Locked Out?

So the NFL released the 2011-2012 regular season schedule this evening in normal over the top fashion on ESPN.  Normally I am extremely, I mean extremely excited about the potential matchups and the upcoming season.  I love to see who opens the season, who the defending champs will play, etc.  This year, I could care less!  As a fan and season ticket holder, my main concern is this lock out nonsense......not the damn schedule.  Some of these games may never take place because the owners and players are acting like spoiled rich kids and cannot agree of a number of terms.  If there is a season, the games that do take place will be played by replacements, which is another issue.

Let’s look at this lock out business for a second.  By mid-March the parties involved could not reach an agreement so the players dissolved their union and the owners locked them out....easy enough.  But what exactly are they fighting about?  It seems the owners basically want to keep more of the revenue, extend the season by 2 games, set a rookie paying scale and possibly tweak the current health care system.  On the other hand, the players want to keep the terms of the last CBA or get more of the revenue, better health care, not extend the season without additional payment and some other things.  Seems like they are both fighting about the same things, they are just not sure how it should go. 

Now both parties say they are negotiating in good faith, but I just don’t see it.  Owners want to extend the season, but not give the players more money.  Players want better health care, but not willing to invest in an actual health care plan.  Since they could not solve this issue on their own a federal mediator had to be called in to get both sides to talk….really??!?  The country is dealing with wars, recession, natural disasters, etc and taxpayer money is being sent on a mediator for this mess!  Both sides need to “man-up” and get it together.  There is an NFL season that needs to be players....selfish I know....sue me!

I feel as though the owners are coming out as the victors in this situation.  The owners will get paid even if there is no season because of the television contracts, which are guaranteed.  They knew what they were doing when they negotiated those contracts a few years back.  Many believe the owners have been planning for this lock out for a few years and I agree.  If there is no season, there is little cost to the teams.  They will not have to pay players, assistant coaches, trainers, groundsman, etc.  The amount they receive from the TV contracts will easily offset the amount of money it takes to keep the team “operating”.  Not to mention the revenue generated from season ticket sales and rental of the stadium for concerts, parties, events, etc.  If the owners do use replacement players the total value of those contracts would not be much.  There are so many guys looking to get on a team they would accept very little pay and minimal health benefits. Again, the owners would be "WINNING" (In my Charlie Sheen voice)!

Despite the lock-out, Dan Snyder have been deducting my checking account on a monthly basis to cover the price of my season ticket.  I am very interested to see what ownership will do if all 8 home regular season games don't go as planned.  I'm GOING to want my money back....refund PLEASE!  Honestly, after shoving out ALL of that money to the team I don’t want to see no damn walk-ons!  Sorry, that is un-a damn-cceptable to me!  It would be like watching semi-pro football, no disrespect.   If I’m paying NFL prices, I want to see the Chris Cooleys, London Flectchers and Brian Orakpos of the league.  Not “Lil Mike and dem" from around the corner.  No sir!!!  I understand it will give our local athletes a chance to shine, but I should NOT have to pay regular price.  Discount players = discount tickets. 

Right now the owners have the keys to open the doors and end the lockout.  I pray they do so soon!  I have no idea what I will do with my Sundays, Mondays and some Thursdays without NFL games to watch…..You guys might want to check on me if the season doesn't go down!

Closure

 Closure: an often comforting or satisfying sense of finality (Merriam Webster)

Have you ever wondered why you and someone no longer speak or why things didn’t work out? I find myself doing it ALL the time.  “Why are me and (insert name) not friends anymore?  We were so cool in college.”  “Why did me and (insert male/female name) not work out? Things were going so well and then things went south.”  Now I totally understand the concept of “growing apart” and people are in your life for a “reason, season or lifetime.”  But still, there is something about not having proper closure that bothers me.

Perhaps it is because I use every situation as a learning experience.  I learn things about myself and others, hence allowing me to grow and not hold on to much baggage.  Lord knows, I already have enough “bags” (bitterness) already.  Or maybe it’s because when I was growing up I never quite received the closure I needed from my dad about why he left?  I don’t know…..it’s just something about closure that I like. It does not matter in what form the closure comes in…email, face-to-face, phone, text, Skype, whatever!! *shrug*

For a while I carried a lot of baggage because of the lack of relationship I had with my father.  I was never able to experience being a “daddy’s girl”.  Him and my mother separated when I was 6 years old and from that point on he was in and out of my life.  There were no talks about boys, teaching me how to change a tire/oil, interrogating dates, him telling me how beautiful I was….none of that.  For a while that REALLY bothered me, there was a void that needed to be filled.  Thank God for my step-father!  While he didn’t do everything, he filled in quite nicely….Thanks dad!!! And what he didn't know/do my God father did, so I was straight :-)

In almost every relationship I have been in there has been some sort of closure and for the most part we are able to remain cool if not friends.  I am not an arguer (but I will debate you to death, lol) and I like to end things on good terms.  There is no need for yelling, cussing, fighting, etc.....that is so 9^th grade.  Having that closure conversation allows both parties to get out any emotions and answer any “what-if” questions. 

There are a couple of situations I have going on right now in which I would love some closure….I requested it, let’s see if it happens….

What are your thoughts on closures? Have you ever been in a situation in which you did not get it?  How did you get over the failed relationship?

I Smile :-)

For the first time in what feels like weeks I woke up with a smile on my face and renewed energy! It is a miracle!!!  For the past few months my life has been on a serious roller coaster; full of twists, loops, and rough riding.  I'm not sure what changed between the time I fell asleep and when I woke up, but I am grateful to God for it!  It was so funny that one of my Twitter friends noticed a change in my tweets?  Was I that bad?!? 

Well I'm attributing the change in my mood to God and no one else!!! I pray I stay this way...Back to being Blaque Rose and not Toy!  I'll have to explain the two sides of me in another post.  I gotta get back to work! 

Have a great one and remember, YOU LOOK SO MUCH BETTER WHEN YOU SMILE :-)

The Coach

Ahhh, so you want to read the playbook??  Well first let me introduce you to the Coach.....me.  To sum it up, I'm simply complex. *shurg* I'm a former militray brat with roots stretching from Germany to MD.  Some say I have a slight "southern" charm, but I will let you be the judge.  I am a lover of God, family, knowledge (education), sports (football/basketball), shoes (all types), fitness, adventure and a host of other things. I believe in organized choas, which are my thoughts on any subject, at any given time.  When put to paper, you have my playbook!