I was going to tweet all of this, but it will come out looking like garbage and fill up everyone's timeline with nonsense. I remembered I had a blog I used to post at, so here goes -
The owners have made an attempt to save the entire season with their latest offer. This is not something they've seemed remotely interested in doing in recent weeks, and while this offer is somewhat onerous, it is not the absurd 'You'll get nothing and like it' CBA offer they presented in July. This is why the players hired Fehr - to turn up the heat at a moment like this. It may seem ridiculous, but Fehr should say - Look, the union will vote on whatever we get to at the end of this negotiating session in order to save an enormous chunk of the season, but if that does not pass, we will not be giving or receiving offers until April 1, 2013. This is akin to when George Costanza preemptively broke up with a woman and then said '[Are you] shocked?' The owners have been the ones not afraid to cancel games in an attempt to steamroll the union, but here is a little shaft of light at the bottom of the well. If the owners are actually concerned about the season, they'll respond by negotiating in good faith. If they say take or leave it to this offer they've presented, they will demonstrate that they were never serious.
The players' counter offer should include mandatory rises in HRR % over certain revenue thresholds. It should include less of an initial giveback. It should include a final year, which, if no CBA can be agreed to before that, the players' share of HRR% jumps significantly. This offers lockout protection for players and owners. The rest of the offer can be whatever, those things can all be hashed out. Still, the union's goal remains getting the most they possibly can, and their only opportunity to do so is right now.
