Suggestions are pouring in about how the National Football League owners and players could have avoided a strike, ranging from binding arbitration to a total collapse by either side.
If a work stoppage was inevitable, one plan forwarded by some frustrated fans-obviously on the brink of severe football withdrawal-is this: strike targeting.
In other words, just as the United Auto Workers single out one major car manufacturer as its strike target in case talks fail, the National Football League Players Association could have been similarly creative.
Instead of a complete shutdown, the NFLPA could have struck selected games, teams, divisions or conferences.
This way, pro football followers could still get a weekly fix.
Here are 12 target scenarios for the NFLPA:
Only the NFC teams would strike, giving the AFC, which has lost five of the last six Super Bowls, a chance to stay sharp.
Only games involving the Indianapolis Colts would be played, thereby inflicting the cruelest of punishments on everyone concerned.
As part of the national ”Say No To Drugs” campaign, the teams that have never had a drug problem will be allowed to play.
No Monday night games. In addition to owners losing revenue from an important national contest, viewers won`t have to be subjected to 3 1/2 hours of talk by Frank Gifford, Al Michaels and Dan Dierdorf.
All games involving teams from New York, Los Angeles and Chicago would be struck, forcing TV networks to demand a settlement because of the loss of their three biggest markets.
Only games involving Seattle would be played, forcing Brian Bosworth to rack up more legal fees seeking one-game injunctions to wear his beloved No. 44.
Every game scheduled for a domed stadium will be boycotted by players, a move that may mean many spoiled fans would start picketing.
Only teams that have not subjected fans to a video or book will be allowed to play.
No contests will be played in stadiums with expensive skyboxes, thereby forcing the owners` high-roller pals to sit in the stands with everyone else. Only games that were to be played on grass fields where baseball is played-Browns, Rams, Redskins, Packers (Milwaukee), Falcons, 49ers, Broncos, Chargers-will go on as scheduled. (This is for nostalgia buffs.)
No NFC East, NFC West or AFC Central teams will be allowed to continue playing because no club in those divisions had a winning record after two weeks of play.
Only games with the Bengals will be played, giving us a chance to see what new way coach Sam Wyche can blow a game.
