There was a telling conversation on Winnipeg radio Friday night, when B.C. Lions running back Andrew Harris told CJOB's Jim Toth that the players are asking for "a bit too much." Harris was obviously admonished for his statement -- he was even hearing it from his own teammates -- because on Saturday he wrote the following on his Twitter account: "My apologies to fellow @CFLPA members. Lesson learned when putting the heart of one ahead of business for all. #united."
Harris may have crystallized sentiments, and he may have helped prevent a strike. His union will certainly be unhappy with him, for speaking his mind, and telling it as he sees it.
Not only will players get the itch to do what they train six months of the year to do, but owners like David Braley and Bob Young have poured millions into the CFL. Many say if it weren't for Braley there might not be a league today. Since most of the league's owners have the financial wherewithal to outlast the players, a few more million in losses isn't going to cause them to give in to the players. That's what people who have been in the CFL for years are saying behind the scenes, anyway. There's no way the players are going to be able to topple the deep-pocketed owners over the long haul.
At many times the CFL has been on life support, and IMO it still is. Braley support.
As much as the players deserve more money -- they do, and what the league is offering would give them that -- the owners who have helped keep the league afloat should be rewarded for their patience. Some might view that as the rich getting richer, but no one is getting rich in the CFL. It's no secret Toronto and Hamilton lose money year after year.
Teams are building new and better stadiums for their players, which costs the franchises a varying degree of cash due to public funding, and attendance figures aren't exactly skyrocketing.
Montreal doesn't sell out anymore. Toronto still attracts family and friends. Hamilton hasn't been a big draw for years. Winnipeg couldn't sell out its brand new stadium after the 2013 home opener and season-ticket sales are down big time this year. Calgary does well only when the Roughriders are in town. Edmonton's attendance took a big dip last year. And B.C. wasn't exactly packing them in, either. The Roughriders, of course, are the exception to the rule.
The owners told the players they would revisit revenue sharing when they gave it up during the 2010 negotiations, but so far during these talks it has been a non-starter. Therefore, the owners should throw the players a bone and increase the cap by more than the $50,000 they're offering after the first year of the deal. The $400,000 hike off the hop is a good one, but it should be bigger after that. The owners should also put it in writing that revenue sharing will be a part of the next CBA in one form or another.
The players, meanwhile, should allow the league to continue to grow for a while. Let's see what the revenues are during the new TSN deal. Enjoy a serious bump in the salary cap and fewer practices with pads, and then if the league continues to flourish you will get your revenue sharing back in four years.
Pretty much how I see it.
John Madden's Team Policies: Be on time. Pay attention. Play like hell on game day.
Jimmy Johnson's Game Keys: Protect the ball. Make plays.
Walter Payton's Advice to Kids: Play hard. Play fair. Have fun.
