Bucs Not Concerned (Yet) Over 2011 Labor Strife

January 29th, 2010

Yesterday, Joe made the case that one of the reasons Bryan and Joel, and to a lesser degree general manager Mark Dominik, are going to be very careful counting pennies for payroll this season is the looming labor stoppage of 2011.

Well, Joe Henderson of the Tampa Tribune isn’t buying that excuse, “yet.” He believes the Bucs are being prudent because they are actually being wise in rebuilding the team, not looking at the storm clouds in the horizon.

By the way, we all know the NFL is headed into a labor storm that may shut the game down in 2011. People see that and assume that decisions on whether to pursue free agents are being made now with an eye toward impending chaos. I’m not buying that – not yet.

Any team making personnel decisions today based on something in the future that may never happen is making a mistake.

When a team is in the Bucs’ situation, it takes a real plan to get better. You get a system in place and then draft players who can make it work. If you can find a free agent or two who can speed that along, fine, but you most definitely do not take the Washington Redskins’ approach.

Though Joe respects the hell out of Henderson, the local newspapers’ voice of reason (and from a personal/professional standpoint Joe will never be able to repay Henderson for the things he has done for Joe over the years), Bryan and Joel are very wise businessmen. If they aren’t making plans or preparing to board up the windows just in case that storm hits, they are dumber than Joe thought.

And Bryan and Joel are not dumb.

Shoot, even Peter King, of Sports Illustrated, stated early Friday on Sirius NFL Radio that teams were “paring back” in preparation for the labor roadblock.

3 Responses to “Bucs Not Concerned (Yet) Over 2011 Labor Strife”

  1. Sgt Mike Says:

    I, for one, do not see the labor strife going to full out shutdown and lockout. The NFL and Players must understand what there position has become as a result of the multiple labor disputes in the MLB and NHL over the past 2 decades. The NFL has replaced MLB as americas favorite sport and quite possibly the country’s national pasttime. Baseball has only recently, after almost 15+ years, returned to front seat with the NFL. The NHL screwed themselves a couple of years ago with the lockout. I came home from Iraq expecting to go to some hockey games and they were closed for business. All in the name of greed. Greedy owners and players.
    I think it will come down to wire but ultimately there will be no lockout and at least a short term agreement will be made in the interest of the sport. If you remember the early ’80’s when the strike happened and we had scrubs playing. The league almost folded and the USFL put on a hell of a show and produced quite a few players that had lasting careers in the NFL. Unlike the scrubs of the strike years. Roger Goodell is a smart man and for all intents and purposes most owners are not like Al Davis (dementia). Hell I even think the Glazers are smart enough financially to understand that if they don’t get both of there pro teams clicking in sync again they will have to sell one of them in the next few years. I digress, There will be no lockout and no strike. You heard it here first folks. on JBF.com. I just don’t see the players and owners throwing away millions possibly billions of dollars not playing and making money and possibly disenfranchising there vast fanbase and there status as americas pasttime and favorite sport.

  2. Joe Says:

    Sgt Mike:

    Unlike the scrubs of the strike years.

    Sean Payton was one of those scabs. True story. He was a backup quarterback for the “Baby Bears,” the scabs that played for the Bears.

  3. Sgt Mike Says:

    I don’t know what kind of a player he was but he is one hell of a coach.