Troy Polamalu wants to lead a revolution

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu recently provided an unintentionally humorous quote when speaking at the Cedars Sinai Medical Center Sports Spectacular, in Los Angeles.

"It's unfortunate right now. I think what the players are fighting for is something bigger," Polamalu said. "A lot of people think it's millionaires versus billionaires and that's the huge argument."

"The fact is its people fighting against big business. The big business argument is 'I got the money and I got the power therefore I can tell you what to do.' That's life everywhere. I think this is a time when the football players are standing up and saying, 'No, no, no, the people have the power.'"

I'm not taking a side in the labor dispute, but this statement is chock-full of fantasy - and not the kind that pays the bills around here. The NFL's model requires fans, players and owners to harmoniously come together to create the level of wealth involved. This balance has produced billions of dollars for the players and owners, including making a millionaire of Polamalu.

In the real world, if an employee doesn't like the company he/she works for, they always have the option to seek better employment elsewhere, just as Polamalu does. Taking down the big business that is the NFL isn't in his best interest, but I give him credit for his convictions, even if bred through unrealistic idealism.

In a perfect world the people have the power, but the actuality of the situation is that the only power you have as an employee is the right to walk away in search of something better.

The notion he is fighting for the common man is a joke. Nothing about Polamalu's career or annual earnings represents the everyday Joe, but I won't let that get in the way of a feel-good campaign.

He needs to realize that without the successful business the NFL has created, in part because of players like Polamalu, he wouldn't be earning the type of coin he does. See if the CFL or UFL can afford to pay you what you're earning. I know, maybe he will play for the sheer love of the game?

Saying the NFL's money and power allows them to call the shots is 100 percent accurate. That's life everywhere, as Polamalu said ... however, in a totally different sense.

I have a very hard time taking this seriously, coming from such a common man whose hair is insured for $1 million....