It is beautiful because it beseechs as follows: (first verse)
'Pass me not, O gentle Savior
Hear my humble cry
While on others Thou art calling
Do not pass me by"
Despite using the hymn as a rare analogy in this blog, I wish to emphasize there is no intent to deface the beautiful message. I listened to the hymn yesterday - with tears in my eyes. And,
that was a jazz version; albeit with two gospel choirs included.
Today, before returning to that amazing version of the hymn, I wandered over to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette sports pages seeking an update on the NFL negotiations with the NFLPA.
By reading the entire article, I fed into one of my pet peeves
That would be any action that encourages the published words , "will be unidentified as they spoke on the condition of anonymity because . . . . . . . . . . not authorized, etc. etc.."
In some ways I wish I had not continued reading the article, as that phrase was contained in the second paragraph. I should have known that to read further was not going to be positive.
I was right. What I read only increased my disgust with what is going on in Pro Football.
To refresh: The NFL Players Assoc. has successfully sued the NFL over a side agreement they had reached with the networks. It would have awarded the owners a $4 Billion "(that's with a 'B') "war chest" - in the event they locked out the workers and no football was to be played.
The ruling judge, U.S District Judge David Doty, who heard the dispute said, "I - Don't- Think - So!"
Doty states, "The record shows that the NFL undertook contract renegotiations to advance it's own interests and harm the interests of the players."
He also cited "an NFL Decision Tree" as a "glaring example" of the leagues intent.
Included in the article I researched was a quote from an "unidentified (there's that word again) network executive on TV rights talks with the NFL: "You know you've reached the absolute limits of your power as a major network . . . (when) the Commisioner of the NFL calls you . . . . and says... 'we're done, pay this or move on."
League spokesman Greg Aiello, upon hearing Judge Doty's ruling, downplayed it's significance by saying the 32 owners are "prepared for any contingency."
The league currently receives the first $1.3 Billion off the top of the current $9 Billion for expenses, and seeks another $1 billion to add to the "off the top" figure.
So, $1 billion is enough to drag your feet in negotiations - but the loss of $4 billion is inconsequential?
Judge Doty is the judge who has overseen NFL labor issues since he presided over the 1993 decision that cleared the way for the current free agency system.
According to the anonymous "leaked negotiation information" is the following:
- there has been some movement on the revenue split issue -negotiated to $750/800 mil.
- the union continues to seek extensive data about team finances. NFL says NO
- sources say the failure to reach compromise on the division of revenues is due to the NFL's insistance it be tied in to the issue of removing the continued oversight of the sports labor situation by Judge Doty. Doty is currently planning to hold a hearing to determine damages and remedies, including an injunction following the $4 Billion fiasco.
What these sources (allegedly) said is, " The owners view the exclusion of Doty from future involvement as a major issue in these negotiations and would be unlikely to agree to any settlement that includes his continued oversight of the collective bargaining agreement."
They also say, "one major tradeoff this week was for the NFL to 'buy off' the future exclusion of such oversight by making a major concession to the players on the revenue split."
So, what is the impetus of the NFL's potential season ending negotiation strategy?
Finances? A longer regular season? increasing concussion injuries? The health care of those ex-players who made it so great - rookie contract limitations? - or, is it just avoiding anti-trust litigation via a potential suit by the players if and when they decertify the union?
Seems like the self-appointed "Lords of Football" have seen some paint from this anti-trust brush a few years ago. They have unsucessfully sought via prior litigation to gain the anti-trust exemption "the boys of summer" have already been awarded.
Count me as saying to these self-appointed "God's" - not, "Pass Me Not" - but, "Pass Me By."
Litigation may be the only way out of this mess. Count me as more than willing to give up Pro Football for a year - or whatever time period is required to end this unconscionable display of what appears to be a complete lack of ethics on the part of the NFL - not- just good negotating strategy as the "spinmeisters" would have you believe.
The power we gave the NFL owners and the league is way out of control - and the potential consequences should not be ignored. Folks, it's costing you money even if you don't have season tickets. Why should your kids not be able to enjoy watching an NFL game in person? You did!
Honest, the kids don't care if they sit in the luxury boxes or not. But, the cost to those of you who are weighing putting food on the table vs giving your kids the NFL experience, is something to which these 32 owners will never be able to relate.
Until someone, whether it be the players union - a U.S. District Judge - our Congress (unlikely due to lobbist contributions)- or the High Court - makes the owners take a look at themselves in the mirror - and shows them what a blindside hit really is - the rich will continue to get richer.
And we will all be the poorer for it........
- "better to be poor - than a liar." (Proverbs 19:22)
Count me on the side of friend Harry in his excellent discourse on unions. http://harry2335.blogspot.com/
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