Show of solidarity is bad taste
It's time to get something straight.

On a night in New Orleans, players on the Saints and Vikings stood on the field and raised a finger to each other.

Well, actually, not THE finger, but actually they raised their arms and made a No. 1 symbol. The meaning of this symbol will likely puzzle sociologists hundreds of years from now.

In the year 3017:

Gelbo: Then, these titans raised their fingers in salute!

Balkin: A sign to God?

Gelbo: No.

Balkin: A rememberence of the victims of tragedies?

Gelbo: No.

Balkin: A sign of peace?

Gelbo: That's two fingers.

Balkin: A sign of...

Gelbo: It was the symbol of unity between some rich guys as their labor contract was up.

Balkin: What a stupid society.

Here's my problem with this: Near the nine-year anniversary of 9-11, the five year anniversary of Katrina, we have this: something planned and organized to signify something meaningful. But labor contracts for professional athletes are not meaningful. They're boring. And to people who paid hard-earned money to see the display of greed and self-importance, I am sorry.

It'd be nice if players acted half as sincere about causes that actually mattered. It was a sign of solidarity, or it was supposed to be. But now, with thousands of Americans out of work, holding up one finger and looking serious was a sign of something else:

Six-figure (at least) professional athletes can get money, but not a clue.