By Daequan Mitchell
On March 12, 2011 the owners of the National Football League (NFL) and the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) could not reach an agreement on the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), causing an NFL Lockout.
In 2007 the NFLPA and the owners came to agreement on the CBA, which expired this year. The whole agreement deals with money and how 9.8 billion dollars can be split between the NFL owners and the players. The money has to deal with player’s salaries and the revenue for the owners. If an agreement is not reached by fall 2011 this will be the NFL’s first work stoppage in 24 years.
The NFLPA consist of current NFL players like Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Jeff Saturday, and Dominique Foxworth those are only a few on the NFLPA members. Players all around the league are furious on the two sides not reaching an agreement. New York Jets Cornerback Antonio Cromartie was one of many that had something to say about it.
According to the NFL website Cromartie stated, “honestly, I don’t give a dang if they get mad at me or not, but it’s getting to the point where it’s getting ridiculous when everything is always dealing with money. You’re basically dealing with people’s livelihoods… You’re dealing with hundreds of thousands of other people in this workplace from the venues to everyone else. To me, you need to stop bitching about it. If you want to say that you want to get into a room and meet. Then, do it. Don’t just talk about it.”
Not only are the players are effected by the lockout but also people all around the world, true football fans. Even students here at Loy Norrix High School are wondering why there is not an agreement being made.
“I think that the players should stop complaining, because they don’t make a certain amount of money,” said junior Valorian Cunningham,.
As of right now the NFLPA is trying to sue the NFL and the owners. Meetings are happening a couple times a week, but according to NFL sources there is not an agreement no were near of being dealt between the two sides.
