Replacements

[dbringer]

Am I the only one who enjoyed the replacement games in 1987? OK, the games were about as well played as high school football, but I like high school football! I still remember the Giants-Bills game in Buffalo - the game where Lawrence Taylor crossed the picket line to play. It was a fun game - was it Todd Schlopy who kicked the winning field goal for Buffalo? Or how about the Monday Night game where Bill Walsh had his replacement quarterback run the option for the 49ers, and all Bill Parcells could do was laugh. Who would have thought that 20 years later the wildcat would be so popular?

 

I've read that during the last CBA, both sides agreed that they wouldn't use replacement players. But now that there is no union, isn't that agreement out the window?

 

I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but I'm a fan of the city, the team colors, and the logo. As long as the players wearing Buffalo's uniform get them to the playoffs, I'm OK with that...

Edited March 13, 2011 by dbringer

[Dragonborn10]

The players are locked out. If there is no lockout then the current players would be working under the current CBA agreement. I guess the players could find replacement owners though...

[Bangarang]

Someone call Shane Flacco.

[Wing Man]

Wait, I just threw up in my mouth.

[JPicc2114]

Ya, dial up Shane Falco and the english kicker

[Hplarrm]

Am I the only one who enjoyed the replacement games in 1987? OK, the games were about as well played as high school football, but I like high school football! I still remember the Giants-Bills game in Buffalo - the game where Lawrence Taylor crossed the picket line to play. It was a fun game - was it Todd Schlopy who kicked the winning field goal for Buffalo? Or how about the Monday Night game where Bill Walsh had his replacement quarterback run the option for the 49ers, and all Bill Parcells could do was laugh. Who would have thought that 20 years later the wildcat would be so popular?

 

I've read that during the last CBA, both sides agreed that they wouldn't use replacement players. But now that there is no union, isn't that agreement out the window?

 

I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but I'm a fan of the city, the team colors, and the logo. As long as the players wearing Buffalo's uniform get them to the playoffs, I'm OK with that...

The last few high school games I went to I went for free. I did gladly pay for popcorn but I think it mostly went to the Veterans of Foreign War to pay for their 4th of July fireworks.

 

I am more likely to pay serious dollars to watch a knife fight between Mr. Ralph and Al David than I would replacement players.

 

Now that would be entertaining (Once).

[reddogblitz]

I was in Dallas and huge Cowboy fan at the time. I remember Kevin Sweeney to Cornell Burbage or Kelvin Bryant for TDs. Then Tony Dorsett came back as did Randy White and others. Then, the Monday night sell out against the Redskins as the last replacement game. If Drew Brees and Peyton Manning and Tom Brady think they're getting a raw deal, I say go find a better one elsewhere. Bring on the replacement players I say. I'm all for it.

[Hplarrm]

I was in Dallas and huge Cowboy fan at the time. I remember Kevin Sweeney to Cornell Burbage or Kelvin Bryant for TDs. Then Tony Dorsett came back as did Randy White and others. Then, the Monday night sell out against the Redskins as the last replacement game. If Drew Brees and Peyton Manning and Tom Brady think they're getting a raw deal, I say go find a better one elsewhere. Bring on the replacement players I say. I'm all for it.

Would you prefer replacement players or replacement owners?

[el Tigre]

Am I the only one who enjoyed the replacement games in 1987? OK, the games were about as well played as high school football, but I like high school football! I still remember the Giants-Bills game in Buffalo - the game where Lawrence Taylor crossed the picket line to play. It was a fun game - was it Todd Schlopy who kicked the winning field goal for Buffalo? Or how about the Monday Night game where Bill Walsh had his replacement quarterback run the option for the 49ers, and all Bill Parcells could do was laugh. Who would have thought that 20 years later the wildcat would be so popular?

 

I've read that during the last CBA, both sides agreed that they wouldn't use replacement players. But now that there is no union, isn't that agreement out the window?

 

I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but I'm a fan of the city, the team colors, and the logo. As long as the players wearing Buffalo's uniform get them to the playoffs, I'm OK with that...

I can't get into watching scabs. If a union member disagrees with his union and makes the decision to cross a picket line I can live with it. May not agree with it,but I can respect a mans decision. But when an outsider enters into a labor dispute and crosses another mans picket line,he's a scab. Nobody should respect a scab.

[reddogblitz]

Would you prefer replacement players or replacement owners?

both

[nucci]

Am I the only one who enjoyed the replacement games in 1987? OK, the games were about as well played as high school football, but I like high school football! I still remember the Giants-Bills game in Buffalo - the game where Lawrence Taylor crossed the picket line to play. It was a fun game - was it Todd Schlopy who kicked the winning field goal for Buffalo? Or how about the Monday Night game where Bill Walsh had his replacement quarterback run the option for the 49ers, and all Bill Parcells could do was laugh. Who would have thought that 20 years later the wildcat would be so popular?

 

I've read that during the last CBA, both sides agreed that they wouldn't use replacement players. But now that there is no union, isn't that agreement out the window?

 

I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but I'm a fan of the city, the team colors, and the logo. As long as the players wearing Buffalo's uniform get them to the playoffs, I'm OK with that...

Yes, most likely.

[Nanker]

Dark days are upon us again.

I feel the need to replace my avatar.

[prissythecat]

I guess the players could find replacement owners though...

 

 

How exactly would you get replacement owners for the NFL? You would need to form another league?

[leh-nerd skin-erd]

I can't get into watching scabs. If a union member disagrees with his union and makes the decision to cross a picket line I can live with it. May not agree with it,but I can respect a mans decision. But when an outsider enters into a labor dispute and crosses another mans picket line,he's a scab. Nobody should respect a scab.

 

Really? You forgive a union man betraying his brothers, but find fault with a guy with no allegiance to either? Are you a union member? If you follow the union philosophy, there is nothing worse than a break in the ranks.

[Just Jack]

Ya, dial up Shane Falco and the english kicker

And that prisoner who can play running back.

[Thoner7]

I was born in 87. I hope we get replacement players because I am freakign trying out!

[Hplarrm]

How exactly would you get replacement owners for the NFL? You would need to form another league?

Actually, I think that is where the NFLPA is headed though it will take it a year or two to get there.

 

My GUESS is this.

 

I. The NFLPA Goal-

 

Get more members and get these members the maximum amount of compensation for their work.

 

II. The NFLPA Strategy

 

A. Emphasize solidarity by the players by showing strong leadership which pushes the theme we all stand together as players or we will fall apart.

B. Support the NFL players staying together by:

1. Promoting a framework for the last two years centering around the player reps elected by each team. The player rep emphasizes initially to each team member that the owners have chosen to re-open the deal and there is nothing they can do about except respond as best they can.

2. Emphasize to individual players the last two years that the intelligent thing for them to do is set aside some salary so they can live for up to six months in a restricted style from full bore NFL partying and bling which most players adopt.

3. Set aside a strike fund which cm be utilized by those players who through no specific and actions on their part run into financial trouble. These funds will be decided upon by a council of player reps (the reps were elected by their members and thus already have the agreement of the body politic in question- the players-)

a. There will need to be an emphasis on transparency in order to make this work and be trustworthy for the players and enhance solidarity. The players council which makes the decisions will be empowered to use it to support players who get in financial trouble not through excessive partying and lots of bling but through other means like normal business setbacks.

b. for example, if a player has taken reasonable steps to set aside money as the NFLPA advised )the NFLPA should have advised players to adopt a strategy 2 years ago called dollar cost averaging where they place a set amount each month from their salary for investing. This amount actually need not be outrageous just simply stable. If an NFL player had set aside a relatively mere $3,000 a month for investment in stocks 2 years ago, today this fund would be worth not only the $72,000 in principal but actually as the market has performed quite well the last two years my sense is their principal would be approaching $100K. The question would be can they hold out for 6 months or more on $100K. The answer is no if they want bling but the answer is yes with the support and solidarity of fellow union members and the lockout fund for players in legit trouble.

c. Legit trouble will be defined as business setbacks. For example if a player stored their money in real estate purchases the last two years but in real life real estate markets have gone down the last two years. In addition real estate generally as an investment is simply not liquid and is hard to turn into cash easily or profitably a player who did this may be in legit trouble.

d. The strike fund can then be authorized by a subcommittee of player reps to simply write checks to players who admit they are in financial need through legit business downturns. They can simply get checks written to them if they

1). Take the money as a loan to be paid back by the player or a longer period of time at an inflation rather than usury rate charged by loansharks or some private lenders like banks

2). The player can simply get checks written from the strike fund only if they are willing to participate in economic education from their union peers.

3). The psychology of money management and honesty in our society is difficult at best. However, by both offering help to players who suffered honest fiscal setbacks and also raising the negatives of blinging and overspending in these times of union battling, they can actual both enhance solidarity and depopularize outrageous behavior. They will accuse attempted lockout crossers as stabbing fellow union members in the back and only advocating this because they mismanaged their holdings in the first place living beyond NFLPA recommended means and not availing themselves of strike fund support and financial counseling.

4. A careful balance will need to be struck, but a useful example can be set by really going after one bad example some player sets of living too glamorous a life or showing off too much bling during this fiscal fight. Solidarity needs to be emphasized in that this idiot should not be killed, but NFLPA leaders will need to emphasize that too much bling behavior during this fight is not looked upon kindly by union brothers.

 

IF the NFLPA uses an infrastructure voted on by the members, emphasizes to the player reps the last two years they need to talk a lot to members and show transparency (not so much in naming specific names but in sharing total expenditure lumped information), they have a strike fund system based on a revolving loan fund to help players in legit financial trouble, they use a single case of a player living beyond their means or showing too much bling as a negative assault on brother union members they can with hard work and good leadership hold out for six months or maybe more.

5. Invest in a strategy of showing solidarity and leadership among the most high profile player for the NFLPA cause. The Brady. et al lawsuit which is joined by others such as Peyton Manning and Drew Brees is an impressive example that this approach is in play and being used well by the NFLPA.

6. Develop an ongoing source of cash for individual players and to support the strike fund over time. If the NFLPA can sell to some network a competition between NFL players that gets them some immediate cash for performing and supports the strike fund, this can be a substantial benefit. These "games" would need to benefit not only the high profile players who must participate to make this saleable but also allow some of the average skill players to be a part of this and get cash. My guess is a flag football set of 7 on 7 games and pseudo ongoing league might do the trick nicely which will be put up at some point in mid to late summer.

 

III. The NFLPA Objective

 

The measurable objective will be to set-up an alternative league which over 6 months to a year can be transitioned into a parallel structure to the NFL. The NEWFL will be designed to foster that great American thing known as competition. Ultimately players will try to set up a bidding war for individual player services much the way the AFL bid up the salaries for NFL players starting with their big contract for Namath. If a few high profile player like a Manning, Brees, etc go over to the NEWFL, a good chunk of moderate ST type players like an Izzo or a Corto go over not at an outlandish salary but a raise, competition will be benefit the NFLPA.

 

The goal and objectives will not be to kill the current NFL team owners but actually keep them around and raise individual player salaries by forcing them to compete.

 

IV. The Replacement Owners

 

I see several potential sources for replacement (actually supplementary from the NFLPA standpoint because they do not want to kill the current owners just force them to compete and pay players salaries)

 

A. Big money individuals who do not yet own NFL teams

1. As we saw with Pegula one of the richest men in the country who just bought the Sabres there are individuals with big $ out there who might want to buy a team, Even Tom Golisano who just sold the Sabres is sitting there with big money (form his own wealth and Pagula) which will need to be plowed back into some economic use or merely become a capital game not offset with a capital expenditure by buying a new team. The dot.com boom is clearly stilted but it is not totally over as folks like Meg Whitman and her E-bay fortune still have the wealth to do things like buy a new college at her alma mater Princeton for several hundred million and simply blow 100 million plus on her failed run for Senate (Linda MacMahon is another example of 10s of millions sitting out there but quite frankly though she, Carl Palladino and Rush Limbaugh are amongst those who likely are easier touches for the millions necessary I would stay away from these idiots who are legends in their own minds).

 

B. Corporations- The deal is that tons of corporations are simply sitting on billions of dollars in cash which they have refused to spend on investments which create jobs. This is shown in an unemployment rate around 9% that has touched 10% when even during bad times experts thought it would not go above 8%. There is a lot of $ out there even in these troubled fiscal times not only in the US but sitting around with individuals and companies in Europe, Hong Kong, and elsewhere who might be useful to provide replacement or supplementary capital for a NEWFL.

 

C. My personal favorite is municipal ownership. I do not mean local tax bodies like cities but models such as the one the GB Packers use of collecting money through individual share sales. The replacement or more accurately supplementary owners would be public bodies hired to manage the team just as Ron Wolf did with the Packers in their second SB winning run.

 

I know if the Buffalo Thrills (or some other name which is attractive to the EXTREME youths of our culture) had high profile players like a Brees to offer and found a way to involve folks like Jimbo (he may not be gettable if the BFL is serious about a bid from him for the Bills but if they are not then his ties to his fellow players and the NFLPA might attract this potential capital raiser- if not him then Thurman or whomever from the vets) offered up shares for as much as $100 bucks a pop I would think hard but probably convince my wife to let me invest. My guess is that even in a small market like Buffalo (I doubt the MEWFL would want to come here as the Bills have the market absorbed, but of Mr. Ralph's heirs want to leave and their is a NEWFL with high profile players like a Manning and some old Bills vet support then sign me up!

 

My sense is that it will be a tough slog no matter which future is created, but I would be reluctant to invest in an NFL with the best of college football and old XFL guys as replacement players. I think it would be a difficult course but ultimately an easier one for Brady, Manning, Brees, et al to find replacement (actually supplementary) owners.

[billsfan89]

Its a lockout not a strike the players would have nothing to cross the line to. Also the owners are locking the players out they legally couldn't put up scab games.

[Mango]

so is this where the ufl really shines?

[Calgary_JG]

I was in Dallas and huge Cowboy fan at the time. I remember Kevin Sweeney to Cornell Burbage or Kelvin Bryant for TDs. Then Tony Dorsett came back as did Randy White and others. Then, the Monday night sell out against the Redskins as the last replacement game. If Drew Brees and Peyton Manning and Tom Brady think they're getting a raw deal, I say go find a better one elsewhere. Bring on the replacement players I say. I'm all for it.

 

The players should take note of this type of sentiment. I for one agree 100% Let Brady and Manning and Brees et al go ahead and play for Oklahoma of the UFL if they feel they're being cheated by the NFL. I'll gladly watch QB #12 play for the Buffalo Bills. The union was relevant back in the days where owners were making millions and players were making nothing but in this day and age its ridiculous for somebody to be paid the salaries these guys are being paid and have them cry and whine for more.

[BuffaloBill]

I would rather go without a season than to see replacement players.

[el Tigre]

I would rather go without a season than to see replacement players.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

Am I the only one who enjoyed the replacement games in 1987? OK, the games were about as well played as high school football, but I like high school football! I still remember the Giants-Bills game in Buffalo - the game where Lawrence Taylor crossed the picket line to play. It was a fun game - was it Todd Schlopy who kicked the winning field goal for Buffalo? Or how about the Monday Night game where Bill Walsh had his replacement quarterback run the option for the 49ers, and all Bill Parcells could do was laugh. Who would have thought that 20 years later the wildcat would be so popular?

 

I've read that during the last CBA, both sides agreed that they wouldn't use replacement players. But now that there is no union, isn't that agreement out the window?

 

I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but I'm a fan of the city, the team colors, and the logo. As long as the players wearing Buffalo's uniform get them to the playoffs, I'm OK with that...

agreed.

[finknottle]

I would love to see replacement players again.

 

That said, if you relly want replacement owners then what the players should do is this:

 

Form their own player-owned league, with the playeers playing where they are now, and go up agains NFL replacement teams. They would instantly have a credible product, far more so than the replacement teams, and would get media-love unheard of in sports. The players could pool their personal money and use it for administration and insurance, and play for equity in the league. They will be playing in second-rate facilities, but since when has stadium attendence ever paid salaries? I have no doubt they would get a national television coverage from somebody for minimal money - and if they last a year or two, it would become big money and they would start to cash in

 

If the quality of the players is truely as important to the business of football as they believe, and having their quality versus the guys who get cut in August really makes a difference to fans (as most here would have us believe), the players will succeed with their new league. But if after a year there is no discernable on-field difference between the NFLPA league and a relacement-filled NFL team, they will fail.

[Pete]

I love the Replacements. Best album by them- I am torn between Let It Be and Tim

[benderbender]

I don't understand. Everything Tom Brady does is correct. His backside will never be dry because there is someone perpetually kissing it. So he MUST be doing the right thing.

[NoSaint]

Am I the only one who enjoyed the replacement games in 1987? OK, the games were about as well played as high school football, but I like high school football! I still remember the Giants-Bills game in Buffalo - the game where Lawrence Taylor crossed the picket line to play. It was a fun game - was it Todd Schlopy who kicked the winning field goal for Buffalo? Or how about the Monday Night game where Bill Walsh had his replacement quarterback run the option for the 49ers, and all Bill Parcells could do was laugh. Who would have thought that 20 years later the wildcat would be so popular?

 

I've read that during the last CBA, both sides agreed that they wouldn't use replacement players. But now that there is no union, isn't that agreement out the window?

 

I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but I'm a fan of the city, the team colors, and the logo. As long as the players wearing Buffalo's uniform get them to the playoffs, I'm OK with that...

 

An ironic twist of fate- by acquiring free agency the players have hurt personal relationships to their fans. In 3 years most teams turn over 90% of their rosters anyway- atleast it seems. It forces you to be a fan of the city more then the men in the uniforms.

 

I know I'd still watch.