Most former players and unsurprisingly support the players in the current NFL lockout. But there are some that side with the owners - count former Pitt tight end Mike Ditka as one of those.
Ditka was recently at an event in Wilkes-Barre and takes the view that most who side with the owners do - that they put up the money and are entitled to a bulk of the profits:
"It's a power struggle. It's egos more than anything," Ditka said. "I don't really think it's about the money. I think a lot of players are talking out of their rears. The owners have a right to make money. They made an investment, they own the business and they're not holding anybody hostage."
There's a big part of me that agrees with that, but I don't side as strongly with either side to form a definitive position. But to hear a former player talk about it that way is pretty interesting.
And to hear it from Ditka surprises me even more since he's a champion of the NFL Alumni, trying to get funds to former players who never earned all that much in comparison to today's players through the Gridiron Greats program. Then again, maybe that's part of it. Could Ditka and others who side with the owners be at least a bit jealous of the players who made so much more money and are still complaining.
I'd say it's likely.
