as a former stabbed in the back browns fan, I gave the NFL up when they pulled the browns out from underneath us. I have not spent a dime for tickets or apparel...I for one think these players are morons for this strike. Owners just as dumb paying them...I,ll follow high school and college and enjoy the true passion those athletes leave out on the field.
1. The situation with the Browns was very complex, and in my mind the NFL did about as well as they could for the city of Cleveland and its football fans by protecting the franchise name and by giving them a new team so soon after the "old" Browns left and became the Ravens. From what I've read, the move to Baltimore was driven largely by estate tax issues for the Modell family at the time, and they made that move to provide them sufficient revenues to help keep the team in the family. Under the old Federal estate tax rules, the heirs of a team owner would have to sell the team just to pay the estate taxes on the team alone (aside from any other assets they have).
2. THe players aren't going on strike here. The owners are locking them out. This may sound like mere semantics, but it's important to note that the collective bargaining agreement came up for re-negotiation this year because the owners exercised an opt-out clause that had been written into the last agreement a few years ago.