The NFL and NFLPA continue to negotiate a new Collective Bargaining Agreement between the players and owners. The players continue to say that they simply want to play and it’s the owners who are taking the game away from everyone.
Chad Ochocinco Chimes In On NFL Lockout
The latest example of that comes from Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco, who tweeted about the negotiations on Tuesday:
LOCKOUT:any compromise on mere fundamentals is a surrender,owners have the leverage either way,I just want 2 b able 2 celebrate after td's
Where he’s wrong, I think, is suggesting the owners have the leverage either way. According to reports, the main reason there was a seven day extension in the first place is because the NFLPA was preparing decertification paperwork. Doing that would potentially compromise the NFL’s antitrust exemptions, which is something they absolutely don’t want to do. In addition to that, the owners now may not have the $4 billion or so in TV money that Minnesota Judge David Doty, who presides over the current CBA, ruled violated the labor agreement.
So, in reality, the owners don’t have all the leverage. Sure, they could handle a work stoppage better than the players, but that doesn’t mean the players don’t have options that would deter the owners from pushing for a lockout.
As for Ochocinco’s touchdown celebrations, I can’t imagine that’s a major part of the negotiations.
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