NFL Players Staging Revolt

[JoshAllenHasBigHands]

17 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

1) You do realize the players speaking out, and the players practicing in Fl and CA may not be the same players?

2) You do realize that covid-19 is now spiking seriously in a number of states that were 1-2 months ago?

3) Practicing in small groups and practicing at the team facility -> not same thing

4) Per JJ Watt's tweet, there appear to be some concrete details lacking that the NFL needs to fill in.

Diggs? Covid was spiking in Florida while he was practicing with the other Bills there. 

[Paulus]

Wait until the first players die from the Wuhan.

[1st&ten]

 

I started thinking in March that it would be pretty hard to have a normal season. I don't want to watch a NFL with half of the star players not playing.

[Rocbillsfan1]

1 minute ago, SCBills said:

It’s pretty much the disingenuousness of it.  
 

Players also seemed to have a problem with a “bubble” solution.  
 

They can do whatever they want, and if they’re concerned with their health, should....but the hospital worker, grocery store clerk, (potentially) teachers, retail, restaurant workers etc., who are all making pennies on the dollar are forced to choose between working in a COVID environment or losing their job.   That’s a massive part of the NFL’s fan base.  The disconnect will likely be the same as we saw when MLB players did this. 

Seriously enough with the grocery store clerk analogies. Good luck getting kids to go back to school, that will be a disaster. It’s almost like we need actual leaders making decisions to help other Americans that our struggling in this enviroment, but instead we have inept govt leadership followed by inept nfl leadership. Color me shocked that roger goodell doesn’t have a plan and will get you minions to bash the players because they make more money than you. 

[Process]

Kind of have to agree with the players on this. It's actually mind blowing camps are about to open up.. has anyone seen anything from the NFL regarding safety measures they are putting in place. Other than canceling two preseason games has the NFL done anything or set any guidelines, or formed any sort of plan? Seems like they are just winging it? Players will get covid during the season, likely a ton of them will, and it seems like it's going to be a **** show when it happens.

[Don Otreply]

It is just an incredibly  ignorant notion to have 32 different sets of protocols for Covid-19 protection, it doesn’t work. It is no different Nation wide having fifty different protocols for Covid-19 protection, as we see, it doesn’t work. What a bunch of Bafoons. Anyone  paying any attention would see this coming. When our best medical and scientific experts give their assessments on a new pandemic virus that is spreading across the nation, one does not then go to thirty two separate corporate executives and say set up your own protocols.  For there to be any chance to control the virus everyone must be on the same page.  There is just an all to huge percentage of stupid in this country. 
 

Edited July 19, 2020 by Don Otreply

[Rocbillsfan1]

10 minutes ago, SCBills said:

You’re quite judgmental and angry, while quickly resorting to name calling, so I’ll just assume you have CNN on all day?

 

Is that how we’re doing this?

Also, enough with the straw man arguments.  Nobody is saying they shouldn’t have safety measures in place... my goodness.  

 

I see how you’re doing it. I’m tired of boot lickers going out of their way to blame employees instead of getting to the root of the issue. But I guess you really can’t handle people making more money than you, so you need to resort to calling them out. Cool.

[SCBills]

5 minutes ago, Process said:

Kind of have to agree with the players on this. It's actually mind blowing camps are about to open up.. has anyone seen anything from the NFL regarding safety measures they are putting in place. Other than canceling two preseason games has the NFL done anything or set any guidelines, or formed any sort of plan? Seems like they are just winging it? Players will get covid during the season, likely a ton of them will, and it seems like it's going to be a **** show when it happens.

The only way I can see this working (in terms of safety), is to “bubble” each team to start and then re-evaluate based on what’s happening in the country and/or therapeutics. 

However, players already made it pretty clear that they aren’t interested in a “bubble” strategy.  
 

Not sure it’s feasible to have any type of actual safety strategy without having monitored & restricted movement of players and staff. 

[Kirby Jackson]

20 minutes ago, SCBills said:

It’s pretty much the disingenuousness of it.  
 

Players also seemed to have a problem with a “bubble” solution.  
 

They can do whatever they want, and if they’re concerned with their health, should....but the hospital worker, grocery store clerk, (potentially) teachers, retail, restaurant workers etc., who are all making pennies on the dollar are forced to choose between working in a COVID environment or losing their job.   That’s a massive part of the NFL’s fan base.  The disconnect will likely be the same as we saw when MLB players did this. 

The baseball argument isn’t a fair one. The baseball players and owners were fighting over revenue sharing. Would it be a straight prorated salary or would they have to take a discount on that? That alienated the public. NFL players are arguing for better working conditions. The 2 situations are apples and oranges.

[SCBills]

7 minutes ago, Rocbillsfan1 said:

I see how you’re doing it. I’m tired of boot lickers going out of their way to blame employees instead of getting to the root of the issue. But I guess you really can’t handle people making more money than you, so you need to resort to calling them out. Cool.

I have zero issues with how much I make and/or my lifestyle currently.  You seem to be the one projecting.  Luckily, I can WFH and do whatever I want in this COVID environment because I own a business.   
 

Do you know who can’t?  Pretty much anyone working a blue collar job.  Aka, the base of the NFL’s fandom.   How do you think they should react to players flexing on the league without offering to forego any pay if the season is cancelled and/or shortened?   
 

A “bubble” strategy was already floated and rejected by players.  If they were truly interested in safety, they should have jumped on that.  
 

Literally nobody here thinks they shouldn’t have increased safety measures (and I’m quite sure they will).    However, without a bubble, it’s going to be tough to keep everyone safe during season play, unless we have a dramatic change between now and September. 
 

 

Edited July 19, 2020 by SCBills

[Justin C]

At this point I would be all for delaying the start of the season a month. Push everything back and start in October (move Weeks 1-4) to January. Let ***** settle in the south and maybe, MAYBE we won't have to worry about a spike in cases in September.

[DCbillsfan]

Like everyone else, I want to see NFL football.  I've tried to remain positive all this time but 4 months into this virus - it doesn't look good.  The NFL and NFLPA had all this time to work on safety protocols and procedures.  I find them both at fault.  If some players don't want to play - I don't blame them.  Maybe there won't be football this season.  I find myself becoming less interested in football with each passing day.  My two cents JMO

[Beast]

27 minutes ago, Paulus said:

Wait until the first players die from the Wuhan.

 

I'll take the bet that not one does.

[WEATHER DOT COM]

Yikes

[Doc]

What are the NFL's health experts recommending and the NFL is ignoring?  We should probably start there.

[JoPoy88]

1 hour ago, Mr. WEO said:

They have the luxury of not showing up for work and still getting a check.

 

Why isn't their union dictating the parameters of the plan to the league ?  What do the players hope to achieve by going to twitter about their concerns with the league---or why arent they blaming the NFLPA publicly as well?  How will it move the process of their concerns forward.

 

They are preparing the public for them not showing up.  That's the only reasonable conclusion. 

 

Very few people in THIS country can so "simply forego their pay and stay at home"

to your points about the union, I think many players know all too well that their union is weak - and criticizing union leadership in public would only end up making it weaker.

[Malazan]

If the players are so concerned, they have an easy solution. "We're not going to play." However, they want to be paid AND not play which is why there is all this..back and forth. They won't come out and say that either so you get all this "worry" about playing which is really just them trying to position themselves to make some insane argument that they should be paid to not play. 

 

Simple, they can go ahead and file for unemployment if they qualify like everyone else in the country. Problem solved. Fire DeMaurice "idiot" Smith and hire me. 

[Doc Brown]

10 minutes ago, Beast said:

 

I'll take the bet that not one does.

There's some obese lineman that have high blood pressure.  Don't be so sure.

[JoPoy88]

1 hour ago, BringBackFergy said:

Funny how almost every one of those Tweets uses the same words/phrases. It’s like they were given four or five catch phrases and told to send the message out. Must be a coincidence. 

Wow how astute of you to catch on to the fact that it was coordinated. A brilliant mind

[bigK14094]

A job action to stop the preseason and camp should cancel the season imho.  I attended games back in the 80's after the strike, and, they came in with one week of practice.  Worst pro game I ever saw, sloppy execution, out of shape players.  But, the vets think they can do it.  Experience tells me otherwise.  If the preseason and camps are canceled, you will see the worst display of football ever seen in week one.

[Augie]

1 hour ago, Nextmanup said:

I've been saying since March that the NFL season will not open on time in early September, as planned.

 

 

 

Unfortunately, I’m not sure how different things will be a few weeks, or even months, later. I’m all for a good old fashioned miracle, but I’m not optimistic. 

 

Players are talking about health concerns. I get it. I’d be even more concerned for the coaches and support personnel. This sucks....but it’s entertainment. It could be worse, and is for many.  

[ProcessAccepted]

1 hour ago, BringBackFergy said:

Funny how almost every one of those Tweets uses the same words/phrases. It’s like they were given four or five catch phrases and told to send the message out. Must be a coincidence. 

That is how individuals unite and gain leverage against a more powerful institution or organization. It does not take away from what players believe. It's their health they have a right to be concerned and have expectations that owners try to protect them..

[Big Blitz]

 

 

 

 

[Beast]

19 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

There's some obese lineman that have high blood pressure.  Don't be so sure.

 

I didn't say 100% but I will still take that bet. I'd lay a lot of cash on it.

[Captain Caveman]

2 hours ago, driddles said:

The players are ticked, so we can safely assume that the NFL didn't have multiple solid plans for how to proceed in different scenarios.  Was the NFL plan on par with 'It'll all be done by the time we start, let's not have a plan'?  This can't be possible in a billion dollar sport.  Can it?

Why not, it seems to have been the plan in our trillion dollar country?

Edited July 19, 2020 by Captain Caveman

[Doc Brown]

Just now, Beast said:

 

I didn't say 100% but I will still take that bet. I'd lay a lot of cash on it.

I'm not betting on somebody possibly dying during a pandemic (I'm just not that type of person)....unless I'm getting at least 3 to 1 odds minimum.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

What is the NFL’s plan? I can’t really find many specifics online. 

[Doc]

5 minutes ago, Beast said:

I didn't say 100% but I will still take that bet. I'd lay a lot of cash on it.

 

I'd lay a ton of cash to say it won't happen. 

[Steve Billieve]

The NFL should definitely do the right thing and offer $1200/month ubi to players who want to sit out the season.

[HardyBoy]

1 hour ago, Limeaid said:

 

If they could they would.

 

"Take me where the whispering breeze is,

I wanna feel my feet leave the ground

If I could I would, but I don't know how..."

 

Highly recommend listening, I know it's phish and whatever preconceptions, but Alisson Kraus is on this song (they were able to snag her for it in the early/mid 90s before she totally blew up):

 

 

[Lieutenant Aldo Raine]

I bet you won't see Josh Allen tweeting about not playing!  

Edited July 19, 2020 by Lieutenant Aldo Raine

[Mountain Man]

I think revolt is completely the wrong word to use. 

 

The players are the ones taking the risks if they play, and when you look at how strict the sporting pre cautions are for sports like soccer, cricket and f1 in countries with far fewer infections, you can understand why they are taking a stand. 

[Johnnycage46]

Not sure why JJ Watt is concerned...he can't finish a full season regularly anyway.

[Warcodered]

 

[YoloinOhio]

36 minutes ago, Doc said:

What are the NFL's health experts recommending and the NFL is ignoring?  We should probably start there.

Not sure of specifics 

Smith said the union agreed with some but not all of the medical reasons cited for that decision, “but overall they gave the opinion that it was safe to open camp.”

The group of doctors on that call, the Daily News is told, included the team doctors for NFL clubs located in current coronavirus hotspots: the 49ers, Rams and Chargers in California; the Saints in New Orleans; the Texans in Houston; and Dolphins in Miami.

https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/ny-nfl-players-coronavirus-pandemic-season-20200717-65qhcwoxqve23muafano7weuma-story.html

[HappyDays]

1 hour ago, SCBills said:

How do you think they should react to players flexing on the league without offering to forego any pay if the season is cancelled and/or shortened?   
 

A “bubble” strategy was already floated and rejected by players.  If they were truly interested in safety, they should have jumped on that.  

 

From the nature of your posts I'm not sure you understand the complaints made by the players. They very much want to play. But they want some word from the NFL on safety precautions. As of now there is no plan. The NFL is proceeding with training camp as if things are back to normal. As if trying to control nearly 3,000 players, plus coaches, assistants, referees, etc. spread across 32 facilities during a national pandemic isn't a logistical nightmare. There are no official testing protocols in place. No one knows exactly how often camp attendees will be tested and what to do if someone tests positive.

 

The players' careers are built on their bodies staying intact. They are trying to earn a lifetime of wealth by the age of 30. If they happen to get hit badly by the virus it could put their careers in danger. Most young and fit people who catch the virus turn out okay, many won't even show any symptoms at all. But some get unlucky and have to deal with a month or more of awful fatigue and respiratory problems. A few very unlucky ones may experience organ failure or death. Worse still in the players' minds, what if they accidentally bring the virus home to their families?

 

The logistics of keeping all the players, officials, coaches, etc. in a bubble for at least 6 months is really not doable. I don't begrudge the players for wanting to see their families. Not to mention the numerous regular people who aren't millionaires that would presumably have to be kept in the same bubble. The people that clean the locker room? The cooks that make the players food? You seemingly haven't given them any consideration.

 

Frankly the entire country's handling of the coronavirus has been a disaster and the NFL's handling of it so far is a microcosm of that.

Edited July 19, 2020 by HappyDays

[Captain Caveman]

6 minutes ago, Johnnycage46 said:

Not sure why JJ Watt is concerned...he can't finish a full season regularly anyway.

 

***** you for reminding me of how he finished our season anyway last year.

[Johnnycage46]

Just now, Captain Caveman said:

 

***** you for reminding me of how he finished our season anyway last year.

 

I thought of this possible response from someone lol.

[SCBills]

11 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

From the nature of your posts I'm not sure you understand the complaints made by the players. They very much want to play. But they want some word from the NFL on safety precautions. As of now there is no plan. The NFL is proceeding with training camp as if things are back to normal. As if trying to control nearly 3,000 players, plus coaches, assistants, referees, etc. spread across 32 facilities during a national pandemic isn't a logistical nightmare. There are no official testing protocols in place. No one knows exactly how often camp attendees will be tested and what to do if someone tests positive.

 

The players' careers are built on their bodies staying intact. They are trying to earn a lifetime of wealth by the age of 30. If they happen to get hit badly by the virus it could put their careers in danger. Most young and fit people who catch the virus turn out okay, many won't even show any symptoms at all. But some get unlucky and have to deal with a month or more of awful fatigue and respiratory problems. A few very unlucky ones may experience organ failure or death. Worse still in the players' minds, what if they accidentally bring the virus home to their families?

 

The logistics of keeping all the players, officials, coaches, etc. in a bubble for at least 6 months is really not doable. I don't begrudge the players for wanting to see their families. Not to mention the numerous regular people who aren't millionaires that would presumably have to be kept in the same bubble. The people that clean the locker room? The cooks that make the players food? You seemingly haven't given them any consideration.

 

Frankly the entire country's handling of the coronavirus has been a disaster and the NFL's handling of it so far is a microcosm of that.

Yes, I understand.  I also understand that the players openly opposed a “bubble” strategy.   
 

Reality is, there’s zero way to ensure safety in a pandemic with no vaccine available.  
 

A “bubble” is the next best thing.  

 

If that is not an option for the players, everything else will look like a s**tshow, because that’s exactly what it is.  

 

If they play, without a bubble, some players will get with COVID.... there’s no way around it in the current environment. 
 

Every other league is getting back to playing - MLS, MLB, NBA etc.. 
 

It comes down to the same question many other Americans are having to deal with... Stay home, or accept inherent risk.  
 

I have zero issue with the players pushing for safety protocols,  but when they don’t seem willing to give up money and already opposed a “bubble”, it’s a bit difficult to take them 100% seriously. 
 

Edited July 19, 2020 by SCBills

[HappyDays]

Just now, SCBills said:

but when they don’t seem willing to give up money and already opposed a “bubble”, it’s a bit difficult to take them 100% seriously. 

 

Then maybe you should read the rest of my post. A bubble for 6 months is not realistic when you consider the number of people that would have to be kept in that bubble. It isn't just the players. It's everyone else involved with the game too.