BringTheWood

As I am sure some of you may have seen the contents of these links, and this is generally old news at this point, I am not looking for credit on 'breaking news'.

First link is a pretty honest look into what has been going on with the labor disputes by someone who is no longer financially invested in the league as a player or an owner, making their opinion more third party than anything, but also more genuine. Most intriguing is the information about Southwest Airlines and the interaction and ownership stake that the employees are accustomed to. I personally feel that the business model that they use is near perfect for the NFL, a business where employees are also extremely wealthy, powerful, and influential. It's ignorant for us fans to continue to compare this situation, and the players demands, like those of a burger flipping employee at a multibillion dollar McDonalds corporation asking to see the books.

Hillenmeyer: Cutting Through the NFL Spin | NBC Chicago

Second link is basically the NFLPA stronghold of news and information. Even if you are partial to opposition towards the players stance, it's got some interesting info about the 'safety net' money the league would receive from broadcast contracts and partially explains why the owners and league were so lethargic in getting a deal done. At the end of the day, they were getting paid either way.

NFLLockout.com

Again, this may or may not be new news to the folks around BnG, but I thought I would post it anyways, and offer my opinion of sorts on the matter.

EDIT: I'm not saying the NFL should operate just like Southwest Airlines, but the business model in general seems like it would be a good fit in a place where employers and employees are both reaping such generous rewards. I don't think it's ever been very healthy for the NFL to operate almost like several (32 to be exact) small monopolies that are capable of putting several US cities in financial deathgrips.