Wrong. You may want this to be true, but it just isn’t.

I come to this site because I live and breath the game. I also want the owners to “win” because I’m tired of seeing half-ass busts who make too much money and push older, more talented players out of the league. I also won’t lose any sleep if there isn’t a season because I have other things to fill my time with.

If more fans had this attitude, both sides would be more anxious to get a deal done. Baseball has still not recovered from the fans’ apathy over the 1994 strike. The NFL and NFLPA both know you aren’t going anywhere so they feel free to yank you around as long as they need to meet their needs. Your needs are none of their concern.

No offense, but this is just plain wrong. Not to be boastful, but I got some pretty darn good offers in the working world as soon as I earned my Master’s Degree. So did many other people.

Cam Newton has 1 good season in college and could get 25 million??? Does that sound right?

Actually it does. The Panthers could have had any player in the 2011 Draft, including a player that had four good seasons. But Newton was the guy they wanted, and he actually had an outstanding season at Blinn Community College before transferring to Auburn.

I actually like the idea of a rookie wage scale as long as:

1. The money the owners save on rookies gets spent on veterans.

2. The players get to hit a free market after a reasonable period of time- and five years isn’t reasonable!

Earn your millions, don’t just expect it!

Cam Newton has 1 good season in college and could get 25 million??? Does that sound right?

The stalemate wouldn’t exist had the owners not opted out of the CBA, and then planned and executed a lockout.

While I personally think a four year plan is better than a five, my guess is both sides are being less than accommodating to the other. They are equally to blame for this mess.

I like your blog. Until recently I believed you when you said you were neutral in this fight. I don’t think you are anymore.

Neither of us know if that’s true.

One might say that the draft helps create competitive balance since, theoretically, the best player went to the best team. The counter argument is that the draft prevents the worst team from acquiring more than one of the top 32 players entering the league. Without the draft the Panthers could have signed Cam Newton AND Marcell Dareus, but since there is a draft they couldn’t.

Right?

My original point stand- the draft and the cap are concessions made by the players. The owners are going for yet another concession with a wage scale, and are being flat-out ridiculous by taking the next step and asking to control the first five years of a player’s career.

I believe it’s the word ONLY!

Here’s a good example of the underlying problem; this salary – 5MILLION dollars per year for 5yrs – is “low.”

“Stating that 16 players chosen in the first round in the last two NFL Draft are “Busts” after only a year or two in the league is ridiculous.

Defensive lineman typically take at least two years to mature and play at a high level, along with wide receivers and especially quarterbacks.”

is EXACTLY why owners want to lock the players up for 5 years.

2 years of that is spent maturing. During those 2 years you are not getting what you are paying for… 3 years HOPEFULLY are offsetting the 2 years you are paying someone more than their skills/production dictate.

That said it still takes front office talent and good coaching to bring players and the team along.

Using Buffalo, Detroit etc to show the lack of competitive balance is useless.

You pull the draft and the bottom feeders (for whatever success they lack) will never get a crack at the difference makers without a draft.

Going with four or five year contracts allows for exclusive development by the club as part of their initial investment. It helps maintain marketplace order. Remember there is serious money tied up in these rookies.

So Tommy see you in court? It will never get there. Owners own and players play. There will be no alternative NFL, a players league or players owning a team.

You don’t want a draft? Well it’s your opinion against four leagues that do and will way into the future.

The NFL isn’t perfect but your sarcasm sure is juvenile.

Absent that go have your

we have glenn beck on the other side of the political landscape hosting this sight…to bad he doesnt understand that if his side wins, his freedom of the press will be gone….as our host.

I think the NBA players have it, go play overseas….I dare you….. and permanantly….the player much to many of your dismay are owed not a single thing.

The truth, if you look at any of the recent drafts, is that there are roughly equal numbers of busts and steals.

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This is pure and utter nonsense.

Stating that 16 players chosen in the first round in the last two NFL Draft are “Busts” after only a year or two in the league is ridiculous.

Defensive lineman typically take at least two years to mature and play at a high level, along with wide receivers and especially quarterbacks.

Russell and Gholston are two obvious “Busts” but it’s extremely rare that a first round draft choice is out of the league after a year or two.

Every other profession starts new employees at the minimum?

That’s provably false.

Stupid stupid stupid.

There is no rule that forces teams to offer so much guaranteed money to the top 10 picks. Why does the NFL need to implement a “rookie salary scale” instead of some simple self control or tougher negotiations. Trade the pick fi you do not want to pay them, or let them sit out a year and get drafted again.

The system is not broken, Al Davis just does not know what to do with top 10 picks. Hire a good GM and the draft is a lot more reward than risk.

There is a huge need to get rid of the massive and totally unearned contracts paid out in the top half of the first round but the owners need to make some concessions in return.

The rookie wage scale cannot just be about ensuring that draft supplys a source of relatively cheap labour. The new wage structure needs to be about ensuring that the best players receive the highest pay.

So cap rookie signing bonuses and pay by all means, but you cannot tie them into long term contracts at the same time.

That way they’re getting ‘market value’ for their position.

The NFL, NHL, NBA, or MLB.

What’s stopping you? Go grab that contract now.

What’s the problem? Don’t you want it?

Seriously, GO! Let those leagues know that you’re available for that price.