Game Girl

So, the NFL is THE most marketable, profitable entity in the world of sports. Hands down. Unless you count international soccer, which, for the purposes of this discussion, I don't. Why, then, is there all this crazy talk about work-stoppages, strikes, and I-don't-know-what-all surrounding our nation's most popular sport? Please tell me this is a joke, and not a very good one.

We've been hearing whispers of a labor dispute, contract troubles, and all sorts of disagreements between players and owners since early 2009. And all along, I personally felt the two sides would come to an agreement, since, as we all know, it is in the best interests of all key parties involved to get their butts in gear and negotiate a deal that keeps football in business - FOREVER.

And yet, here we are, just weeks after one of the best, and most watched, Superbowls in history, staring down a serious NFL labor strike. A lock-out. No football, possibly into the fall. For real.

What is the problem? I know the owners and the players are far apart on their respective sides, but seriously, can't they find someone, or a series of someones, to help them figure this thing out? Otherwise, on March 3, when free agency opens, guess what? There isn't going to BE a free agency market. And then, no mini-camps, no OTA's, and - AAAHH - no training camp. And without training camp, there probably won't be a season...at least not a very good one.

The NFL, aside from being the most profitable sports behemoth in town, also boasts the absolute best off-season around. Fans -- myself included -- really love this stuff. Trades, free agency, the draft, rookie camps...it's all great. And training camp - well, without training camp, I might just curl up and die poolside this summer. Seriously.

Someone needs to get the owners and players back to the negotiating table and get them talking -- stat. Remind them what happened to baseball during their strike in the '90's, and how long it took to build up goodwill with baseball fans again. Let them know, in no uncertain terms, fans around the country are upset, angry, frightened about a future without football. It's looking bleak. And there is no good reason for it.

Let's be clear: I don't begrude the players for trying to get a fair and equitable settlement with their new collective bargaining agreement. And while I don't usually side with management, I can also understand the owners' side, although I think they are being really short-sighted right now and for that, I think they are going to wind up paying dearly for their stubborn resistance to negotiating.

In any event, I'm just in shock that it has actually gotten to this point. Both sides have had two years to get a deal done, and they've refused to yield. I fear that unless they call for reinforcements at the negotiating table, we're going to be in for the longest off-sesaon since 1984.

Someone call in some smart people and put them in charge of this mess, quick!