Students Picket NFL Scabs

Harvard football fans called the NFL's attempt to continue playing football despite the two-week-old player's strike "pathetic," but many said they tuned in to the weekend's games.

The teams consisted of "scabs"--unemployed free agents and a few NFL players who crossed the picket lines of the National Football League's Players Association (NFLPA).

Roger E. Caron '85, who played offensive tackle for Harvard before a two-year stint with the Indianapolis Colts, termed the games "a joke. Disgusting. A big waste of time."

"If people want to spend $20 to see semi-pro football, that's fine," added Caron, now a football coach and graduate student at Williams College.

Caron said he was offered the chance to play, but declined. "I would never,never cross a picket line," he said. "The playersare fighting for the economic right that you and Ihave to leave our job."

"If I was with 90 guys on a team, I'd want tobe united with them" stated Maurice Frilot '89,who occupies Caron's old offensive tackle positionon the Harvard team. Frilot also said that, giventhe chance, he would not cross the picket lineeither.

Members of the Harvard football team said theyhoped the strike would be settled soon because the"scab" teams that played weekend's games were notup to par.

The games were "played around [U.S. FootballLeague] level--not pro-level," said Frilot, whileHarvard defensive back Mike D'Amato '90 said heonly watched them because "there was nothing elseon."

Harvard defensive back Tom Mawhinney '90disagreed, saying he was "torn" about the walkout."The players have every right to strike," he said."But I can see the owners' point in not havingsky-high salaries--like baseball."

"It's ridiculous," agreed Harvard defensive endJohn Serieka '90, "they should be playing ball.