Who's the fault here?

No it is Billionaires, the owners vs Millionaires, the players. The owners don't put theire body on the line every Sunday. They don't have their career shorten by it. So A player Has to get all the money he can While he can. It isn't the current players fault the owners made it so that Rookies get more than a vet. And a retired player gets next to nothing! It will be up to both sides to fix this.But if the owners are not forthcoming with the Real books, there will be no football.

Well, I only made 45k last year, so an extra few zeroes doesn't make my heart bleed for a millionaire personally. I understand where you're coming from, though. Fat-cat owners in their luxury boxes looking down at the little players on the field, making a profit off their sweat. Yes. It's certainly enough to make someone scream "Go players! Die owners!" But in reality, it is the players' fault that rookies (only very few high first rounders) get so much money. That evolved as an unintended consequence of free agency (pay them more to make them want to stay). Not to mention that spec and performance-based contracts, something that would keep rookies from earning staggering amounts, is something owners would rather deal with, but something the NLFPA and agents want nothing to do with. And it is actually the fault of the NFLPA and not the owners that retired players get next to nothing, because the players didn't want to contribute anything. DeMaurice Smith talks a great game. He's a former lawyer, for whatever that's worth. So screaming about the books and the union wanting to do some good is all good and well for the public's ears, but they've been setting the league up like this for years, and are now suddenly overworked, underpaid and willing to be nobler when the owners cut them out. They're both cruddy. Both sides dropped the ball here, pun intended. But the players are responsible for the high salaries and the lackluster care of former players. That's their burden to shoulder.

These "men" and their constant demands to be paid more are the reason ticket prices and food prices are so high. They're the reason retired players aren't getting proper medical care. They're the reason someone's favorite team may have to lose star players, because owners of struggling teams need to recoup losses while players have guaranteed, performance-based contracts and the owners are obligated to pay them, even if the team loses revenue. Striking outside deals to increase revenues was a fail-safe, more or less. Now the players want even more for doing even less. There's enough blame to go around, surely, but this isn't some slave-driving profession where owners make money hand over fist while their employees break their backs for peanuts. We're talking about millionaires vs. millionaires here.

I know players come and go! I am grateful Brett Favre is finally retired but once in awhile I do miss a favorite player of mine when they retire! The NFL goes on and players keep on coming and going! I understand that and I think both sides are being greedy! Even if some fans complain if their is no football and don't want to see a strike,they will watch football with replacement players! Some fans have no respect in that! Honestly I won't watch games with replacement players! I didn't the last time,either! To me that is not the true NFL! Right now I hope they work this out,if not I won't be a happy fan!

Yes. There's greed on both sides. The players pick up a lot more sympathy than the owners, obviously, but the players are at full fault for a lot of things that have happened. The super-high prices of admission - players' doing. Retired players having sub-par care - players' doing. Some might say, "Well, why do the owners hike prices and why don't they pay for retired players!?" And that's a legitimate question. But I think we all know the answer: it's no longer a "business" is owner are going into their pockets and paying these things and eating other costs. Both sides want to make as much as they possibly can, so both sides need to back off. Players need to chip in to retirement funds, agree to play extra games if they want the extra money, and owners need to be more open and honest and willing to make a hefty profit instead of an incredibly hefty profit.

I like your piont of view! Alot of the new CBA is not fair to the players. That is so true! I hope they work it out so we have a 2011 season! A season of no NFL football would be heartbreaking! At least to me!