Probably a stupid question

[NinePointOh]

Would the players under contracts even be allowed to play in other leagues, even with a work stoppage?

They're claiming the lockout is a breach of their contracts, since the teams are telling them they can't show up to work and can't get paid. So it might be possible, but it still wouldn't help the owners any to say so.

 

[YosemiteSam]

just because some corrupt politician passes a law and some lawyer wearing robes says its illegal does not mean its wrong.

And the law changes constantly.

Remember slavery used to be legal. Women could not vote or own property.
Murdering someone used to mean that person got hung.

Back in the old days, "The man needed killing" could be deemed a "just cause" for murdering someone too.

 

[SkinsandTerps]

Not sure but they would be foolish to do it and risk a career ending injury playing for peanuts.

Depends on how much you owe.

There is a reason Allen Iverson went to a minor league Turkish team for example.

 

[KJJ]

Depends on how much you owe.

There is a reason Allen Iverson went to a minor league Turkish team for example.

That minor league Turkish team paid Iverson $4 million for 2 years. I doubt a low budget football league is going to pay the kind of money it's going to take to lure a star player from the NFL to play for them for a few games until a new CBA is agreed on.

I can't see an NFL player who's making big money risking injury in a crap league for a couple of games until the labor dispute is settled. Some players will have broadcasting opportunities and other TV ventures until things are settled.

 

[SkinsandTerps]

That minor league Turkish team paid Iverson $4 million for 2 years. I doubt a low budget football league is going to pay the kind of money it's going to take to lure a star player from the NFL to play for them for a few games until a new CBA is agreed on.

I can't see an NFL player who's making big money risking injury in a crap league for a couple of games until the labor dispute is settled. Some players will have broadcasting opportunities and other TV ventures until things are settled.

The league does not have to take any of these players back. Far as I am concerned they are independent contractors that could easily be blackballed.

Iverson went because he felt he was not wanted in the NBA (and he wasn't), and needed to make money.

Those leagues are not going to pay that money nor will they be the ones looking to spend it. The agents job is to find his client work and negotiate terms.

 

[KJJ]

The league does not have to take any of these players back. Far as I am concerned they are independent contractors that could easily be blackballed.

Iverson went because he felt he was not wanted in the NBA (and he wasn't), and needed to make money.

Those leagues are not going to pay that money nor will they be the ones looking to spend it. The agents job is to find his client work and negotiate terms.

The league doesn't have to take the players back but they will with open arms once this mess is settled because it's the players that make the NFL what it is.

None of the players have to worry about being blackballed this is a labor dispute that involves all the players.

The owners certainly aren't going to blackball players who help put money in their pockets and go sign a roster full of NFL rejects to try and fill their stadiums on Sundays. The owners will survive only so long holding scab games.

As for Iverson I don't follow basketball very closely but he was 35 and it's obvious he wasn't wanted by the NBA that's why he headed to Turkey.

You don't see aging star NFL players who are no longer wanted by the NFL head to some watered down football league because they'll be playing for a fraction of what they made in the NFL.

Those crap leagues have rosters full of younger players who weren't good enough to make it in the NFL.

 

[Kevinicus]

In a competitive free market, one company cannot prevent an employee from going to work for a competitor when that employee's contract has expired.

If it's in their contract (which the CBA is) they can. Plenty of industries have clauses that prevent an employee from going to a competing business with a certain time frame of leaving the company. Now I'm not sure how this will apply to Manning, and several other's situation with the tag being applied before the CBA expired, and the season coming after it's expiration with no replacement currently in place.