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I Want My MLS

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Unfortunately, I'm probably not going to get it: MLS players prepared to strike

MLS players have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike if a collective bargaining agreement with the league is not reached in time for the season openers in two weeks, the Insider has learned.

In a written vote, more than 350 players supported a strike and only two opposed it, a source close to the situation said.

"We will not start the season without a new agreement," said a veteran player, who requested anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations. "To be quite blunt, it doesn't look good at all."

When I look at the situation I have to, by and large, come down on the side of the players in this one. I simply think it is time to alter the structure put in place during the league's infancy. I certainly didn't support the players when after 3 or 4 season they began to make strike threats, it now is a different landscape. The owners cannot forever live on the "newness" of the league as being a reason why the original system must not be changed.

I'll point out, that I say this as one who only rarely takes the side of players unions in these types of disputes. Sometime, I take the "a plague on both your houses" approach, like in MLB back in 1994, but most often I side with the owners. The most recent example of that was the hockey lockout back in 2005.

As much as I'd love to have MLS start on-time, particularly since I've recently switched to satellite TV and can purchase the MLS season package, I have to cheer on the players this time.

I'm just hoping the owners cave soon.

UPDATE:

Further proof that even DishNetwork doesn't think there will be MLS anytime soon; only two weeks or so before the season begins, DishNetwork is still not allowing people to sign up for the Direct Kick service.
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