I'm not going to get into all the NFL Collective Bargaining mumbo-jumbo here, other that to say that it would be a travesty if the 2011 NFL season was cancelled, or even shortened.

But when it comes to taking sides (Players vs. Owners), I'm going with the owners.

You might think I'm crazy for siding with billionaires against the millionaires  - but there's more to it than that.

Right now, the NFL players are getting about 60% of the total revenues the league generates each year.

But it’s not exactly a 60/40 split. You have to remember that the owners 40% cut goes into operational costs.

  • Coaches: ALL of them make at least $100,000.  There’s probably 20 of them.
  • Highest coach could make up to $5 million
  • Other top coaches on the staff make $1-2 million
  • General Manager: this is around $1 million
  • Office Staff: someone needs to staple all the documents.
  • Media Relations, Public Relations, Marketing, Sales,Accounting
  • Scouting: this is a huge cost that is sometimes forgotten about.
  • Travel costs: this includes air transportation, hotels and meals.
  • Equipment: we're talking millions of dollars

The owner keeps whatever is left. No one is feeling sorry for the owners here but I vaguely understand why the owners want what they want.

The owners are the ones running these teams. They are the OWNERS, remember! The owners are the ones taking the risk.

loading...

I don’t care that NFL players won’t be able to afford their 8 luxury cars.  Nor do I have an interest in supporting one of Antonio Cromratie’s 7 kids.  65% of all NFL players become bankrupt or broke within 4 years of retirement.  So we should give them more money to spend on bling and another swimming pool in their backyard?  It’s called manage your money better and you wouldn’t have a problem.  Instead of  installing a 46 inch HDTV in your bathroom, use some of that money to hire a money guy.

This is what’s wrong with baseball.  When owners don’t have enough money to run a team, it directly affects the product - and I want a good product.  I want my owners to spend their money on players and getting better.  That money shouldn't go to a 23-year old so he can have an Albano Snow Tiger as a pet or a butler for his butler.

The owners are taking the business risk, not the players. They own the teams and they’re not even making more than the people working for them!  If the product on the field stinks, the owners are the ones taking the loss – not the players.  They’re getting paid regardless.

Both sides want a rookie salary cap but the owner is the one taking the hit – not the players.  If a guy turns into Ryan Leaf or JaMarcus Russell or Tim Couch – the owner still has to pay them millions.  This can set a team back for years.  The Raiders still haven’t recovered from the JaMarcus experience.

Again, I want there to be an NFL season - but I'd rather have the guys who write the checks still be able to write the checks.  The guys that cash the checks are already making plenty of cash.

More From 104.5 THE TEAM