Thumbs down on index fingers up

While I appreciate having now lived long enough to witness the oddity of the Detroit Lions raising their index fingers on a football field, I would encourage the NFL players' association to holster the forefingers starting with Week 2.

It's not that I'm for the owners or against the players. I believe the players should stand as one, have one voice, etc., etc. Just do it somewhere else, and close the door when you do it.

Walking onto the field in unison with index fingers held aloft on game day doesn't pass the smell test. A lot of fans think it stinks, and I don't blame them.

Fans include a lot of people who have taken pay cuts, lost their health benefits, lost jobs and can't find work.

Fans also are people who pay a good chunk of their disposable income to come to stadiums and escape, not be reminded before kickoff that next March the billionaire owners and millionaire players are going to muck it all up when the collective bargaining agreement expires.

While the rest of the country struggles, everybody in the NFL is making more money than ever before. Owners want us to believe times are tough for them, too, but they won't show us their books and Forbes keeps telling us even the most worthless NFL franchise is still worth about three-quarters of a billion dollars.

Players also want our support against the evil owners. Unfortunately, each day is a public relations nightmare that brings news of a Tom Brady getting $72 million with $48.5 million guaranteed; a Darrelle Revis holding out so he can pocket $46 million with $32 million guaranteed; and, of course, Brett Favre doing his teammates a "favor" by showing up late for the low, low price of $20 million.

I don't begrudge player salaries. But in return don't try to make us think the NFL is some kind of sweatshop, for gosh sakes.

My late grandfather was a West Virginia coal miner in the first half of the 20th century. When the union came in, he didn't raise his forefinger. He was just happy his boss could no longer fire him for not crawling into an unsafe hole hundreds of feet below the ground.

Players don't seem to understand the backlash that's coming from the fans. Ricky Williams, the Dolphins' union rep, blames the media.

"I think it's a wonderful thing we're doing," he said. "Unfortunately, I don't think it's being covered correctly."

Williams said the show of unity isn't just about the players.

"Ideally, we have people who work in the stadium doing it because if there's a lockout, it's not only going to be us that suffers," Williams said.

"It's going to be people who work in the stadiums, the fans, the people who work in the hotels, it's going to be the economy of these cities. It's not just about us."

I wish I could believe NFL players cared about the hot dog vendors, but I'm going to have to call baloney on that one.

Second, poking fingers in the air isn't getting an agreement reached. It's a publicity stunt that backfired.

The players deserve all they can get considering all they give to this game. But put the fingers away and use your solidarity to find a way to move this mess off the field and onto the negotiating table.