I hope that this is out of pure frustration and not a serious thought by one of the most valuable members of the Swarm.
QUOTE
The cancellation of the National Lacrosse League season came at a lousy time for Sean Pollock.
Not only is he coming off his best pro season, he’s also planning his nuptials for next year.
“I have a wedding to pay for in June and right now I don’t have a job to pay for it,” the Port Lambton native said. “Hopefully I get one soon.”
Pollock, 25, has played four seasons in the NLL, including the past three with the Minnesota Swarm.
The 2008 season was cancelled last Tuesday after owners failed to reach a new collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Lacrosse Players’ Association.
“It’s pretty sad, really,” Pollock said. “I guess both sides kind of let it get that far. As disappointing as it is, I stand by our union guys. I feel I would have voted the same way.
“I thought the owners’ proposal and the way they handled it was pretty immature. They didn’t try to deal with us.”
The season was scheduled to begin Dec. 27. Pollock estimated there’s a “one per cent” chance it can be saved.
“Our reps are still optimistic, but I think it’s time to move on for this year,” he said.
However, he still has a sliver of hope.
“Hopefully they can come to their senses and the arenas aren’t booked and they can make something happen,” said Pollock, who set career-highs with 26 goals and 67 points in 15 games last season.
Other NLL players with local connections are Wallaceburg native Brad MacArthur (Toronto Rock) and ex-Red Devils Scott Stapleford (Buffalo LumberJax) and Kevin Dostie (Buffalo Bandits).
The maximum salary for a veteran player in the expired contract was US$21,294. Each team could designate as many as two franchise players to receive $25,552.
The fixed rookie salary was $6,880 and the veteran minimum was $10,221. The average was about $14,500.
The union wants players to get a share of future profits, while the 14-team league wants continued salary caps.
“We went to them believing they’d actually negotiate with us, and they didn’t,” Pollock said.
The NLL said it offered a five-per-cent raise on the veteran cap in each of the next five years and a three-per-cent increase for rookies.
“I don’t think the owners really want to have a season,” Pollock said. “They want to break the union.”
Average attendance last season ranged from almost 16,800 in Colorado to less than 4,700 in San Jose. Minnesota ranked eighth with 9,405 fans per game.
Teams play 16 regular-season games, most on weekends. Many players commute to games and have full-time jobs outside lacrosse during the NLL season, which lasts until early May.
“It does suck for me because I’m one of those guys that doesn’t have a full-time job and was banking on the money,” said Pollock, who lives just outside Minneapolis.
“Luckily I’ll have a green card within the next month or I’d really be in trouble,” he added. “... I’m on a job hunt now. I have to get a full-time job.”
Pollock didn’t play any lacrosse this summer. He wonders about his conditioning if the NLL doesn’t return until the 2009 season.
“I hope my career isn’t over,” he said. “It’s going to be a year-and-a-half off. It’s a long time.”
Not only is he coming off his best pro season, he’s also planning his nuptials for next year.
“I have a wedding to pay for in June and right now I don’t have a job to pay for it,” the Port Lambton native said. “Hopefully I get one soon.”
Pollock, 25, has played four seasons in the NLL, including the past three with the Minnesota Swarm.
The 2008 season was cancelled last Tuesday after owners failed to reach a new collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Lacrosse Players’ Association.
“It’s pretty sad, really,” Pollock said. “I guess both sides kind of let it get that far. As disappointing as it is, I stand by our union guys. I feel I would have voted the same way.
“I thought the owners’ proposal and the way they handled it was pretty immature. They didn’t try to deal with us.”
The season was scheduled to begin Dec. 27. Pollock estimated there’s a “one per cent” chance it can be saved.
“Our reps are still optimistic, but I think it’s time to move on for this year,” he said.
However, he still has a sliver of hope.
“Hopefully they can come to their senses and the arenas aren’t booked and they can make something happen,” said Pollock, who set career-highs with 26 goals and 67 points in 15 games last season.
Other NLL players with local connections are Wallaceburg native Brad MacArthur (Toronto Rock) and ex-Red Devils Scott Stapleford (Buffalo LumberJax) and Kevin Dostie (Buffalo Bandits).
The maximum salary for a veteran player in the expired contract was US$21,294. Each team could designate as many as two franchise players to receive $25,552.
The fixed rookie salary was $6,880 and the veteran minimum was $10,221. The average was about $14,500.
The union wants players to get a share of future profits, while the 14-team league wants continued salary caps.
“We went to them believing they’d actually negotiate with us, and they didn’t,” Pollock said.
The NLL said it offered a five-per-cent raise on the veteran cap in each of the next five years and a three-per-cent increase for rookies.
“I don’t think the owners really want to have a season,” Pollock said. “They want to break the union.”
Average attendance last season ranged from almost 16,800 in Colorado to less than 4,700 in San Jose. Minnesota ranked eighth with 9,405 fans per game.
Teams play 16 regular-season games, most on weekends. Many players commute to games and have full-time jobs outside lacrosse during the NLL season, which lasts until early May.
“It does suck for me because I’m one of those guys that doesn’t have a full-time job and was banking on the money,” said Pollock, who lives just outside Minneapolis.
“Luckily I’ll have a green card within the next month or I’d really be in trouble,” he added. “... I’m on a job hunt now. I have to get a full-time job.”
Pollock didn’t play any lacrosse this summer. He wonders about his conditioning if the NLL doesn’t return until the 2009 season.
“I hope my career isn’t over,” he said. “It’s going to be a year-and-a-half off. It’s a long time.”
One thing of interest to me was that while Sean Pollock has been living in Minnesota he has had no other employer other than the Swarm.
LW