And mediation means...what, exactly?
February 20th 2011 02:52
Some disputes are required to go through mediation for a resolution. But in sports parlance, mediation is the process that certain players can go through in order to settle upon a "fair" salary. This is definitely a high-risk situation for a player and team, because inevitably the media and we in the blogosphere will proclaim a "winner" and "loser". Which leads us to the NFL v NFLPA entering mediation. What does it mean, exactly?
In this case...not a whole lot. First of all, this is not a binding mediation. That would have been a very different animal indeed, for the decisions would have then solely been in the hands of the mediator. So no, this is not binding. So in reality, it may mean nothing. It may have significance. Frankly, in the blizzard of information/disinformation that has come our way since the Super Bowl ended, it's hard to separate fact from distortion.
I would like to think of it as a positive situation. That said, however, I think that calling on mediation services does indicate either how far apart the two sides really were, or (more likely) the distrust that exists between the two sides. I'm not exactly sure why, either (if you will permit a brief tangential thought). Wasn't it just a few years ago that "everyone" was patting the NFL on the back for having the coziest relationship between owners and players in all of sports. Weren't people loudly proclaiming how the NFL enjoyed a true partnership between players and owners? Indeed, was not the NFL held up as the gold standard of pro sports leagues? So what the hell happened? Seriously. Someone tell me. When did the relationship between the owners and players go from something worthy of adulation to...this, what we have today. WTF, over? (tangent ends). The fact that a mediator was brought in is probably a good thing. Maybe the issues are just too damned big. Maybe the personalities and egos are just too damned big. Maybe both sides need someone who will tell them to shut up and go to their corner for time out, only to give a breather. Maybe neither side knows when the quit, or to start, or how not to cut off the nose of its negotiating partner.
What I think is true is that both sides recongize the importance of striking a deal. I also think both sides desperately want a fair one. How you measure fair, of course, seems to be a central theme of this dispute. But the fact remains that both sides are on record stating that they do not really want any sort of labor stoppage. The risks are too great - for both sides. Both the players and owners need each other badly, and neither side wants to risk a massive fan-backlash. And so, each and every day that the NFL and NFLPA continue to use the mediator is a good day. It's a day that fosters some hope. It's a day that you think maybe some progress is being made.
But it may mean nothing, and I keep returning to this point because it's just not all that far off, and by all indications there are those on both sides who are fired up for a protracted fight. It won't do any good, but firebrands caused the Civil War, too, and we see where that got us. So let's hope that the mediators are doing their good things, and the NFL and NFLPA are having frank discussions, and let's all hope that they get this damn thing done. PLEASE!
In this case...not a whole lot. First of all, this is not a binding mediation. That would have been a very different animal indeed, for the decisions would have then solely been in the hands of the mediator. So no, this is not binding. So in reality, it may mean nothing. It may have significance. Frankly, in the blizzard of information/disinformation that has come our way since the Super Bowl ended, it's hard to separate fact from distortion.
I would like to think of it as a positive situation. That said, however, I think that calling on mediation services does indicate either how far apart the two sides really were, or (more likely) the distrust that exists between the two sides. I'm not exactly sure why, either (if you will permit a brief tangential thought). Wasn't it just a few years ago that "everyone" was patting the NFL on the back for having the coziest relationship between owners and players in all of sports. Weren't people loudly proclaiming how the NFL enjoyed a true partnership between players and owners? Indeed, was not the NFL held up as the gold standard of pro sports leagues? So what the hell happened? Seriously. Someone tell me. When did the relationship between the owners and players go from something worthy of adulation to...this, what we have today. WTF, over? (tangent ends). The fact that a mediator was brought in is probably a good thing. Maybe the issues are just too damned big. Maybe the personalities and egos are just too damned big. Maybe both sides need someone who will tell them to shut up and go to their corner for time out, only to give a breather. Maybe neither side knows when the quit, or to start, or how not to cut off the nose of its negotiating partner.
What I think is true is that both sides recongize the importance of striking a deal. I also think both sides desperately want a fair one. How you measure fair, of course, seems to be a central theme of this dispute. But the fact remains that both sides are on record stating that they do not really want any sort of labor stoppage. The risks are too great - for both sides. Both the players and owners need each other badly, and neither side wants to risk a massive fan-backlash. And so, each and every day that the NFL and NFLPA continue to use the mediator is a good day. It's a day that fosters some hope. It's a day that you think maybe some progress is being made.
But it may mean nothing, and I keep returning to this point because it's just not all that far off, and by all indications there are those on both sides who are fired up for a protracted fight. It won't do any good, but firebrands caused the Civil War, too, and we see where that got us. So let's hope that the mediators are doing their good things, and the NFL and NFLPA are having frank discussions, and let's all hope that they get this damn thing done. PLEASE!
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