincent had been elected instead of D Smith, negotiations would have continued, and we would be very close to a good deal for all involved. I can't prove it, but I believe it

Is [in your opinion] the disposition DeAngelo Hall is taking in regards to the lockout and what he's doing with his down time setting an adverse precedent to what the players are trying to accomplish as a whole?....or, by Hall proclaiming himself a team leader should he project an image that's more team oriented?

DeAngelo Hall has the audacity to enjoy himself during lockout - Shutdown Corner - NFL Blog - Yahoo! Sports (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/DeAngelo-Hall-has-the-audacity-to-enjoy-himself-?urn=nfl-wp1948)

Yep, he'll prolly weight 270 when he reports.

In a nut shell it still sounds to me like the players should be at fault for the majority of all this. .

Absolutely and totally 100% false. No idea where you are coming up with that crap, but the federal mediator that was overseeing this bargaining even stated that there obviously no use in continuing the discussions because they were both at sticking points that neither were budging on. I posted this a while back when it was said. So this whole notion that the players didn't try to negotiate till the final hour is a bit misguided.


Again, they would still be under the same CBA and rules had the owners not opted out 2 years ago. This squarely is on the shoulders of the owners, not the players.

I have a hard time viewing either side in this lawsuit as an injured party. As a business owner myself, I can see where the owners are coming from. As a businessman, I can see where the players are coming from. Botom line, I do not have a dog in this fight. I just want it over with so my Skins can fill out our roster and move some players off of our team. Period.

BTW- Funny how millionaire players (those named in the lawsuit) and billionaire owners have the rest of us arguing over whose right and taking sides. Rather ironic seeing as though the NFL viewer/consumer is the driving force behind their revenue generation. Why waste time arguing the validity of their arguements when we stand to gain nothing. We buy tickets, merchandise, drive web traffic to their sites and tune into the tv to drive th ratings for their games. I don't see us being represented in this lawsuit, so why care.

If you want something to debate, there's plenty to argue over in politics! At least there you get to vote.

I have a hard time viewing either side in this lawsuit as an injured party. As a business owner myself, I can see where the owners are coming from. As a businessman, I can see where the players are coming from. Botom line, I do not have a dog in this fight. I just want it over with so my Skins can fill out our roster and move some players off of our team. Period.

BTW- Funny how millionaire players (those named in the lawsuit) and billionaire owners have the rest of us arguing over whose right and taking sides. Rather ironic seeing as though the NFL viewer/consumer is the driving force behind their revenue generation. Why waste time arguing the validity of their arguements when we stand to gain nothing. We buy tickets, merchandise, drive web traffic to their sites and tune into the tv to drive th ratings for their games. I don't see us being represented in this lawsuit, so why care.

If you want something to debate, there's plenty to argue over in politics! At least there you get to vote.


See my post I made earlier. You do have a vote in this, most people don't chose to use their power.

My thing is, if the owners can show that they are indeed losing profits (not related to misuse of funds or poor management), then they have ground to stand on. However, if the some owners are running their franchise like the McCourts did the Dodgers, don't expect the players to take a salary cut all because you want to use your professional franchise as means to fund your personal life. That's the whole other issue, they aren't willing to open their books, and my guess is it's for a good reason and that whole argument of "oh, i don't want people knowing what i pay my accountant or secretary" crap isn't flying either.

One other thing, I think if Troy Vincent had been elected instead of D Smith, negotiations would have continued, and we would be very close to a good deal for all involved. I can't prove it, but I believe itAgree 100%. But the players opted for Smith rather than Vincent. Most of these guys are college educated so they knew what they were getting.

NC_Skins: Did the owners have the right to opt out 2 years ago?

Agree 100%. But the players opted for Smith rather than Vincent. Most of these guys are college educated so they knew what they were getting.

That is true, they also had a chance to dissent when they took votes on de-certification and they didn't. I just find it easier to believe that they believed the Owners would divide (as they had several times before) than to believe they intend for this to get to this stage.