There are a lot of metaphors – from Bernie Madoff to AIG – for America’s largely self-inflicted economic chaos. Here’s another metaphorical possibility: the NFL. Here’s why: If current labor-management negotiations remain deadlocked, there could be no NFL games in 2011. Technically it would be a lockout.
Put it this way. There’s generic, appalling greed. And then there’s parallel-universe avarice resulting from millionaires and billionaires not being able to agree on how to divvy up an obscene largess, one that amounted to $8 billion in revenues – plus record TV ratings – this past season.
Because of television, all franchises are profitable, even those that fail to field a competitive product. Moreover, NFL workforces are trained elsewhere (colleges) and physical facilities typically benefit from public subsidy. Local media provide free publicity. To be at an impasse over a golden-goose game is beyond stupid and selfish.
But it’s not beyond America’s hybrid “socialism.” Nor is it beyond happening.