Negotiating a deal. Yay, NFL! Boo, Government!

Stickit2Man.com here! I wouldn't have wanted to be on either side of the NFL lockout. Days on end negotiating in boardrooms and stuffy hotels. No, thank you!

Here's the bottom line. Owners wanted to protect their assets. Players wanted to protect themselves. Both felt justified, yet both were vilified for sacrificing the fans' interests. That wasn't their intention, but neither side was bound to generate much sympathy. Not the owners (in this economy? Pffffft!)

And not the players. Most fans would simply argue that these gentlemen -- many being multi-millionaires -- are certainly not "the little guys." But as Chris Rock once said (regarding basketball): "Shaq is rich. The white man who signs his checks is wealthy." That's the effective dichotomy in football as well. And these NFL "rich dudes" are extraordinarily talented and put their bodies through physical hell. Two points worthy of mucho dinero in a free market.

So, give the players credit -- their negotiating eliminated two-a-day practices, reduced full-contact practices and successfully held off the implementation of an 18-game season -- perhaps for a long time. In doing so, they empowered future generations of players many years down the line. Of course, it's easier to do when you're unionized!

But I digress. With the regular season fast approaching, the two sides realized their revenues were at stake. Not from the die-hard fan (like me), but from the casual one who might purchase memorabilia (perhaps as a gift) or add to the Nielsen ratings by tuning in on a whim. This made both parties compromise in a hurry. Hey, at least they found the motivation.

I can't say I have the same confidence in our government regarding the debt ceiling. They just seem too stuck on principles -- and that goes for both political parties. This August deadline to reach a deal, unfortunately, will likely make victims out of Social Security recipients, our military and small businesses who do business with the government. Unfortunately, neither party cares enough to place principle above dogma. For shame. In my view, both major parties are worthy of being deemed "The Man." They're certainly going to keep us down.

So take rising up into your own hands. How? "Surf the site. Live the life." Stick it to The Man!