It's been interesting to watch James Harrison become increasingly vocal on social media platforms this past year. It began early last season when Harrison chimed in on all the fines levied against him by the NFL for his allegedly illegal hits. Known for his quiet disposition off the field and general distrust of the media, Harrison has surprised me by joining the ranks of athletes who take their message directly to fans rather than through traditional media channels.
↵Deebo, as his teammates call him, prefers Facebook over Twitter for his social media interactions. You can find Harrison's official page here. His most recent post had to do with the NFL Lockout and how he views the labor impasse between the league and its players. Here's a snippet of what he had to say:
↵↵↵Just because the value of a football player’s job is not the same as the value of bus driver’s job doesn’t mean the rights of the two workers should be any different ... Why is this now supposed to be different for football players? ...
↵If you are a bus driver and all of a sudden the owners say "Hey Joe....by the way....we are cutting your pay 20% across the board and you have to work not 8 but 12 hours a day because the bus company owners are just not making enough money. Sorry about that." Then the bus driver’s union asks to see the owner’s books to prove that the company isn’t making enough money. Especially when everything you see and read shows you that the owners are making more money than they ever have. The bus company owner says "I don’t think so. Just take the pay cut and shut up." Would you tell that bus driver that he should just suck it up?
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Like he did when commenting on being fined for illegal hits, I thought Harrison was articulate and well-reasoned with his analysis. The CBA negotiations, of course, are not quite that simple, but nevertheless, he makes some good points and does so in a rationale way. Not bad for a guy who's perceived to be one of the most menacing and violent players in all of sports.