Rick Reilly's Take on the Lockout

[Rayman]

Neither the owners nor big boys in the NFLPA care. I said this weeks ago. I roll my eyes everytime I read how Brady and Manning have had "irreparable harm" done to them by the lockout. The union isn't fighting for the little guy in this at all, but that's how they like to portray themselves in saying the owners are taking more money.

It's not as black and white as everyone wants to make it out to be. Both sides can go pound sand.

[BigBucs]

Ill gladly take that 200k after taxes and be happier than a fag with a bag of dicks. Lets talk about the vendors and stadium workers making 9 dollars an hour. They are the ones who are really getting fucked by this.

[Berowsk]

These are the same dudes that got a college education for free. It's not anybody's fault but theirs if they have to work as a painter, plumber, or bartender.

[kmanharris]

200k? There are PLENTY of people who make no where near 200k (were talking <90k) and have a family of 5 and make it through alright. They all went through school for free and most are probably accustomed to getting everything handed to them and now they face having to do things that millions of people do everyday.

Does it suck for them? Sure. But it also sucks for all the people who get paid 50k a year and got fired/laid off.

[Berowsk]

What about the guys on the practice squads, or the people that got moved up and played 2 or 3 games during the season. Those guys don't get paid shit compared to the All-Stars out there. Example: Taj Smith played for the colts in only 3 games this season, and those were the first games he's ever played in his professional career. The guys scraping by in the NFL are getting fucked by this. Oh btw, the last game Taj ever played before he joined the colts squad was a 2009 Packer preseason game. Idk about any other NFL teams but the Colts have a lot of practice squad people randomly playing games when needed, and those games are a huge break for those players given the opportunity.

Taj Smith also spent 4 years at Syracuse, a prestigious university, most likely for free.

You're telling me that he couldn't find a job that didn't include roofing? Who's fault is that.

Practice squad players aren't making a living playing pro football as it is. Most of them have other jobs that they are doing as well.

[NAHSTE]

Rick Reilly

Stopped reading here.

[leaffan]

I never said that he couldn't find a job. Please point in the direction of that statement. I'm just saying, I can't believe no one is siding with the players. There's only two sides to this argument and no one has picked sides. I'm getting the point everyone's making "Fuck em" but is that the right way to think. I'm on the players side. Rich people and corporations are taking over, and it's not for the better. What if your employer declared a work stoppage? I don't know about you guys but I would be pissed. Would you guys rather follow your dream (playing in the NFL), or want to work at McDonald's? Just sayin. (I would consider any job other than the NFL like working at McDonald's if I was a professional player).

I would of started saving up like I was told to do last year and not bitched to some guy in SI because now I have to do things like rent a dvd week instead of going out. Give me a fuckin break.

[NAHSTE]

Your opinion, I remember when I was a kid. When Sports Illustrated came into the mail, Rick Reilly's articles were one of my favorites and first to read. He always was interesting to read in my opinion.

He was at one point worth reading in his Sports Illustrated days. But currently he's utter shit.