DC.COM: Spagnola: History Suggests Ugliness Has Only Just Begun

[WoodysGirl]

Mickey Spagnola
DallasCowboys.com Columnist
Email (http://www.dallascowboys.com/contact_us.cfm?cat=Spagnola)

IRVING, Texas - They said World War I was "the war to end all wars."

Twenty years later World War II began.

Then in 1987, there was a part of me that thought the NFL players strike was the strike to end all NFL strikes and labor disputes, understanding then how the riff between players and owners, along with that between the players and players, first fractured this league and then a number of teams, including your Dallas Cowboys.

Read the rest: http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/editorial.cfm?id=CAC44FB8-C2C2-51DC-E23B8EC3077E1B8F

[Chocolate Lab]

That might be the best Mickey article I've ever read. Of course, it wasn't about football.

The people who suggested it was preposterous that players could ever show violence to those they thought weren't on their side should read this.

And funny stuff, even from Landry:

Security director Larry Wansley, who watched the confrontation with "The Manster" with amusement from the side, knew nothing physical would occur. He told me later, "None of them wanted to commit suicide."

And when Landry heard of the threats to stall the players reporting for the 8:30 a.m. meeting, he said, "They have a hard enough time making my 9 o'clock meeting," suggesting very few would wake up in time to form a protest line.

When told the players vowed to show up in time the next day, by 7 a.m., Landry quipped, "I could pick out a few that won't make it."

[Idgit]

This was a really fun read. Good stuff.

[btcutter]

I wonder if players know what's coming if this doesn't get settled. Chances are owners can tough it out longer than the players.

Obviously players want the judge to rule in their favor so they can play with old rules and collect their money. They are banking EVERYTHING on that. If that failed....wow...look out! Owners can almost take everything they offered back.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Good article.

Seems good old Mickey has the same disconnect that all of you that think this article is good do.

In order to be able to 'cross the picket line' your NFL team has to be willing to allow you in. What do lockout mean?

IOW, all of those stories about players turning on players do not count because that cannot happen here.

If players do return to work it will either be because they work out a deal or the NFL is not able to persuade a court that there are some mysterious rules as to when an organization is allowed to change its own status and the lockout gets rescinded.

Otherwise that means that the owners unilaterally decided to rescind the lockout but you will not see are individual players deciding to go back to work.

[Verdict]

When I read this article, I took offense to Mickey Spagnola's comment that Adrian Peterson missed some Classes that "even Oklahoma offers". This is obviously a direct slap in the fact to the State of Oklahoma and the University of Oklahoma in particular. He is obviously implying that OU is some backwards *** university and or Oklahoma is a backwards *** hick state.

I attended OU and graduated both undergrad and law school at OU. I have had Cowboys season tickets for about 10 years or so. The Dallas Cowboys have a huge fan following in Oklahoma ...... in fact for all intents and purposes the Cowboys are OUR NFL team, just as they belong to Texas. I'm sure Jerry Jones would LOVE to know his team's "mouthpiece" is bashing Oklahomans and OU, for no apparent reason.

I'd love to see Jerry roast Mickey's nuts over this.:chop:

[Idgit]

Good article.

Seems good old Mickey has the same disconnect that all of you that think this article is good do.

In order to be able to 'cross the picket line' your NFL team has to be willing to allow you in. What do lockout mean?

IOW, all of those stories about players turning on players do not count because that cannot happen here.

If players do return to work it will either be because they work out a deal or the NFL is not able to persuade a court that there are some mysterious rules as to when an organization is allowed to change its own status and the lockout gets rescinded.

Otherwise that means that the owners unilaterally decided to rescind the lockout but you will not see are individual players deciding to go back to work.

I wonder what's causing you to leap to the wrong conclusion that people who like this article are disconnected? Perhaps we just thought it was a good read.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

That might be the best Mickey article I've ever read. Of course, it wasn't about football.

The people who suggested it was preposterous that players could ever show violence to those they thought weren't on their side should read this.

I wonder if players know what's coming if this doesn't get settled. Chances are owners can tough it out longer than the players.

Obviously players want the judge to rule in their favor so they can play with old rules and collect their money. They are banking EVERYTHING on that. If that failed....wow...look out! Owners can almost take everything they offered back.

I wonder what's causing you to leap to the wrong conclusion that people who like this article are disconnected? Perhaps we just thought it was a good read.

I know I just come up with these crazy conclusions.

[Iago33]

When I read this article, I took offense to Mickey Spagnola's comment that Adrian Peterson missed some Classes that "even Oklahoma offers". This is obviously a direct slap in the fact to the State of Oklahoma and the University of Oklahoma in particular. He is obviously implying that OU is some backwards *** university and or Oklahoma is a backwards *** hick state.

I attended OU and graduated both undergrad and law school at OU. I have had Cowboys season tickets for about 10 years or so. The Dallas Cowboys have a huge fan following in Oklahoma ...... in fact for all intents and purposes the Cowboys are OUR NFL team, just as they belong to Texas. I'm sure Jerry Jones would LOVE to know his team's "mouthpiece" is bashing Oklahomans and OU, for no apparent reason.

I'd love to see Jerry roast Mickey's nuts over this.:chop:

I've lived in both states and there are plenty of jokes that go both ways. I would have been surprised if Mickey hadn't thrown in a jab, just as I would have expected someone from Norman to jab at Dallas or UT. Dallas may be where TU/OU plays, but it's not neutral ground. Take it for what it's worth.

[burmafrd]

that is why he is fuzzy.

[Verdict]

I've lived in both states and there are plenty of jokes that go both ways. I would have been surprised if Mickey hadn't thrown in a jab, just as I would have expected someone from Norman to jab at Dallas or UT. Dallas may be where TU/OU plays, but it's not neutral ground. Take it for what it's worth.

I understand your point. I'm quite sure that there are many people who don't like OU, or Oklahoma and in fact hate them. I am cool with that. What pisses me off is that Mickey is working in his capacity as a Cowboys journalist who is throwing Oklahoma and OU under the bus, while acting in his official capacity, as a Cowboys employee, for no apparent reason.

[john van brocklin]

I understand your point. I'm quite sure that there are many people who don't like OU, or Oklahoma and in fact hate them. I am cool with that. What pisses me off is that Mickey is working in his capacity as a Cowboys journalist who is throwing Oklahoma and OU under the bus, while acting in his official capacity, as a Cowboys employee, for no apparent reason.

Hey , I was around in 1987

I would rather have a season with replacement players , than no season at all.

[Idgit]

I know I just come up with these crazy conclusions.

Ah. So you were just painting everybody who said they enjoyed the article with the same brush. Got it.