The Mess Continues - NFL Labor Talks Cancelled Today

Many of you have probably already seen this news, but it would be remiss of PCR not to chime in on the current NFL labor update.

Ken Belson's article from the New York Times is one of many sources reporting that the scheduled labor-negotiation meeting today was cancelled.

CBA Dispute: The NFL Owners Hold The Upper Hand

NFLPA President Kevin Mawae

The New York Daily News today ran a column discussing how the owners in the NFL hold all the chips, as it were, in the ongoing CBA debacle that could result in no football next season. 


The article, by Gary Myers, makes this simple point that few have discussed: The players cannot band together. He points to examples of Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie attacking NFLPA leadership via Twitter, the mass crucifixion of Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, and more to show that the fraternity of players simply can't hold together in their battle against the owners. 

NFLPA Finds Increase in Injuries in 2010

The study claims that players incurred 3.7 injuries per team per week, and that 63 percent of the players in the league suffered at least one injury.

Of those injuries, 37.7 percent of the injuries required a player to miss a game, with 12.6 percent of the injuries causing them to be placed on injured reserve.

The study finds that the number of players landing on injured reserve — more than 350 — greatly outpaced 2009, when 250 players finished the year on IR.

Read more at  http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/01/28/union-cites-increase-in-injuries-in-2010/ 

There are several things the NFL could do to cut down on injuries:

1) Use the best-possible helmets. New, better helmets are being researched and developed - the NFL needs to pour resources into helmet design and then mandate the usage of said design's product. 

2) Consistent penalties - AND ejections. Despite the NFL saying repeatedly that ejections would be forthcoming for repeat offenders on helmet-to-helmet hits, very few ejections actually occurred. Make it an egregious offense to spear or helmet-to-helmet hit someone, and let's see what happens. 

3) Strongly consider a second bye-week even if the regular season stays at 16 games. It may even work to give an extra week off in between pre-season and regular season. 

Comment with your own suggestions of how injuries could be reduced. Obviously injuries will not be removed from the game, but it's utterly ridiculous that 2/3 of the league's players should suffer some form of injury. Does any other professional sport have that type of number?