Theres a reason there hasnt been a meaningful work stoppage in pro football for almost 27 years, and its not because this is a sport where the players have
nothing to complain about.
Mitchell
Trubisky Youth Jersey . The very nature of the sport makes it difficult -
some might say near impossible - to keep players united during a work stoppage
because work stoppages are always about making sacrifices in the short term to
benefit in the long. And for a great number of players in a sport with short
careers and non-guaranteed contracts, there is no long term. But perhaps even
more difficult to overcome is the fact that in football a small number of
players on every team are paid far more than the rest, especially the large
number of players on every team who will earn at or near the league minimum. And
it is those star players, who already enjoy the biggest paydays and the most job
security, wholl gain the most as the result of a successful work action. Look at
any roster in either the CFL or NFL and youll probably be surprised to earn how
many players are earning at or near the league minimum, which this NFL season
will ranges between $420,000 and $645,00 for players from zero to three years of
service in the league. In the CFL, that figure will go from $45,000 to $50,000
for this season based on what the parties have agreed to so far during current
CBA negotiations. Since payrolls for CFL teams arent public, lets use an NFL
team as an example to illustrate the payroll dynamics in pro football, which are
similar in both leagues, albeit on a different scale. Green Bay Packers
quarterback Aaron Rodgers enters this season with an average salary of $22
million, nearly double that of anyone else on the team. Among Packers currently
under contract, there are only four with an average salary of more than $7
million season, and another four at more than $4 million. There are eight
players listed at between $2 million and $4 million, and 67 whose average salary
is less than $1 million, 49 of whom are due to earn less than $600,000. The
numbers in the CFL are obviously smaller but the manner in which they compare to
one another is similar, with star quarterbacks earning roughly $500,000 per
season while a large portion of each roster earns less than $60,000 per season.
The truth is that whatever gains are made for the players in either league
usually mean the rich will get richer. For example, the NFL will operate this
season with a salary cap of $133 million dollars. But if that figure was
suddenly increased to $200 million, the primary beneficiaries would be the
Peyton Mannings, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Bradys and Richard Shermans of the world,
while the leagues rank and file would essentially remain un affected. Same thing
in the Canadian Football League - where if the CFLPA were to get its wish and
have the salary cap jump immediately from $4.4 million to $5.8, the benefits
would go to players such Ricky Ray, Darian Durant and the rest of the players
whom fans pay to see. Of course theres another dynamic in the CFL game that
doesnt exist south of the border. And thats that starting Canadian players - the
ones mandated by the leagues quota system - also stand to benefit handsomely
from any increase because of the laws of supply and demand. But the question
becomes how do you convince the great number of players earning at or near the
league minimum - young American players or backup Canadians - to commit to a
work stoppage when theres little or no chance many of them will benefit from it?
Standing up for a much higher minimum salary might help boost support among the
rank and file, but that never seems to be the priority in either league. And
therein lies the challenge of trying to keep a union full of professional
football players all on the same page during a negotiating process. Consider
that, despite having the leverage of being able to shut down the most profitable
sport in North America, NFL players werent much interested in testing the
resolve of their membership by missing paycheques when the league locked out its
players during the off-season three years ago. They settled before that could
happen. In Canada, the CFLPA has made a lot of noise about being disappointed in
the leagues various offers this spring. But it hasnt said anything about having
all of its membership on side, or being unbreakable, or being willing to miss
game cheques in order to reach their goals in negotiation. The truth is that if
the CFLPA were to strike a portion of the season, a great number of players will
never get that money back - even if the owners were to capitulate completely.
Many would simply be out of the league before they could benefit or would be
left to watch the windfalls go to star players while they continue to earn
similar amounts. All of these dynamics play to the owners advantage. And in the
CFL, where were talking about players needing money to simply pay for the cost
of living, the advantage is even greater. Will we see a CFL players strike later
this month? Perhaps while its just training camp being missed, when no one has
to make a true financial sacrifice to benefit the group for the long term. But
in a sport where the rewards of such an action are likely to wind up in the
hands of a select few, expecting anything more may be asking too much.
Eddie
Jackson Jersey . The third-ranked Lewis, a three-time winner this year on
the LPGA Tour, had a 9-under 135 total at Emirates Golf Course in the Ladies
European Tours season-ending tournament.
Mitchell
Trubisky Bears Jersey . Alen, 28, hit .315 with five home runs, 59 RBI and
a career-high nine stolen bases for the Goldeyes last season. He is the longest
serving catcher in Goldeyes history, having already spent five seasons with the
organization.
http://www.probearsonline.com/authentic-adam-shaheen-bears-jersey/ .com) - Carmelo Anthony tallied 31 points to help the New York Knicks continue
their improved play of late with a 100-92 victory over a short-handed Oklahoma
City Thunder squad.VANCOUVER - B.C. Lions head coach Mike Benevides didnt give
his team much time to celebrate last weeks dramatic come-from-behind victory
over the Calgary Stampeders. Benevides had the Lions in a meeting less than nine
hours after their plane touched down after that 25-24 triumph to emphasize that
while beating the CFLs last undefeated club was big, it wouldnt mean much if
they produce a dud this Friday at home against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Catch
the game on TSN starting at 10pm et/7pm pt. "The guys had to have a quick
turnaround. They were a little bit surprised by that," said Benevides. "The
first message was that I commended them for their performance, but the message
that I really wanted to relay was we have really got to prepare to meet a huge
challenge from the Tiger-Cats." The coach had good reason to get their attention
early. The last time the Lions (3-3) stepped on the field at B.C. Place Stadium
they were coming off two big wins and feeling pretty good about themselves, only
to get embarrassed 23-6 by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. "Weve got to stay
consistent, weve got to find a way to get it done at home. The message has been
clear," said Benevides. "The veterans and captains and leaders have echoed that.
I think were well prepared based on what Ive seen this week." Lions running back
Andrew Harris picked up his third weekly top Canadian award of the season for
his performance in Calgary, and said its important the Lions keep pace in a very
competitive West Division. "Weve had a tendency to have big games and then come
back a little flat," said Harris, who leads the CFL with 722 all-purpose yards.
"We have to keep this fire burning and weve got to stay at a high energy and
high pace with that same attitude we had against Calgary in the second half.
"Its a struggle, but if we want to be a good team in this league and consistent
and climb the ladder in the West, we need to be able to do that." B.C.
quarterback Kevin Glenn said the Lions will have to be wary of a wounded
Tiger-Cats team that is coming off a heartbreaking 27-26 last-second loss
against Winnipeg that dropped them to 1-4. "Every week youve got to make sure
you come to play," said Glenn. "Weve got a team thats coming in (and) their
record could easily be reversed to where they have three, four wins and only one
or two losses. "We just want to make sure we come out and we match their
intensity. Theyre a team thats going to come in here ready to play given their
situation." Glenn will get the start again versus Hamilton, but the Lions will
have a familiar face in uniform for the first time since last sseason.
Tarik
Cohen Jersey. . Travis Lulay is slated to suit up as either the No. 2 or
No. 3 quarterback on Friday for the first time since undergoing surgery on his
throwing shoulder in the November. It has been a long road back for the Lions
incumbent, who had hoped to be ready for the start of the season. "Its exciting.
Its not the end of the road, but this is a huge step for me," said Lulay. "Just
on a personal level its exciting to know its to the point now where were talking
about where on the depth chart as opposed to whether or not youre putting a
helmet on." While the Lions offence has struggled at times under Glenns
stewardship, the defence is ranked No. 2 in the league and has been lights out
all season, led in large part by linebackers Solomon Elimimian and Adam Bighill.
The Lions surrendered just three points in the second half against Calgary,
allowing time for a B.C. comeback that included two fourth-quarter touchdowns.
"Thats the standard that weve set," said Elimimian, who had 10 tackles last week
and leads the league with 49 through just six games. "We set high standards for
ourselves and we want to continue that because we understand that for this team
to get to where we want to get to, the defence is a big part of that." Added
Bighill: "It comes down to everyone just doing their job to the best of their
ability. Weve got guys making plays. Weve just got to be consistent, because
thats what great teams do." After last weeks loss to the Blue Bombers,
Tiger-Cats head coach Kent Austin said he would "rather lose 47-0 than lose like
that." Despite that frustrating outcome, Hamilton finds itself just one game out
of first place in the East Division as all four teams continue to struggle for
victories. If the Tiger-Cats are going to walk out of B.C. Place with a win, a
good candidate to have a big game would be C.J. Gable. The explosive running
back has a team-high 353 yards from scrimmage and is a player the Lions expect
to key on. "Defensively we feel like weve been solid. We havent given up a lot
in terms of points and yardage," said Bighill. "Theyre going to try to find ways
to get (Gable) the ball, whether its throwing him the ball (or) running the ball
out of the backfield. Were going to have eyes on him at all times." Notes: The
Lions will dress defensive lineman Jabar Westerman after benching him last week
in Calgary. The 25-year-old was in court this week on charges he allegedly threw
a punch during a nightclub altercation in June. ... The Lions beat the
Tiger-Cats 29-26 in their only meeting in Vancouver last season. ... B.C. visits
Hamilton on Oct. 4.
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