Yesterday, NFLPA executive committee member and current Ravens’ cornerback, Domonique Foxworth, spoke publicly about his thoughts on the ongoing discussions between the players’ union and the owners. While we were given a bit of a confidence boost last week when the two sides decided to extend the negotiations for another week, Foxworth’s latest comments don’t seem to instill that same hope that an agreement will be met before the end of the extension on Friday night. Here is a quote from Foxworth’s take on the matter.

“The numbers that they have offered can be extrapolated from the numbers printed in Forbes magazine. It’s nothing substantial. The idea that they can ask for a billion dollars from us without giving us the opportunity to really crawl through their numbers is somewhat disrespectful.”

Ok, so, first things first. It’s not exactly a billion dollars. The number being argued over is $700 million. Regardless, according to Foxworth and Ravens.com, the owners aren’t offering up any significant financial numbers to support their claim that they deserve $700 million more a year off the top of the revenue pool. The NFL says that the requested extra money is to cover an increase in operating costs of an NFL franchise.

Foxworth takes issue with the fact that the NFL won’t show the players’ union how that money will be used, and why it is necessary at all. He says that there has been no breakdown of the financial situation shown by the owners, and on that basis alone, he doesn’t believe the players’ union should give up such a large sum of money.

Is Foxworth correct in his assumption that the NFL should have to put forth their financial records in order to prove that they need the money? Maybe. Its easy to see how it would make the players’ union sleep easier at night, knowing that the $700 million they agreed to give up gets used to benefit the business that has made them who they are. But it is really a reasonable request to ask for the detailed breakdown of the operating costs of an NFL team, just to fill a personal entitlement to more money on a paycheck?

While it’s a common request from unions in other industries to have proof of financial documents breaking down spending, profit, revenues and debts, it does come across as nitpicking, from an average fan standpoint. Obviously, we don’t know exactly what is going on behind closed doors, and this could be one of the biggest points being made. The fact that Foxworth came out publicly with his displeasure over the owners’ lack of cooperation to fulfill the union’s request gives us an idea as to where the players stand. He sees it as a make or break situation. But, for those who want to see professional football next year, it’s hard not to step back and ask, “How does this really make a difference in the long run?”

One could safely assume that the costs of operations for an NFL team have steadily risen. For one, you have to account for the standard rise in the cost of living and operations with anything. The price of gas, milk, maintenance, taxes, etc. has, and always will be rising. The NFL is not immune to such things. Also, the overall maintenance and upkeep of these modern stadiums is another reason for a rise in cost. Bigger, more capable staffs, luxuries for both fans and players, safety precautions and travel arrangements all should be taken into account as well. I’m no expert because I’ve never been in the position to run a football team, but it seems to me that the costs of such an operation would rise over time because that’s how most things work.

On the other hand, Foxworth may have a point. Along the same lines, players also have a cost of living that they have to deal with. We’ve all heard the stories about retired players having minimal support from the NFL in regards to lifelong injuries brought about by the heavy hitting business that made them. They have families to support, bills to pay, and a lifetime to concern themselves with. The retirement age for the NFL and professional sports in general is a lot earlier than most other occupations, and so precautions have to be made. Players have to ask themselves, have I put myself in a position, financially, to support my family for the rest of my life?

But is all of that really worth the risk of a lockout and the loss of a season’s worth of revenue? Maybe, but maybe not, depending on how you look at it.

The NFL will make an average of $6 billion dollars in total revenue next year. That is, if they play. From an outside perspective, the risk of losing that money due to a disagreement over $700 million may seem plausible. In a totally non-script breakdown, avoiding all the intricate details to save time (individual player salaries, bonuses, contract terms, etc.), the league breaks down in black and white something like this.

There are 1,696 players in the NFL (53 players + 5 per practice squad multiplied by 32 teams). Divided evenly, that $700 million that the players’ union needs comes out to about $413,000 dollars per player per year. That’s a lot of money per player, and, if put to the right use, could provide for a family and any lingering injuries one may suffer from a long career in the NFL. When a ceiling is taken into account, portioning that money to the players based on tenure (among other variables), with more going to the veterans that will more likely suffer from injuries far past their retirement, then it seems as if Foxworth’s heart is in the right place. He’s looking out for his fellow players and their families’ futures.

As a fan, however, we’ve all seen the horror stories. Players claim bankruptcy because they can’t handle the huge amounts of money that is thrown at them after they leave college. They spend carelessly, buying ridiculous, sometimes unnecessary things, building up debt. Jamarcus Russell is the latest in a long line of examples as he faces foreclosure on his mansion. Rumor has it that Tiki Barber is attempting a comeback because he is short on money. While an extra $413,000 would be wonderful for the players that are capable of playing it smart with their financial situations, it’s always the horror stories that leave the impression on those watching from the outside. For the players, a different, more responsible and caring approach may offer them better luck in their struggle with the NFL. They could suggest that a portion of the extra money goes toward the NFL Player Care Foundation, the organization that provides benefits to players who suffer from the affects of hard hits. With such a recent backlash from retired players claiming that they receive little to nothing in benefits, even a small portion of the $700 million would go a long way. It would give the owners’ hard ground to stand on while they leverage for money that will, for all intensive purposes, line their pockets with more money

However, the numbers are just as staggering from the other side. Broken down again ($700 million divided among 32 teams), each owner would be receiving almost $22 million per season toward operating costs. This is where the problem lies with Foxworth. He believes the owners should have to show the players’ union exactly how an average of $22 million per year (again, black and white, not taking into account the difference between low income and high income teams i.e. Colts vs. Redskins) is necessary in the scheme of operating an NFL franchise. It’s hard to argue with him. Sure, seeing the details of how the owners are spending the money on operational costs would be nice, especially as a players’ union who feel they deserve more money. Even as a fan who is interested, most of us would be interested to see how the operation is undertaken. But it’s not essential if the future of the 2011 NFL season is on the line.

It’s easy to see where both sides are coming from. The players deserve more money, as long as it goes toward long term goals and benefits that will really help them out in the future. With stories of failure and poor financial balancing, however, the players’ union has a secondary enemy against its push to prove they deserve the extra money more than the owners. Either way, in the long term, a loss of $6 billion dollars doesn’t seem to be worth it. While looking out for themselves, maybe the players’ union should try to understand that sometimes an employee has to do what is best for his company. One step back can sometimes mean two steps forward. The debate over whose pocket the money goes in shouldn’t be a make or break deal when it comes to the fate of a new collective bargaining agreement, especially when you go public with your displeasure. That is like complaining to a starving family about how you have a stomach ache from eating too much. Letting this issue destroy the chances of an upcoming NFL season only makes losers out of those who are providing you with the money you’re arguing over in the first place- TV deals, advertising, and, most importantly, the fans.

On Thursday, Foxworth compared the owners’ reluctance to provide financial numbers to buying a car only after seeing it through the showroom windows. He wants to be able to kick the tires, check out the features and take it for a test drive. While that’s nice to want to do, it’s not like the NFL has never seen this situation before. Instead of worrying about what the interior of the car looks like, maybe the players’ union should consider themselves lucky to be in a position to afford the vehicle at all.

Follow me on Twitter @TysonHeck_GUFS or on Facebook in the group The Birds Nest- Baltimore Ravens and Orioles News