Jarvis Green didn’t play at all in 2010, and he isn’t sure if he’ll ever play again, so that gives him some distance from the ongoing labor dispute between the owners and the players.
Maybe the realization that whatever happens won’t affect him anyway explains why Green is able to make so much sense in talking about the labor situation.
Green told Ian R. Rapoport of the Boston Herald that whether it’s fair or not, the American public is going to view this as a dispute between greedy millionaires and greedy billionaires, and that both sides are overlooking the possibility that they’re turning off the league’s paying customers.
“And you know what?” Green said. “We’re forgetting about the fans. Everybody wants to watch football in 2011.”
Green said that what’s needed is both sides coming together, and he said that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell needs to give the players concrete information they can work with.
“I read [Goodell’s] letter, man -- nothing changed,” Green said. “Let us see your books, then let’s talk.”
As for his own situation, Green isn’t sure whether he’s done in the NFL, but he’s well prepared for life afterward.
“I’m still thinking about hanging it up,” Green said. “I am staying in shape, but right now I’ve been very busy. I bought into this construction company about a year ago in Baton Rouge, and maybe the best decision for me right now is to go do construction. It’s really valuable, it’s a great company. But then again, playing a few more years would be great.”
And having an NFL season for players to play this year would be great.