Kim Kardashian: The lockout and the "little people" it will affect

By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer-Southeast Region-Football Reporters Online
March 10th 2011

In a perfect world many things would change. War would not exist and and we would live in peace. Politicians would always tell the truth and actually look out for the people they are supposed to serve. The national debt would be no more and everyone would work. Unfortunately, we do not live in that world so we live with the status quo and deal with it. We look for other things to occupy our time. A way to deal with everyday life like the movies and restaurants. We go on vacations and take the kids to Disney World if we can. Some of us have bad habits and some have good ones. On Sundays many of us go to church to worship and then go eat lunch. A whole bunch of us have another habit that creates a fever. It makes your blood boil. It has been known to cause friction between families.

The NFL on Sunday is a ritual that no fan wants to give up. First of all, they spend way too much money to see the game and buy the merchandise. In a perfect football world there would be football all the time. Owners would never cry about more money and they would stop trying to outdo each other. No need for the best stadium equipped with everything except a spaceship. They wouldn't be so filled with the need for money and ask the players to consider an 18 game schedule. Players would honor their contracts until it expires instead of having one good year and demanding the moon. They would play hard every play and every Sunday instead of waiting until their contract year to showcase their skills. Again, we do not live in that perfect football world so we deal with what we get. A bunch of rich owners that want more games to make more money. They will not open their books, which is their right, for the players to see. For most of us the most important thing we want to know is when there will be football again.

One the biggest issues not talked about enough is the little people that will be affected by a lockout. I have spent time at many venues and LP Field has been my stomping grounds the last several years. I have talked to the concession stand workers from time to time. Hey, I get hungry and thirsty for a good old hot dog and a coke like anyone else. I have gotten to know some of the cleanup crew and lent them a hand at times if I was passing by and they needed the help. Then you have the event staff that stands in the aisles checking your tickets. They provide extra security and customer service for the fans. They brave the cold and rain and all other elements of the game. These people do all of this for a paycheck that feeds their families. These paychecks pay the bills a full-time job cannot pay. This is the second job for those that have to work another job. It is these types of little people that could be crushed by a lockout. They do not have a Plan B fast enough to make it by. They cannot tell their kids that the NFL was worried about their little paycheck. That they were only worried about how to get a bigger piece of the pie for themselves. Families will have to find emergency means to get over this. They will ask for a long time to come, why?

Then there is the NFL player that is not making a million dollars a year. Those that have yet to get, or have never gotten the big contract. Statistics show that a big percentage of players do not make the millions of dollars superstars get. What about the bunch of rookies and undrafted free agents that made bottom of the barrel last year? They made purchases like homes, cars and other things based on the salary they thought they would have every week. Now they have to have a Plan B so they can continue to pay for these things and needs.Their families will be affected as well and nobody comes out the winner.

No matter what happens the NFL is treading dangerous waters. Remember what happened to baseball way back when we lost part of the season and the World Series. Imagine Sunday with no football to watch or even worse, no Super Bowl in February. They extended talks for one week like that will make a difference. We can only hope that the heads in charge remember that they do not want to become the first sport the fans make an example out of. That would not be wise or profitable for anyone of the owners making demands. Each side has made their case and no one wants to budge. All we can hope is that sometime sooner than later some form of agreement will be reached. All the fans and the rest of the football world deserve better than this. They deserve football every Sunday and the fight to the finish we know as the NFL.

Imagine a world where fans buy no tickets or merchandise. Imagine a world that has been deprived of football and fans do not show up when it comes back. Imagine a stadium full of players and coaches, but no fans. Imagine college games being played on Sunday afternoon with a prime-time SEC game on top. How about maybe the four letter network get a deal to put on, say ah, Alabama vs. Auburn for a Monday Night Football special? Now imagine a world that has a playoff system instead of the BleepCS? Imagine that folks. I think not, do you?