NFLPA Director criticizes NFL; would not rule out players strike

[Auggie]

espn.com news services / 8-29-12

NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith called the league's lockout of officials "absurd" and would not rule out a players strike.

In a recent interview with SI.com, Smith cited widespread concerns over players' long-term health, claiming that replacement referees have created an environment that jeopardizes player safety.

"In America it is the employer's obligation to provide as safe a working environment as possible," Smith told the website. "We believe that if the National Football League fails in that obligation, we reserve the right to seek any relief that we believe is appropriate. The NFL has chosen to prevent the very officials that they have trained, championed and cultivated for decades to be on the field to protect players and -- by their own admission -- further our goal of enhanced safety. That is absurd on its face."

Despite receiving vocal support from commissioner Roger Goodell, replacement referees have been criticized throughout the preseason. Smith blamed the NFL for the impasse with the officials, claiming that the league has prioritized financial concerns over player safety.

MORE: http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8313071/nflpa-executive-director-demaurice-smith-blasts-league-locking-refs

[ProfessorGAC]

1. Seems Like Grandstanding By Smith

I'm not taking the league's side, but i cannot believe the players would strike over this. This just seems like posturing in the interest of him helping another guild's executive director.
GAC

[JonLP24]

3. I sort of agree

My gut feeling is the players probably won't strike but I'm looking at it like a poker match w/ the NFL -- they are bluffing in hopes the NFL settles. I support them doing this if that's what they are doing and I hope it works but Roger Goodell has a degree in economics(though he does it the right wing way--takes the action that makes the most money and anti-labor but eventually crashes)so he knows what he is doing unfortunately. Look at all the stadiums that have been renovated and built since he took over as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Office and then Commissioner. Master of the all-or-nothing approach and even uses the Super Bowl extortion.

on edit-I wanted to ad but didn't know where to fit. Tagliabue is a lawyer so his area was policies for workforce and making sure the NFL operates within the law.

[rocktivity]

2. And if it's true that the scabs are earning only one quarter of the regular refs

doesn't that make them more bribe-able?


rocktivity

[hughee99]

4. we're not talking enormously large money anyway.

Yes, $150k is great money (roughly the average for the regular refs), but if you're a gambler who can make hundreds of thousands on a game, $25-50k is pocket change for you, but still a huge amount of money for the ref.

IMHO, people who are going to take bribes are likely going to take them anyway. Paying someone more won't make them less corrupt. There are probably some very extreme exceptions for this (need a lot of money fast for child's live saving medical treatment), but I'll bet those are pretty rare cases for bribery.