In case you hadn't heard, the owners finally took the first step towards ending the NFL lockout, voting to approve the proposed deal with the NFLPA late Thursday afternoon. The agreement was almost unanimous as well, with the result of the vote coming out to 31-0. ‘But there are 32 teams!' you say. That's correct, and that 32nd one -- Al Davis' very own Oakland Raiders -- elected to abstain from voting.
Only Raiders Refuse To Vote On NFL Owner-Approved CBA
Upon first glance, the general feeling crossing the minds of most NFL fans when they read the news was probably one of mild amusement. ‘Of course the party pooper was the Raiders.’ Yet, as further reports continue to leak out regarding the unethical absurdity that revolved around creation of the new deal, the lone abstainer is starting to evoke a far nobler tone.
According to CBA team CEO Amy Trask, the franchise expressed “profound philosophical differences” with the formation of the new deal, adding that their misgivings were both “football and economic in nature.” She continued, tweeting, “We voted in the manner we believe best for football and with the courage of our convictions.”
While declining to specify the franchise’s reservations, Trask said, “We’ve consistently expressed these views to the league.”
In a show of hands, who would have thought that the one franchise most notorious for ineptitude throughout the past decade, would actually emerge from the owner’s negotiations as the best dressed of the ball. Anyone?
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