As the NFL labor dispute drags on with no end in sight, Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden expressed his opinion about who's winning the less important battle in the court of public opinion.
The second-year starter says the players are the clear winner in that competition over the NFL owners.
“The fans are definitely on the players’ side,” Haden said in a recent video interview with the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “The owners? C'mon. They’re making billions and billions. We’re making millions, but they’re making billions. It’s like, 'C'mon, guys.'"
Judge Susan Richard Nelson is expected to rule in favor of the players' request for a preliminary injunction to halt the lockout as soon as Monday.
However, that pending decision would be immediately appealed to the Eighth Circuit which might be more favorable to the owners.
Drafted in the first round last year, Haden just wants to see a deal get done, period.
"Let’s just get an agreement," Haden said. "Let’s get everything right. It was good before the lockout. Let’s get it back to the way it was. I’m ready to play football.
"Fans are ready to watch football. The owners are ready to sit in their suites and watch football, too. So, let’s just get it all together.”
"C'mon, guys."? Did I just hear that right?...Billionaires Vs. Millionaires? O.K., just to set the record straight, I am an avid football fan and especially a Cleveland Browns fan. I would hate to see the season lost but what is the problem here? Have you been to a professional sporting event lately? If not, you better be prepared to spend the better part of $400.00 for two people to see one game. Hmmm...spend $400.00 to see a game or maybe fill the tank up on my vehicle 6 or 8 times and save the gas by watching the game at home.
I like to tell one story. When I was much younger, I lived about a block and a half from the Shaker Rapid Transit Stop at Shaker Blvd. And Green Rd. When I was on summer break from school I would have one dollar in my pocket. I could take the Rapid Transit for 15 cents to the Terminal Tower, get a transfer back for free, walk a few blocks to the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium, buy four bags of peanuts for 25 cents, and get a general admission ticket (i.e. bleacher seat but once you were in the stadium you could pretty much move to any seat you wanted to) to a Cleveland Indians game for 50 cents. That was a total of 90 cents to see a sporting event (if I was lucky, I could get a bottle of soda for 10 cents, oh well there goes my dollar)
Now granted, that was back in the mid 1960's however let me put this into perspective. In 1964 the Federal Minimum wage was $1.25 per hour. That means I got to watch a major league game for less than one hours worth of work (and also eat 4 bags of peanuts with transportation included).
Now the minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. So if you double that the cost of seeing a major sporting event for two people (peanuts and transportation included) should be $14.50.
Now the Browns were a little different story as the cost of a ticket was slightly higher namely $3.00 per seat. That means you had to work 2.4 hours to get a seat to a Browns game. In today's dollar that would equate to $17.40 (2.4 X $7.25 = $17.40). Ever heard of a football ticket going for $17.40? Me neither. So I guess what I am trying to say is that if you want to charge me for 2.4 hours of work for a ticket to a game, then I am all for that (heck, I would even spring for my own peanuts). Otherwise, take your Billionaires Vs. Millionaires statement and stick it...well you know where.
By the way, did I tell you you could have seen the Beatles in concert for $4.00 (3.2 hours of work, peanuts not included)
No comments:
Post a Comment