Super Bowl XLV: Labor Negotiations Overshadow Festivities For Big Game

Super Bowl XLV: Labor Negotiations Overshadow Festivities For Big Game

The owners and players seem headed for a lockout on March 4, and no one on the players side seems the least big interested in stopping the lockout from happening.

Instead of looking at the lockout as a failure, union chief DeMaurice Smith seems to be looking at the lockout as a bargaining chip, recently characterizing the negotiations as a "war."

While some NFL players may disagree with me, Smith is an idiot who is in over his head, and the players only are going to lose because of it. This isn't to say I'm putting on my "GO OWNERS" hat and rallying against the players, because I'm not.

I'm pointing out that Smith's approach to the labor talks is shortsighted and self defeating. There is absolutely nothing to gain by not sitting down at a table and trying to work this out now. The union can say whatever it wants about the owners and whatever the deal in front of them is and it doesn't matter now because Smith would rather pose and preen than try and get a better deal.

A lockout is a failure, and right now Smith is making the players look like the bad guys. Even worse, Smith's pointless bravado will end up costing a lot of people their jobs. A lockout will mean massive layoffs around the league for every team.

These people don't have millions of dollars to fall back on until a new deal is reached. They'll have to go to the unemployment office while the players hold off on buying that new Ferrari, or the second home in Boca.

The little people around the league will end up being the true victims of this lockout, and no one on the players side seems to care.

For a look at players who will get fat contracts moments after a new deal is signed, check out 25 Players Who Will Be Signed As Soon As A Deal Is Reached.

Carla Gugino Ana Hickmann Mischa Barton Jamie Lynn Sigler Stacy Keibler