Less than a day after MLB commissioner Rob Manfred lamentably announced the cancellation of Opening Day and the first two series of the regular season, the NBA players' union released a statement expressing support of baseball's union, which now is facing an indefinite lockout. The MLS union also backed the players with a statement, standing in solidarity.
MLB owners and the union failed to finalize a new CBA ahead of the league's deadline on Tuesday, and consequently, MLB's self-imposed lockout means that games will be lost due to labor issues for the first time since 1995. Both sides are at an impasse on core economic issues -- the competitive balance tax and salary arbitration are prime examples -- and the ugliness of the worn-out negotiations have struck a chord with JR.
"We all love sports. But I've got to admit, we've moved into a different era and different generation," JR said during Wednesday's edition of the JR SportBrief show. "Everything is so out in the open -- contracts, player contracts, players' desires to move, salaries -- it takes some of the fun away. Growing up, I didn't care how much money anybody made... It's unfortunate that MLB is helping to shine a light on something I think is a larger issue all across sports.
"And it's the business of sports. Everything that went on behind the scenes is no longer behind the scenes. Trade requests, salaries, luxury tax, it's all there for public consumption. At the core of everything, I don't give a damn about anybody's salary, the luxury tax, the CBA, trade demands. I just want to watch the game. And there are plenty of times where the business aspect of sports turns me off. Blow the whistle, tip the ball, throw the pitch..."
JR's complete thoughts on MLB's ongoing lockout can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow the JR SportBrief show on Twitter @JRSportBrief and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.
